SPORTS

Elgin ground game punishes Ridgedale

MORRAL – Elgin hit Ridgedale with a punishing running game Thursday night and knocked off the host Rockets 49-13 in a non-league opener to the 2015 season.

The Comets rang up 154 yards rushing in the first quarter alone in building a 22-0 lead. They had 402 yards on the ground for the game.

Zach Murdock, a senior on a young Comet squad, gave Elgin an 8-0 edge in the first period with a 44-yard touchdown run on the Comets’ second play from scrimmage and a PAT scamper.

Following an Ethan Backensto fumble recovery on Ridgedale’s second possession of the contest, Brian Rider hit paydirt from six yards out and Murdock notched the PAT on a run as Elgin burst out on top 16-0.

With Ridgedale’s offense sputtering early, Elgin got the ball for the third time and this time tallied a TD on a passing play, its first of the game.

The score came on a 17-yard pass from Peyton Sullivan to Nathan Hickman. A run for the PAT failed, but Elgin had a 22-0 advantage after just three possessions by each team.

Ridgedale played much better in the second period and actually outscored the Comets by a point to give the home crowd something to roar about.

After being outgained in total yards 171 to minus-7 in the opening quarter, the Rockets’ offense struggled again in the second frame.

Defensively, however, the Rockets were stout. Josh Patterson and Nick Bridges recorded pass interceptions to halt Comet drives in the stanza.

Murdock, who gained 137 yards on 14 carries in the initial half, gave Elgin a 28-0 lead with a 1-yard TD run with 4:53 left before the half.

Ridgedale then lit the scoreboard as Caleb Ross took the ensuing kickoff back 65 yards for a touchdown. Duvan Bautista added the PAT for the Rockets.

After Bridges’ pick late in the quarter, he caught a 37-yard pass from Branden Jaggers and Jaggers ran 27 yards into Elgin territory before the clock hit 0:00 to close out the first half.

Elgin stayed on the ground to begin the second half and on the eighth run Andy Mosher raced 15 yards for a TD and ran for the PAT.

About a minute later, Mosher pounded and beat his way to a 43-yard touchdown run for a 42-7 Comets’ advantage.

Danyal Minton then gave Elgin an unconventional TD when the defensive lineman burst through the Ridgedale line, intercepted a Rocket pitchout in the Ridgedale backfield, and took the ball 41 yards to the end zone. Pablo Salinas’ PAT kick put the Comets ahead 49-7.

Ridgedale kept Elgin out of the end zone in the fourth period, thanks on one occasion to a Franklyn Lofton interception.

The Rockets’ second TD came on a 69-yard run by Hunter Boyd with 1:30 remaining.

For more on the game, stayed tuned to www.marionstar.com and pick up a copy of Saturday’s newspaper.

dmcphers@nncogannett.com

740-375-5158

Twitter: @stsrsportsdenny