Soria heads St Rita past Hales

Updated: October 12, 2011 6:16PM

Zack Soria saw the whipping wind and dropping temperatures. He knew it meant one thing. “It was perfect for running the ball right at them,” the senior St. Rita running back said.

Soria scored a 24-yard touchdown run on the Mustangs’ opening possession and set up his second touchdown run with a 52-yard interception return that sparked visiting St. Rita’s 35-8 victory over Hales Friday night in a Catholic League crossover.

Junior running back Tim Lombard added touchdown runs of two and six yards for the Mustangs.

Soria ripped off back-to-back runs of 13 and 28 yards, carrying the ball six times on a game-opening, eight-play, 80-yard drive. His 24-yard burst set the Mustangs‘ dominant tone.

Soria finished with 82 yards on 10 carries.

“Our line blocked great, making great holes all night, and it was important to jump on them early before they could get a fire going in their belly,” Soria said.

The Mustangs (5-1) ran the ball on 19 consecutive plays from scrimmage to start the game. The first pass was perfectly timed. After St. Rita stopped Hales on a fourth-and-three at their own 20-yard line, quarterback Scott Thomas connected on a 14-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mike Foody for the 14-0 advantage.

Lombard took control from there. “Coach [Todd Kuska] calls us ‘Tailback U,’” he said. Lombard carried eight times in an eight-play, 63-yard touchdown drive. He set up his own two-yard touchdown dive by ripping off separate runs of 10 yards apiece. Kuska called the Mustangs’ offense a work in progress.

“Our offense is starting to come around,” Lombard said. “We’re getting better all the time. The line did a great job, knocking them off the ball and we hit the holes.”

In the third quarter, Soria returned an interception 52-yards to the Hales’ 4-yard line.

“I didn’t think because of the wind they’d try to throw deep in that situation, but I just did what our coaches tell us and made a play on the ball,” he said.

Two plays later, he smashed in for a three-yard touchdown and a 28-0 lead. Lombard punctuated the victory with a six-yard run in the fourth quarter. Lombard ended with 117 yards on 16 carries.

Quarterback Christopher Walker threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Derrick Coleman for the Spartans (3-3).

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