By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

It was a bittersweet homecoming night for host Riverside. The Rebels controlled the game, notching a 34-7 victory over St. Thomas Aquinas.

This came despite an injury to senior running back Jarid Caesar, who left the game with a leg injury in the first half.

But in his absence, senior quarterback Jade Falgoust had a breakout night. Falgoust accounted for five touchdowns, rushing for 128 yards and four touchdowns and passing for 83 yards and one touchdown.

&#8220Coach kept calling my number, and I did what I had to do,” Falgoust said. &#8220Our offensive line did a very good job.”

Said Coach Mickey Roussel: &#8220He’s a hellava athlete. He surpassed my expectations. He’s certainly one of the guys that makes us go, a key to the offense.”

The extent of Caesar’s injury is not yet known. Caesar is a five-year starter for the Rebels. He had five carries for 36 yards before his injury.

&#8220After Jarid went down, we seemed to go down with him for a little while,” said Roussel. &#8220Anytime you lose a guy like that, it hurts. But I never doubted that this team would rebound.”

The game also marked a bit of a homecoming for former Riverside assistant John White, who coached for ten years under Roussel and now coaches STA.

&#8220I was certainly concerned about the game. John coached here for ten years, and he had them ready. We knew he was going to be a good coach.”

Riverside (3-0) led 14-0 at halftime after a Falgoust two-yard touchdown run and a Falgoust 44-yard scoring pass to Remi Poirrier.

Falgoust scored from 16 yards away on a keeper with 9:24 left in the third quarter to go ahead 20-0.

The score stayed that way until 10:11 remaining in the fourth quarter, after Falgoust ran it in from eight yards out to put Riverside ahead 28-0.

St. Thomas (1-2) got its lone score of the game on a 35-yard Josh Reed touchdown run, making it 28-7 with 5:40 left in the game.

But Falgoust capped off the scoring with his longest scoring dash of the evening, a 30-yard run that capped off the scoring at 34-7.

Poirrier led the team in receiving with two catches for 56 yards and a touchdown. He also carried the ball nine times for 34 yards. Blake Terrio carried five times for 39 yards.

Terrio, Wade Delaneuville, and the entire Riverside secondary were praised by Roussel for their efforts on the defense.

Riverside will travel to face West St. John (0-3) this Friday night.