Ronan overpowers Loyola on the ground
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RONAN – The eighth-ranked Ronan Chiefs handed No. 4 Loyola Sacred Heart their first loss of the season as the Chiefs won big, 32-14, at home Friday.
The Chiefs amassed 407 yards on the ground, with help from the trio of Jake Skelton, Marcus Hungerford and Chris Clary.
Hungerford led the way for the Chiefs’ offense with 139 yards on nine carries. Jake Skelton ran the ball 11 times for 127 yard, including two touchdowns. Chris Clary had 13 carries for 108 yards and two touchdowns. Clary also pulled in one reception for 14 yards.
“Our seniors stepped up and played an excellent game,” head coach Jim Benn said. “We spread the ball effectively between our three running backs, and our offensive line did a fantastic job with their downfield blocking, and at the point of attack.”
During the first quarter, both teams battled it out, with both teams still tied up 0-0 before Marcus Hungerford ran a 33-yard touchdown to give the Chiefs a 6-0 lead in the second quarter. Loyola kept it close, as Josh Janssen completed a 12-yard run to give the Rams a one-point lead.
Jake Skelton put the Chiefs up 12-7 at halftime with a 15-yard run.
“Our defense struggled early with the counter play, but we were able to make adjustments at halftime to take their best play away,” Benn said. “Our defensive front created turnovers with consistent pressure and excellent assignment football.”
On defense, Jack Humphreys picked off two interceptions, while Hungerford added another. Ronan held Loyola to only 158 yards on the ground in 33 attempts. In the air, the Chiefs held the Rams to 52 yards passing in six completions.
With the victory, the Chiefs improved to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in conference play.
Next week the Chiefs play Florence on the road, where Benn says his defense will face a team that loves to pass the ball.
“This could be a wild barn-burner type game,” Benn said. “Their offense scores 47 points a game. They have an excellent running quarterback and receivers who can catch the ball and make big plays.”
SUMMARY
Loyola 0 7 7 0 - 14
Ronan 0 12 6 14 - 32
R - Marcus Hungerford 33 run (kick failed)
L - Josh Janssen 12 run (Slade Heggen kick)
R - Jake Skelton 15 run (run failed)
L - Austin Dahlen 1 run (Heggen kick)
R - Chris Clary 1 run (run failed)
R - Skelton 26 run (run failed)
R - Clary 72 run (Carston Baertsch run)
