Sto-Rox continues to roll with mercy-rule win over Washington

By: Kyle Dawson
Friday, October 7, 2022 | 11:43 PM

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Sto-Rox lost two nonconference games by three points apiece and allowed 48 points in those losses combined to open the season. Since then, the Vikings have allowed only seven points, all of which came in the first of what is now four-straight wins after Friday night, to Charleroi.

In the defacto 2A Century Conference championship game at Sto-Rox High School on Friday night in Week 6 play, the No. 5 Vikings earned a third straight shutout, this time blanking Class 2A’s highest-scoring team, No. 4 Washington, 36-0.

Sto-Rox (4-2, 4-0 2A-3) clinched a playoff berth with the victory and is a win away from a conference title. Washington (5-2, 2-1 2A-3) is left looking for some answers after a tough defeat.

The Vikings held the Prexies, who came in averaging 52 points per game, to just over 120 yards of total offense, most of which came once the mercy rule was invoked in the second half.

“(The) defense has been stepping us for all year, and I let them know they had to bring the same intensity they brought for the last few weeks,” Vikings coach Marvin Mills said. “And today our offense started clicking, so that’s what happens.”

The offense clicked to the tune of 36 first-half points in a game Sto-Rox dominated.

Josh Jenkins capped the first drive of the game by finding senior wide receiver Zay Davis for a 20-yard touchdown with 10 minutes, 5 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Amere Hibbler added the 2-point run to make it 8-0.

Shortly thereafter, the Vikings recovered a fumble and took the ball down the field quickly for a second score. Jenkins found Hibbler for a 34-yard catch and run touchdown that made it 14-0 after the 2-point try was unsuccessful.

Emir Short added a 2-yard touchdown scamper to close the scoring in the first quarter. Jenkins found Davis for the 2-point conversion, which made it 22-0 after 12 minutes.

In the second quarter, Hibbler found paydirt on a 7-yard run after which the 2-point pass fell incomplete. Jenkins then tossed a dart to Jaymont Green-Miller for a 37-yard touchdown strike to close the scoring. The 2-point pass from Short to Robert Sykes invoked the mercy rule.

“I don’t even think we gave ourselves a chance tonight,” Prexies coach Mike Bosnic said. “We played a really good football team, and we didn’t tackle. We didn’t play physical at all. They beat us up up front, and we’re not going to have a chance if we play like that.”

Josh Jenkins finished the game 11 for 20 through the air for 194 yards and three scores. The performance moved Jenkins into the top five all-time in Sto-Rox passing and pushed him over 1,200 yards for the season.

“Every week he’s stepping up. He came in 45 yards from fifth, and I’m glad that didn’t bother him,” Mills said. “Josh is doing some great things. If he stays the course, who knows where he’s going to be at at the end of the season?”

Jenkins’ three touchdown passes gave the senior 13 on the season.

Green-Miller caught three passes for 71 yards and a touchdown, and Hibbler caught two passes for 66 yards and a score and added 41 yards on the ground and another touchdown.

“We know and feel we’re better than (the 6-0 win against McGuffey),” Mills said. “There’s certain things we had to get going: stop the penalties, learn how to fight against adversity in any moment. … We still have some growing to do.”

The Prexies will look the bounce back next week at home against Charleroi.

“We’re going to make a lot of changes,” Bosnic said. “We’re going to look at the film, and, obviously, we’re going to have to make some changes. But at this point, we’re not going to be able to beat a good football team unless we start coming off the ball up front and we tackle better.”

Sto-Rox is at Brentwood next week. A win will clinch the conference title for the Vikings.

Tags: Sto-Rox, Washington