The University of Mary earned a hard-fought 23–10 victory over Rocky Mountain by winning the most important areas of the game: pressure, efficiency, and execution in decisive situations.
Rocky Mountain finished with slightly more total yardage and held the ball for more than five additional minutes. The visitors also ran 13 more offensive plays. Those advantages, however, did not translate into points. Mary’s defense repeatedly disrupted Rocky Mountain’s passing game, while quarterback Ryan Blair and wide receiver Karsyn Jablonski provided the steady production needed to turn limited possessions into a winning performance.
The final numbers tell the story clearly: Rocky Mountain had more volume, but Mary produced greater efficiency and more impact plays.
| Team | 1st quarter | 2nd quarter | 3rd quarter | 4th quarter | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mountain | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| Mary | 7 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 23 |
Mary scored in every quarter and never surrendered a point in the fourth. Rocky Mountain’s only touchdown came in the third quarter, when the team cut the margin to 17–10. Mary responded with six fourth-quarter points and closed the game without allowing Rocky Mountain to regain momentum.
That scoring pattern reflects a disciplined performance. Mary established an early advantage, absorbed Rocky Mountain’s best push, and finished with the only points of the final quarter.
At first glance, the total-yardage numbers suggest an evenly matched game.
Rocky Mountain controlled the clock and had more opportunities to run its offense. Yet Mary generated more yards per play:
That difference is significant. Mary gained nearly 16 percent more yardage per snap despite running fewer plays. The Marauders did not need to dominate possession to win; they needed to make each opportunity count. Their ability to produce more on fewer plays helped offset Rocky Mountain’s time-of-possession advantage.
The contrast also reveals how the game was decided. Rocky Mountain moved the ball often enough to compile yardage, but Mary produced the more damaging plays, particularly through the air and in the pass rush.
Ryan Blair directed a composed and efficient passing attack, completing 21 of 31 passes for 174 yards. He also finished with a 136.2 quarterback rating and did not throw an interception.
That mistake-free performance mattered in a game where the margin was built through steady execution rather than overwhelming offensive volume. Blair protected the football, converted opportunities through the passing game, and consistently found the matchup that gave Mary its greatest advantage.
Blair’s numbers are especially important in context. Mary ran only 62 offensive plays, so each possession carried greater weight. Avoiding turnovers ensured that Rocky Mountain could not receive extra opportunities from mistakes. Mary’s offense gave the defense a chance to keep applying pressure, and the result was a balanced, complementary performance.
Karsyn Jablonski was Mary’s leading receiver and the game’s most productive offensive playmaker. Jablonski caught 8 passes for 91 yards and recorded both of Blair’s touchdown receptions.
The production was valuable in three ways.
Eight receptions accounted for a substantial share of Blair’s completions. That level of involvement gave Mary a dependable option when the offense needed to stay on schedule.
The two touchdown receptions represented the difference between moving into scoring range and finishing possessions with points. In a 23–10 game, those finishing plays carried substantial weight.
Rocky Mountain had to account for Jablonski throughout the game. Blair’s willingness and ability to return to his most productive target gave Mary an offensive rhythm that helped the Marauders maintain control even when the total number of possessions was limited.
Blair and Jablonski combined for the game’s defining passing production: accurate quarterback play, reliable receiving, and timely touchdowns.
Mary’s rushing attack did not need a large volume of carries to contribute. Carl Henry provided an important change of pace, rushing for 49 yards on 9 carries, an average of 5.4 yards per carry.
Henry’s efficiency helped Mary gain positive yardage without relying exclusively on the passing game. His production also complemented Blair’s work through the air, keeping Rocky Mountain from focusing solely on the quarterback–receiver connection.
Xavier Brackenridge added a crucial rushing touchdown. That score gave Mary another way to finish a possession and ensured that the offense’s production was not dependent on one type of play. Between Blair’s passing, Jablonski’s receiving, Henry’s efficiency, and Brackenridge’s rushing touchdown, Mary received contributions from every major offensive phase.
The most decisive individual performance came from defensive lineman Travis Biery.
Biery recorded 3.0 sacks for a loss of 11 yards and added 2 quarterback hurries. His pressure consistently placed Rocky Mountain quarterback Rhett Schwahn in difficult situations and prevented the offense from building sustained rhythm.
Biery was not alone. Jett Solomon and Lane Bradley also recorded sacks, contributing to a defensive front that made the pocket uncomfortable throughout the afternoon.
Rocky Mountain finished with six sacks allowed, a number that illustrates the extent of Mary’s disruption. Sacks do more than remove yardage. They interrupt down-and-distance balance, force longer third downs, reduce the time available for receivers to get open, and place greater pressure on the next snap.
That pressure helped explain why Rocky Mountain could hold the ball for 32:47 yet score only 10 points. Possession time is valuable only when an offense can convert it into sustained drives and points. Mary’s front repeatedly ended that progression before Rocky Mountain could finish possessions.
While the defensive line created pressure, Mary’s linebackers and second-level defenders handled the responsibility of finishing plays.
Christopher Federico led all players with 13 total tackles, including 9 solo stops. His production reflects consistent involvement in the run game and underneath passing areas. Cameron Brusven added 9 tackles, giving Mary another reliable presence in the middle of the defense.
The combination of front-line pressure and strong tackling limited Rocky Mountain’s ability to turn short gains into extended drives. The defensive front forced hurried decisions, and the linebackers were prepared to close space and bring plays to an end.
That relationship between pressure and tackling was central to Mary’s success. A pass rush can create an opportunity, but the defense still has to finish the play. Mary did both.
Rhett Schwahn completed 19 of 34 passes for 176 yards and also scored Rocky Mountain’s only touchdown on the ground. Tyler Abbott finished with 3 receptions for 51 yards, while Javonte King recorded 4 receptions for 37 yards.
Those numbers show that Rocky Mountain had productive individual contributions and enough offensive activity to remain competitive. The problem was finishing drives.
Rocky Mountain converted only 5 of 17 third-down attempts and 2 of 5 fourth-down attempts. Together, those numbers show how frequently Mary forced the offense into difficult decision points and then prevented it from extending possessions.
Third down is where a team’s earlier execution is tested. A failed third-down conversion often forces a punt or creates a difficult fourth-down choice. Rocky Mountain’s 5-for-17 mark meant that 12 third-down opportunities ended without a conversion. The 2-for-5 fourth-down mark added another layer of lost opportunities.
The result was a game in which Rocky Mountain could accumulate plays and yardage without consistently producing points. Mary’s defense did not need to eliminate every positive play. It needed to prevent those plays from becoming complete scoring drives, and it accomplished that objective.
Mary’s victory can be traced to four connected advantages.
Mary committed zero turnovers. In a closely contested game, every possession matters. Blair’s mistake-free performance ensured that Rocky Mountain did not receive short fields or additional opportunities created by giveaways.
Six sacks allowed by Rocky Mountain, including Biery’s 3.0, repeatedly erased progress. Negative plays are especially damaging when an offense is trying to convert third and fourth downs.
Blair and Jablonski produced the game’s key passing connection, including two touchdown receptions. Their efficiency helped Mary score despite running fewer plays and having less time of possession.
Rocky Mountain reached the fourth quarter within one score at 17–10. Mary did not allow a comeback. The Marauders scored six points in the final quarter and held Rocky Mountain scoreless to secure the 23–10 result.
This was not a victory built on one overwhelming statistical category. Mary did not win time of possession, total yards, or total plays. Instead, the Marauders won the categories that most directly influence the final score: turnovers, sacks, yards per play, touchdown production, and situational execution.
That is the profile of a team that understands how to win a physical game. The offense stayed efficient without forcing the issue. The defense created pressure without losing its tackling discipline. When Rocky Mountain threatened to close the gap, Mary responded with the plays needed to protect its advantage.
The performance also highlighted the value of complementary football. Blair’s efficiency gave the defense a lead to protect. The pass rush made Rocky Mountain work for every conversion. The linebackers finished plays. The offense then answered with enough production to keep the game under control.
Rocky Mountain owned the volume statistics. Mary owned the decisive moments.
The Marauders gained more yards per play, avoided turnovers, produced six sacks, received a dominant performance from Travis Biery, and built a reliable offensive connection between Ryan Blair and Karsyn Jablonski. Those details transformed a nearly even yardage battle into a convincing 23–10 victory.
The game served as a clear reminder that winning football is not always about having the ball longer or running more plays. It is about making the most of each possession, creating pressure when the opponent needs answers, and finishing with discipline.
For Mary, that formula produced another performance defined by toughness, accountability, and execution.
Games like this strengthen the connection between the Marauders of today and the alumni, families, and supporters who continue to invest in the program’s future. The Marauder Football Alumni Association helps unite generations through membership, mentorship, community engagement, and support for current student-athletes.
*Not an Official Organization of the University of Mary.