Bath runs over Allen East

LAFAYETTE -  Forget about keying on 1,000-yard Bath rusher Gavin Painter.

He has company in the backfield this year.

Painter and freshman Aaron Smith both ran for more than 100 yards in Bath's 42-0 domination of Allen East on Friday at Bill Goodwin Field.

The Bath win snapped a three-game winning streak by Allen East in the opening-game series between the two schools.

Bath simply overpowered Allen East in every facet. Offensively, the Wildcats ran for 388 yards. Defensively, it held Allen East to 3 rushing yards and 70 total yards.

"We set a goal at the beginning of the summer that we would be 1-0 this year and it's been a long time (since 2004) since the Bath Wildcats have been 1-0," Bath coach Todd Clark said. "We've made so many improvements on this football team, from the offensive line to our running backs to our defensive backs to our defensive line. We've had massive improvements and I'm just proud of the entire team."

The 6-foot, 195-pound Painter ran for 110 yards on 19 carries with two touchdowns. The 5-6, 195-pound Smith ran for 117 yards on 10 carries with two touchdowns. Smith had 113 yards at halftime and only had two carries in the second half because he was been coming off a preseason sprained ankle.

Bath also had wingback Cody Routson rush for 94 yards on seven carries and a 44-yard touchdown.

Smith wasted little time showing he belonged on varsity as a freshman. On his first carry, he swept around the left side, hit a jet stream and used his speed to run for a 33-yard touchdown. That gave Bath a 6-0 lead with 7:21 left in the first quarter.

"It feels great. I didn't even know I was going to play on the varsity," Smith said. "I like it all. I like the contact, the running, everybody hitting me. I love it."

Clark said, "He's a special kid and has a lot of raw talent. This is just natural ability that he has and I look forward to him getting better and better through his career."

On Bath's second series, it was Painter getting the bulk of the carries. He ran for 27 yards on four carries on the drive, including a 6-yard touchdown burst off right guard to make it 14-0.

"It's nice to have Aaron back there," Painter said. "It takes off the pressure. We're a nice one-two punch."

Carving holes was Bath's offensive line that featured center Travis Fillhart, guards Josh Runda and Kevin Kortkate and tackles Caleb Hattery and Treg Coburn.

Bath made it 21-0 on a 40-yard touchdown run by Smith around the right side with 10:55 left in the first half.

It was 28-0 at the half after Routson's 44-yard score with 5:43 left in the second quarter.

"We're very disappointed on the defensive side of the ball in the first half," Allen East coach Cam Staley said. "I don't think we saw anything we hadn't prepared for.  .... We thought they had two good backs. We just didn't come out ready to play."

Leading the Bath defense were ends Kortkate (eight tackles) and Lima Central Catholic-transfer Runda (seven tackles) and defensive back Aaron Rumbaugh (seven tackles).

Bath coach Todd Clark called it his biggest win in three years as coach.

"Last year we were 2-8, before that 3-7," Clark said. "It's been a long time since anyone said the Bath Wildcats are 1-0."