D4 REGIONAL FIRST ROUND … Austin Kovar (right) and Tyson Rodriguez bring down Dominik Osborne of St. Marys. (PHOTO BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
By: Nate Calvin
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
ST. MARYS (October 27, 2023) – The Roughriders threw the first punch Friday night in the form of a 93-yard opening kickoff return for a touchdown by Carter Steinberg and never looked back by rolling Wauseon 42-14.
The nightmarish start continued for Wauseon on their first play from scrimmage after the touchdown as Trey Parsons’ pass intended for Tyson Rodriguez was picked off by Jacob Kessler at the St. Mary 27.
The Roughriders then displayed their powerful running game, ripping off chunks of yards at a time, as they marched 73 yards on 15 plays, all runs, ending with Dominik Osborne punching it in on fourth down from three yards out to make it 14-0 with 3:43 left in the first quarter.
The second quarter was more of the same as following a Wauseon punt, St. Marys needed just four running plays to cover 53 yards with the last 22 coming on touchdown scamper by Colton Mabry to make it 21-0.
Wauseon’s next possession would end in a turnover as Parsons’ deep ball on fourth down was intercepted by Kessler again and he returned it out to the Roughrider 38.
A 10-play drive ensued for St. Marys as they continued to ground and pound the middle of the Indian defense ending with a one-yard touchdown plunge from quarterback Cody Wallace to extend the lead to 28-0.
The second half started with a three-and-out by the Wauseon offense followed by an eight-play 61-yard drive from St. Marys to make it 35-0 as Osborne hit paydirt from eight yards out.
With the running clock now in effect, the Indians responded quickly by scoring in just four plays as Parsons went 31 yards to Rodriguez before finding Rodgriguez again on a 31-yard touchdown strike to get the Indians on the board.
Each team added one more score in the final six minutes of the game with the Roughriders getting a 13-yard touchdown run by Mabry and Rodriguez returned the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for the final score of the night.
St. Marys (7-4) rolled up 400 yards of total offense on the night, 391 on the ground, paced by 23 carries for 177 yards and two scores from Mabry and Osborne ran 22 times for 127 yards and two touchdowns.
The Indians (6-5) were led by Parsons who threw for 171 yards a score, Wyatt Smith had six catches for 64 yards, and Rodriguez caught three balls for 71 yards and a touchdown.
WAUSEON 0 0 7 7 – 14
ST. MARYS 14 14 7 7 – 42
SM – Steinberg 93-yard kick return (Rush kick)
SM – Osborne 3-yard run (Rush kick)
SM – Mabry 22-yard run (Rush kick)
SM – Wallace 1-yard run (Rush kick)
SM – Osborne 8-yard run (Rush kick)
W – Rodriguez 31-yard pass from Parsons (Rodriguez kick)
SM – Mabry 13-yard run (Rush kick)
W – Rodriguez 90-yard kick return (Rodriguez kick)
WHS SMHS
First Downs 11 25
Rushing Yards 12-12 60-391
Passing Yards 171 9
Passing 15-28-2 1-3-1
Total Yards 183 400
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 0-0
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Wauseon – Friend 12-12; St. Marys – Osborne 22-127, Mabry 23-177, Perry 6-51; PASSING: Wauseon – Parsons 15-28-2-171; St. Marys – Wallace 1-3-1-9; RECEIVING: Wauseon – Smith 6-64, Rodriguez 3-71
