By ROBERT B. ROAN

RESERVE – Back luck followed the White Castle High School Bulldogs down the Mississippi River on Friday the 13th as the Riverside Academy Rebels rumbled over the visitors from Iberville Parish, 43-0.

A balmy and breezy evening, along with a dominating performance in every aspect of the game, made for pleasant viewing for the patriotically dressed Rebel fans. Led by senior quarterback/place kicker Scott Poirrier (137 yards passing, 27 yards rushing) and senior defensive/offensive lineman Darryl Fortenberry, Riverside rammed its way into the win column to even its record at 1-1.

The Rebels, who worked mainly out of double-wing and shotgun formations, pummeled the out-manned Bulldogs on the ground with a stable of talented runners, including Jared St. Amant (115 yards), T.J. Cancienne (22 yards) and Andrew Herring (85 yards), and utilized precision pass routes with the roll-out ability of Poirrier through receivers Zack Cambre (52 yards) and Dexter Falgoust (112 yards).

Despite the fact Riverside amassed more than 100 yards in penalties by the middle of the final quarter, the visitors were only able to cross mid-field on three occasions due to relentless pressure applied to senior quarterback Rahmon Johnson by the red-clad defense. Fortenberry, in conjunction with Stephen Mohon, Anthony Trosclair, Chris Reeves, Kevin Bourg and Chris St. Pierre, harried Johnson for four quarters and allowed Bulldog signal-caller only one completion out of 10 attempts.

The tone of the contest was set in the opening drive as the Rebels, who fell last week to Karr High School, steadily moved the ball down the field by mixing off-tackle traps and toss sweeps to St. Amant and Cancienne with 12-15 yard curl routes and completions from Poirrier to Cambre. In less than three minutes, Poirrier scrambled into the endzone from the 10 yard line and after he kicked the PAT, the scoreboard read 7-0 and the route was on.

Reeves slammed down Bulldogs kickoff return specialist Jammie Baker and Fortenberry sealed the deal on a third down and four yards to go by nailing Baker at the line of scrimmage for no gain. The visitors lined up to punt and RA senior Johnathon Hendricks slashed through the line and got a hand on the ball, which traveled less than 10 yards and set the Rebels up at the White Castle 48 yard line.

The Rebels drive stalled at the 7 yard line and the Bulldogs took over on downs with 1:27 to go in the initial quarter.

On the first play of the second quarter, RA sophomore cornerback Nick Falgoust intercepted a Johnson pass at the Bulldogs’ 35 yard line and ran it down the right sideline to the 18 yard line. Poirrier quickly lined up the offensive unit, ran the option left, faked the pitch and scrambled up the gut for the touchdown. The PAT was true and the Rebels upped their lead to 14-0.

Cambre, who had several outstanding punt returns nullified due to penalties, put together back-to-back runs of 22 and 25 yards around the seven-minute mark of the second quarter. With less than a minute to go in the half, St. Amant, who handles the Rebels’ punting duties, muffed the deep snap and ran the ball around the left end for a 24-yard gain and a first down.

Poirrier rolled out with 35 seconds to go and hit Dexter Falgoust on a hitch route for the Rebels third touchdown of the half.

Fans were barely back in their seats as the Friday the 13th stream of bad luck continued in second half for the Bulldogs. With less than one minute gone in the third quarter, White Castle fumbled at its 6 yard line and Fortenberry scooped it the ball and rumbled in for the score. Along the same theme, the snap sailed over the holder’s head and the Rebels kicker, Poirrier, grabbed the football and ran it around the right side for a two-point conversion.

The Rebels band’s version of Spanish songs still lingered in the heavy air and the scoreboard read 29-0.

After a holding penalty squashed a 16-yard run by St. Amant to begin the final quarter, Dexter Falgoust snatched a Poirrier pass on the right sideline for a 32-yard gain. Another 15-yard penalty moved the Rebels back but on fourth down from the Bulldogs 45 yard line Poirrier again hooked up with Falgoust on a pass to the visitor’s 6 yard line.

On second down from the 2 yard line, elusive freshman running back, Herring, punched it in for the first of his two touchdowns. The PAT was wide of the goal posts but the Bulldogs were called for roughing the kicker, Poirrier, and he was slightly injured during the play. Backup quarterback Wes Hotard entered the game and calmly handed off to Cancienne who crossed the goal line for the two-point conversion.

The final points of the night came in the final minutes as Herring, in a bright flash of what is to come for Rebel supporters, scampered off-tackle for a 40-plus-yard touchdown run.

All in all, it was a complete win for a Riverside team, back on track, and in the familiar territory of the victory column.