Riverside varsity teams win, JV squads splits games in season home opener

By JOHNNY PEPPO

Sports Editor

RESERVE-Riverside basketball burned the Hosanna Blazers on Wednesday when both varsity teams and the boys JV won, while girls JV dropped their season opener.

The games started with a JV girls 18-11 loss, which was avenged by the boys squad with a 38-35 win. The Lady Rebels varsity team put Riverside ahead of Hosanna with a 40-37 victory before the boys finished them off in a 49-37 win.

Varsity

The main event Wednesday night pitted the boys teams against each other in the Rebels first season appearance in front of a home crowd. The Riverside squad started out slowly, scoring only eight points while giving up 12 in the first quarter. Not much changed going in to the second, as Hosanna stayed on top and went into halftime with a six point lead.

But halftime allowed the Rebels to make some adjustments to come out and take command of the third quarter. Offensive output from leading scorer Robert Tamplain, who recorded 19 points, helped Riverside to take a 33-31 lead heading in to the final period of play.

A stellar defensive effort allowed only six points in the last six minutes while the other side of the ball had their best performance to finish up with a 49-37 win. Jesse Leblanc came away in the win with 15 points to round out the leading scorers in the game.

The Lady Rebels also came away with a win after a tight fourth quarter that found Hosanna coming up three points short. Riverside led throughout the game after jumping out to a 22-18 halftime lead.

Jena Elfer led the charge for the home team, scoring 11 while Brittany Schoen pitched in with nine of her own.

Junior Varsity

Riverside’s young boys squad also squeaked by with a victory after jumping out to a 34-28 lead by the end of the third period.

Led in the game by Timmy Teague’s 11 points and Justin Newbauer’s eight, the Rebels offense stalled in the final six minutes, allowing Hosanna to climb to within three. But Riverside held on for the eventual 38-35 win.

In the opening game of the match-up, Hosanna got their only win of the night in a sparse scoring 24 minutes of action where every point was dramatic.

The Blazers struck first going up 8-3 after a steal and score by Lauren Waits. The Lady Rebs brought it to within one in the third after a bucket by Ashley Forstall, but Riverside could only manage one more bucket while Hosanna pulled away for an 18-11 win.

The Blazers were aided in the victory by Bianca Williams, Sarah Mancill and Faith Castle who each scored pivotal baskets.