Riverside took possession for the final time knowing that it needed only to kneel out the remaining minute and 15 seconds before it could secure a football state championship.

And for once, the Rebels could exhale. What had been a three-touchdown lead got whittled to seven points in the fourth quarter, before sophomore William Rauch kicked a 40-yard field goal that ultimately provided the winning margin in a 31-21 victory over Ascension Catholic in the LHSAA Division IV select state final Thursday at Caesars Superdome.

Senior Brock Bourgeois threw two touchdown passes, including one to outstanding player selection Christopher Becnel, who also threw a touchdown pass of his own to senior Jayden Obiekwe, the first of his two touchdowns in the game.

Ascension Catholic went 80-plus yards on

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