EVERETT — When everything is going your way, even the loss of your second-leading rusher can’t slow you down.
The Mariner Marauders scored all the points it needed off Jackson miscues, and avoided making any themselves, in beating the Timberwolves 28-7 in a Wesco South football game Friday night at Everett Memorial Stadium.
Even the loss of running back Matt Jones to a knee injury on their first series of the game didn’t faze a Marauders ground attack that accounted for 213 yards — nearly 100 more rushing yards than the Timberwolves, who finished with 115.
“Chhaylee Khat came in for Jones when he went down with the knee injury,” Mariner head coach John Ondriezek told KRKO (1380 AM) radio personnel after the game. “He came in and played both ways and gave us some nice runs.”
Adrien Black led the Marauders (2-1 division and overall) with 53 yards rushing on five carries, Khatt added 49 yards on five carries and Shaundell Burns finished with 46 yards on nine attempts.
Jones had 39 yards on four rushes before leaving the game with what was reported as a knee sprain.
Jackson’s first series ended with a missed field goal and the second was cut short when Tevin Dillon snagged the first of three Mariner interceptions in the game.
Tyler Tuiasosopo then marched the Marauders 65 yards on 10 plays, putting Mariner on the scoreboard first with a 6-yard run around the left end with four minutes and 14 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
Jakub Rynkiewicz kicked the extra point to finish the scoring drive.
The Marauders struck again less than two minutes later, with Stefan Doerscher blocking a punt deep in Jackson territory and then recovering on the ball at the 3-yard line. Doerscher’s forward progress landed him in the end zone and Rynkiewicz added the point after to give Mariner a 14-0 lead with just over two minutes to play in the first half.
“I thought we held them pretty well in the first half,” Timberwolves head coach Joel Vincent said. “It just didn’t seem like the ball bounced our way. That blocked punt was a killer.”
Jackson (0-2, 0-3) had the ball first after the intermission and the Timberwolves put together a solid drive, moving from midfield to inside the red zone at the Mariner 16 on seven plays. But they faltered after an illegal procedure penalty and turned the ball over on downs.
The Marauders responded by marching 81 yards on six rushing plays, with Black taking the ball through the line for an 18-yard touchdown.
The Timberwolves’ next series ended with another interception — their second of the game — and Mariner took advantage again. Khatt scored on a 22-yard run and Rynkiewicz remained perfect on extra points to make it 28-0 Marauders with 20 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Cox finished with 81 yards rushing on 23 attempts for Jackson and Riley Carr added 28 yards on six tries. Gay was 9-for-13 passing for 70 yards and one interception.
At Everett Memorial Stadium
Mariner014140—28
Jackson0007—7
Mariner—T. Tuiasosopo 6 run (Rynkiewicz kick)
Mariner—Doerscher blocked punt recovered in end zone (Rynkiewicz kick)
Mariner—Black 18 run (Rynkiewicz kick)
Mariner—Khat 22 run (Rynkiewicz kick)
Jackson— Cox 1 run (Taylor kick)
Records—Mariner 2-1 division and overall. Jackson 0-2, 0-3.
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