Ashburn, Va. — Riverside versus Rock Ridge has become a classic early season rivalry football game featuring Loudoun County’s two newest public high schools. After their first three meetings were decided by less than seven points each, the Rams rolled through the 2018 match up, opening their season on August 24 with a 30-10 win over the Phoenix.
“We were the new kids on the block and so were they. A natural rivalry developed. I always love to play them,” Riverside senior quarterback Trevor Jackson said. “And now, we’re finally seeing everything come to fruition after putting in all this work for four years.”
[adrotate group=”4″]The Rams have seen steady year-over-year improvement over their first three seasons and hope to continue that trend into 2018, thanks in part to the play of Jackson.
After Riverside senior punter Gavin Stone pinned Rock Ridge inside its own 1-yard line six minutes into the first quarter, the Rams’ defense forced a Phoenix safety, giving Jackson and his offense a little momentum.
Jackson used that momentum to move his team downfield, before he went for a 4-yard quarterback keeper midway through the second quarter.
“The kids that were supposed to make plays for us made plays for us,” Riverside head coach Brian Day said. “That’s why we were able to win the football game.”
As the first half wound down, Rock Ridge senior quarterback Tristan Berry connected with senior receiver Ryan Capriotti for a 23-yard pitch-and-catch to slow the Rams’ roll and to pull the Phoenix within two points heading into halftime.
Unfortunately for the Phoenix, the second half was all Riverside.
August 24. Full photo gallery by Owen Gotimer!
Jackson opened the third quarter with a drive that eventually ended in an 8-yard touchdown pass to junior receiver Jack Selman.
Rock Ridge looked to have some life as senior DJ Davis returned the ensuing kickoff inside the Riverside 40. But the Rams’ defense – led by senior linebacker Nathan Ayoub – proved tough, holding the Phoenix to a 31-yard field goal and their only points of the second half.
“Our defense played very well, and for us to have success, our defense is going to have to play very, very well week in and week out,” Day said. “The great teams in this area play great defense.”
With a 16-10 lead, Jackson went back to work, scoring on a 4-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter before adding his third and final rushing touchdown of the night with four minutes to play.
Riverside (1-0) will look to continue its winning ways when the Rams host Freedom (0-1) in their home opener on August 31. Rock Ridge (0-1) will look to bounce back in week two against a high-powered Heritage (1-0) offense in Leesburg.
“We’ve always had leadership, but the big difference this year is depth. We finally have three or four players at every position. And that helps making practices more competitive and pushes us to work harder,” Jackson said. “We knew at some point something was going to give.”
Scoring
1Q 5:30 RS Safety
2Q 6:47 RS Trevor Jackson 4-yard TD run (Stone PAT)
2Q 1:55 RR Tristan Berry to Ryan Capriotti 23-yard TD pass (Shackford PAT)
3Q 9:20 RS Trevor Jackson to Jack Selman 8-yard TD pass (Stone PAT)
3Q 5:56 RR Keegan Shackford 31-yard field goal
4Q 11:53 RS Trevor Jackson 4-yard TD run (Stone PAT)
4Q 3:57 RS Trevor Jackson 1-yard TD run (Stone PAT)
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