ST. MARYS, W.Va. — St. Marys, the top-ranked team out of the Class A MetroNews Power Rankings, looked the part on Thursday night as the Blue Devils dominated their way to a 63-19 win over visiting Marietta (Ohio).
It’s the same Marietta (3-1) that just last week drubbed Williamstown 49-14.
“That was a huge win for us,” said St. Marys coach Jodi Mote. “We have to stay healthy, but if we are healthy, at least this shows our capability. We have to keep working, but I’m really proud of our guys.”
Senior St. Marys running back/linebacker Jaiden Smith put on a show, rushing for 266 yards on 17 carries and scoring four total touchdowns for the defending Class A state champions.
“It was pretty awesome. We just came out and played our hardest,” Smith said. “We had a great week of practice and that played a huge role in what happened tonight. We were just clicking. I think we learned how to push ourselves a little bit harder.”
The MetroNews Player of the Year and Kennedy Award candidate collected three of those touchdowns on rushes, while the fourth came on an 86-yard punt return.
“I was just looking for some open field, really,” Smith said. “Our guys put out some really great blocks and set it up. I’m a team guy and it can’t happen without them. I’m not a one-man team – it’s a whole team deal.”
Dylan Gray also scored three touchdowns for St. Marys (3-0) on the night and collected an interception defensively.
“Dylan is a monster,” Smith said. “He’s a stud. We’ve been best friends since we started football and we have a strong connection on the field.”
The Blue Devils scored touchdowns on their first two offensive plays — a 66-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Eric Illar to Gray and a 35-yard run from Smith.
“These kids were so looking forward to playing this game to see where we were at,” Mote said. “As a staff, we were wondering where we were at. We knew we had a good team, but obviously, this showed that they’re a special group. We just have to stay healthy.”