VAN WERT – Trailing 14-6 in the second quarter the St. Marys Roughriders scored 43 straight points on Friday night on the road at Eggerss Stadium to down host Van Wert 49-14 in Western Buckeye League play.
Senior Dominik Osborne helped to tie the game at 14-14 moments before the half for the Riders (4-2, 3-2), as he raced 34 yards untouched into the Cougars endzone. Classmate Colton Mabry provided the two-point conversion with 2:47 remaining as he burst through the Van Wert defense.
Nearly everything that could go right went right for the visitors in the second half. The St. Marys defense that had been shredded for nearly 200 yards and a pair of scores on the ground by Van Wert quarterback Briston Wise rose up and made play after play in the final two quarters.
“I thought we started the game on our heels waiting for someone to make a play” said St. Marys head coach Bo Frye. “The second half our seniors responded and took it on their shoulders. I’m very proud of our toughness tonight.”
Wise, a 5’9 senior in his first full season under center was harassed at nearly every stop in the second half by the relentless pursuit of the St. Marys defense.
Each time the visiting defense forced a turnover on downs or a punt in the first half, the offense rose to the occasion for St. Marys with a score. Colton Mabry rushed for over 100 yards in the first half to surpass the 3,000 career yardage mark and added his stamp on the game early in the second half when he blitzed in from a yard out to give the Riders their first lead of the game 21-14.
Starting signal caller Aiden Meinerding’s first career touchdown at the varsity level, a one yard carry moved the lead to 28-14 Riders moments later at the start of the fourth and just before the biggest defensive play of the evening for St. Marys.
Trapped just in front of their own endzone, Van Wert found not only a driving rain in their faces following Meinerding’s score but a hit from defensive lineman Caleb Turner that dislodged the football and gave the Riders back possession while eliciting ooh’s and ahh’s from the soaked Rider faithful.
Osborne struck quickly for his second marker of the night and ninth of the season with 11:03 to go early in the fourth to add to the Cougars deficit. Fullback Caleb Schmidt tossed across the final offensive score of the game with 6:51 showing on the stadium scoreboard as he raced 45 yards across the turf for his second touchdown of the season and a 42-14 lead.
Though they finished the evening allowing 280 total yards to the Cougars, the Roughriders defense added the final touches on the victory. Two plays after the Schmidt touchdown, a hit by Ryan Ruvoldt and a fumble recovery scoop and score from Taylor Compton instituted the running clock that secured a 49-14 win for St. Marys.
Ruvoldt finished with an interception and a fumble recovery as part a strong outing that forced four Van Wert turnovers.
Briston Wise, the WBL’s leading rusher connected on just 4/11 passes for 35 yards and Ryan Ruvoldt interception but rushed for 207 yards on 30 carries to lead the Cougars (1-5, 0-5).
Colton Mabry (19 carries, 126 yards, two touchdowns), and Dominik Osborne (15 carries, 123 yards, two scores) teamed up with Caleb Schmidt (10 rushes, 81 yards and a score) to help the Riders amass 360 yards on the ground on 48 totes.
“Dom and Colton continue to run hard” said Frye. “They’re both very good football players.”
Van Wert travels to Titan Stadium for a WBL outing against the surging O-G Titans next Friday evening, St. Marys hits the road and travels into Lima as they battle 2-4 Shawnee.