Richmond-Burton rolls past Hampshire

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Why R-B won: The Rockets' defense played their best game of the season, forcing three turnovers -- returning one for a first-quarter touchdown -- and three punts. Hampshire's turnovers led to 21 R-B points.

Turning point: On the first play from scrimmage, R-B linebacker Jake Vetter stripped the ball out of Hampshire quarterback Josh Van Dorin's hands and ran for a 27-yard touchdown. The Whip-Purs, stunned by the play, never recovered.

Most outstanding player: Nate Roberts, R-B. In what could be his final home game, Roberts accounted for three touchdowns on offense -- two on the ground and one through the air -- and intercepted a pair of passes on defense.

RICHMOND - In all of 19 seconds, Richmond-Burton erased the memories of three painful losses, eased a lingering sense of frustration and jumped back into the thick of the Big Northern Conference East Division race.

Jake Vetter's 27-yard fumble return for a touchdown on the opening play from scrimmage sparked the Rockets to a 35-6 rout of Hampshire on Friday, a win in which R-B looked little like the team that sustained early-season losses to Winnebago, Genoa-Kingston and Burlington Central.

"The way things have gone this season - it's been frustrating, to say the least," said Vetter, who ripped the ball from the hands of Whip-Purs quarterback Josh Van Dorin before racing untouched into the end zone.

"We shouldn't have lost the games we've lost. We felt like we should have come into this game 5-0, not 2-3. Nothing had really gone the way we thought it would. So to win this game in this fashion - that's exactly what we needed."

After giving its team an early lead, R-B's defense, by forcing three punts and two turnovers, made sure the Rockets (3-3 overall, 1-1 BNC East) held on to the advantage.

Defense, especially run defense, was key throughout - having come into Friday's game as one of the area's leading rushing teams, Hampshire (4-2, 1-1) was held to 159 yards on 42 carries.

R-B, meanwhile, rushed for 321 yards on 39 carries.

Nate Roberts' 53-yard touchdown run in the second quarter increased the Rockets' lead to 14-0.

After Roberts and receiver Ross McAbee connected on a 20-yard touchdown pass late in the first half, another Roberts touchdown run, this one from 5 yards out, helped the Rockets put the game out of reach.

Vetter, who finished with 76 yards on 14 carries, added a 4-yard touchdown run with 45 seconds left in the third, pushing the lead to 35-0.

"I'm proud of the way our guys played tonight. I'm proud of the effort they showed, especially on defense. That was the best defense we've played all season," R-B coach Pat Elder said. "I don't know if tonight completely makes up for those three losses, but it was definitely a big win for us. The guys aren't so frustrated anymore.

"I know one thing - a 3-3 record with three games to go is much better than a 2-4 record with three to go. Now we're in a good position to get to where we want to go."