BY DAVID FOLSE II

Sports Editor

RESERVE-The time is now for Riverside.

The next loss for Riverside will be their last of the this season.

The Lady Rebels concluded their regular season this past Saturday when they took on state power Teurlings Catholic in a double-header, dropping both games, 6-1 in nine innings and the second game 12-6.

The losses conclude a very interesting year for the Rebels as they won the district championship with a perfect record, but a 18-20 overall record for the 2005 regular season.

Nicole Poirrer took the loss in the first game, allowing four hits and three earned runs while striking out five. Cara St. Amant was the losing pitcher in the second game.

At the plate, Lisa Lambert and Daphne Zimmer had solid games for the Lady Rebels.

Riverside Head Coach Mickey Roussel said his squad will be ready for the playoff run.

“The way that I look at it is simple,” Roussel said. “We played Dutchtown to an eight-inning game and they are one of the top 4A teams in the state, we lost to Vanderbilt 3-1 and they are probably one of the favorites to win 4A, we took Lutcher to 10 innings, we took Teurlings to nine innings and they are both pretty good 3A softball teams. So if something good happens to us in the 2A playoffs, we can go a pretty good ways.

“I’m really positive about some of the things that we have done this year. We grew up quick and if everything comes together anything can happen. In the playoffs you have five games.”

Playing up in their non-district games will have the Rebels ready against the 2A squads that the must face.

“Now we are down to our level,” Roussel said. “There are only 2A teams remaining on our schedule. I think we can be one of those 5-6 teams on the level of contending for the title.”

While most people point to pitching as the biggest key to success in the playoffs, Roussel said his squad must execute all aspects of the game if they are to be successful.

“Pitching is always key,” Roussel said. “If you pitchers are on it makes your job a whole lot easier at the plate. You don’t have to score as many runs. Nicole has been pretty consistent most of the year. She might have had a couple games where she gave up a lot of runs, but overall I feel pretty good where she is. She is mentally tough and she knows what to do with the ball.

“Defensively again we have been pretty solid outside a breakdown here or there throughout the entire season. That part of it we are in pretty good shape. Our hitting has come along as the season has progressed. We are putting the ball in play and giving ourselves the opportunities to score runs.”

In addition to the Lady Rebels, Roussel believes there are at least four-to-five other teams that contend for the state championship.

“Obviously South Beaugard is the defending state champion and they lost only one senior from last year’s squad,” Roussel said. “Within their district they probably have three teams that compete. DeQuincy, the defending district champion will probably do it again is a team that you have to watch out for. Kinder is also a solid team because they beat South Beaugard and that is kind of a surprise because we beat them in the Sulphur tournament.

“I am also hearing some good things about Sacred Heart of Ville Platte. They won their district and they look like they are a pretty good team to contend with. In North Louisiana, Quachita Christian year in and year out have a solid softball program to contend with. Those are the schools that people should be looking out for.”