The River Pilots earned their first win of the season Oct. 4 with a 41-0 shutout of Bishop Rosecrans at River’s homecoming on Flannery Field. To say Head Coach Mike Flannery’s reaction was jubilant may be an understatement.

“We really needed this,” he said to his team following the victory. “It feels good.” “Our people waited six weeks for this,” and “Our kids deserve this. Our seniors deserve this.”

Adding to the celebration was the naming of Pilot center/defensive linebacker Brett Rosen and Landyn Ramsay as Mr. and Miss River at halftime.

The Pilots owe much of the win to two seniors, Bryce Cross and Jordan Sapp, who came through big. Cross twice hit paydirt on his own for River, caught a touchdown pass, blocked a Rosecrans punt in the end zone, and twice intercepted the Bishops.

Sapp scored early for River on a four-yard run into the end zone, which was followed by a true point-after kick from Colton Wright and a 7-0 Pilot lead.

The Bishops were forced to punt on their first possession of the game, but Rosen blocked it. Cross snagged the loose ball and ran it in for a 14-0 River lead at the end of one. Later, Cross made it 21-0 when he hijacked a pass and scampered it in to the Promised Land.

But Cross wasn’t done yet. He intercepted a pass on the Bishops’ next drive and carried it 46 yards to the Rosecrans 10 yard line.

That set up a two-yard score to raise River’s advantage to 28-0. Later, he caught a 57-yard heave from QB Joey Flannery to make it 35-0 to end the first half. Sapp finished River’s scoring when he ran it in 30 yards.

STATS

Rushing: Jordan Sapp, 11-95, two TDs; Bryce Cross, 5-23, two TDs; Bailey Reusser, 3-9;

Receiving: Brok Cross, 2-26; Bryce Cross, 2-82 and one TD; Jordan Sapp, 2-20; Bailey Reusser, 2-18; Oliver Cummings, 1-7; Joe Flannery, 9-12;

Scoring: Jordan Sapp, two TDs; Bryce Cross, three TDs;

Interceptions: Bryce Cross, 2; Brok Cross, Jordan Sapp and Dakota Smith, one each;

Tackles: Cole Isaly, four solos, 13 assists; Brett Reusser, three solos, 15 assists; Bryce Cross, two solos, nine assists, one interception;

Extra Point Boots: Colton Wright, 5-6.