Dialog reporter
MILLTOWN – Andrew Watkins ran for 145 yards and three touchdowns, and the St. Mark’s defense clamped down on Mount Pleasant, leading the Spartans to a 58-7 nonconference football win Oct. 6. It was the third straight convincing win for the Spartans, and it came in front of a homecoming crowd that included several recent graduates.
St. Mark’s held a 13-7 lead midway through the second quarter on touchdown runs of one yard by Watkins and 10 yards by Matt Dougherty, and they erased any doubt about the outcome of the game with three more scores before halftime.
Watkins found the end zone from two yards out to make it 19-7 midway through the second. The Spartans then found themselves with the ball at the Green Knights’ 46-yard line with 2:38 remaining in the first half. They went nowhere on first down, but Watkins took over from there. He gained 25 yards down the left sideline on second down, putting his team at the Mount 29. On the next play, he scampered to the 3-yard line. He picked up a yard on first down, then bulled his way through the middle for a touchdown with 1:16 to go.
Crisp defense led to the next St. Mark’s score. The Spartans pinned the Green Knights deep in their own territory, forcing a punt from the back of the end zone. Blaec Sanders fielded the low kick, found a hole around the left side and hit paydirt to make it 31-7.
Opening the second half with possession, the Spartans picked up where they left off. This time, Jelani Bryant ran around the left end for a 60-yard touchdown. A nice stiff arm sprung Bryant for the last 30 yards of the run.
St. Mark’s also received touchdowns on a 6-yard pass from Anthony Poppiti to Ryan DuPlessis, a 12-yard run by Zion Glover and a 5-yard run from Luke Moore.
The Spartans (4-1) host Howard on Friday at 7 p.m. for alumni weekend. Mount dropped to 1-4 and will go to Christiana on Saturday at 11 a.m.
