OTTAWA -- It was just an old fashioned butt-kicking.
A battle of undefeated top-ranked teams turned out to be a bust, as Ottawa-Glandorf treated a Homecoming Titan crowd to a 33-0 thumping of St. Marys Friday.
O-G takes command of the Western Buckeye League race at 4-0 and 5-0 overall, while the Riders fall back into second place at 3-1, 4-1.
Titan quarterback Jay Laubenthal passed for 247 yards and two touchdowns while fullback Justin Conn rushed for 117 yards and scored three touchdowns as the Titans amassed 430 yards of total offense.
But O-G was just as impressive on defense, holding the Riders to just 87 yards rushing, and forced eight punts, just one short of a St. Marys record (9 punts vs. Findlay in 1961). The Titans stacked the line of scrimmage and run blitzed on every down, daring the St. Marys to throw. The Riders did try to pass, but the trouble is they just aren't very good at it.
Quarterback Brett Baker was four of 11 passing for just 35 yards, and had defenders in his face all night as he rushed five times for a net of minus two yards.
The loss was the Riders' first shutout since a 28-0 loss to Kenton in 2003, and the worst loss since a 47-0 loss to Defiance in 1994.
The Titans got rolling on their second possession of the game with an 85-yard, nine-play drive.
Laubenthal completed three passes for 42 yards on the drive, setting up an impressive run by fullback Justin Conn, who took the handoff out of the shotgun formation, and caught the Rider defense off guard for a 32-yard touchdown run.
Matt Croy kicked the PAT for a 7-0 lead with 2:21 left.
Following the kickoff, St. Marys was three-and-out, but the Riders caught a break when O-G fumbled the punt and Eddie Minnich recovered at the St. Marys 39.
The Riders were able to pick up a first down, moving the ball inside the 30, but the drive came to a screeching halt, and a 15-yard clipping penalty on fourth down forced a St. Marys punt.
This time O-G started on their own 11 yardline and again were able to move the ball through the air. Laubenthal hit Aaron Huttis for a 45-yard completion on third down and long.
A 20-yard completion to Chad Ellerbrock moved the ball inside the St. Marys 10 yardline, but the Titans backed up from there with a penalty and a tackle for a loss, but another clutch third down pass broke the Riders' back. This time Laubenthal hooked up with Matt Fought for a touchdown on third-and-goal from the 15.
The Riders' next possession pretty much summed up a frustrating first half. After three running plays netted nine and-a-half yards, coach Doug Frye decided to go for it with the ball on the St. Marys 44. A Bo Frye run up the middle was stuffed, unable to gain a half a yard, the Riders turned the ball over on downs.
The Rider "D" came up with a big stop thanks to a crucial intentional grounding penalty on Laubenthal. But Croy's punt went un-fielded and was downed at the St. Marys one yard line.
Three runs, two O-G timeouts and St. Marys' fifth punt of the half had the Titans' offense back in business at the Rider 48 with 1:32 left in the half. From there it took Laubenthal just one play, as he hooked up with Fought for a touchdown pass.
O-G went for the two point conversion, but Laubenthal's pass was incomplete giving the home team a 19-0 lead at intermission.
The Titans had the second half kick coming their way, and they pretty much sealed up the win with a 65-yard, eight-play scoring drive. O-G did it all on the ground, with Conn doing most of the damage, including a 20-yard jaunt to paydirt. Croy added the PAT boot for a 26-0 lead with 8:22 left in the third quarter.
The Riders ran their chorus line (one, two, three -- kick) offense early in the second half, and did not reach the O-G side of the field until the fourth quarter, getting no closer than the Titan 34 yard line.
O-G capped the scoring with Conn's third TD of the night, a three-yard run with 6:05 left in the game.
Bo Frye was the leading St. Marys rusher with 49 yards on 16 carries. Scott Laman had 24 yards on six carries and Koby Frye carried the ball eleven times for 32 yards.
The Riders will be back at Skip Baughman Stadium next Friday for just their second home game of the year. St. Marys will be hosting Van Wert, which is coming off a 13-0 victory over Wapakoneta.
