| Turnovers too costly as Riverdale falls, 42-30 |
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Posted: Friday, November 27, 2009 8:33 pm
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Riverdale's Adam Davenport scored his team's first touchdown on a 65-yard run. Mark Large/Maryville times photo
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Turnovers are death in the TSSAA playoffs, and three first-half turnovers leading to Maryville touchdowns doomed Riverdale in the TSSAA playoff semi-finals Friday night as the Warriors fell 42-30.
Riverdale fumbled the ball away on two of its first three plays with Rebel quarterback Phillip Juhlin proving equal to his billing as he directed Maryville to scores each time.
After directing a 95-yard scoring drive on the game’s first series, Juhlin burned the Warriors after the two fumbles for a 21-0 lead that eventually decided the game and sent Maryville to next Saturday’s BlueCross Bowl championship.
Juhlin, showing super passing accuracy and poise, led another scoring drive before the half while the Rebel defense contributed again with an interception return for six that staked Maryville to a 35-14 halftime lead.
Riverdale scored on an Adam Davenport 65-yard ramble and Cody West’s eight-yard run for the first of his three TDs of the night.
Riverdale never gave up and made it close with two fourth quarter TD drives and two-point conversions but could never seriously challenge the Rebels after the disasterous first half.
Both Riverdale scores in the fourth came on short West runs with both two-pointers coming on West passes to Davenport.
While the turnovers were critical, the Warriors were never able to find an answer to Juhlin who passed with keen accuracy and directed the Rebel offense masterfully.
Juhlin came into the game with 27 scoring passes and only three interceptions.
The Warriors, who displayed considerable passing prowess in defeating archrival Oakland last week, were handicapped offensively by a number of dropped passes.
Riverdale finishes the season 11-3, having lost two regular season games in overtime.
The Warriors’ elimination stops a three-year streak of state championships in the top football classification by Rutherford County teams as Oakland won the BlueCross Bowl last year after two straight titles by Smyrna.
And, Riverdale took the crown in 2004, giving Rutherford four of the last five titles.
Maryville, moving up in classification this year after dominating the former Class 4A for years, will play the winner of Brentwood-White Station Dec. 5 in Cookeville.
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