By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

RESERVE — Boasting almost an entirely new starting lineup, very young starters across the board and needing to adjust to a new head coach, Riverside was supposed to be a year away.

Try telling that to Homer.

Coach Bill Stubbs’ young Rebels certainly looked like a team on the rise in the second half of the regular season. But nobody could have expected Riverside to do what it did on Friday night as the 25th seed in Class 2A — going on a nearly six-hour road trip to thrash 8th-seeded Homer, 56-8, in an opening round bi-district playoff game.

The performance stands as Riverside’s most complete effort of the season. The Rebels’ spread offense fired on all cylinders once again. Perhaps more importantly for its postseason hopes, however, the defense answered the bell with its most suffocating effort of the season, holding Homer to just 110 total yards.

The win allows Riverside (5-5) to return home to host a regional round game with No. 9 seed Episcopal of Baton Rouge (8-2) on Friday night at Mickey Roussel Field.

Episcopal rallied to defeat Booker T. Washington last week, 17-6, after trailing 6-0 entering the fourth quarter.

The Knights were a Class 2A quarterfinalist last season, finishing 11-2 under coach Travis Bourgeois.

“They’re one of those teams … no one guy really stands out as a superstar,” said Stubbs. “And, in my experience, those are the teams that scare you, because that means they’re all good. They’re well-coached and very disciplined.”

Episcopal relies on the run, much like Homer, but goes about challenging the defense in a different way. Homer relies on a straight power attack; the Knights run their offense through the Wing-T, employing more misdirection and stress upon the perimeter of the defense.

 “They run the Wing-T and run it well … and that always gives you some pain, especially if you haven’t seen it much,” said Stubbs.

The Rebels have seen one Wing-T team this year in Brusly, which beat Riverside 50-16 in the season’s second week. That game was part of an 0-4 start for the Rebels, but since then, Riverside has gone 5-1.

Episcopal was led last week by fullback Clement Mubungirwa, whose name and game constitute a mouthful. Mubungirwa rushed for 153 yards on 26 carries and scored a touchdown in the Knights’ victory.

“He’s a hard-nosed kid,” said Stubbs. “He’s got a high knee drive and he hits the hole quickly. He’s not dynamic in terms of speed, but he’ll first down you to death. That’s what their offense is designed to do.”

Riverside has averaged 45.3 points per game in eight Class 2A games so far this season.

Episcopal has allowed 20 points or more just twice this season — one of those was a 57-10 loss to district foe University Lab.

Riverside will stress the Knights’ defense. Running back Jonquial Sanders is having a special senior season, putting up not only impressive rushing numbers but receiving as well; he rushed for 110 yards and caught four passes for 66 yards last week. He accounted for four touchdowns.

Deuce Wallace is only a freshman, but he’s totaled over 2,000 passing yards this season and tossed another four touchdown passes last week. Three of those went to Von Julien. Herb McGee led the Rebels in receiving with 86 yards.

Stubbs said he is pleased with how the team has matured.

“They’ve withstood Coach Stubbs,” he said with a laugh. “We got on them pretty good … the other thing is that they’re really understanding the offense and the defense now, their new assignments this season. And the biggest key is that they’re really enjoying it.”