Balanced Riverview rips winless Avella
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Saturday, October 14, 2017 | 11:03 PM
Riverview's Devon Binz was all smiles following the Raiders Class A nonconference matchup against Avella.
And for good reason.
The junior running back turned in a career-high four rushing touchdowns to go with his 106 rushing yards to lead Riverview past Avella, 43-0, on Saturday afternoon at Oakmont's Riverside Park.
“This win feels great. I can't explain it right now,” Binz said. “Throughout the game we were just grinding away, grinding away, and we had great blocking up front.”
Riverview held the Eagles (0-8) to 87 total yards and forced four turnovers (three interceptions, one fumble).
“I thought we came out and executed on both sides of the ball, especially offensively, and we've been as balanced as we've been all season,” Riverview coach Matt Bonislawski said. “We did a lot better job today finishing drives than we have in the past.”
Riverview took a 6-0 lead over Avella on its first possession of the game, scoring on Binz's 1-yard touchdown run.
Avella returned the ensuing kickoff to the Riverview 41-yard line and drove to the Raiders 2. But the Riverview defense turned back Avella on four consecutive plays. It was a stand that would go on the define the Raiders' defensive effort.
“You could tell that we were the team today delivering the blows,” Bonislawski said. “As the game wore on, you could see that we were driving off the ball and flying to the football and hitting people.”
Riverview (2-5) then put together a nine-play, 91-yard scoring drive capped by Binz's second 1-yard scoring run to bring the score to 12-0 with 7 minutes, 12 seconds remaining in the first half.
“I think being able to throw the ball kept them honest and it opened up some things in the run game,” Bonislawski said.
After that, things began to snowball for Avella. Binz stepped in front of Austin Nardozi pass to give the Raiders the ball at the Avella 15. Binz scored two plays later on a 19-yard touchdown run to give the Raiders a 20-0 lead.
On Avella's next possession, Riverview's Jack Stock fell on a Owen English fumble at the Raiders 23-yard line. The hit on English knocked the running back/quarterback out of the game with a thigh injury.
“English (is) really our go-to guy and after he went down, we we're really limited with options on offense,” Avella coach Ryan Cecchini said. “Playing young kids and playing inexperienced guys, who don't know how to finish drives, is one of the things that we've been fighting all year.”
Binz added a 17-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to extend the Raiders lead to 28-0 after Bill Conley's run for the 2-point conversion. Riverview quarterback Ben Blacksmith connected with Christian Tamburro for a 25-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to enact the “mercy rule” and Conley, an offensive lineman, bulldozed his way through the Avella defense for a 14-yard score to compete the scoring. Conley finished with 38 yards rushing on three carries.
Blacksmith finished 7 of 13 for 155 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Junior wide receiver Cody Demko led the Raiders with three receptions for 46 yards.
“It was good to put it all together, to have balance on offense and to shut them out on defense,” Bonislawski said. “It's something to build on going forward.”
William Whalen is a freelance writer.
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