Hard fought game for Riverside Middle School Football team

The Riverside Rebel Middle School football team took on the Midwest Pumpers at Jim Gibbs Field on Friday. The fireworks started early and kept coming throughout the game on Military Appreciation Day. 

Midwest started the scoring frenzy early going up 12-0 early in the first quarter. Kobe Winters started off the Rebel scoring taking a 30-yard reverse to the house for Riverside’s first touchdown of the day with Sawyer Triplett running the ball on the point touchdown after conversion.

On the initial play of Midwest’s next possession, Parker Callier’s perfect pass coverage on defense led to a 49-yard interception for a pick six touchdown, but the point after touchdown (PAT) failed. Each time the Rebs scored, it seemed the Pumpers had an answer with another score. The score was 13 to 20 with the home team talking after one quarter.

Riverside’s no hustle offense and audibles at the line of scrimmage kept them in the game. Triplett had some big runs on the opening drive including a one-yard touchdown score with the PAT failing. Midwest had one more touchdown run two in the scoring for the first half at 26 to 19 with the visitors ahead.

Triplett continued his trip to pay dirt with another ten-yard touchdown run on the opening drive of the second half with the PAT being unsuccessful once again. Midwest quickly answered with another long touchdown run. The Rebs refused to give up and scored on a beautiful 43-yard pass from Callier to Triplett. Triplet then added a PAT. 

The scoring frenzy continued as Triplett piled on another touchdown run and PAT run. On the next drive, Winters streaked down the sideline on an amazing 70-yard touchdown dash with the PAT kick missing. Midwest quickly answered again on their next possession.

The teams continued to trade scores in a thrilling final quarter. The Rebs were down as many as ten points halfway through the fourth quarter but refused to give up. Winters sprinted to a 39-yard touchdown run on another reverse with another failed PAT. 

Midwest answered a minute later with another run and the PAT kick being blocked by the Riverside defense. 

The hometown, cardiac kids greeted out one last drive in regulation time to score on a beautiful nine-yard rollout pass from Callier to Solomon Thompson with Triplett converting the PAT kick to make the score 60 for the Rebels to 62 for Midwest. The scrappy Riverside defense amazingly scored on a safety tackling the Midwest quarterback in its own end zone.

Ultimately, it was not the Rebs’ day as they were unable to score in overtime and lost to Midwest 62 to 68 in a thriller for the ages.

Scoring Plays:

Kobe Winters 30 yard run (Sawyer Triplett PAT run).

Parker Callier 49 yard interception for touchdown (PAT failed)

Triplett 10 yard run (PAT failed)

Triplett 1 yard run (PAT failed)

Callier 43 yard pass to Triplett (Triplett PAT kick)

Triplett 5 yard run (Triplett PAT run)

Winters 70 yard run (PAT failed)

Winters 39 yard run (PAT failed)

Callier 9 yard pass to Thompson (PAT kick successful)