St. Margaret’s Overwhelms Fairmont, 61-26

St. Margaret’s started slow and sloppy, but once the Tartans got in gear against Fairmont they ran away for a 61-26 victory in an Academy League opener Friday night at St. Margaret’s.

The first possession by the Tartans (4-1-1) ended with a fumble and their second concluded with an intercepted pass that Fairmont’s Mike Pastrano returned 25 yards for a touchdown.

St. Margaret’s responded with 35 consecutive points--three touchdowns by Ryan Birtcher and two by Erik Hallenbeck, who also added the five point-after kicks.

Birtcher’s touchdowns came on runs of 55, 7 and 20 yards. He finished with 196 yards in 15 carries. Hallenbeck’s scores came on a 52-yard punt return and a 16-yard reception of a Cory Westrope pass.

“I was proud of the way we came back and didn’t hang out heads,” St. Margaret’s Coach Brady Lock said.

St. Margaret’s rallied with such vengeance, the Tartans let some new names in on the action in the second half.

Brent Comerford rushed for 73 yards and two touchdowns in five carries. Darren Audagnotti scored on a 53-yard run in the fourth quarter for the Tartans, and Donny Reid added a 35-yard scoring run just before the game ended.

Matt Gomez threw two touchdown passes for Fairmont (2-3) before a concussion forced him out late in the third quarter.