By Jim Henry
jhenry@joplinglobe.com
It’s been just another week of preparation for the Riverton Rams.
“Our kids have been pretty much level-headed, business as usual,” head coach Cory White said.
While practice may have been the usual, the game is one of the marquee matchups in Kansas when the Rams and Silver Lake collide tonight in a Class 3A semifinal. Kickoff is at 7 in Silver Lake.
“We have a lot of respect for what they do,” White said. “Everyone knows Silver Lake ... facing an opponent of that caliber, there is so much on the line. If you want to achieve great goals, you have to go through the best, and it doesn’t get any better than Silver Lake.”
Both teams have met little resistance while posting 12-0 records.
The Rams have outscored their opponents 610-94 and have scored 52, 54 and 64 points in their three playoff games.
Silver Lake, coached by C.J. Hamilton, own a 539-51 scoring advantage. The Eagles posted five consecutive shutouts before surviving a 7-6 scare last week against Marysville.
Running back Cameron Renfro rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown on a one-yard run late in the first half. The defense made the one-point lead stand in the second half as D.J. Johnson intercepted a pass at the 5-yard line, and Renfro blocked a 27-yard field-goal attempt.
“Marysville is a very good football team and had an opportunity to win the game,” White said. “Silver Lake is going to get everyone’s best shot.”
Running back Brenton Cates rushed for 266 yards and four touchdowns, including a 65- and 64-yarder, to headline Riverton’s 501-yard rushing attack against Sabetha. Matt Tyree and Kaleb Clark added 100 and 81 yards, respectively.
The task for the Ram defense is to contain Silver Lake’s big-play capability.
“They are too good of a team not to score,” White said. “At this point of the season, everyone is going to score. The big thing is to not give up the big play in the passing game. If they get the ball down the field and score quickly, they have a tendency to build momentum. Hopefully we can make them have drives that take time off the clock.
“We’ll continue to do what we do, run the football and punch it in the end zone when we get the opportunity. Hopefully that’s adequate enough for us.”
Riverton has reached the semifinals for the first time since 1995. Silver Lake, by contrast, is shooting for its seventh straight championship game appearance.
Tonight’s winner will play Garden Plain (12-0) or Conway Springs (10-2) in the title game Nov. 29 in Hutchinson.
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Silver Lake huge hurdle for Riverton
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