Sports
Riverwood Leaves the Past Behind and Aims for State Playoffs in Football
It's been 10 years since Riverwood qualified for the state playoffs. Head Coach Robert Ingram says the Raiders are more mature and experienced than a year ago and making the playoffs is the No. 1 goal.
It's been 10 years since Riverwood High School reached the state playoffs and the Raiders have suffered their share of disappointment along the way, including a 3-7 record last season.
But Coach Robert Ingram thinks this could be the year his team turns the corner. For one thing, he will have a veteran offensive unit featuring eight returning starters, including the Raiders leading passer, rusher and receiver.
Quarterback Robert Beckley will be at the helm again. He's a talented passer who threw for 718 yards a year ago. He will be joined in the backfield by the team's leading rusher, Rashan Hassell, who churned out 643 yards on the ground in 2011 and fullback Garrett Harris. Harris is a bull of a fullback who can lower his shoulder and drive through defenders. He also blocks well and will help buy time for his quarterback in passing situations.
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Beckley will also have two solid wide receivers to help bolster the air game in Owen Marett and Zach Meads. Marrett led the team last year with 118 yards receiving.
Up front, the Raiders have three of their five offensive line starters returning in guards Nathan McCullers and Robert Lane and tackle Preston Stewart.
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There will have to be some reubilding done on defense where only five starters are back. Meads and McCullers will return to their end spots Harris and Preston Stewart will be back at the linebacker positions. Hassell, who played several positions last year, will once again line up at the all-important cornerback position. Marett will handle the punting and place kicking chores.
Coach Ingram says "strength, maturity and experience" will be what helps the Raiders turn the corner en route to a winning season.
"We feel much better about where we are as a program," he said. "We have filled a coaching staff with a great group of coaches and our players have been in our system for four years gaining experience."
The No. 1 goal, Ingram said, is to "reach the state playoffs for the first time since 2001."