OLMSTED TWP. In the Cardinals’ 35-28 victory at Olmsted Falls on Friday, Jackson Farley, a mentor, broke a new school rushing record with 364 yards on 35 carries and all five touchdowns.
After top receiver Justen Hodge was injured, Mentor switched to a run-heavy offense, which increased Farley’s workload and resulted in two receptions out of the backfield.
Farley and mentor coach Matt Gray attributed his success to the Cardinals’ strong offensive line, which guarantees he doesn’t have any negative-yardage runs and has three Division I college commits on it.
Next Friday, Mentor—ranked sixth in the cleveland.com Top 25—will perform at Erie McDowell in Pennsylvania. Olmsted Falls, ranked eleventh in the region, will play Brunswick at home.
Watch the highlights from Friday night above to see Farley, Gray, and tackle Colin Prichard’s reactions.
Here are three things to remember:
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1. For the books of records
Alex Mathews’ 2015 school record of 252 yards versus Medina was surpassed by Farley. Farley equaled the school record set by Brian Trobel versus Medina in 2018 with five running touchdowns.
2. Following a significant injury, Mentor switched to a run-heavy offense.
After standout receiver Justen Hodge was injured during a punt return in the second quarter, the squad had to alter their strategy. Hodge, a prospect from Miami, Ohio, remained on the sidelines for the remainder of the game. Only two attempts were attempted in the second half by mentor junior quarterback Brogan Jones, who completed seven of eleven passes.
Mentor made 46 rushes for 372 yards.
3. Bulldogs were also able to bite
Owen Singleton led Olmsted Falls’ rush for 272 yards with 142 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries. In his first start, junior quarterback Cam Pesch ran for 82 yards on 11 attempts. He tossed for another and scurried for a score. Logan Connelly, a senior slotback, contributed 53 yards on five carries.
