2023 Football and Dance team Seniors
The Rebels opened the scoring on their first drive as Bray Mollette broke several tackles on fourth down for a 32 yard touchdown and it was 6-0 Tolsia with 8:32 left in the first quarter.
The Raiders took the lead when Jackson Danielson hit Dalton Stacy on a 44 yard TD and Brady Hicks booted the PAT for a 7-6 lead with 6:29 left in the first quarter.
John Jerrell had fumble recovery to stop a River View drive but the Rebels gave the ball right back after the snap sailed over Robert Evans head on a punt attempt and River View took over on the two yard line.
On the first play James Kennedy scored from 2 yards out and Hicks tacked on the PAT for a 14-6 lead with 3:10 left in the first half.
In the third quarter the Rebels forced a punt and drove down the field and Parker Watts scored from 3 yards out to cut the lead to 14-12 with 8:38 left in the third.
On the ensuing Kickoff River View returned it to the Rebel 8 yard line and Danielson took it in and a Hicks PAT made it 21-12 with 8:21 left in the third.
On the Rebels next possession Evans hit Watts on a 77 yards touchdown and Watts converted the two point conversion to make it 21-20 River View with 6:25 left in the third.
After another short kickoff Chanton Davis scored from 4 yards out and Tolsia blocked the PAT and it was River View 27-20 with 1:41 left in the third.
Right before the end of the quarter Watts rushed for a 66 yard TD and but with a chance to take the lead on the two point conversion they were stopped and the score was 27-26 River View with six seconds left in the third period.
In the fourth quarter the Raiders extended their lead on a Hayden Goodman 3 yard TD and Danielson added the two point conversion and it was 35-26 with 9:50 left in the game.
Tolsia drove down the field and Evans connected with Dakota Blackburn for a 6 yard TD to make it 35-32 River View with 2:57 left in the ball game.
After the kickoff the Rebels needed a defensive stop but could not get it and River View ran out the clock.
The Rebels only won one game the last two years and to win four this year and to in every game except for the season opener says a lot about the state of the program. They return a ton of talent and should be right in the thick of the playoff race next year.
Tolsia Head Coach David Thompson
“… Special group of seniors we had this year. They endured so much as Sophomores and Juniors when they only won one game. They could have easily packed it in but they didn’t. They were key in our success this season. So happy they could be a part of four wins. We had chances to pick up a couple other wins but it was a play or two each game that cost us. Gonna miss those guys and I know they will do big things in life.”
“… Excited about the next couple of years. We have a bunch of kids coming back and pretty much started five or six freshman all year long. We will get back to work and try to improve on this season and I look for us to be right in the mix the next couple of years.”
