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COLUMBIA — The game took an extra 45 minutes to get going.
- Before the start of the Rock Bridge game against Riverview Gardens, Abby Hake laughs with a fellow cheerleader. The game started nearly one hour late due to the delay of the away team, and Rock Bridge cheerleaders kept their fans excited during the lull of activity.
- Rock Bridge sophomore Freeman Simmons pushes Rashid Troupe of Riverview Gardens out of the way when running downfield in the second quarter. Rock Bridge posted 29 points in the second quarter.
- Lavell Meeks of Riverview Gardens yanks Rock Bridge sophomore Freeman Simmons down after he receives the ball. Rock Bridge outscored Riverview Gardens 43-12
- Rock Bridge fans Kayla Howard, Jade Johnson and Peyton Kuligowski, watch as the Rock Bridge band and the Bruin Girls perform during the half-time show.
- Rock Bridge players Ian Patterson and Corey Reuter talk to Landon Ray, 9, the team's water boy before the game.
Rock Bridge needed a quarter to get going. But once it did, the Bruins made it to the end zone with relative ease.
On the strength of a 29-point second quarter, Rock Bridge rolled to a 43-12 victory over Riverview Gardens at Rock Bridge Field on Friday.
Bruins quarterback Mark Pickerel led Rock Bridge's offensive charge, throwing for 242 yards and two touchdowns and running for two more scores as the Bruins improved to 2-0 on the year.
Getting caught in traffic en route to Columbia, the Rams late arrival pushed kickoff from 7 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.
The wait served to fuel the Bruins' intensity level, Rock Bridge receiver Sheldon Gerau said.
"It kind of made us a little mad," he said. "We were ready to go, and then we come out here and then we have to go back in. That got us pretty fired up."
After a scoreless first quarter, Rock Bridge got on the board with a one-yard touchdown run from Brad Troyer on the first play of the second quarter.
Then Pickerel took charge. On the first play of the next drive, the senior took off on a keeper, and by the time he reached the 50-yard line he had a clear route for an 81-yard touchdown run.
“Mark sparks us with his ability to run the football,” Rock Bridge coach A.J. Ofodile said.
After Pickerel’s long touchdown scamper, the Bruins struck again on the first play of their next drive. Jerome Fulcher found the end zone on a 35-yard run. After a two-point conversion, the Bruins led 22-0.
“We got guys who can make big plays,” Ofodile said. “Two weeks in a row we’ve been a big play outfit.”
The Rams answered with a touchdown pass from Lavon Meeks to Woody Holloway at the 4:08 mark, but Pickerel added his second rushing touchdown just before the end of the half to give Rock Bridge a 29-6 advantage.
In the second half the Bruins widened the gap.
Pickerel connected with Gerau on a 42-yard touchdown at the 5:51 mark. Riverview Gardens got back on the scoreboard with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Meeks to Dominique Steward. Then Gerau and Pickerel hooked up for a second touchdownwith 10:45 left for the game's final score.
“Mark and I have a close relationship,” Gerau said. “We can read each other before the snap.”
Gerau said the Bruins already have their sights set on their next opponent.
“We’re hyped,” said Gerau of his team, which plays at at 1 p.m. Saturday at Hazelwood Central. “We’re ready for next week.”
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