Trailing after three quarters by three points, Riverdale needed to find a way to put away the determined Red Knight."/>


Trailing after three quarters by three points, Riverdale needed to find a way to put away the determined Red Knight."/> Riverdale outlasts North, 28-23 | News, Sports, Jobs - Lehigh Acres Citizen
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Riverdale outlasts North, 28-23

By Staff | Nov 7, 2009

After already clinching their district title and a home playoff game, the Riverdale Raiders fought off a late comeback attempt from North Fort Myers, prevailing 28-23 Friday night.

“It’s definitely a game they (the seniors) will always remember,” said Riverdale coach Tom Roszell. “The past three years that we’ve played North, it’s always turned out like this.”

Trailing after three quarters by three points, Riverdale needed to find a way to put away the determined Red Knights.

“We were definitely not expecting that type of play from North,” said Riverdale quarterback Nathan Gahafer. “Those guys came out with a game plan and really fought tonight.”

Gahafer gave the Raiders the lead late on a nine-yard touchdown run, but the play was called back on a penalty. Two plays later, on third-and-goal from the 17, Gahafer found wide receiver Denzel Hagan in the back of the end zone for the go ahead score.

Gahafer later scored on an 11-yard run to give the Raiders a 28-17 lead.

With less than three minutes left in the game, North quarterback Tre Boston led an improbable comeback attempt that almost became an instant classic. Two plays after recovering a Riverdale fumble, Boston plunged into the end zone on a one-yard score.

North’s onside kick recovery at midfield presented a chance to win with 57 seconds left. Boston led the Knights to the 19 with the help of a penalty.

Facing third-and-six at the 15 with 20 seconds left, Boston was sacked at the line of scrimmage with no timeouts.

The Red Knights managed to hurry up for one more play. Boston took the snap, raced to his right, and scrambled out of bounds with one second remaining. After a measurement, Boston’s run was ruled one yard shy of a first down.

Riverdale faces off against Labelle next Friday. North finishes the season 4-6.

North FM 0 3 14 6 – 23

Riverdale 0 7 7 14 – 28

Second Quarter

NFM – FG, Evan Sargent 22

R – Garrett Greenwell 1 run (Mark Deboy kick)

Third Quarter

NFM – Marcus Lewis 38 run (Sargent kick)

R – Greenwell 7 run (Deboy kick)

NFM – Lewis 9 run (Sargent kick)

Fourth Quarter

R – Denzel Hagan 17 pass from Nathan Gahafer (Deboy kick)

R – Gahafer 11 run (Deboy kick)

NFM – Tre Boston 1 run (run failed)