By Matt Vines, Journal Sports

COUSHATTA — For a Riverdale Academy football team that has battled injuries to key players all season, the Rebels experienced a late-season surge to put the program in a familiar place – the second round of the playoffs.

Riverdale pitched its second straight shutout and leaned on its ground game to blank Union Christian Academy at home in a 44-0 win Friday in the first round of the playoffs.

“We were more aggressive this week, and it turned into a few good plays,” said Riverdale coach Nathan Edie. “Tyler Wilhite got his first career interception, and Logan Gryder got pressure all night.

“Having Brayden Pearah playing cornerback gives Tanner Carlisle the ability to play his more natural linebacker spot. Having Tanner and Ashton Almond both at linebacker gives our defense its best chance.”
No. 7 seed Riverdale (5-5) heads to No. 2 seed Lee Academy (4-5) on Friday in the second round of the Class 1A MAIS playoffs.

Against Union Christian (3-8), running back Kaidyn Williams took the lead with five rushing touchdowns to go along with the defense’s stifling performance.

“We kept it pretty simple (offensively) and just let our athletes make plays,” Edie said. “We were a little sluggish in the first quarter, but we turned it up in the second.

“Offensively, we need to maintain the style of football we have played the last two weeks. If we make our blocks, then our players will make plays.”

Williams continued to be a problem for Union Christian after he excelled running from the quarterback position in a Week 3 win (54-20).

Now that a healthy Ashton Almond is back under center, Riverdale was able to attack in more ways with Williams at running back.

The playoff win comes after Riverdale didn’t win a playoff game last year (first-round bye) despite a nine-win season in 2023. The Rebels lost a heartbreaker to Briarfield Chrisitan in the second round, a team that is the No. 1 seed this season after River Oaks’ forfeited its perfect season because of use of an ineligible player.