LAPLACE — In what was anticipated to be one of the best River Parishes match-ups of the season, Riverside Academy (6-1) defeated the St. Charles Catholic Comets (6-2) Friday 35-3.

In a game riddled with incomplete passes, interceptions, time outs and penalties, Riverside sophomore quarterback Jared Butler was responsible for either scoring or throwing for all five touchdowns on the night.

With a little less than two minutes in the third quarter, Butler ran in the game’s last touchdown, bringing the tally to what would be the final score, 35-3.

“We’re playing the way we’re supposed to be playing,” Riverside Academy head coach Bill Stubbs said. “We came out playing football really well, and I don’t know if they expected that.”

The Rebels won the pre-game coin toss and deferred to the second half.

Riverside kicked off passed the goal line, and the Comets got their first down at the 20-yard line.

SCC senior running back Justin Loupe took the ball right, but was quickly tackled by RA’s junior defensive back Cardez Joseph.

The Rebels stopped the Comets on their first down play, and St. Charles Catholic called the first of many timeouts.

After nickel and dimeing their way down the field, the Comets made a first down at their own 47-yard line when sophomore quarterback Lloyd Nash threw to Tahj Smith and got a penalty for illegal procedure.

Smith gained five yards in another Nash pass, went left, but was tackled by Riverside’s Kendall Martin and Tyler Lewis.

After a same-play repeat, the Rebels took control of the ball at their own 43-yard line.

Senior running back Brandon Sanders carried the ball for the next four plays before Butler tried to run a quarterback keeper, but was run out of bounds.

In two more plays Sanders ran the ball to gain 17 yards before Butler scored the first touchdown of the night, running the ball from the six-yard line with 5:36 left in the first quarter.

Riverside kicked the ball in the end zone for a touchback, giving the comets a first down at the 20-yard line.

Loupe took the ball up the middle for two yards and had an incomplete pass on the next play.

The Rebels were penalized 15 yards for the first personal foul of many, giving the Comets a first down at the 40.

After gaining single-digit yardage on the next two plays, the Comets were pushed back five yards for illegal procedures and got a second down with 11 to go.

Smith went to the left end and gained six yards, giving SCC a third down with five to go at the 45-yard line.

The next Nash to Smith pass was stopped short of a first down.

Comets wide receiver Brady Becker recovered a fumble on the next play, giving SCC a first down at Riverside’s 22-yard line.

St. Charles Catholic spent the rest of the game gaining a few yards, throwing incomplete passes, getting penalties and turnovers on downs. SCC had one failed and one successful field goal.

The Rebels’ defense never let the Comets cross into the end zone.

Riverside had its share of penalties and incomplete passes, but in the end the Rebels were able to out play SCC offensively and defensively to win the game.

“These kids believe in what they’re doing,” Stubbs said. “They believe in themselves. This is high school football and they’ve still got a ways to go. But this is not about last week, it’s not about who we play next week. It’s about us.”

— By Courtney Griggs