You glean some interesting information about the two teams that will play again Friday night at Garner in the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4-AA semifinals. But what's missing from that box might be just as informative.

THE SCORE: Riverside 14, Garner 9.

Riverside essentially shut the Trojans down. Garner may be averaging 30.21 points per game, but against the Pirates the Trojans managed only a safety and one touchdown -- a 2-yard run by Reggie Bowens.

SCORE BY QUARTERS: Garner led 9-0 at the half, but Riverside scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns.

Riverside proved its character by how it won. The Pirates know Garner's reputation and its tradition but were unfazed. Riverside rallied, scoring in the final 43.9 seconds to take the victory.

SCORING SUMMARY: Riverside got its winning TD on a 42-yard pass to Weslye Saunders, the same guy who ran for three touchdowns in Riverside's third-round win over Leesville Road.

Riverside can score in a hurry, and Saunders is a big-play guy. He has 45 catches this year for 602 yards and five touchdowns. He has run for another nine TDs on only 28 carries.

The 270-pounder ran 70 yards for a touchdown against Leesville. (You can see him shake off tacklers like they are were little kids by going to the video at newsobserver.com.)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS: Based on the box score to this point, Riverside looks like a solid favorite going into Friday night's game.

Garner's running game was led by Chris Culliver's 103 yards. Fullback Bowens added 21.

But look who isn't listed. Josh Oglesby, a Virginia Tech recruit, has run for 1,136 yards this season. He was out for that game with a sprained ankle. Darrice Payton has gained 801 yards, including 117 in last week's 25-12 victory over Fayetteville Seventy-First.

You can't know this from looking at the box score, but two of the Trojans' starting offensive linemen didn't play either.

Of course, Riverside coach Tommy Blalock and Garner coach Nelson Smith aren't studying an old box score this week.

They're looking at tape.

"For fun, I put in our tape against Riverside and started checking numbers," Smith said. "We're playing a lot of different people, and so are they. Riverside is a much better team than they were when they beat us. But I think we are better, too."

One thing is for sure. Riverside believes it can beat Garner, which is ranked No. 1 in the area.

The Pirates are going to Garner to win a berth in the state 4-AA final, nothing less.

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