Sara Reid — Special to the Weakley County Pres
Posted: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 5:53 pm

The biggest winner wasn’t wearing a helmet, yet had the strongest impact on gridiron play this past Friday night in Dresden.
Between the Riverside Panthers, the Dresden Lions and an ever-present rain, the ball popped free 11 times and offensive series were slow going, yet the visitors handed the Lions their third straight loss, 30-7.
Though the Panthers’ normally-potent running attack was tempered slightly by the combination of the rain and the Lion defense, Dresden likewise lived at the mercy of a wet ball plus costly penalties coming at key moments when momentum seemed to be swinging in its direction.
The scoring got under way in the second quarter, as the Panthers put the first points on the board with a 32-yard run by Jarrett Scott. Daniel Harris blocked Marquis Phelps’ point after kick, but the visitors led 6-0. After a fumble and a punt, Dresden found the end zone on a quick series punctuated by a 65-yard touchdown pass from Dale Hutcherson to Isaac Butler. Alex Robinson’s kick split the uprights and the Lions led 7-6, but it would be the one and only time they reached the end zone.
Riverside scored again before the half on a Bryce White 46-yard pass to Will Crawley. White also ran in the conversion and the visitors led 14-7 at the half.
The Panthers added 16 more points in the second half on two touchdown runs by Scott and ran away with the win, 30-7.
The visitors had the last possession of the first quarter and started the second quarter on the Lion 31. A handoff to White picked up four yards, but Grant Brasher jumped on the next snap and pushed Riverside back five yards. Blake King’s pass to Crawley fell short and the QB fumbled the next snap, but recovered for no gain. On fourth and six, however, Scott ran around the left side of the line for 32 yards and a score. Harris got by blockers and batted down Phelps’ kick, but the Panthers took a 6-0 lead with 9:56 left in the second quarter.
The Lions started on their own 40 and picked up seven yards on first down on a Butler carry. Zach Jolley fumbled on the next play, however, and the visitors took over on the 46.
The home team held its ground and forced Riverside to punt, though, and needed just four plays before Hutcherson found Butler for a 65-yard touchdown pass. Robinson added the extra point and Dresden led 7-6 with 5:24 left before the break.
The visitors had a long play in their arsenal as well and answered on the next series when White scrambled out of the pocket and found Crawley on the run with a 46-yard bullet into the end zone. White ran in the conversion and the Panthers led 14-7 with 3:27 left before the half. The possession arrow switched sides three times on three fumbles to wind up the first half with a one-touchdown lead for the visitors.
Both teams fumbled two more times to start the third quarter, but the visitors produced a drive of substance near the end of the quarter. Aided greatly by two penalties against the Lions, namely an offsides call on fourth-and-five, Scott ran around the line for a 21-yard touchdown. White added the conversion and Riverside held a 22-7 lead with 1:31 to go in the third.
If fumbles ruled the third quarter, then penalties set the tone for the fourth as both squads succumbed to the increasingly sloppy playing conditions. The visitors put the final TD on the board with 6:05 left on a 75-yard Scott run. White’s conversion made the final score 30-7.
Two Panther runners eclipsed the century mark for rushing — Scott with 130 yards and three scores and White with 100 yards. Butler had 74 receiving yards, 84 rushing yards and one touchdown for Dresden.
The Lions next host a district opponent in the West Carroll War Eagles at 7:30 on Friday night.


Riverside-Dresden, Stats
Riverside 0 14 8 8—30
Dresden 0 7 0 0—7

Second Quarter
RHS — Jarrett Scott 32 run, (kick blocked), 9:56.
DHS — Isaac Butler 65 pass from Dale Hutcherson, (Alex Robinson kick), 5:24.
RHS — Will Crawley 46 pass from Bryce White, (White run), 3:27.
Third Quarter
RHS — Scott 21 run, (White run), 1:31.
Fourth Quarter
RHS — Scott 75 run, (White run), 6:05.

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RHS DHS
First downs 8 10
Rushes-yards 39-252 34-152
Passing yards 62 88
Comp-Att-Int 2-4-0 6-19-1
Fumbles-Lost 6-4 5-4
Penalties-Yards 5-45 10-80
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Individual Statistics
Rushing — Riverside, Jarrett Scott 10-130, Bryce White 16-100, Marquis Phelps 4-20, Tevin Phelps 4-3, Blake King 3-(-1); Dresden, Isaac Butler 13-84, Zach Jolley 17-40, Dale Hutcherson 4-28.
Passing — Riverside, White 1-1-0 46, King 1-3-0 17; Dresden, 5-18-1 78, Butler 1-1-0 1.
Receiving — Riverside, Will Crawley 1-46, Chase Vise 1-16; Dresden, Butler 3-74, Gatlin Hatchel 1-10, Colin Kanehl 1-3, Daniel Harris 1-1.
Records — Riverside 5-2 (1-1 District 15-A), Dresden 4-4 (1-2 District 13-A).
Next Game — Riverside will next visit Trinity Christian Academy with kickoff at 7:30 on Friday night. Dresden will host West Carroll with kickoff at 7:30 on Thursday night.