The Riverside Pirates have turned the page on their first five games of the 2026 season and now head into Week 6 looking to keep their momentum rolling when they travel to Bethel on Friday night.
Riverside enters the matchup with a 4-1 overall record and a perfect 2-0 mark in Three Rivers Conference play, while Bethel comes into the contest at 1-4 overall and 1-1 in conference play. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. kickoff at Bethel High School.
The Pirates have won four consecutive games after opening the season with an 8-32 loss to Ansonia. Since then, Riverside has put together victories over Northeastern, Spencerville, Milton-Union and Covington.
Riverside's most recent win came last Friday, when the Pirates defeated Covington 27-17 in a conference matchup. The victory continued a strong stretch for Riverside, which has outscored its opponents 143-52 during its four-game winning streak.
Much of the Pirates' offensive success has come on the ground. Riverside is averaging 269.5 rushing yards per game and 335 total yards per game entering Friday's contest. Senior running back and defensive back Dylan Trimble has been a major contributor, averaging 97.5 rushing yards per game while also averaging 27 receiving yards per game.
Trimble isn't the only weapon Riverside can turn to. Junior fullback and defensive lineman Gunner Carpenter leads the Pirates with six total touchdowns, while quarterback and safety Brody Orsborne has contributed through the air and on defense. Senior safety/wide receiver Michael Steineman leads the team with 5.5 tackles per game, and senior defensive back David Gross has two interceptions on the season.
For Bethel, Friday's game represents an opportunity to rebound after a difficult Week 5 matchup. The Bees dropped a 33-0 decision to Miami East last Friday. Bethel was held scoreless throughout the contest, with Miami East pulling away after halftime.
Despite the recent result, Bethel has already picked up a conference victory this season and will be looking to use its home field to challenge the Pirates.
Riverside, meanwhile, enters Friday with the opportunity to strengthen its position in the Three Rivers Conference. The Pirates have already defeated Milton-Union and Covington in league play and will look to make it three straight conference victories against the Bees.
The matchup also pits two teams traveling in different directions entering Week 6. Riverside has won four straight, while Bethel will be looking to bounce back from consecutive losses.
For the Pirates, the formula has been straightforward: establish the running game, limit mistakes and allow a defense that has produced several big plays this season to keep opponents from finding a rhythm.
If Riverside can continue controlling the line of scrimmage and generating production from its ground attack, the Pirates will have another opportunity to add to what has already been an impressive start to the 2026 campaign.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday at Bethel High School.
