Matt Vines

EAST POINT – Riverdale Academy coach Nathan Edie said he and his players know what’s possible if the Rebels can avoid turnovers.

The Rebels (0-7) still scored 20 points against an undefeated Wilkinson County Christian squad in a 44-20 loss – all despite eight Riverdale turnovers.

Cut down on the turnovers and continue to move the ball, and Riverdale (0-7, 0-1 District 8-2A) will give itself a shot at its first victory of the season when they travel to Tallulah Academy (4-4, 1-0) on Friday.

“I feel like the boys know what we can do when we hold onto the football,” Edie said. “The Tensas game (36-30 loss) and the WCCA game, both of those came down to turnovers.

“If we don’t have any turnovers or stupid penalties – I feel like we win both of those games.”

Running back/receiver Ashton Almond scored two touchdowns while lineman Ben Moseley, who has some carries this season, scored the other in one of Riverdale’s most productive offensive games.

“We can keep building on the fact that we can move the ball as long as we do the little things right,” Edie said. “We’ve improved our understanding of what each individual player’s job is on each individual play on both sides of the ball.

“When you have a greater understanding of your job, and you trust the guy next to you to do his, it makes things work a lot better.”

Tallulah is more than capable of taking advantage of teams who aren’t fundamentally sound.

The Trojans have amassed point totals of 66 points (Franklin Academy), 58 points (Prentiss Christian), and 38 points (Union Christian) in three of their four wins this season.

Tallulah just missed on handing WCCA its first defeat in late September in a 29-20 loss.

“They are a very sound football team, and the challenge for us will be keeping them from getting around the outside, or scrambling,” Edie said. “We have to have eight players attacking the ball on every play.”

The road game at Tallulah is the final away game of the season as Riverdale returns home to wrap up the regular season against Union Christian Academy this coming week.