The Evanston Red Devils football team played Riverton in their first 3A game of the season. Riverton has been a force in the 3A division and the Red Devils did not take this game lightly. 

Jess Richins received the nod to start as quarterback for the Red Devils and Tyus Cornia played tailback. The Red Devils received the ball on the opening kickoff and were not able to do much with it and punted to Riverton. 

The Red Devils began to immediately blitz Riverton quarterback Treyton Paxton and a blitz by Nick Kunz hurried Paxton and caused an incomplete pass. A poor punt by Riverton gave Evanston excellent field position, starting at the 50-yard line. On the next play, Richins faked a handoff and then ran the ball himself for a gain of nearly ten yards. On the next play, Tyus Cornia took the handoff and ran up the middle for five yards and a first down at the 35-yard line.

A neutral zone infraction by Riverton set up a first and five-yard situation for the Red Devils. Cornia again ran the ball up the middle for another first down at the 25-yard line. A holding penalty against Evanston made it second down and 16 yards and Richins was unable to connect, bringing up third down and long. Richins couldn’t find a receiver and was forced to run the ball himself, getting back to the original line of scrimmage but facing a fourth and 12 yards. 

They decided to go for it. Again, with no one to throw to, Richins ran to the 18-yard line but needed to make the 17 and the ball turned over on down.

Wolverine’s quarterback was flushed out of the pocket but connected with his receiver to get a first and ten at the 27-yard line. Evanston was drawn offside by Riverton and the ball was moved back to the 22-yard line. Paxton handed off to Nick Fenton who was able to wiggle out of a couple of tackles for a 12-yard gain. Evanston was penalized with a neutral zone infraction, giving Riverton a first down. 

Evanston drove Paxton out of the pocket but Paxton was still able to connect with Draper while on the run for a 42-yard gain.

Riverton stalled and then Seth MacDonald recovered a Riverton fumble to stop Riverton from a possible score.

The Red Devils moved the ball to the 19-yard line, even after a couple of penalties, to end a scoreless first quarter.

Opening the second quarter Evanston faced a third and 19-yards at the 19 yard line. Richins spread out the offense and ran a draw play and Richins ran it up the middle almost to the 31-yard line, just short of a first down, a gain of 12 yards. Facing a fourth and two, the Red Devils decided to go for the first down. The Red Devils fumbled the ball but recovered the ball beyond the first down marker.

Seth Lloyd took over the quarterback duties and handed the ball to Cornia who ran for five yards. Cornia took another handoff and pushed forward to just short of the first down at the 42-yard line.

Hunter Groll, from the fullback position, took the handoff and ran up the middle but the ball came loose and Riverton recovered at the 39-yard line.

The Wolverines immediately had a flag thrown for a false start penalty that pushed them back to the 44-yard line. Paxton was sacked by Gavin Simmons and Nick Kunz, the Wolverines were back to their own 30, and then Riverton fumbled the ball. Pablo Escalante recovered the ball and the Red Devils started their drive on Riverton’s 44-yard line. The Red Devils moved the ball a couple of yards and then Terry Wheaton had a six-yard run, putting the Red Devils in a third and three situation.

Lloyd handed the ball off to Hunter Groll who then ran right up the middle for 36 yards and the game’s first touchdown. The Red Devils led the game 7-0 after a successful PAT with eight minutes left in the half.

Riverton started their drive from the 19-yard line after the kickoff. Paxton kept the ball and avoided three tackles but, luckily, Brenden Mathson prevented the first down. After another false start penalty, Riverton faced a third and eight on their own 21-yard line. Jaren Draper caught the ball and twisted through a couple of tackles to give Riverton a first and ten from the 36-yard line. Paxton took the ball himself and ran to nearly the 50-yard line for another Wolverine first down.

Starting from the 49-yard line, the Wolverines were hit with another false start penalty. Paxton threw the ball to get back to their original line of scrimmage at the 49. Dawson Lane took a handoff and ran for 12 yards for another Wolverine first down. Another completed pass to Brodie Roden put the Wolverines on the 28-yard line. 

Dawson ran the ball to the 15-yard line but a holding penalty against Riverton brought the ball back to the 35-yard line and faced a second and eight. The Red Devils put the pressure on Paxton. Riley Griggs shot through the line and the pressure caused an incomplete pass. Another incomplete pass put the Wolverines in a fourth down and eight situation and they decided to go for it but again, pressure from the Red Devils forced another incomplete pass and the Red Devils took over on downs with 4:31 left in the half.

Tyus Cornia moved the ball to the 48-yard line for a first down. On the next play, Cornia crossed the 50-yard line to Riverton’s 49. A handoff to Rigby was fumbled but recovered by Lloyd. 

With 2:27 in the half, Lloyd attempted a pass that was intercepted by Riverton at the 35. 

The Red Devils defense kept the pressure on Riverton and forced another incomplete pass. Paxton took the ball himself and gained the first down at their own 48. 

Two incomplete passes later, Beau Lloyd sacked Paxton and the ball was placed at the Riverton’s 44-yard line with only 20 second left in the half.

The Wolverines were forced to punt and Reid Gros received the ball and the Red Devils took over. Their first play was a Cornia run good for a first down at the 45-yard line. With only six seconds left in the half, Lloyd threw the ball downfield for an incompletion and with one second left the Red Devils tried again with no success. The half ended with the Red Devils leading the Riverton Wolverines 7-0.

The Wolverines started the third quarter at the 30-yard line after a Red Devil kickoff. 

They looked to cash in on their passing game, starting the half with a four-receiver set but instead of passing hte ball they handed off to Fenton who gained four yards. 

Paxton attempted an unsuccessful pass and facing a third and seven, Riverton’s offensive line jumped the gun and lost ground thanks to the penalty. Rushed by Chandler Angerson, Paxton ran but was sacked by Rylie Griggs, forcing Riverton to punt.

Evanston took over on their own 40-yard line. 

Jess Richins was chosen to play quarterback in the third quarter. Terry Wheaton took the handoff and lost a couple of yards. On the following play, Wheaton gained five yards and Evanston faced a third and six. Cornia took the next handoff and gained enough for the first down and more, to Riverton’s 46-yard line, but a face mask penalty against Riverton put the ball at the 42. 

Cornia took the handoff and bounced outside for a seven-yard gain. Groll gained a couple of yards and Evanston faced a third down and a long yard. The ball appeared to be stripped and initially, it appeared Riverton had recovered the ball but officials said the runner’s knee was down and Evanston maintained control, although they were still short of a first down at the 33-yard line.

Cornia ran to the 28-yard line and Evanston converted on the fourth down. Wheaton then ran another four yards. The Red Devils had a 15-yard penalty. Richins was pressured on the next play but maintained possession, putting the Red Devils in a third and 21 situation. 

Richins kept the ball, avoided a couple of tackles and ran for 35 yards. The Red Devils were in scoring position on the two-yard line. Cornia took the handoff but was shy of the end zone when he was stopped short by the Riverton defense. 

Richins kept the ball againand appeared to have a touchdown but an illegal procedure penalty negated the score. 

Richins ran to the left and then pitched out to Wheaton, who ran the ball in for a second Red Devil touchdown. Richins made the PAT and Evanston led the Wolverines 14-0 with 4:44 in the third quarter.

After being forced backward by penalties, the Wolverines crossed the first down line thanks to a run by quarterback Paxton, who looked to be stopped by the Red Devils but broke free to run nearly to the 50-yard line.

With fourth down and inches, the Wolverines called for a measurement. Riverton was about a foot short. Paxton gained the first down on a quarterback keeper. Fenton took the handoff but was stopped behind the line of scrimmage by the Red Devil defense to end the third quarter.

After a Red Devil encroachment penalty, the Wolverines started the fourth quarter with great field position inside the 50. After an incomplete pass, the Wolverines threw the ball right into the hands of Red Devil Brenden Mathson.

Evanston took over on the 29-yard line and Cornia ran the ball for a 14-yard gain, giving the Red Devils another first down on the 42-yard line. 

After a short gain by Groll, Cornia took a pitch and crossed the midfield to the 42-yard line but a Red Devil fumble by Wheaton handed the ball over to the Wolverines at their 40-yard line.

Paxton completed a pass across the 50-yard line to the 47. Thanks to defensive pressure by the Red Devils, the Wolverines were facing third and 11-yards. Paxton threw to Mueller for a 22-yard gain at the 30-yard line, and then threw to Brodie Roden at the 15-yard line. 

Then the turnover bug bit Riverton again.

A high snap by the center went through the hands of Paxton and behind the line. Nick Kunz ran past Riverton’s offense and grabbed the ball, giving the Red Devils possession at the 45-yard line with about seven minutes left in the game.

Cornia then ran the ball past the 50-yard line to the 47. Cornia broke through again for another 13 yards to the 34. 

Evanston began working the clock and Cornia kept working on gaining yards. Groll broke through and moved the chains with a six-yard gain to the 21. Cornia pushed for another four yards and then Cornia ran to the nine-yard line for another Red Devil first down. 

Hunter Groll ran the ball to within inches of the goal line. Cornia took the handoff and ran up the middle for another Red Devil touchdown. 

Cornia was shaken up after the play. The PAT was good and the Red Devils took a 21-0 lead with a little more than three minutes left in the game.

Riverton moved the ball to Evanston’s 39-yard line. A pass to Jaren Draper placed them on the 31-yard line. They were moved back after a penalty but ran the ball and gained a first down at the 29-yard line. Paxton threw a deep for 29 yards to the end zone to Draper for Riverton’s first score. Riverton then ran the ball in for another two points.

The game ended with Evanston winning the game 21-8.

After going winless last season, winning this first game of the season was fun for fans, players and coaches.