Roccaforte’s catch lifts Rebels to Dome

Published 12:00 am Saturday, December 2, 2000

L’Observateur / December 2, 2000

FARMERVILLE – Riverside’s Jeff Roccaforte made only one catch in the Rebels’ semifinal game at Farmerville Friday night.

But it will be a catch that the senior will long remember.

Roccaforte’s 60-yard catch and carry off a pass from Damian Melancon set up Britt Waguespack’s 16-yard touchdown run with just over five minutes left, lifting Riverside to a 33-28 victory. The win sends the Rebels to theClass 2A state championship game for the second time in three years.

Riverside (14-0) will play Ouachita Christian, a 37-6 winner over Many, in the finals Friday in the Superdome.

Farmerville finished the season at 10-4.

Riverside, which trailed 21-0 after the first quarter, tied the game early in the third. After Farmerville went back up, 28-21, Riverside scored on itsfirst possession of the fourth quarter to pull to within one.

Riverside quickly held Farmerville and took over at its 20 with 6:10 left. Onthe first play, Roccaforte grabbed Melancon’s pass at the Riverside 45 and broke a tackle, taking the ball down to the Farmerville 20 for a 60-yard gain.

Two plays later, Waguespack spun off a tackle at the line and raced in from 16 yards out. The try for two failed but the Rebels led 33-28 with just overfive minutes left.

A pass interference call gave the Farmers a first down at the Riverside 49 on their next drive. But Blake Duhe and Ray Cella came up with sacks to endthe drive.

The Farmers held the Rebels and took over at the Riverside 44 with 1:30 left. Kenneth Haulcy was sacked by Cella on the first play but came back withan 18-yard pass to Bilberry at the 32 with 53 seconds left.

After an incompletion, Sean Delaneuville and Duhe combined to sack Haulcy again. A delay of game pushed the Farmers back and on fourth down, Haulcywas stopped after a 14-yard run, giving the Rebels the ball with two seconds left.

Riverside had pulled to within one early in the fourth quarter, driving 65 yards in 10 plays. Melancon carried for 11 yards and Jared St. Amant addeda nine-yard run. Melancon then hit Entremont for gains of 12 and 14 down tothe four. St. Amant bounced off a tackle on the next play for the score. RicoHaulcy kept the Farmers in the lead by blocking Blake Torres’ extra point, leaving it 28-27 with 8:33 left.

Riverside didn’t take long to tie the game as the second half opened. AfterSt. Amant returned the kickoff to the 35, Melancon hit Gary Entremont atmidfield. Entremont then took a screen pass, broke downfield and got in afoot race with Rico Haulcy before Haulcy knocked him out of bounds at the 7.

On fourth and goal, Waguespack took it in from the one. Following a penalty,Torres hit the extra point from 35 yards out to tie the game at 21 with 10:06 left in the third.

Farmerville quickly answered, going 68 yards in five plays. On the first playfrom the 32, Haulcy kept on an option around the right side for 44 yards to the Riverside 24. Three plays lost a yard but the Farmers went for it onfourth down and Haulcy cashed in by finding Taycho Cleveland on a 25-yard scoring strike. Haulcy’s extra point made it 28-21 with 7:41 left in the thirdquarter.

The Farmers took the opening possession and moved right down the field, going 65 yards in five plays. On the second play from scrimmage, Haulcy hitTomorrio Bilberry on a wide receiver screen for 16 yards to the Riverside 43.

Two plays later, Bilberry made a one-handed catch off a tipped pass, broke a tackle and went down the sidelines before being knocked out of bounds at the one. Cleveland took it in from there. Haulcy added the extra point, making it7-0 with 10:03 left in the first quarter.

Farmerville held the Rebels on their first possession and took over again at its 47. On third-and-11 from the 46, Haulcy again went to the screen toBilberry. Bilberry took it in and cut down the field, taking it 45 yards to theRiverside nine. Two plays later, it was Cleveland again, taking it in from eightyards out. Haulcy’s extra point was blocked by Ryan Bugay, leaving the scoreat 13-0.

Farmerville held the Rebels after they had driven to the Farmers’ 12-yard line on their next possession. The Farmers didn’t stay backed up for long asHaulcy found a wide open Bilberry at midfield on third down from the 12.

Bilberry took it in to complete the 88-yard scoring play on the final play of the first quarter. Haulcy ran in for the conversion, making it 21-0.The Rebels held Farmerville on its next possession and took over at the Farmers’ 28 after a 22-yard punt by Haulcy. A nine-yard scramble byMelancon and a late hit against the Farmers gave the Rebels a first down at the five.

On fourth down, Waguespack took an option pitch in from three yards out for the score. Blake Torres’ extra point was no good, leaving it 21-6 with 5:13left in the half.

After Farmerville drove to the Rebels’ 33, Bugay intercepted Haulcy at the 25 and returned it to the Rebels’ 30 with 1:14 left in the half.

After a late hit on third down gave the Rebels a first down at the 45, Melancon threw deep for Entremont who out-leapt his defender at the Farmerville 21 for a 34-yard gain.

A 16-yard reception by Entremont and a late hit moved the ball to the five.

Two plays later, Melancon took it in on a sneak from the one. Melancon thenhit Waguespack for the conversion, cutting the deficit to 21-14 with six seconds left in the half.

Return To Sports Stories

Copyright © #Thisyear# Wick Communications, Inc.Best viewed with 4.0 or higher