Game Recap: Riverdale Rumbles Past Blackman, 49-18

It was a packed house at Blackman High School on Friday night where both fan bases and the city of Murfreesboro came out in full force to watch two undefeated, cross town rivals square off in what turned out to be a commanding, blowout victory from the road Riverdale Warriors. The Riverdale defense was the star of the night as they induced eight Blackman turnovers and turned three of them into defensive touchdowns, two from senior linebacker Alex Mitchell Alex Mitchell 6'1" | 215 lbs | LB Riverdale | 2022 State TN . They set the tone early and maintained their aggression and stamina until the final whistle. The Blackman offense had a few bright spots throughout the game but several self inflicted early penalties and missed assignments along with eight turnovers, doomed their chances at victory. It will take some time before Blackman reaches the talent level to compete with Riverdale or Oakland for the region title but the coaching staff is in place to develop and get them in contention one day. For the Warriors, they are legit state title contender with a defense that can lead them there and an offense that is steady and doesn't hurt themselves. Riverdale has a nice balanced team that certainly flexed their muscles in a 49-18 beat down on Friday night in the “Backyard Brawl” and has put other teams in Class 6A on notice. Player of the Game ‘22 (LB) Alex Mitchell Alex Mitchell 6'1" | 215 lbs | LB Riverdale | 2022 State TN - Riverdale * Georgetown Commit * - This senior linebacker and current Georgetown commit was all over the field on Friday night and just had a knack for being around the ball at the right moments. Not once but twice, Mitchell picked off a pass and took it to the house. Mitchell had two interceptions returned for touchdowns in the same game and it's rare you see that happen. The Warriors star defender had several tackles as well but it was his defensive scores that were not only big momentum plays but back breaking plays against the home Blaze. Other Top Standouts (RB) Marcus Lloyd Marcus Lloyd 5'11" | 210 lbs | RB Riverdale | 2022 TN - Riverdale - Lloyd was the workhorse, offensive threat for the Warriors on Friday night. The senior power back was used in a variety of ways from carrying the ball to being a receiver out of the backfield. Lloyd was called upon several times early and he delivered. Lloyd also showed improved speed and overall agility against the Blaze. ‘23 (TE) Ben Marshall Ben Marshall 6'5" | 220 lbs | TE Blackman | 2023 State TN - Blackman - The future looks bright for this 6'5 pass catching tight end that has already become the go to guy for the Blaze offense. He hauled in several passes last night and was the one mismatch problem for a stout Warriors defense. Marshall did give up a turnover in the 1st half but he continued to show why he should be a D1 recruited prospect come this time next year. (LB) Elijah Herring Elijah Herring 6'2" | 225 lbs | LB Riverdale | 2022 State TN - Riverdale - Mitchell wasn't the only one with a pick six, Herring had one as well. In the 2nd quarter, the current Tennessee commit came up with a tipped pass and then maneuvered his way towards the end zone. It wasn't just the interception but Herring was everywhere last night on defense where he had a lot of tackles and disrupted several plays. (OL) Adam Hickerson Adam Hickerson 6'3" | 250 lbs | DL Blackman | 2022 TN - Blackman - While the Blackman offense had struggles throughout the night, I really thought Hickerson had a solid game as he went up against some talented prospects from Riverdale's defense and handled himself just fine. The Blaze O-lineman plays with a great attitude and competes every snap. Hickerson handles RT for the Blaze but translates inside on the next level. Scout's Notes - This Riverdale football team is legit and has an honest chance at making it to Chattanooga and competing for a Class 6A state title. Their defense is one of the best in the state and they have enough pieces on offense to bring a balanced attack to the field and work themselves deep into the playoffs. The only roadblock in front of the Warriors is region rival and state title contender, the Oakland Patriots. The defending 6A state champ is stacked and poised for another title run, so all eyes are on the Patriots to repeat but Riverdale along with a few others will have something to say about that. - Blackman is a young team that will need to take their lumps for a little while before they reach the level of a program that head coach Chandler Tygard is working to make the Blaze become. A lot of young players are having to be relied upon this year to compete and produce in several key spots. Some are coming into their own like Marshall and quarterback Jack Risner Jack Risner 6'5" | 220 lbs | QB Blackman | 2023 State TN but others are still learning on the job and developing into the player the coaching staff would like to see. It may take some time to build this program back up but the right coaching staff is in place and the Blaze have some good young talent to build around over the next few years to eventually start competing for a region titles. - Some of that young talent that the Blaze is looking to build around had up and down moments in last night's loss to Riverdale. Rising junior defensive back Dyson Bell Dyson Bell 6'3" | 185 lbs | DB Riverdale | 2023 State TN had a really nice evening against the Warriors, showing good coverage skills and the ability to make decisions on the fly. His teammate on the offensive side of the ball, junior receiver Justin Brown Justin Brown 6'1" | 185 lbs | WR Blackman | 2023 State TN who has size and upside, had his struggles against an aggressive Warriors defense that played him tough. The Riverdale secondary made it hard on the Blaze receivers to create separation and develop any routes. Brown saw good competition for the first time this season, as did other Blaze prospects, so the big question going forward for them is how will they respond? - Riverdale junior quarterback Jameson Holcomb really impressed me on Friday night and while he may not have put up huge numbers, it was his command of the offense and his poise under center that was most impressive. Holcomb didn't try to do too much and allowed his offensive playmakers to do their job. He made several strong, timely throws and would also tuck it and run when needed. The Warriors junior quarterback does need to keep developing his game and body but Riverdale has a solid signal caller that can lead them to a lot of wins and a deep playoff run.