By RYAN ARENA
L’Observateur

RESERVE — Riverside has waited a long year for a chance to rectify last year’s postseason disappointment.

And on the heels of a perfect regular season, that opportunity is here at last.

The Rebels (10-0) drew the No. 3 seed in the Division III postseason and will host Pope John Paul II (1-9) Friday night in Reserve.

The 16th seeded Jaguars were the last team into the Division IV fray (top seeds Calvary Baptist and Catholic-New Iberia were the only teams to draw byes in Division III). PJP II’s lone win this season came by forfeit over Pearl River, and it finished 0-6 in District 7-2A.

While there doesn’t appear to be much chance for a 2013 repeat — Riverside was upset at home by St. Thomas Aquinas in the opening round, 34-29 — Rebels coach Bill Stubbs said his team will not take a minute of this week for granted.

“The storm is coming,” Stubbs said. “I keep telling our guys that, and it’s the truth. If we don’t prepare ourselves right now, in practice and on Friday night, for what’s coming up, then we’re going to end up disappointed. On every single rep, you’re helping yourself by getting better or you’re not. The time we put in this week is at a premium.

“We have our eyes on the prize, and that doesn’t start two weeks from now. It’s already begun.”

The veteran coach knows how to get there, having led Salmen to a pair of state championships in 1994 and 2000, respectively.

Stubbs said he was very proud of the way the Rebels played last week in their win over Carver and wants to see that attitude from his team again, particularly on offense.

“I think we were in … I wouldn’t say a slump, offensively, but I think we’d gotten a little complacent (after defeating Newman in Week 7),” Stubbs said. “There was a little bit of a ‘OK, we’ve got to refocus’ on our team. I thought we were much more organized and efficient.”

Riverside’s defense pitched its third shutout in the past six weeks against Carver and all season long has kept its offense from having to engage in many shootout-style games. But Riverside again posted some gaudy numbers this regular season.

Von Julien caught 32 passes for 715 yards and 12 touchdowns and Herb McGee 33 for 552 and 11 touchdowns to lead the receiving corps. Julien has scored 15 total touchdowns, including three return scores. Darrion Cook is coming off a two-touchdown performance last week and has forced teams to reconsider double teams of Julien or McGee. Jordan Loving has passed for 1,835 yards, 32 touchdowns and just five interceptions as a freshman starter.

Defensively, Joe Anderson has collected seven sacks and Kendall Martin has intercepted six passes.

If the Rebels are to advance, an interesting wrinkle could await in the next round. No. 6 seed St. Thomas Aquinas hosts No. 11 Archbishop Hannan and if both STA and RA advance, the Rebels would host a playoff rematch between the teams next week. If that happens, Stubbs vows his team will be ready.

“I take full responsibility for what happened last season,” Stubbs said. “I didn’t prepare our team well enough. Every year, you learn something new.

“It’s the beauty of this game. And I’ll certainly put what I learned, as a head coach, to good use. I can promise you that for sure.”