Mendota can’t overcome slow start in loss to Riverdale

MENDOTA – Mendota was looking to come out strong to start the 2024 season, but it was the Riverdale Rams who dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, specifically in the first half, to come away with a 23-12 victory Friday.

The Rams took the opening drive and easily ran their way down the field. On the second play from scrimmage, Caen Beckett made a sharp cutback across the field and broke free for a 43-yard run.

On the next play, he did the same thing, this time for a gain of 13 yards.

That set up Kolton Kruse, who looked to pass but pulled the ball down and ran for 19 yards, setting up first-and-goal before Kruse ran in for a 3-yard touchdown and an early 7-0 lead.

The Trojans picked up a first down on their opening drive with a 7-yard run from Braiden Freeman, but the drive resulted in a turnover on downs.

The Rams went back to work on offense with runs of 15 and 18 yards from Gaege Heinsen that set up a 20-yard touchdown run from Beckett, and after the extra point was blocked Riverdale led 13-0.

“I thought we set the tone right off the bat,” Riverdale coach Guy Dierikx said. “We were physical up front and set the tone, and that got our running really going.”

Mendota’s Aden Tillman completed a 31-yard pass to Keegan Beetz, but the drive stalled and resulted in a Trojans punt.

With time running out in the first half, Heinsen picked up a 9-yard gain on third-and-1.

After Mendota jumped offside on fourth-and-short, the Rams took advantage with a screen pass from Kruse to Beckett for 14 yards and then another to Abram Krier for 10.

After a 13-yard run from Beckett, Aiden Sensabaugh drilled a 26-yard field goal that sent Riverdale into intermission with a 16-0 lead.

In the second half, Mendota made some adjustments on both sides of the ball and began to make a game of it.

On fourth-and-1 from deep in the Trojans’ own territory, Freeman picked up a 14-yard gain and followed that with a 19-yard run.

“Freeman is a very versatile player,” Mendota coach Keegan Hill said. “He caught some passes tonight and ran the ball well and was pressed into defense as well. All around a nice night for him.”

A pass interference penalty on Riverdale kept the drive going for the Trojans and then Tillman ran for 7 yards to the 1-yard-line before Corbin Furrar put Mendota on the board and cut the deficit to 16-6 after the failed two-point conversion.

Mendota stepped up on defense as it picked up a huge sack to force a punt that traveled just six yards, setting up the Trojans, but a fumble wouldn’t allow the Trojans to take advantage of great field position.

The Trojans defense stepped up again, forcing another short punt for the Rams, but once again the Trojans were not able to take advantage as the drive ended with an interception.

“Defensively, we put another player in the box and made it difficult for Riverdale to run like they did in the first half,” Hill said. “Last year we took advantage of their turnovers, but this year we had a couple that ended drives and kept some possible points off the board.”

The Rams had another solid drive late with a healthy dose of Beckett, who had runs of 17, 15 and 10 yards before Kruse used the quarterback sneak to put Riverdale ahead 23-6.

Furar broke free for a 51-yard touchdown run for the Trojans as time expired.

For the game, the Trojans were led by Furar with 88 yards on 11 carries and Freeman with 65 yards on seven attempts. Tillman was 10 of 16 for 120 yards passing and an interception.

Beckett led all rushers with 151 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown, while Heinsen added 69 yards on 13 carries.