OTTAWA -- Shawn Craft rushed for three touchdowns and the defense pitched its first shutout of the season as the Roughriders improved to 4-0 with a 21-0 victory over Ottawa-Glandorf Friday.
The Riders took control of a close game with two impressive offensive drives in the third quarter, winning for the first time this season without having to come from behind.
After a scoreless first quarter, St. Marys struck quickly with one of its longest scoring runs of the season. Craft exploited a seam in the O-G defense, broke into the clear, and sprinted 41 yards to paydirt. Nick Pfeffenberger booted the first of his three PATS for a 7-0 lead with 8:09 left in the half.
The Titans were able to move the ball through the air with limited success in the first half, but the Rider defense was able to come up with the big plays to squelch any scoring threats.
St. Marys received the second half kick and promptly marched 65 yards in seven plays to increase its lead to 14-0. The big play on the drive was a 29-yard pass from Corey Vossler to Nick Yahl which seemed to loosen up the Titan defense, which had been heavily stacked to stop the Roughrider running game.
O-G was able to pick up a first down on its next possession, but after that the drive stalled. A Titan punt went unfielded and rolled all the way to the St. Marys six yard line before being blown dead.
But the Riders responded with perhaps their most impressive drive of the season, marching 94 yard in 14 plays to take a 21-0 lead with 11 seconds left in the third quarter.
Scott Vossler helped keep the drive alive with a one-handed circus catch on fourth down inside the O-G 20. Corey Vossler followed with an 11-yard gain on an option play, setting up Craft's second four-yard scoring run of the game.
The Riders would threaten one more time in the fourth quarter, but Craft fumbled inside O-G territory for the game's only turnover.
The Titans best chance to score came late in the game as sophomore QB Jay Laubenthal strung together three straight completions to move O-G inside the St. Marys 10. The Rider D forced a 24-yard soccer-style field goal attempt which, shucks, sailed wide left.
The Riders finished with 336 yards of total offense, including 285 yards on the ground.
Craft did a nice job of picking up the slack for St. Marys' leading ball carrier this season, Justin Nagel, who missed the game with an injury. Craft carried the ball 24 times for 137 yards. Eric Sullivan had 17 carries for 67 yards and Corey Vossler finished with 51 yards on six carries.
The Rider win, coupled with Defiance's 32-18 victory over Shawnee, puts St. Marys alone in first place in The Western Buckeye League at 3-0. Wapak, Kenton, Defiance and Shawnee are all one game back at 2-1.
After two weeks on the road, the Riders return home next week to play host to Van Wert, which is off to a 1-4 start this season.