ELIDA – St. Marys sophomore running back Colton Mabry accounted for his first two career rushing touchdowns Friday night at Kraft Stadium as the Roughriders dispatched host Elida 35-3.
Starting with the football for the seventh time in eight games the blue and gold wasted little time getting started chewing up the clock and yardage as they utilized a 13 play drive covering 61 yards and nearly six minutes for the opening score when Aiden Hinkle slipped through tackles for his 15th marker of the season.
Following an Elida punt the visitors ran their advantage to 14-0 as Mabry sprinted 52 yards on his longest run of the season nearly untouched into the Bulldog endzone for his first rushing touchdown of the season.
Elida’s second possession behind backup quarterback Ryan McGue ended with an interception by Brayden Sullivan of St. Marys that was returned to the Roughrider 42.
Working across the break in quarters and a ten play drive the Riders again found paydirt at the end of a four minute drive behind Mabry who slashed through Bulldog defenders on a 13 yard run to give St. Marys a 21-0 lead with 9:05 remaining in the opening half.
Keegan Sharpe’s third interception of the campaign, a pick that he initially ran back for six gave the Roughriders field position inside opponent territory after a penalty on the return.
On the ninth play of the ensuing drive the visitors ran their advantage to 28-0 thanks to the fifth rushing touchdown of the season, a four yard effort with 3:32 to go before the break.
Nearing the end of the third period the Riders took to the sky as Cody Wallace found a streaking Brayden Sullivan down the right sideline to take a 35-0 lead and activate the running clock. Sullivan’s score was his fifth receiving touchdown of the 2022 season and pulls him into a first place tie with Mike Youngs (1970), Scott Axe (1983), and Bruce Wibbler (1985) for most in a single season in school history.
Elida’s lone score of the evening came after a drive that began at their own 31 and spanned nearly nine minutes of game action was pushed to a field goal of 32 yards from kicker Grant Hardeman that split the uprights to cut the final deficit to 35-3.
The Bulldogs (4-4, 3-4) have now dropped four straight games since the injury to starting QB Larkin Henderson after a 4-0 start this season and will next travel to battle 7-1 Van Wert next Friday evening.
Ryan McGue finished 6 of 19 for 31 yards and a pair of interceptions for the Bulldogs who collected 80 total yards on 41 offensive plays.
St. Marys runs their record to 6-2 overall and 5-2 in the Western Buckeye League with their eighth straight victory over Elida and will travel to the other side of Lima next Friday night as they visit 0-8 Bath.
Aiden Hinkle became the first St. Marys back since Sean Perry to eclipse the 1,000 yards on the ground in a season mark as he finished with 95 yards on 24 carries and a touchdown to finish the evening with 1,044 rushing yards.
Colton Mabry carried 10 times for 112 yards and a pair of scores for a Rider backfield that finished with 306 rushing and 346 total yards in the contest.
According to Joe Eitel (http://joeeitel.com/hsfoot/region.jsp?region=14&year=2022) the Roughriders have clinched a playoff spot and have moved into the 7th spot which will earn the team a first round home game.