By RYAN ARENA
L’Observateur
RESERVE — Riverside wanted to make a statement to begin district play this season: that the Rebels are ready to not only repeat as district champs, but go even further once postseason begins.
The Rebels got off to the kind of start they envisioned Saturday, besting St. Martin’s, 4-1, at Riverside.
The Saints split with the Rebels in District 9-III play a year ago and finished tied as runner-up with St. Charles.
Mary Gurley and Taylor Terrio each scored two goals for Riverside.
With leading goal scorer Jordan Duhon sidelined indefinitely due to an appendectomy, other Rebels stepped up offensively, led by Terrio and Gurley.
“(Duhon) is a big loss. There’s no denying that,” said Riverside coach Brittany St. Pierre. “But we reshuffled some things. We moved Taylor up front and she really stepped up, as did Mary.
“You never know what will happen when you have to make changes or lose an important part of what you do, but they really responded to the challenge. It was a very good way to start district play.”
Riverside improved to 10-8-3 overall and 1-0 in district play.
The Rebels played Lutcher one day earlier, falling to the Bulldogs on Friday, 6-0.
Riverside trailed 1-0 at halftime. An early Lutcher goal once play resumed sparked the Bulldogs to a five-goal second half.  
“I thought we played one of the best defensive halves of the year in the first half against Lutcher,” said St. Pierre. “Once they got that second goal, though, it was like we went a little flat.”
St. Pierre said a bright spot was the play of goalkeeper Kenzie Saucier, who made a number of impressive saves to keep the Rebels in it for much of the match.
“She made a lot of great blocks for us,” said St. Pierre.
Riverside’s game with St. Charles Catholic, originally scheduled to be played this past Monday, has been rescheduled for Jan. 19, at SCC. The two local rivals will face one another twice in five days, with a Jan. 15 showdown scheduled to be played at Riverside.
The Rebels return to action Friday, when they travel to face district foe Haynes.