Jeannette routs banged-up Riverview to even record
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Saturday, September 19, 2020 | 5:32 PM
Jeannette’s Roberto Smith Jr. carries the ball during a game against Riverview on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, at Riverview.
Riverview’s Mike Lewis tries to get around Jeannette players during a game on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, at Riverview.
Riverview’s Brandon Lockett tries to get around Jeannette’s Brett Birch during a game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, at Riverview.
Jeannette’s Jaydin Canady tries to get around Riverview players during a game on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, at Riverview.
Jeannette’s Brad Birch throws the ball during a game against Riverview on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, at Riverview.
Riverview’s James Williams carries the ball during a game against Jeannette on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, at Riverview.
Jeannette’s Emilio Huerta blocks a pass, leading to an interception during a game against Riverview on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, at Riverview.
Socially-distanced fans sit in the bleachers during a game between Riverview and Jeannette on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, at Riverview.
Jeannette’s Michael Mason grabs the face mask of Riverview’s Anthony Mazur during a game on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, at Riverview.
Jeannette players work to take down Riverview’s Jackson Corey during a game on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, at Riverview.
Players are reflected in the windows of the press box during a game between Riverview and Jeannette on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, at Riverview.
Riverview’s Jackson Corey reacts to his team’s loss to Jeannette on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, at Riverview.
Jeannette’s Elijah Binakonsky tries to get around Riverview’s Jordan Hart-Brown during a game on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, at Riverview.
Riverview’s Joey Inzinga looks on as the first half of a game against Jeannette winds down Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, at Riverview.
Jeannette’s Toby Cline carries the ball during a game against Riverview on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, at Riverview.
Riverview head coach Trevor George talks to his players during a game against Jeannette on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, at Riverview.
Riverview’s Dean Cecere carries the ball during a game against Jeannette on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, at Riverview.
Riverview head coach Trevor George claps on the sideline during a game against Jeannette on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, at Riverview.
Riverview players stand in circles to maintain a social distance during a game against Jeannette on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, at Riverview.
Fans watch from afar a game between Riverview and Jeannette on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, at Riverview.
Riverview’s Dean Cecere carries the ball during a game against Jeannette on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, at Riverview.
In this in-camera multiple exposue, Jeannette’s James Sanders warms up prior to the start of a game against Riverview at Riverview on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020.
Jeannette’s Jaydin Canady (middle) looks on in a huddle during a game against Riverview on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, at Riverview.
After losing their season’s opener for the first time in 23 years last week, the Jeannette Jayhawks rebounded quickly Saturday afternoon.
Senior Roberto Smith turned a pair of pass interceptions into touchdowns, and freshman quarterback Brad Birch fired four scoring passes and collected 171 yards through the air as Jeannette soared past Riverview, 55-6, at Oakmont’s Riverside Park.
The Jayhawks, rated third by Trib HSSN in Class A, is 1-1 after two Eastern Conference games. Jeannette narrowly lost to top-rated Clairton on Sept. 11.
The Raiders, with their top two quarterbacks hurt, fell to 0-2, 0-2.
Riverview’s defense stopped Jeannette twice on downs in the first quarter. But after a second stop, Smith’s interception run from 45 yards seemed to open the floodgates for Jeannette along the banks of the Allegheny River.
Following Smith’s initial score, Jeannette held the Raiders to a punt. On the first play from scrimmage, Toby Cline hauled in a Birch pass and weaved his way through the Riverview defense for a 66-yard touchdown.
On the third play after Cline’s score, Smith picked off a James Williams pass and returned it 24 yards to give the Jayhawks 21 points in a 3-minute, 14-second span.
“It felt nice,” Smith said of his big plays. “I put myself in the right position and capitalized on their mistakes. We did make a long of big plays. As long as we make big, splash plays, we should be fine.”
Smith also carried six times for 79 yards.
“There’s no doubt the guys played a pretty good game last week against the number one Clairton Bears,” Jeannette coach Roy Hall said. “Then they come out and think Riverview’s going to roll over for them, and they’re not going to roll over for them. I tell them all the time no matter what the other team’s record is, you’re always going to get their best.”
Riverview couldn’t take advantage of its two defensive stops in the early going.
“Our kids came out and played hard and they were right there, obviously, and competed on every play in the first quarter,” Raiders first-year coach Trevor George said. “Some of our own mistakes hurt us. We’ve got to get playing as a team. Culture-building is a process. Rome wasn’t built in a day.”
Sophomore Jaydin Canady scored on a 40-yard screen pass the next time the Jayhawks got the ball. But a play in the following series typified how the day went. On a rollout left, Birch dropped the ball but it bounced right back into his hands and he threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Cline.
The extra point snap went awry, but Elijah Binaknsky retrieved the ball and raced in for the 2-point conversion.
Sanders scored on a 40-yard pass from Birch, and the Jayhawks owned a 42-0 halftime lead.
Birch scored on a 16-yard keeper, and Smith broke loose for a 54-yard run to conclude the scoring.
Despite the win, Hall was displeased with his team’s 98 penalty yards on 14 infractions.
Said Hall: “I take the win, but I’m not happy with our overall performance. We took stupid penalties, some that were totally uncalled for.”
After picking up just one first down over three quarters, Riverview staged a 10-play drive as Anthony Mazur scored his team’s only touchdown with 2:49 to go.
“The sky’s the limit for our team, we just got to get it running on all gears,” George said.
George feels the Raiders are doing well developing the no-huddle offense, but it’s not forcing teams to get out of their defensive postures quickly enough.
Things don’t get easier for the Raiders, traveling to Clairton on Friday.
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