Yellow Jackets spoil Rio's return to gridiron

Rio Grande Sports Information
     JACKSON, Ohio - For a program which was taking to the field for the first time in 76 years, the start to Saturday afternoon's season opener for the University of Rio Grande football team couldn't have been scripted any better.
     The RedStorm defense forced Defiance College into a three-and-out on the game's opening possession and Mikelle Moore hit Beamer Walker with a 37-yard touchdown pass on the second play of Rio's ensuing possession for a 6-0 lead.
     Unfortunately, that's as good as the home team's debut would get.
     The Yellow Jackets countered the Rio score with one of their own just over a minute later and never looked back en route to a 48-6 rout of the RedStorm in a non-conference matchup at Jackson High School's Holzer Field at Alumni Stadium.
     The win marked Defiance's first season-opening triumph in 16 years and the 42-point margin of victory was the largest for the program since October 2017.
     The loss spoiled Rio Grande's return to the gridiron for the first time since a loss to Wilberforce University on Thanksgiving Day in 1949 and disappointed a strong contingent of fans who turned out to watch the debut of head coach Mark Thurston's squad on a picture perfect late summer day weather-wise.
     The RedStorm sent their faithful into a frenzy when, after a 21-yard completion from freshman quarterback Ayden Ludolph (Martins Ferry, OH) to sophomore Allen Payne (Holland, MI) and a delay of game penalty, Moore - a freshman from Cincinnati, Ohio - took a backwards pass from Ludolph and then launched his scoring toss to a wide open Walker - a sophomore from Cincinnati, Ohio - with 12:45 left in the opening period.
     However, Rio's final 13 possessions on the day resulted in just three first downs and a loss of 35 yards.
     Defiance took a lead it would never relinquish just 75 seconds later on an 11-yard TD run by quarterback Jehlani Warren and Carson Marroquin and pushed the cushion to 13-6 after an 18-yard scoring strike from Warren to Tawann Rome with 7:02 left in the quarter.
     The Yellow Jackets extended the advantage to 27-6 by halftime thanks to scoring runs of 28 and seven yards by Tristan Thomas and Rome, respectively.
     Defiance continued rolling after halftime with Warren scoring on a 2-yard and firing a 59-yard scoring strike to Shonjae Gibson to make it 41-6.
     The Yellow Jackets set the final score on a 24-yard TD pass from Jordan Southall to Caleb Johnson with 5:39 left in the contest.
     Defiance finished with a 458-23 advantage in total offense and tallied 23 first downs to the RedStorm's five.
     Warren completed 11 of his 17 pass attempts for 166 yards and two scores, while rushing for 36 yards and two more TDs on 10 carries.
     Thomas, one of 13 different ball carriers for the Yellow Jackets, had a team-best 68 yards rushing and a touchdown in 10 carries, while Johnson had four receptions for 76 yards.
     Moore's scoring toss led Rio's efforts through the air, while Ludolph went 3-for-9 for 36 yards and an interception.
     Freshman Jaedyn Cartwright (Riverview, FL) led the RedStorm in rushing, but had just two yards on nine totes. Walker's TD catch led Rio's receiving corps.
     Freshman Isaiah Olobatayi led Rio defensively with 16 tackles, while sophomore Nathaniel Lopez (East Mims, FL) and freshman Andy Meldick (Oak Hill, OH) each intercepted a pass and the duo of sophomore Robert Edwards (Forestville, MD) and sophomore Jordan Hawkins (Cleveland, OH) both recovered fumbles.
     Both teams also surpassed the 100-yard mark in penalties. Rio was penalized 12 times for 117 yards, while Defiance was flagged 10 times for 101 yards.
     Rio Grande returns to action next Saturday when it hosts 9th-ranked Georgetown (Ky.) College for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff.