Five touchdowns not enough for Riverside in quarterfinals against Ascension Catholic

Riverside Academy started off strong in a playoff matchup against Ascension Catholic but didn’t have enough to advance while playing on the road.

No. 7-seeded Riverside traveled to Donaldsonville to face No. 2 Ascension Catholic in a Division IV select quarterfinals matchup. The Rebels set the tone early, but it was Ascension Catholic who came away with a 40-35 win at Floyd Boutte Memorial Stadium on Friday night.

Riverside recovered an Ascension Catholic fumble on the first drive and was able to capitalize with a 1-yard touchdown by Brock Bourgeois. Ascension Catholic responded right back with a 57-yard touchdown run by Chad Elzy, which was the first of many for the Bulldogs running back.

Riverside was able to get the lead back early in the second quarter after Bourgeois found Kendric Johnson on a 22-yard touchdown reception, but the Bulldogs went into halftime with the lead after Elzy ran in a 48-yard touchdown and caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Bulldogs quarterback Camille LeBoeuf.

The second half began with Riverside tying things up at 21-21 on a 1-yard touchdown run by Montrell Henry that was aided by another Ascension Catholic fumble. The Bulldogs then got the lead back after Elzy ran in his fourth touchdown of the night from 53 yards out.

Henry caught a 15-yard pass from Bourgeois to tie the game at 28-28 with 11:52 in the fourth quarter. Elzy’s fifth score came from 51 yards to give Ascension Catholic a 35-28 lead with 10:22 to go, and the Bulldogs didn’t trail again.

Ascension Catholic scored to go up by two scores after a 77-yard Elzy run. Riverside wasn’t done yet, as Johnson found freshman Chris Becknel for a 44-yard touchdown pass, but the Bulldogs stopped the Rebels on their final drive as time expired.

Elzy finished with 344 yards rushing and five touchdowns on 18 carries and caught four passes for 12 yards and a score. Riverside running back Dedric Lastie had a team-high 167 yards rushing on 20 carries.

Riverside’s season comes to an end after reaching the Division IV select state championship game last season.