Staff photo by Fritz Busch Gibbon Fairfax Winthrop running back Easton Taylor (44, far right), reads blocks from Tristan Kruger (56) and other player. Taylor rushed for 56 yards on five carries in the Thunderbirds’ 46-8 loss to St. Clair-Loyola.

Meng rushes

for three TDs

WINTHROP — St. Clair/Loyola senior running back Brandon Meng rushed for three touchdowns and 184 yards as the unbeaten Class AA Spartans topped the Thunderbirds 46-8 Friday.

When Meng got through the line, he outraced defenders for a number of long gains.

The Thunderbirds led 8-7 late in the first quarter after quarterback Dominic Rose hit Garret Schmidt for a 37-yard touchdown. Rose threw to Rex Monson for a 2-point conversion.

Then Meng scored three straight touchdowns on short runs.

Gibbon Fairfax Winthrop (GFW) had four turnovers, two fumbles and two interceptions.

“They’re very good, very talented,” said GFW head coach Pat Hentges. “We have a couple guys out, but guys need to step up. A lot of teams are in that situation. We played a very good team. Obviously, we’ve got a few things we need to clean up. We made some mistakes. We’ll get healthy, come back Tuesday and play a better game.”

Hentges said he’ll find out Thursday who the 6-2 Thunderbirds face in the playoffs Tuesday, Oct. 25.

“We just played our game,” St. Clair/Loyola head coach Dustin Bossart said. “Our kids take it one play at a time and go after it. We try to control the line of scrimmage. GFW is a good football team. I wish them the best of luck.”

Thunderbirds freshman Brayden Miller broke through the line and outraced defenders for a 50-yard run late in the game, just before the clock ran out.

GFW sophomore Easton Taylor rushed for 56 yards on five carries. He had six tackles, five solos and two assists.

“They were a tough team,” Taylor said. “We tried out best. They got the better of us. We’ll have to practice extra hard next week, play as a team and help each other out.”

Thunderbirds junior Ashton Buboltz had eight solo tackles. Garrett Schmidt returned five kicks for 97 yards. GFW had seven penalties for 70 yards.

The Spartans had 27 first downs to nine for GFW. The Thunderbirds converted two of three fourth-down attempts.