St. Rita junior running back Jahwon Akui carried the ball and his team Saturday against upset-minded Portage (Ind.).
Akui ran for 295 yards and five touchdowns (34, 5, 5, 1, 16 yards) on 31 carries in a 35-20 victory for the No. 3 Mustangs. And he was feeling pretty good about himself and his teammates afterward.
“My offensive linemen are my best friends, and they made it easy for me today,” Akui said of his career day. “Once I get in the open field I feel like I can make any move on anybody.”
His third score, a 5-yard run late in the third quarter, not only answered a tying drive by the Indians but gave his team the lead for good at 21-14. Portage hung tough for three quarters before being worn down by the Mustangs’ running game.
St. Rita scored on its first possession, giving the impression that it was going to be an easy Week 1 for the visitors.
As easy as that drive looked, the next three were much different. The Indians seemed to gain more energy with every punt they forced.
Portage’s offense turned that energy into seven points in the second quarter when junior quarterback Zach Huston found Kevin Hinkle for a 42-yard touchdown pass to tie the score 7-7.
Rita responded with a drive that ended in a 5-yard scoring run by Akui with 2 minutes 26 seconds left in the half.
“I felt we were the better team, but we just didn’t execute in the first half,” Akui said. “We had a slow start because it was our first game.”
Player of the game: Jahwon Akui, St. Rita, 31 carries, 295 yards, 5 TDs
Key performer: Robert Gallik,
St. Rita, 10-for-17, 134 yards, TD
