The song “My Own Worst Enemy’’ by the band Lit didn’t play over the speakers at Riverside, but it certainly could have been the theme song of the Warriors football team Friday night.
Riverside lost four fumbles in the first half alone, including three in the first quarter, and Greenbrier East was able to capitalize and earn a 39-27 road win over the Warriors on the opening night of the state high school football season.
The Warriors had five turnovers in the first half, including an interception. The Spartans recovered one of the fumbles for a defensive touchdown to lead 19-7 at halftime and were able to keep a two-score lead the rest of the game.
“It’s hard to win football games when you turn the ball over that much,†Riverside coach Heath Huffman said. “It was insane. We just need to settle down and play fundamental football.â€
Riverside lost fumbles on its first three possessions with the second one being a sack fumble that was recovered in the end zone for a Greenbrier East touchdown by Brayden Brown to give the Spartans an early 7-0 lead.
The Warriors were able to tie the game at seven on their fifth possession. Quarterback Dasani McCallister threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Riley Gilmore with 9:52 left in the second quarter.
Greenbrier East quickly took back the lead on the ensuing kickoff as Nate Suttle returned it 85 yards for a touchdown and a 13-7 lead. He was among a pile of players but somehow got out of it and down the sideline for the score.
Riverside lost its fourth fumble of the half on the ensuing kickoff, and the Spartans made them pay. East scored a touchdown on a 3-yard run by AJ Godfrey to lead 19-7 with 6:23 left in the half.
In the third quarter, a bad snap over the Riverside punter’s head resulted in a 25-yard loss. On a short field, the Spartans increased their lead to 25-7 on a 12-yard touchdown run by quarterback Brody Hamric with 6:45 left.
Greenbrier East would score two touchdowns in the fourth quarter on a 38-yard touchdown pass from Hamric to Kaden Stone and a 6-yard TD run by Godfrey.
Godfrey was a workhorse for the Spartans, rushing for 181 yards on 31 carries, and two touchdowns.
Riverside got a huge spark in the fourth quarter when Tavion Woods was inserted into the game at quarterback and threw two touchdown passes.
Woods threw a 10-yard TD pass to Riley Gilmore, his second TD of the game, and also tossed a 17-yard touchdown to Tyson Arms. He also added a 48-yard fumble return for a defensive touchdown.
“In the fourth quarter, I made the quarterback switch and Tavion made some big plays,†Huffman said. “He’s just an outstanding athlete and was making it work. He created a little bit of fire for us. He’s a leader and makes things happen.â€
Woods finished 6 of 9 passing for 99 yards. He added 24 yards on eight carries. Riverside standout Malakhi Hope had 27 yards on five carries in the first quarter, but didn’t play the rest of the game with an ankle injury.
Greenbrier East 39, Riverside 27
Greenbrier East;7;12;6;14;--;39
Riverside;0;7;0;20;--;27
First Quarter
GE – Brayden Brown fumble recovery in endzone (Obermeyer kick), 8:30
Second Quarter
Riv – Gilmore 10 pass from McCallister (Taft kick), 9:52
GE – Suttle 85 kickoff return (kick failed), 9:33
GE – Godfrey 3 run (run failed), 6:23
Third Quarter
GE – Hamric 12 run (kick failed), 6:45
Fourth Quarter
GE – Stone 38 pass from Hamric (Godfrey run), 9:16
Riv – Gilmore 10 pass from Woods (kick failed), 5:52
Riv – Woods 48 fumble return (Taft kick), 5:40
GE – Godfrey 6 run (run failed), 3:39
Riv – Arms 17 pass from Woods (Taft kick), .51
Team Statistics
;;;GE;RIV
First downs;;;12;14
Rushes-yards;;;38-185;29-13
Passing yards;;;62;128
Passing;;;6-11-1;14-21-1
Total yards;;;247;141
Fumbles-lost;;;1-1;5-4
Penalties-yards;;;10-98;7-60
Punts-average;;;3-39.3;3-32.3
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – Greenbrier East: Godfrey 31-181. Riverside – Hope 5-27, Woods 8-24, Lacy 7-0.
PASSING – Greenbrier East: Hamric 6-11-1, 62. Riverside: Woods 6-9-0, 99; McCallister 8-12-1, 31.
RECEIVING – Greenbrier East: Stone 1-38. Riverside: Battle 3-39, Gilmore 4-34, Copning 1-28, Arms 2-25.
