The Riverside Bulldogs defeated the Bedford Bulldogs on Tuesday night by a score of 55-42 and are now within one game of the state tournament. Despite Bedford having the better record, Riverside showed early that they belonged in the game. An 11-5 run to start the game kickstarted Riverside as they held a 25-21 lead going into halftime. In the second half, the defense was phenomenal and held a Bedford offense that usually averages 65 points to just 42. They also had three players in double digits to secure the District 15 Championship.

In the first half, Riverside showed that they were there to win. They began the game going up 11-5, however Quentin Dalton of Bedford went on a personal 10-0 run to give Bedford a 15-11 lead. It seemed at that point that the numbers on paper were coming to life, but that really was the only momentum Bedford would have all game. Despite it being back and forth in the third period, that 15-11 lead was the largest all night for the Bedford Bulldogs. Peyton Amdor came in with the best numbers for Riverside, and even though he finished as the leading scorer, it still felt like Riverside was getting everyone involved. Their 25-21 lead at half was in most part due to their collective effort on both ends of the floor. Comparatively, Quentin Dalton of Bedford had scored 13 of their 21 points at half. Riverside was playing as a unit, and not just through one player.

In the third quarter, the game felt very back and forth. It wasn’t necessarily a game of runs, but neither team was willing to break. Riverside’s defense was still holding strong, and it felt like Bedford never got comfortable in their offense. They started to work the ball around a lot more but were still turning the ball over a lot. Those turnovers led to to a massive lead heading into the 4th period. The floodgates opened as the third period went on, and by the end it was a 39-27 lead in favor of Riverside heading into the final 8 minutes.

In the 4th, it never got close than 11 as Riverside controlled the rest of the ball game. Peyton Amdor, Brody Henderson and Cole Jeppesen all finished in double figures on the night. Amdor led all scorers with 22 points, collecting his second straight 20+ point game this postseason. It was a collective effort all around and most specifically on the defensive end. They held Bedford to 23 points below their average by forcing a ton of turnovers that led to fast break points. Riverside puts a lot of pressure on opposing point guards and that opens up opportunities for steals. All in all, Riverside was the better team from start to finish and have earned their spot to play for the State Tournament.

Riverside will face St. Edmond for a chance at State on Saturday, February 28th at the Drake University Knapp Center. Tipoff scheduled for 7:00 pm.