Hard fought loss

RESERVE - In a game that saw 41 total penalties and a number of quick drives with big plays for defending state runner-up Riverside Academy, the Sacred Heart Trojans bowed out of the Division III playoffs with a 48-14 loss here Friday night.
Riverside scored on every possession except the final two, with five of those scoring drives taking up four plays or less.
“We had a big lapse in the second quarter about 10 minutes where things didn’t go our way,” stated Sacred Heart head coach Josh Harper. “But, I could not be prouder of our players tonight. They came out and fought the entire game against one of the top teams in the state.”
Sacred Heart came out with a chip on their shoulder, taking the opening possession down to the Rebel nine-yard line in a drive that took up most of the first quarter and lasted for 14 plays. Unfortunately, the Trojans could not turn that huge drive into any points.
From that point in the game up until the fourth quarter, it was all Riverside.
The Rebels first possession began on their 17-yard line after Sacred Heart turned it over on downs. Five plays later quarterback Jordan Loving hit wide out Jared Butler on a 19-yard slant pass to put the Riverside on the board. The extra point try by Tanner Loque was good and the Rebels had a 7-0 lead.
Sacred Heart’s next possession trickled into the start of the second quarter and ended on a 30-yard Daniel Scully punt.
Three plays later, the Rebels added another score when Louis Cheneau took the ball up the middle for nine yards. The PAT was no good, but Riverside led 13-0.
The Rebels scored four more times in the second quarter, with each scoring drive lasting three plays or less. By the time that the halftime horn sounded, Riverside held a 41-0 lead.
The third quarter only saw one touchdown, as the Rebels took the opening kickoff of the second half and drove 37-yards in eight plays. With the made extra point Riverside now led 48-0.
The never say die attitude of the Trojans showed in the final quarter, as Sacred Heart was able to put up two touchdowns in the period.
The first score came on a 12-yard pass from Wesley Launey to Brandon Fontenot and the second was a 19-yard pass from Launey to Scully.