Taddonio rushes for three touchdowns in Riverside’s title win – Scranton Times-Tribune

TAYLOR – It might have been the worst game for Chase Taddonio to throw his first interception of the year.

After Riverside drove inside its opponent’s 5-yard line in the first quarter of the district final, Taddonio threw a pass to Richie Kostoff in the end zone. The ball bounced off his hands and into the hands of Dunmore defenseman Eli Dougherty.

At that point, the Vikings missed their chance to score the game’s first touchdown, while also ceding an extra possession to their opponent.

“Sometimes free plays happen in sports,” Taddonio said. “I knew we were good there. We knew we would come back.”

Bounce back, he did.

The Riverside quarterback carried the ball 22 times for 164 yards and all three of his team’s touchdowns as the top-seeded Vikings defeated Dunmore 24-6in the District 2 Class 2A championship game Friday at Riverside Veterans Memorial Stadium.

“It was great to do it on home court, in front of the fans. It’s great to bring something back here after a few years of rebuilding,” said Taddonio. “All the guys from last year, I owe this to them. They built this up and started this.”

Riverside’s defense kept the early interception from snowballing, forcing a three-and-out on the next drive.

It took just four plays for the Vikings to rediscover their groove. Sparked by running back Carmelo Barnett’s 24-yard run, Riverside found the end zone on Taddonio’s 3-yard rush to give the Vikings a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

“(Taddonio) is an incredibly resilient competitor and mentally very tough to deal with. He was able to shake that off really quickly,” Riverside coach Harry Armstrong said. “Our boys feed on that too. They don’t see him getting exhausted or worried about it. And when he does, he comes out in five seconds.

In response, Dunmore began a grueling drive to open the second quarter.

The Bucks called 11 consecutive run plays, incrementally advancing past midfield. On the 12th play they tried to make a screen pass for a change of pace.

Riverside defensive lineman Tavian Branch saw the play as his first chance to hit the quarterback. The junior burst through the offensive line, rushed the throw and laid down a big hit for good measure.

Dunmore’s pass fell incomplete, setting the stage for a long fourth down and an eventual turnover on downs.

“It feels great to know you played a big role and made a big hit,” Branch said. “Honestly, we just wanted it. The defense has stepped up and the defense is winning games.”

By the end of the night, Branch had recorded 1.5 bags and proved to be disruptive throughout the night.

As he held his team’s championship plaque and bit down on his gold medal, Branch, a 6-foot-4, 285-pounder with Division I scholarship offers from schools like Penn State and Pittsburgh, also ended the night with tears falling from his eyes escaped – a sharp contrast to his ferocious attitude on the field.

“He has a relentless work ethic, huge ambitions and he is completely immersed in the process of what it takes to be an elite athlete,” Armstrong said. “Because he plays so passionately, he (previously) gets over-excited and accelerates. He’s really learned how to find that top speed but not overheat, so to speak.

“Without him in the middle we’re not the team we are on either side. He really loves Riverside, and he’s not only happy because he had a great game, but he’s really happy with what he was able to bring to our program.

Riverside closed the first half with a 25-yard field goal by Santino D’Amico, pushing the lead to 10-0 before halftime.

Taddonio added another 3-yard touchdown run to give Riverside a 17-0 lead with 2:17 remaining in the third quarter.

Led by a 34-yard connection from quarterback Jack McNeff to Bobby Hoban, the Bucks reached the end zone on an 8-yard run by Gabe Franek to cut the deficit to 17-6 with 6:22 left in the game.

A failed onside kick attempt gave Riverside a short field, which Taddonio took advantage of in five plays, rushing for a 24-yard touchdown. Trailing 24-6, Jared Jackson’s interception with three minutes to play froze the game.

“It’s exciting right now to see and feel the emotions of the players,” Armstrong said. “I couldn’t be happier and prouder for them.”

Last season, Riverside faced Dunmore in the district championship game but lost 13-7. The year before, Dunmore eliminated Riverside in the district semifinals, 17-14.

Throughout this postseason, the opportunity for a rematch was not lost on the Vikings.

“It adds an extra level of satisfaction. That is absolutely true,” Armstrong said. “When Tavian found out we were playing Dunmore, he said, ‘Coach, I wanted these guys.’

“These guys remember the bitter taste of defeat, and the pain and agony of trying to give it your all and not getting the result you’re looking for. It hurts enormously. It is undoubtedly some extra fuel.”

Next up for the newly crowned district champions is the PIAA playoffs, where it will face District 12’s Lansdale Catholic, a 35-17 winner over District 1 Bristol in the sub-regional championship game.

“I don’t even know what their nickname is,” Armstrong said. “That also brings some extra excitement, and I think it is also very intriguing when our boys go against someone you don’t know. We are fortunate that we can also play in our region.”

Originally published: November 9, 2024 at 12:38 AM EST