Hall dominates Riverdale for first win of season

SPRING VALLEY – It took 2 minutes, 24 seconds for the Hall-Putnam County football team to score in its Three Rivers Conference crossover game Friday against Riverdale.

The Red Devils’ offense didn’t stop finding the end zone and the defense didn’t let the Rams score until the end of the game as Hall-PC won 46-6.

“We talked to our kids, and they knew that Riverdale was young and inexperienced,” said H-P coach Randy Tieman. “We just needed to go out and do what we did and take care of business when we needed to.”

The first score of the game was a 46-yard run by sophomore Braden Curran to give Hall-PC a 6-0 lead. Senior quarterback Gianni Guerri added a 10-yard rushing touchdown and a two-point conversion to the scoreboard with 2:26 left in the first quarter to give the Red Devils a 14-0 lead heading into the second quarter.

Senior Tristan Redcliff scored on an 8-yard run with 8:24 in the second frame and was followed by Jack Mongan’s sack of Rams’ QB Kolton Kruse in the Riverdale end zone for a safety.

With a 23-0 lead, Guerrini ran in a 9-yard keeper (Deanthony Weatherspoon made the extra point) with 5:27 left in the second, and sophomore Aiden Redcliff galloped 33 yards down the sideline to pay dirt (Weatherspoon’s kick was good) to give the Red Devils a 37-0 lead at halftime.

“We had five kids score touchdowns. That’s pretty impressive,” Tieman said. “We didn’t play Joseph Bacidore after the beginning of the second quarter. We are going to run by committee. It’s not going to be like it was last year with Mac Resetich.

“Gianni Guerrini ran the ball well tonight and he can throw the ball better than people think. We’ll get after that.”

Guerrini had 89 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries, and Curran rushed for 68 yards and a touchdown on seven carries to lead the way as Hall-PC rushed for 271 yards and six touchdowns on 36 carries.

Senior Miguel Reveles polished up a drive with a 1-yard dive up the middle for six with 4:21 left in the third (Weatherspoon’s kick was good) for a 44-0 Hall lead going into the fourth quarter.

A bad Riverdale snap on a punt attempt from its 9-yard line bounced by the punter and out of bounds for the second Red Devils safety of the game and a 46-0 lead with 11:16 left.

“That was the business all week. We talked about taking care of business, getting the win and trying to get out healthy,” Tieman said. “We played a lot of kids in the second half. They got some experience offensively and defensively. Riverdale really wanted a touchdown and they ended up getting one. I really wanted coach Nick Hanck to get his first shoutout win, but it is what it is.”

Riverdale scored its six points with 40 seconds left on the clock.

The Red Devils return to Richard Nesti Stadium to host Three Rivers Conference Mississippi Divisin opponent Bureau Valley in Week 3.

“Bureau Valley is a much improved team this year,” Tieman said. “They were young last year and now they have some experience. Mat Pistole does a great job with them.”