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By John Todd | Rio Linda Online
Rio Linda’s late rally fell short against Woodland on Senior Night, but the Knights have another Friday night ahead.
Woodland won 35–26 on Nov. 6, leaving Rio Linda at 5–5 overall and 4–2 in the Golden Empire League. The Wolves finished 6–4 and 5–1, claiming second place behind Sutter. Rio Linda finished third.
The Knights missed the eight-team Division V championship bracket but qualified for a Sac-Joaquin Section bowl game at Rio Americano. MaxPreps currently lists kickoff for Friday, Nov. 13, at 6 p.m.
Rio versus Rio gives the Knights an opportunity to close the season with a winning record. The Raiders enter the matchup at 2–8.
Penalties stall the Knights
Rio Linda led 12–7 after the first quarter, with Woodland scoring on a 1-yard quarterback keeper as the period expired.
The Knights’ defense created opportunities before halftime. Caden Brown intercepted a pass with 7:50 remaining in the second quarter, and Tyrone Cooper added another interception with 3:54 left.
But penalties repeatedly interrupted Rio Linda’s efforts to build on its lead. Flags for facemasks, personal fouls, illegal formation and illegal motion made discipline a recurring issue for the Knights.
The most costly flag erased a deep touchdown pass to Cooper with about a minute remaining before halftime. Instead of extending its lead, Rio Linda eventually punted with 42.7 seconds left.
Woodland moved ahead 14–12 on a deep touchdown pass and extra point with 11:08 remaining in the third quarter. Facemask penalties helped the Wolves gain field position on the scoring drive. An ensuing onside kick was fielded and fumbled by Rio Linda, giving Woodland another possession.
The Wolves extended their lead to 21–12 with 6:09 left in the third and 28–12 with 9:16 remaining in the fourth.
Rio Linda continued to fight back. Baltazar Tate scored on a short-yardage play, but an incomplete two-point conversion attempt left the Knights trailing 28–18.
Another interception helped set up a subsequent Rio Linda touchdown, and the Knights recovered an onside kick to give themselves another possession with 20 seconds remaining. The comeback ultimately fell short, with Woodland holding on for a 35–26 victory.
The penalties were a significant part of Rio Linda’s difficult night, alongside turnovers and missed opportunities.
Individual game statistics and official penalty totals were not available at publication.
Why Casa Roble made the championship field
Casa Roble reached the Division V playoffs at 4–6, while Rio Linda at 5–5 and Woodland at 6–4 received bowl assignments—even though both teams beat the Rams.
The reason is the selection system: league champions receive automatic berths, and the remaining spots are filled using MaxPreps’ computer rankings. Casa Roble ranked seventh in Division V, ahead of Woodland in 10th and Rio Linda in 11th. www.maxpreps.com
Those rankings consider opponents’ strength and game results, including scoring margins. Better records, higher league finishes and head-to-head victories do not guarantee a higher ranking. In this case, the computer’s assessment put Casa Roble into the championship field.
One more opportunity
Rio Linda’s next assignment is a bowl game, rather than a place in the Division V championship tournament. The section’s championship playoffs begin Nov. 13, continue with semifinals Nov. 20 and conclude with title games Nov. 27–28.
For the Knights, the immediate goal is a sixth victory and a winning finish at Rio Americano.
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