By ROBERT L. LEE

EDGARD-The people of Edgard had a lot to celebrate Friday night, their Rams defeated Riverdale 51-8 for their homecoming game, in their newly named stadium. The stadium was renamed in honor of past coach Rudolph Dinvaut, who celebrated more than 200 wins in his career with West St. John.

The Rams’ head coach Laury Dupont said it was Riverdale’s lack of manpower that gave his Rams the landslide win. “The competition just wasn’t there. Their team lost a lot of players,” said Dupont. “I am just glad our kids played hard and didn’t go down to their level.”

The Rams defense held the Rebels to only four first downs and allowed the only points during the last few minutes of the game.

West St. John’s offense spent most of the first half watching, as the Rebels tried to make yardage and the Rams defense attacked the ball for most of the points.

Riverdale received the kickoff and spent three downs within their own 23 yard line. The Rebels attempted to punt on their fourth down, but the kick was blocked and scooped up by Lionel Howard in the Rebels’ end zone for a touchdown. Howard would later kick the extra point giving the Rams a 7-0 lead in the first 30 seconds of the game. On their next possession, as well as almost every possession of the game, Riverdale was again held to their 20 yard line for three downs. This time they were able to punt to mid-field. West St. John’s Devin Herbert returned the punt to the Rebels 26 yard line before running out of bounds. The Rams’ offense made their first appearance, but two plays later, fumbled the ball, with Riverdale’s Brian Murphy recovering on the 17 yard line.

Riverdale tried for their third punt, but were overpowered by the Rams’ defense and Travis Young, who blocked the punt and recovered the ball for a safety.

The Rams’ next drive covered 60 yards and ended with a 19 yard pass to Herbert. Combined with a Howard point after, the Rams led 16-0.

West St. John held the Rebels’ next possession to no yardage, forcing a punt, which Herbert brought back 55 yards for a touchdown and a 23 point lead.

Howard found his niche against Riverdale, as he blocked another punt and ran 30 yards for another touchdown. The Rams’ Sandy Harris added another two points as the Rams climbed to 31-0 with two minutes left in the first quarter. The Rams ended the first quarter with Howard blocking another Rebel punt and Jamar Cox recovering the loose ball.

Two illegal motion flags landed against the Rams, but they made up the yardage with a Randall Nicholson pass to Thomas Augusta.

The PAT was good for a Rams 38-0 lead. Riverdale’s Nick Travis rumbled eight yards for the Rebels’ first, first down two minutes into the second quarter, but the short drive resulted in a punt.

The Rams’ Derron Thomas broke free for a 23 yard run, but the Rams fumbled their next play, giving Riverdale the ball on their own 27 yard line.

However, the Rebels fumbled that possession, setting the Rams right back where they left off. West St. John ran two short plays, then let time run out as they held a 38-0 lead at halftime.

The Rams started the second half at their 39 yard line, then marched down the field with a five-play drive, topped off by a 39-yard run by Herbert. With the PAT, the Rams led 45-0. Crushing tackles by Howard and Quinn Johnson kept the Rebels at their 20 yard line, then forced them to punt.

Derron Thomas and Johnson pushed their way to the Rebels’ one yard line, which set up Josh Lumar to run into the corner of the end zone for six points. The PAT was fumbled, so the Rams held their 51-0 lead.

Riverdale’s quarterback had high hopes throughout the night, attempting 30 yard passes, but it would be Richard Silve’s 42-yard scramble to the four yard line to set up the Rebels’ only touchdown and two-point conversion at the end of the fourth quarter.

“We played good,” insisted Dupont. “We took them out of the game quick with the blocked punts and our pass coverage.”