No. 9 Georgetown blanks RedStorm

Rio Grande Sports Information
     JACKSON, Ohio - For one quarter, anyway, the University of Rio Grande stood toe-to-toe with one of the nation's top NAIA football programs.
     Unfortunately, the following two stanzas sealed the RedStorm's fate.
     Ninth-ranked Georgetown (Ky.) College used a 38-0 advantage in quarters two and three to fuel an eventual 48-0 win, Saturday afternoon, at a rain-cooled Alumni Stadium.
     The Tigers moved to 2-0 with the non-conference victory.
     Rio Grande dropped to 0-2 with the loss.
     The RedStorm trailed just 3-0 after one period and, following freshman Andy Meldick's (Oak Hill, OH) second interception of the young season, appeared on their way toward a potential game-tying or go-ahead score on the ensuing possession.
     But freshman quarterback Ayden Ludolph's (Martins Ferry, OH) pass toward the endzone on 1st-and-10 from the Georgetown 37 was picked off by Javyn Martin at the 4-yard line.
     The Tigers responded with a 13-play, 96-yard scoring march which culminated with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Justice Burnam to Matthew Hinz for a 10-0 advantage with 10:50 left before the intermission.
     Rio Grande's next two possessions ended in punts - in addition to losing 12 yards - and the visitors responded with touchdowns after each to produce a 24-0 halftime cushion.
     Guy Bailey scored on a 2-yard TD run to cap a nine-play, 63-yard march with 5:11 left before the intermission and Burnam teamed with Brian Tawuo on a 27-yard scoring strike with 1:44 remaining before the break.
     Any hopes that Rio Grande had of regrouping and making a go of it in the second half ended, essentially, when Jamarcus Robinson returned the second half opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown and a 31-0 lead just 14 seconds into the third period.
     Nate Craft followed up his 38-yard field goal in the first quarter by connecting on a 31-yarder with 10:37 remaining in the quarter and Burnam found Chandler Godby for a 9-yard scoring pass at the 4:42 mark to increase the lead to 41-0.
     Kolter Smith's 4-yard TD run with 5:56 left in the contest set the final score.
     Georgetown finished with a lopsided 495-157 edge in total offense, piling up 29 first downs in the process.
     Burnam finished 17-for-27 through the air for 239 yards and the trio of scores, while Colin Bratcher had 78 yards of five receptions.
     Bailey tallied 86 yards and a touchdown on 13 totes, while also pulling in five passes for 57 more yards.
     Ludolph was 5-for-20 for 71 yards through the air for the RedStorm, while sophomore Beamer Walker (Cincinnati, OH) had one catch for 38 yards.
     Freshman Jaedyn Cartwright (Riverview, FL) rushed for 34 yards on 16 carries to lead the hosts.
     Freshman Braylon Robertson (Bainbridge, OH) had a game-high 13 tackles to pace Rio defensively.
     The RedStorm will enjoy an open date next weekend before traveling to NCAA Division II No. 1 - and defending national champion - Ferris State (Mich.) - on Sept. 20.