Marriotts Ridge coach James Holzman knew what he wanted from his team heading into Friday night’s trip to Carroll County to face his former squad.
After six passing touchdowns in a dominant Week 1 victory, he hoped to see more balance in his offense. Rodney Butler answered his coach’s plea immediately, breaking loose for a 52-yard rushing touchdown on his second carry of the night.
“When the game starts, Rodney is like a different beast,” Holzman said. “He had some big runs for us and made some key first downs. I was very proud.”
Butler delivered in a big way, rushing for over 100 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Mustangs to a 22-13 win over Century on Friday night, pushing Marriotts Ridge to 2-0 on the season and dropping the Knights to 1-1.
“I just try and play hard,” Butler said. “It doesn’t matter how tired I get playing both ways, I don’t let up. I just go out and do my best to go get the win.”
Whether it’s through the air or on the ground, the Mustangs have made a habit of starting fast. Friday night was no different. Their opening possession — an eight-play drive — set the tone early and showcased an offense that doesn’t operate like most traditional units.
“We pass the ball to run the ball,” Holzman said. “We spread teams out with all of our receiving threats and then hit you with a run up the middle. It’s a little different.”
At the helm of that scheme is quarterback Blake Willingham, who connected with five different receivers and tossed a touchdown pass on the night.
“We put in so much work to perfect our offense,” said Willingham, who now has seven passing touchdowns through two games. “Everybody trusts each other and has confidence in what we’re doing. It just all comes together during the game.”
With a 16-7 halftime lead, Holzman leaned on his workhorse again to start the second half. Butler carried the ball three times on a nine-play drive, finishing it off with his second touchdown of the night.
“He relieves pressure on the pass game,” Willingham said. “He’s a great player and he’s got such a bright future for us.”
With the game in control, the Mustangs turned to their defense, and Butler continued to contribute with two pass breakups as a defensive back. Fellow defensive back Cynsire Scovens also stepped up, intercepting Century quarterback Jake Dexter as part of a two-turnover performance by the Mustangs’ defense.
The Knights had their moments early. Dexter threw two touchdowns, one to standout receiver Will Koenig, who hauled in five catches for over 100 yards, including a 65-yard score that electrified the home crowd.
But Century struggled to finish drives, missing on several potential big plays as passes slipped off receivers’ fingertips.
“We couldn’t finish,” Century coach Dave Ferguson said. “Tonight was just one of those things where we didn’t execute our game plan. We had plays that we could have made, we just missed out on those opportunities. But we’ll settle in and be back better next week.”
Both teams now turn their focus to county play. Century will hit the road next week, this time to face Westminster at McDaniel College, hoping to open its Carroll County schedule with a statement win against the defending champions.
Meanwhile, Marriotts Ridge prepares for a key showdown with Howard. For Holzman, Friday’s win was about more than staying undefeated—it was about building confidence and preparing for the grind of Howard County play.
“Century was a tough opponent and we know every night is going to be a battle in Howard County,” Holzman said. “We still have room for improvement, sure, but we’re excited to show everyone who we are and what we can do.”
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