With the defense firing on all cylinders and the offense wreaking havoc with a stout ground game, the Houston High School football team routed Springfield Catholic 42-7 Friday night in Tiger Stadium.
The Tigers’ Big Red D didn’t allow the Irish’s offense to score in the contest. Springfield Catholic’s only touchdown came on an interception return in the third quarter with the score at 42-0.
Catholic punted four times in the first half and three times in the second half.
HHS defensive coordinator Billy O’Neil exhorts Tigers defenders during an injury timeout in the first half.
Meanwhile, Houston’s offense time and again took advantage of good field position and scored prolifically for three quarters.
The Tigers’ ground game struck twice in the first period, opening the scoring with a 4-yard touchdown run by junior quarterback DJ Riley and a successful extra point kick by sophomore Dillon Shelton at the 7:59 mark and then leading 13-0 after a 2-yard TD run by senior Jordan Arthur with 2:52 left.
With 9:19 remaining in the second quarter, HHS junior linebacker Mason Dodson intercepted a pass and the Tigers the ball at Catholic 14 yard line. Moments later, Riley scored on a 9-yard run and Arthur tacked on a 2-point conversion run to extended the advantage to 21-0.
HHS senior linebacker Brayden Richardson sacks Springfield Cathlic quarterback Clayton Stuhlsatz during the first half.
With less then a minute to go in the first half, Houston had a first-and-goal situation at the Irish 10 after runs by sophomore Aaron “Tank” McCarthy, Riley and senior Bryson Jordan and a facemark penalty on the Irish. Jordan then busted through traffic for a touchdown and the Tigers led 27-0 at halftime.
Houston’s rushing attack kept up the pressure in the third quarter.
Riley got loose and ran for 61 yards early in the period and on the next play, senior Layne Seago scored on a 20-yard TD run. After Riley ran for a 2-pointer, the Tigers held a 35-0 lead and the turbo clock was running.
After Houston’s stingy Big Red D stifled the Irish again, the Tigers’ offense added another 7 points on a 31-yard run by Jordan and an extra point kick by Shelton.
Eleven different HHS players ran for yardage in the game.
Next up for the Tigers (2-0) is the first South Central Association conference contest of the season next Friday at Salem.
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