SKIP BAUGHMAN STADIUM - You can look at 49 points and some impressive offensive stats, but Kenton Coach Mike Mauk said that it was his defense that gets credit for Kenton's 49-21 win over St. Marys Friday night.
Everyone knows that the only way to stop Kenton quarterback Benjamin Mauk is to keep him on the sidelines. But the Roughriders couldn't follow the script. The St. Marys offense failed to sustain a drive all night and Mauk went wild, passing for 564 yards.
The Wildcats scored four of the first five times they touched the ball, the Roughriders punted the first five times they had the ball.
"Our defense played exceptionally well against a good offense," Mauk said. "We were really concerned about them controlling the ball. And fortunately our offense put the ball in the end zone when we had the opportunities."
Kenton came into the game ranked seventh in the WBL in scoring defense and eighth in rushing defense.
The Roughrider defense couldn't come up with the same kind of magic, as Mauk (the coach's son) did an excellent job of recognizing what was available and taking advantage of it.
Nicknamed "B-B-B Benny and the Jets" by the Wildcat faithful, the Kenton offense had no trouble getting airborne. For the most part the Rider defense rushed just three linemen and dropped back into a zone.
Mauk picked the zone apart in the first half, had no trouble scrambling and when the Riders did blitz on obvious third down situations, Mauk completed screen passes for big gains.
"We usually like to throw downfield as much as possible," Mauk said. "But we saw they were going to play a lot of zone coverage, and took advantage of that."
Ominously enough, the Riders received the opening kickoff and went three-and-out.
Matt Helmstetter booted the first of his five first-half punts, and Mauk went to work. He completed passes to four different receivers, picked up five first downs in 10 plays, and capped things off with a 12-yard scoring strike to Jared Boslteman.
Kenton's second drive didn't take as long as Mauk connected with sophomore Tommy Pettit, who somehow got behind the Rider defense for a gain of 66 yards. Four plays later Mauk scored standing up on a one-yard quarterback draw.
"We played an exceptional quarterback tonight," St. Marys Head Coach Doug Frye said, "and he ran an exceptional team." The Riders practiced against the no-huddle offense, but it was a different matter on the field of play.
The Wildcats third scoring drive started late in the first quarter. After an incompletion, Mauk connected on three straight passes for gains of 17, 18 and 29 yards. He then ran another draw from 12 yards out for a 22-0 lead with 11:29 left to play in the first half.
Kenton's fourth drive stalled at the St. Marys 21 when Mauk's pass fell incomplete on fourth-and-one.
The Cats had one more chance in the first half when the Riders punted with 2:50 left Starting at their Kenton 39, Mauk completed four of seven passes and ran for 28 yards, as Chase Hommel scored on a five yard pass for a 29-0 halftime lead.
The Roughrider defense came alive in the second half, stopping Kenton on its first possession. However, the St. Marys offense couldn't go anywhere as quarterback Corey Vossler slipped and fell for six yard losses twice.
After a St. Marys punt, Mauk completed a 17-yard pass to Nick Dyer followed by a 43-yard touchdown pass to Tommy Pettit for a 36-0 Kenton lead.
"We were pleased with the kids' effort in the second half," Frye said. " After that first half they could have given up, but we faced adversity and played a better game after halftime."
After another three-and out by the St. Marys offense, it was the Rider defense that finally provided a spark.
Mauk completed a pass to Pettit, who was hit and fumbled and the Wildcats' 35. The Riders took advantage, as Justin Nagle and Vossler took turns picking up three and four yards a crack. Vossler capped off the short drive with a four-yard run to put the Riders on the scoreboard with 11:53 to play.
Kenton's next possession resulted in an interception as Scott Vossler stepped in front of a Mauk pass at the Kenton 32.
From there the Riders drove 32 yards in nine plays. Vossler again did the honors, this time from one yard out on fourth down. Nick Pfeffenberger added the second of his three PAT kicks, cutting the Kenton lead to 36-14 with 6:19 left to play.
The Cats got a little more breathing room thank to St. Marys' first turnover of the game. A Kenton punt was fumbled and recovered by Kenton at the St. Marys 40.
From there it took Mauk just one play to connect with Braden Spivey from 40 yards out for a 42-14 lead.
Following a St. Marys punt with three minute left to play, Kenton finally put in its second string offense, and promptly fumbled the ball to Scott Vossler, who returned it 30 yards for a touchdown with 2:49 left to play.
Apparently the 21 point lead wasn't safe enough for the Wildcats, as Mauk came back in the game and threw an 85-yard touchdown pass to Pettit against the St. Marys second string defense with 2:20 left to play to round out the game's scoring.
Mauk, a senior, completed 34 of 50 passes for 564 yards and six touchdowns – all of which are records against St. Marys. He also carried the ball 18 times for a net of 43 yards. He was directly involved in 68 of Kenton's 70 offensive plays. The second string ran two plays in the fourth quarter.
The Riders were led by Nagel, who carried the ball 16 times for 53 yards.
"This team still has a lot to play for the remainder of the season," Frye said. "We need to get consistency on the field. We can beat anybody, or lose to anybody in the league. But the potential is there yet for a successful year."
Now 3-3, St. Marys hits the road next Friday at Elida. Kenton improves to 4-2 overall and remains one game behind O-G in the WBL. The Cats battle Van Wert at home next week.
GAME NOTES: St. Marys Senior Adam Chiles, who has been a standout for the Rider defense, got the call in the offensive backfield Friday. However, Chiles suffered a rib injury and left the field via ambulance...
The Rider's nine punts Friday tied a 41-year-old record for most punts in a game. Back in 1961, the Riders also had nine punts against Findlay.
Friday was Parents' Night, traditionally held during the last home game of the season but this year rescheduled for the next-to-last game. The last home game, October 18 against Celina, will be Homecoming.
