SENECA-WAUZEKA-STEUBEN - A slow start at Riverdale for the Seneca-Wauzeka-Steuben football team may have made the game a little too interesting for the Blue-Golds’ fans that made the trip to Muscoda.

Two long touchdown runs by Riverdale in the first quarter put SWS down 16-0.

Riverdale’s Jordan Keegan started things off with a 63-yard run. With the successful two-point conversion, Riverdale took an 8-0 lead.

Then, it was Riverdale’s Tyler Hach’s turn. Hach scored on a 51-yard touchdown run. With the two-point conversion, it was 16-0.

However, before the first quarter ended, the Blue-Golds answered the call. Carter Lomas found receiver Gavin Ralph on a 71-yard touchdown pass. With the two-point conversion, it was Riverdale-16 SWS-8.

In the second quarter the Blue-Golds’ sophomore receiver Ashton Swanson scored touchdown on a 15-yard pass play from Lomas. However, the two-point conversion failed and SWS went into the locker room at halftime, trailing Riverdale 16-14.

There was no scoring in the third quarter. The deciding touchdown in the fourth quarter came on a two-yard run by quarterback Carter Lomas. The two-point conversion failed, making the score SWS-20 Riverdale-16. And, that’s the way it ended.

For the game, the Blue-Golds had 16 first downs and Riverdale had nine. The Blue-Golds ran for 156 yards on 35 carries, while Riverdale gained 252 yards on 41 carries.

Passing yardage was decidedly the SWS game. Lomas threw for 177 yards completing 7-17 with two interceptions and two touchdowns. By contrast, Riverdale quarterback Dylan Kagel was 1-6 for 15 yards and he threw three interceptions.

SWS receiver Gavin Ralph led the team in receptions with two for 87 yards and a touchdown. SWS receiver Hunter Aspenson caught two passes for 51 yards.

Blue-Golds head coach Justin Goodrich was happy with the win, but showed some concern about the slow start. Remember SWS spotted the visitors from Wonewoc-Center-Weston a 12-point lead to start the Seneca Homecoming Game on Friday, Oct. 4–so that’s two weeks in a row.

“Our defense did a good job grabbing three interceptions and setting up our offense with good field position,” Goodrich said later. “The offense made some really big plays, when we needed them, to get crucial first downs and touchdowns.