THE SKIP -- The Roughriders ran head-first into a twin buzzsaw tonight in a dispiriting 35-7 loss at home to Kenton.
The defensive buzzsaw was named Mark Fackler, who increased his average of 15 tackles per game. The offensive buzzsaw was named Matt Mauk, freshman son of head coach Mike Mauk. Mauk's no-huddle spread offense resulted in the quarterback accounting for 201 total yards in the first half alone, finishing with 375 total yards and a hand in all five Kenton touchdowns (two rushing and three passing).
While the Wildcats' two-man wrecking crew could do little wrong, the Rider offense struggled. Dropped passes, creative playcalling at strategic times and - especially - six turnovers combined to hamper St. Marys' efforts the entire game.
The first series proved prophetic. St. Marys took the opening kickoff, and quarterback Jake Taylor fumbled the exchange from center on the very first play from scrimmage, recovering the ball for a five yard loss. On the very next play, Corey Dammeyer regained the lost yardage but fumbled the ball again, though St. Marys recovered. On fourth and five at their own 38 yard line, the Riders tried a fake punt play with a direct snap to running back Aaron Homan that gained four yards.
Kenton returned the favor, failing on a fourth-down conversion try of their own. But after gaining a first down, Jake Taylor's first pass attempt of the game was intercepted at midfield by Kenton's Chris Fannon. Eight plays later, Mauk ran the final 11 yards into the end zone. Aaron Johnson's point after touchdown attempt was blocked for a Kenton lead of 6-0 at the 2:10 mark of the first quarter.
St. Marys looked to get some payback on Kenton's next possession when Cory Dammeyer intercepted a Matt Mauk pass at the St. Marys 25. On twelve consecutive running plays the Riders advanced the ball to the red zone with a first and ten on the Kenton 19. Three incomplete passes and a two-yard completion on fourth and ten turned the ball over on downs after a 16-play, 68-yard, 6:54 drive. Kenton drove 83 yards in 7 plays and scored their second touchdown two minutes and four seconds later.
The Riders next two possessions ended with an interception and a lost fumble on a sack, respectively.
The second half was even worse. While the Rider "drives" ended 1) lost fumble, 2) lost fumble on punt reception, 3) punt, 4) lost fumble, 5) interception, Kenton tried to help St. Marys out with 1) a lost fumble, 2) punt and 3) a turnover on downs before Ryan Gill returned a Freewalt punt to the St. Marys 30 yard line. A 28-yard pass from Mauk to Andrew Tillman set up a valiant goal-line stand by the Rider defense, but on fourth and goal from the 2 Mauk found sophomore Max Morrison in the corner of the end zone for Kenton's third score at the 2:45 mark in the third quarter.
Devon Fitzgerald came into the game at quarterback for the Riders but suffered the same fate as Taylor. His fumbled snap ended St. Marys' next possession, which Kenton capitalized upon with a seven-play scoring drive that set the score at 28-0. Andrew Tillman laid out to make a diving catch for a 22-yard touchdown, and Johnson added the PAT.
The Riders very next possession ended on a Ben Donohue interception of a Fitzgerald pass leading to Kenton's final score of the game six passing plays later. Mauk tossed a five-yarder to Bobby Handel, with Johnson kicking the PAT to make the score 35-0.
With just under three minutes left in the game, sophomore Kyle Puschel got his first touch and broke outside on a sweep for 51 yards, and the Riders' biggest gain of the game, to the Kenton five yard line. Kenton called a time out despite being out of time outs, moving the ball half the distance to the goal, and Puschel received his reward when he took it in from one yard out a play later. Chaz Adkins kicked the point after touchdown and the Riders were on the board with 1:28 left in the game.
Second-string Kenton quarterback Damon Evans finished the game from there.
With the loss, St. Marys falls into an improbable five-way tie for first place in the Western Buckeye League standings, sharing 6-2 league records with Kenton, Defiance, Shawnee and Ottawa-Glandorf, all winners this evening. The Riders will finish out the season next week at Elida, which is now 0-9 overall after falling to Wapakoneta despite scoring a team-season-high 20 points. Kenton has Van Wert at home in week ten.
The Riders fall from first place to fourth in the Region 10 computer poll rankings, according to Joe Eitel's calulations (the official OHSAA rankings will be released on Tuesday). A win next week at Elida does not guarantee the Riders a playoff spot: there are five teams (including Defiance and Urbana) in position to overtake St. Marys on points with week ten victories, which possibly could knock the Riders down to ninth place in the rankings and out of the playoff picture.
Kenton freshman Matt Mauk finished the game with 30 passing touchdowns and 2,698 passing yards over nine games. Three of his four favorite receivers are sophomores.
The most passes ever attempted by St. Marys in a game was in the infamous 1986 Homecoming game against Kenton. A faked injury with no time outs left gave Kenton time to set up for a game-winning field goal as time expired. Rider quarterback Jack Grant threw 28 pass attempts in that game. Matt Mauk threw 27 completions tonight.
St. Marys running back Jeremy Frey led all rushers in the game with 116 yards on 25 carries.
Return to this page later for color photos by Andrews Photography.
