Rebels fall to top-ranked LSR

The Riverside Rebels closed the non-conference portion of their schedule with a Saturday game against Little Snake River, the top-ranked team in the six-man class.

It was no contest, as the Rattlers built an 18-0 lead after one, extended it to 45-0 at the half and cruised from there to a 51-0 win to remain unbeaten.

“Of the four teams we have seen so far this year, (the Rattlers) are by far the most athletic and deep,” said Riverside Coach Matthew Jensen, whose team dropped to 0-4 with the loss.

The Rebels couldn’t get anything going offensively, particularly on the ground.

“Once you get behind and one dimensional, it is hard to keep the sticks moving,” said Jensen. “LSR is a very good team that is well coached.”

The following players stood out on defense: Zack Kuntz, with six assisted tackles, three unassisted tackles, a tackle for loss, a forced fumble and a recovery; Paul Stone, with six solos and Corbyn Godfrey with six assisted and one solo stop.

The Rebels had a tough non-conference slate this year, facing not only Little Snake River but also Encampment, which was ranked No. 2 in last week’s poll.

Jensen said the focus of this week’s practice will be “fundamentals, specifically improving run-game blocking to reduce penetration and simplify things offensively. 

“We’ll also focus on ball security to correct our turnover issues.”

From here on out, every game will have conference implications for the Rebels.  Their first test comes Friday in Kaycee, where kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

“Kaycee is a very prideful football team,” Jensen said. “Due to injuries and a low number of players, they had to forfeit their game against Burlington a few weeks ago. Kaycee bounced back last week with a big win over their rival Midwest. 

“We will focus on a strong week of practice, maintain a positive attitude, and play with urgency.”

With a win, the Rebels can even their conference record at 1-1.