By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

As Riverside prepared to learn on Friday where it would be seeded in the upcoming Class 2A state playoffs, Rebels Coach Mickey Roussel hoped that the voting coaches would take note of the Rebels’ impressive resume against upper classification teams in 2008.  

Not only is Riverside 12-0 against teams in Class 2A, but its faced 16 teams in Classes 4A and 5A – including a 6-6 record against 5A schools.

Two of those 12 games came this week, with the Rebels notching a split. Riverside won at Northshore on Wednesday, 7-5, while falling at home to Dominican on Thursday, 11-2.

Roussel said that no matter where the draw on Friday seeded his team, one thing they won’t be is unprepared for the intensity of postseason play.

    “We couldn’t have put the girls in a better situation to be ready for the playoffs,” said Roussel. “We’ve played a lot of very strong teams.”

    One of those teams was Northshore (18-8-2), tied for second place after a tough District 7-5A race.

Seven innings weren’t enough to settle things between the two teams, who were tied at five entering extra innings.

But the top of the Rebel order was up, and they ensured the game would go no further. Heidi Garcich led off with a single. Brittany Schoen tripled for the eventual game-winning RBI. Marci Millet singled to bring Schoen home and add an insurance run.

Chelsey Stein pitched a scoreless bottom half of the inning, securing the victory for Riverside (21-13).

Stein went all eight innings, allowing three hits and one earned run. She struck out three batters.

Millet was 3-for-3 with a triple and two RBIs. Ayla Vicknair was 1-for-1 with three RBIs. Garcich, returning from an ankle injury, went 3-for-4 with an RBI.

The Rebels led 3-0 entering the bottom of the third inning, when the Panthers scored four unearned runs after some uncharacteristic Rebel defensive miscues.

“Lately, we’ve been having that one bad inning,” said Roussel. “We have to really work on that and stay away from errors, especially in the playoffs.

Northshore would score again in the fourth to take a 5-3 lead, but Riverside scored two in the sixth to tie the game.

The Rebels collected 11 hits in the game, but also committed five errors.

“We’ve been stressing limiting the mental mistakes,” said Roussel. ”It’s about attention to detail, at the plate and in the field. Physical mistakes are going to happen, but we want to eliminate the mental ones.”

But the win was one the Rebels needed to establish some momentum entering the postseason.

“That’s a pretty good 5A school. It can be tough to go down there and win,” Roussel said. “We had one bad inning, but we overcame it.”

The focus was shifted as Riverside faced Dominican on Thursday, a game rescheduled from a Saturday rainout.

Dominican (28-6) was able to seize control early, scoring 7 runs in the second inning. Dominican starting pitcher Ginger Lonergan took care of the rest, limiting the Rebels to two runs as Dominican went on to an 11-2 win.

Rebel Coaches Roussel and Kristy Hebert played 14 players in the game, with an emphasis on making sure everyone had solid at bats entering the postseason.

“We were more worried about our at-bats than the score,” said Roussel. “And I thought we swung the bats well. We hit some balls, and (Dominican) made some fantastic plays in the field.”

Kelsi Roussel was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Schoen and Millet each scored a run for Riverside.