Burlington Central 49, Marengo 7
In recent history, it was not uncommon for Burlington Central to change 100-yard rushers as much as most teams change game socks.
A little rarer was nearly having 3 different 100-yard rushers in the first half of Friday's Big Northern Conference East homecoming game against Marengo.
Greg Dickson (115 yards), quarterback Dan Hagberg (96 yards) and Jason Wagner (95 yards) nearly accomplished that as Central led 36-0 at halftime en route to a 49-7 victory.
Dickson finished with 115 yards and 3 touchdowns and Wagner scored 3 times and finished with 127 yards, including 31 yards and a touchdown while filling in behind center for Hagberg during the second half. Central (3-2, 1-0) held Marengo (0-5, 0-1) to just 10 rushing yards in the first half and 107 overall, most coming after the Rockets' starters cheered from the sidelines during the running clock second half.
"We talked about wanting to play a good, solid four quarters of football," Central coach Aaron Wichman said. "Our defense has been playing really well the last few weeks. We always feel if we stop the run first then good things will happen."
Central's running game made a lot of good things happen.
After forcing Marengo to a 3-and-out of its first possession, Dickson took the first handoff and ran it 73 yards into the end zone. A botched snap forced Hagberg to throw in the extra point. Hagberg's rushed throw bounced off of Rockets' tight end Bryan Bell and a Marengo defender before finding its way to Curt Mastio with 9:55 left in the first half.
Dickson's encore was rushing in 2 and 1-yard scores in the first half to equal his touchdown total of the first four games.
"It was well worth it to wait until homecoming to do it," Dickson said of the scoring spree.
Wagner was also busy in the first half. After forcing a Marengo 3-and-out on its second possession, Wagner plowed in from 15 yards out to put the Rockets up 15-0. The senior would add another score with 19 seconds left in the first half.
Dickson recovered the first of Marengo quarterback Scott Donley's 3 turnovers in the game, scooping up a fumble to set up first-and-10 at the Marengo 34. The turnover allowed Wagner to score from a yard out with 19 seconds left in the first half.
Donley (4-of-11, 99 yards, 61 yards rushing, 1 touchdown) was also picked off by Frank Wleklinski and had a second fumble recovered by Jon Quintero.
"They beat the crap out of us," Marengo coach Matt Lynch said. "They played hard."
Wagner added a 17-yard score with 9:01 left in the third quarter to force the running clock and junior Nick Smith dashed in for a 15-yard touchdown as time ran out.