Rams top Raiders in top five battle

Southern Sports & Travel

It’s almost commonplace that when Riverfield and WCCA meet on the gridiron fans expect it to be a physical slobber-knocker and on Friday night in Woodville those expectations held true as the fourth ranked home-standing Rams grounded out a 17-10 win over second ranked Riverfield.

Wilkinson Christian quarterback Taylor Prevost accounted for two touchdowns  and kicked a 23 yard fourth quarter field goal as WCCA improved to 3-1 overall but more importantly 2-0 in District 3-A play, just one game behind Claiborne, the Ram’s next opponent.

WCCA started out firing on all cylinders as the Rams struck pay-dirt on their second possession of the game on an 85 yard touchdown pass from Taylor Prevost to Dra Tolliver. Prevost would add the PAT to give WCCA a 7-0 edge with 5:35 remaining in the opening quarter.

WCCA caught Riverfield napping on the ensuing kickoff as Prevost’s pooch kick went uncovered and sophomore linebacker Jamar Vessell covered it at the Raider 32 yard line.

WCCA tailback Kaleb Sterling quickly ripped off 26 yards to the Riverfield 6 yard line and Prevost cashed in on the following play to push the advantage to 13-0. Prevost added the PAT and with 5:06 left in the quarter WCCA had stunned Riverfield with an early 14-0 lead.

Riverfield was able to mount a second quarter drive on their fourth possession of the game. Following a 17 yard WCCA punt the Raiders set up shop at the Ram 44 yard line. Riverfield quarterback Will Stansbury connected with Tyler Hamby with a 12 yard hookup to the Ram’s 2 yard line following a 15 yard facemask infraction on WCCA.

After getting backed up 5 yards due to a delay of game penalty Riverfield got on the board as Joseph Morris punched it in from 6 yards out at the 4:18 mark to cap a 7 play drive that took just over three minutes.

Cody Hixon’s PAT cut the deficit in half at 14-7 and that would be the score in a first half that included 14 penalties and a playoff type intensity.

WCCA threatened to add to their lead in the closing minutes of the third quarter. Ram defensive back Austin Goodfellow picked off a Will Stansbury pass at the WCCA 47 yard line and returned it to the Raider 40 but Riverfield’s defense stiffened and held as a fourth down Prevost pass into the end-zone went incomplete.

Riverfield would take over at their own 37 yard line and mount a seven play drive that extended into the fourth quarter but the drive would be halted as Austin Goodfellow again intercepted a Stansbury pass, this time at the WCCA 16 yard line at the 9:42 mark of the final quarter.

The Rams then produced a ten play, 78 yard drive that would result in a clutch Taylor Prevost 23 yard field goal to extend the lead to 17-7 with 4:12 remaining in the contest.
"It was just like any other kick," said Taylor Prevost. "When I line up I don't worry about anything else, I just focus on the kick."

WCCA’s defense would rise to the occasion as the Rams would hold firm on a Riverfield fourth down attempt at their own 36 yard line with 2:38 remaining.

With the game in hand and possession of the football WCCA made a mistake that could have been costly as the Rams attempted a pass on third down from the Raider 37 yard line that sophomore Brennan Morris picked off and returned all the way to the WCCA 34 with 1:20 left in regulation but the Ram defense stood tall again in holding Riverfield to a 28 yard Cody Hixon field goal with 15 seconds left.

Still facing a 17-10 deficit Riverfield’s onsides kick was covered before it made the ten yard minimum securing a 17-10 WCCA win.

WCCA tailback Kaleb Sterling (photo right) led the Rams rushing attack with 110 yards on ten carries and while Taylor Prevost had an exceptional outing in passing and rushing for a touchdown along with a field goal the WCCA defense stood the tallest.
"This was a big win for us," said Prevost. "Our offensive line played well and our defense made some key stops and it's fun when Coach Wright gets excited on the sidelines, he gets us pumped up."

WCCA held Riverfield tailback Patrick Pelley, the fourth leading rusher in Class A, to 33 yards on 15 carries, quarterback Will Stansbury to 29 yards on 12 carries and notched three fourth down stops against the Raider offense and two interceptions.

WCCA will hit the road next week as they travel to Haynesville, LA to take on District 3-A leader Claiborne Academy who destroyed ASC 52-6 on Friday night to improve to 4-1 and 3-0 in district.

Riverfield will try and bounce back as the host Class AA Prairie View.

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Post Game with WCCA head coach David Wright

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