By ROBERT L. LEE

RESERVE – It’s a “Reloading” year, they have easily captured the district 9-2A title with a 12-0 district record, but the Riverside Academy Rebels aren’t giving the feat a second thought. They want the state title, period.

“I ask them, ‘We won district and we’re undefeated, what does that mean?’ and they all say ‘nothing,'” explained Rebels coach Davey Clement.

“They want one thing, the state championship.”

Clement couldn’t remember exactly how many years it has been since the Rebels have gone undefeated and said that at the beginning of the season he certainly didn’t expect to be 12-0.

Still, the Rebels aren’t placing much pride on being undefeated because “Our players aren’t stupid, they realize other teams in our district are young and not as good as other districts,” said Clement

Each past year, the Rebels faced two relatively tough teams, Ridgewood and Newman, and would split wins and losses between the two. But, this year the Ridgewood threat is in another district. Clement said the Greenies put up big competition, which led to a pitching duel and 2-0 Rebel win in Reserve, then later, a 7-4 Rebel victory at Newman.

“Our motto has been ‘Reloading’ because we don’t rebuild but reload here,” he said. The Rebels had to “Reload” the loss of about five of last season’s starters, which set the to a rough 0-3 non-district start this season.

Then the Rebels fired. The Rebels “put it all together” and scored a win over one of the more difficult teams, John Curtis, which sparked a winning streak including two more powerful teams, Vanderbilt and Lutcher.

Although the Bulldogs are in district 10-3A, the first win, then last season game loss against the Bulldogs shifted the Rebels’ spirit up and down, but both times to continue winning.

“Both games were very, very good,” said Clement. “In the first game, they had runners in scoring position and we needed a big out to win and we got it. In the second game at our place, it was the other way around and they needed the big out and got it.”

He said whenever the Bulldogs would get a hit, the Rebels would counter with a hit, and when the Rebels would come back, so did the Bulldogs.

“We scrapped, but just didn’t come out on the right side,” he added.

Clement said the Rebels will have to put up a formidable fight versus another pack of Bulldogs Thursday afternoon, as they begin the playoffs with one of the toughest wildcard teams, Ascension Catholic.

The Bulldogs come from a strong district, including University and Episcopal. They have also beaten Redemptorist, a team the Rebels lost to earlier in the season.

“Looking at the records, this is the hardest wildcard team,” said Clement. “But we have a pretty good momentum. Now it’s just a matter of putting it all together for five games, of course taking them one at a time.”