Moniteau Rolls Up 572 Yards Rushing, Gets First Triumph of the Season

CHERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. (EYT/D9) – It was good, old-fashioned hard-nosed Warrior football.

With its entire offensive line together for the first time this season, the Moniteau football team rushed for a staggering 572 yards to notch its first win of the season, 44-38 over Bradford Friday night.

(Photo by Kathy Sutton)

Matt Martino gained 278 yards and scored three touchdowns on 24 carries. Hunter Stalker added 189 yards on 28 attempts and a touchdown and quarterback David Dessicino got in on the act with 92 yards and a TD.

“We finally had all our guys up front there tonight,” said Moniteau coach Bob Rottman. “They worked really well together.”

Moniteau (1-3) needed every yard against Bradford (0-5).

The Owls piled up the yardage, too. Quarterback Elijah Fitton threw for 309 yards and four touchdowns on the night. His favorite target was Dalton Dixon, who caught nine passes for 179 yards and a pair of TDs.

Fitton also rushed for 67 yards and a touchdown.

The first half was a shootout with the Warriors leading 30-24 at the break. Fitton hit Dixon for a 72-yard touchdown pass to give Bradford a 32-30 lead early in the third quarter.

Martino, though, plunged into the end zone for a 1-yard score and Dessicino scrambled nine yards for another TD in the third to give Moniteau a 44-32 lead.

Fitton’s 60-yard TD run with 4:58 remaining was too little, too late for the Owls.

“I’m very excited for them,” Rottman said. “They played physical all night. We’re hoping to build on it and stack a few Ws together.”