Matt Vines

EAST POINT – Injuries forced Riverdale Academy to forfeit its game against rival Claiborne Academy as the Rebels didn’t have the minimum number of players to dress for Friday’s game.

Coach Denver Williams said three players suffered relatively significant injuries this past week against Porter’s Chapel that prevented them from playing against Claiborne.

The forfeit drops Riverdale to 0-7 this season while Claiborne improved to 5-1.

The Rebels will get a much-needed bye week before playing its two-game district schedule to finish the regular season.

“With some days to just heal and work on getting better as a team, that should have a big impact coming back into the first district game versus Briarfield for Homecoming,” Williams said. “I had three players get beat up pretty bad (against PCA), but I’m fairly positive that two of those will be ready for the next game with a week’s rest.”

Both district games are at home: Briarfield Academy on Oct. 9 and Tallulah Academy on Oct. 23.

Riverdale pushed the pedal to the metal since the Rebels officially garnered enough players to field a team just weeks before the season’s start.

The Rebels managed eight preseason practices before playing seven straight regular-season games, all with unseasonably hot weather with a roster of just 12 players at the start of fall practice.

The uphill battle has been evident, but Riverdale is seeking to lay a foundation as just one player is a senior – Cannon Breedlove.

The rest of the Rebels are earning their varsity stripes in hopes they can cobble together enough experience – and enough players – to compete like the program once did.

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