Riverdale won at Blackman in their regular season meeting, 28-21, but Blackman had revenge on their minds in Friday’s playoff rematch.

The Blaze rode their workhorse running back I’Tavius Mathers to an 8-3 record this season. Mathers rushed for 2,210 yards this season and 25 touchdowns. The senior has rushed for more than 5,500 yards, 60 touchdowns and two Mr. Football nominations in his illustrious career at Blackman.

Mathers looked the part early on versus Riverdale. He capped an 80-yard drive on the opening possession with two-yard touchdown run to take an early 7-0 lead over host Riverdale.

The drive initially appeared to stall at the 35 with the Blaze facing third and long, but senior quarterback Tyler Strickland found his wide receiver Brant Luker for a 59-yard gain deep into Warrior territory.

Riverdale quickly answered on their first drive when senior tailback Adam Davenport rushed into the end zone from eight yards out to tie the game at seven.

After a defensive stop, the Warriors drove deep into Blaze territory once again before being forced to kick a field goal inside the 10-yard line.

Blackman answered with another 80-yard drive powered by Mathers. He took it in from three yards out to give Blackman the 14-10 lead at the half.

Photos by D. Gardonia

Despite trailing, Riverdale had outgained the Blaze in offensive yardage in the first half, 190-154.

The Warriors came out of the locker room fired up and wasted no time driving the length of the field on a long touchdown drive. After having handing the ball off for most of the drive, quarterback Dillon Woodruff rushed around the left side on first-and-goal from the five. He met a Blackman defender at the goal line, but bulldozed his way into the end zone for six and the lead.

Riverdale’s defense stepped up in the second half, as well.

On the next drive Blackman had the ball near midfield when the coaches called a pitch play around the left side to Mathers on third-and-short. Riverdale defensive lineman Deantae Glover came around from the opposite side unblocked and corralled Mathers down behind the line of scrimmage to force the punt.

In the second half Glover showed that he had come to play in what, at the time, might have been his last game at Tomahawk Stadium.

Glover went out for a pass on third-and-long on the ensuing drive and beat his defender and the safety for a 49-yard reception to keep the drive alive. Woodruff took an option keeper into the end zone from 11 yards out later on the drive to take a 24-14 lead for Riverdale.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Warriors got some help from their special teams unit and a familiar face.

Riverdale had just stopped Blackman on third down, and the Blaze came out to punt the ball away. Glover came around the right side, as if he were shot out of a cannon. He blocked the punt and it rolled out of bounds at the seven, where the offense started their next drive.

Three plays later Davenport broke through the defensive line to pay dirt for his second score of the night and a 31-14 lead. Davenport had a game-high 114 yards rushing and two touchdowns on the night.

His nemesis on the other side of the ball, Mathers, was less fortunate in the second half.

He came up gimpy after taking a shot to his ankle near the end of the third quarter. He returned as a kick returner in the fourth, but was unable to handle any more carries out of the offensive backfield. Mathers finished with a season-low 46 yards and two touchdowns in his final game as a member of the Blaze.

Riverdale would tack on one more score on a pitch run from senior tailback Keenan Jackson before Woodruff snapped the ball in the victory formation with seconds to go to capture the win and advance to third round of the playoffs, 38-14.

The Warriors defense held Blackman to only 10 total yards of offense in the second half thanks to several tackles behind the line of scrimmage, including two sacks by Glover.

Strickland was harassed all game long by the Riverdale pass rush. He completed only 6-of-16 passes for 98 yards and two late interceptions.

His counterpart Woodruff, completed six of his eight attempts for 129 yards and added 73 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

The Warriors racked up 457 yards of total offense against the Blackman defense, including 321 rushing yards in the win.

The victory gives Riverdale a perfect 12-0 record so far in the 2011 campaign. They will play at Tomahawk Stadium in Murfreesboro again Friday in the quarterfinals of the 6-A state playoffs.

Their opponent will be 9-3 Oak Ridge, who is coming off a 49-14 win over Cookeville.

Oak Ridge eliminated the Warriors in the state quarterfinals last season, 28-21. A win over the Wildcats would most likely propel Riverdale to a semifinals matchup against the No. 1 ranked team in the state, Maryville.