Matt Vines

SAINT JOSEPH – The Riverdale football team scored in both halves for the first time this season, but the Rebels couldn’t keep pace with Tensas Academy in a 46-14 on the road Friday.

The Rebels (0-4) scored early in the second quarter to hang around and again in the final seconds of the third quarter.

But the Chiefs (1-3) were too much and powered their way to the first victory of their season.

Riverdale battled with injuries again as the Rebels lost two players in the second quarter.

“We only had 11 healthy players going into the game,” said Riverdale coach Denver Williams. “By the second half we only had nine guys to play with.”

The Rebels were already missing key players like Brody Tong and Shawn Ward, and the injury list grew in Tensas Parish.

With temperatures staying above average for this time of year, small roster sizes are an even bigger obstacle as players struggle to maintain conditioning for four quarters.

While temperatures aren’t expected to fall much this week heading into a home game with Prairie View Academy, fall temperatures are supposed to start making appearances in the coming weeks.

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