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Football: Sarasota Riverview 41, Newsome 14

 
Published Oct. 22, 2016

SARASOTA — The Riverview High football team began strongly and looked as if it was going to roll to an easy victory.

Then the Rams made every mistake conceivable, turning the ball over, committing penalties and failing to snap the ball to the quarterback and punter.

"I felt like we were going to jump on them early. Then bad things happened," Riverview coach Todd Johnson said. "Our guys didn't panic. They didn't bat an eye. They came out and played a great second half."

Playing a mistake-free second half, the Rams rolled to a 41-14 victory over Newsome in a Class 8A, District 6 game Friday night at the Ram Bowl.

Riverview (6-1, 4-1) looks to clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2013 and win a district title for the first time since 2006 with a win Friday at home against Alonso.

After jumping out to a 13-0 lead four minutes, 28 seconds into the game, Riverview failed to tack on, despite having the ball at the Wolves' 3-yard line. A bad snap on the next series put the Rams in a second-and-30 hole.

One play after Newsome called timeout before being flagged for having too many men on the field, Riverview quarterback Mike Welcer connected for a 52-yard scoring strike to Zy Grable to make it 20-7.

Welcer threw his third touchdown pass of the game on the third play of the fourth quarter, a 9-yarder to Mikey Van Ness. Less than four minutes later, Welcer connected with Grable for the third time in the game, a 16-yarder that made it 34-7.

Welcer was 18-for-23 for 208 yards and four touchdowns.

Newsome got on the board in the final 65 seconds of the first half. Drew Lindbeck found tight end Marquis Brooks alone over the middle for a 7-yard score. Lindbeck was 8-for-18 for 56 yards with three interceptions and two touchdowns. Patrick Jolly left the game late with an injury.