By Ryan Bisesi
rbisesi@salisburypost.com
LANDIS — Salisbury found a way to create offense in extenuating circumstances Friday.
On a bad snap on an extra point late in the 64-9 win against South Rowan Friday, John Mark Petty picked it up and lateraled it to Brian Bauk who tossed it to Keion Adams in the end zone for an unorthodox two-point conversion. It was that kind of night for the Hornets.
“We have a fire call when the snap is bad,” Adams said. “I did my job and ran to the corner and put my hands up like a receiver.”
The Hornets ran for a season-high 435 yards and scored 57 unanswered points in the final clash before its open week. Justin Ruffin, Bauk and Allen all scored two touchdowns each in a runaway victory. After being shut out the first quarter, Salisbury scored touchdowns 12 seconds apart in a key sequence to take control. Salisbury coach Joe Pinyan liked the way his team came back after the loss at West Rowan.
“We talked all week about coming together as a group and be a better team,” Pinyan said. “It’s a good exclamation point for everything we talked about from last Friday night to tonight.”
It was the most points the Hornets (2-2) had scored since a 64-7 win against Providence Grove in 2008.
South, who led 3-0 and 9-7 in the early going, had possession for the first 8:12 of the game and scored the first points on a 21-yard field goal from Abel Betancourt.
“I thought that was the way to go and set a tone,” South coach Jason Rollins said.
Ruffin led Salisbury with 138 yards and answered with a 23-yard touchdown that capped a 10-play, 64-yard possession. Allen had his best game of the year with 104 yards on 13 carries. Bauk finished with 87 yards on the ground while Tony Krider ran for 61.
“We needed a good bounce-back win,” Bauk said. “This is a good win for us.”
South quarterback Nathan Lambert, the county leader in passing coming into the game, was held to 75 yards on six completions. A 31-yard pass to tight end Josh Medlin gave the Raiders (0-4) their only touchdown. Salisbury got the ball near midfield and Ruffin broke to the outside on a 39-yard touchdown scamper. After Steven Mazur’s extra point, the Hornets recovered an onside kick with great field position after an unsportsmanlike penalty on the Raiders. The next play saw Bauk find Allen over the middle for a touchdown pass and it was suddenly 20-9. Bauk and Ruffin added scores before halftime when it was 35-9.
“We had to take advantage of the speed we have,” Bauk said. “We have to get outside on people.”
Bauk’s biggest contribution was an 82-yard touchdown run in which he went sideline-to-sideline to escape the defense.
“The onside kick caught us off guard,” Rollins said. “They scored again quick and threw us out of whack.”
Krider and backup QB Riley Myers scored touchdowns for the Hornets as well. Salisbury overcame 11 penalties for 90 yards.
“There are some things that can be fixed but overall it’s a lot more positive than last Friday night,” Pinyan said.
Medlin had 64 yards receiving for the Raiders.