MANSFIELD - To Columbian, it was a 1-2 punch.
To Mansfield Senior, it more closely resembled a two-headed monster.
But whatever one calls it, it was ridiculously effective, and Tornado running backs Jack Jacoby and Ryan Lynch ran all over the Tygers, combining for 332 yards and four touchdowns.
By the time it was over, Columbian had ripped through Mansfield Senior for a 33-22 victory.
Columbian coach Brian Colatruglio said much of the credit for his backs' performances goes to the offensive line.
"Our offensive line; that's where it's at," Colatruglio said. "We were a little shaky in the first half and didn't finish things quite the way we wanted to. We really challenged our offensive line at halftime, and obviously, they responded.
"We run left a lot," Colatruglio said. "Isiah Moore and Alec Lucius, we got in behind those two guys. Jake Smith, our tight end, and Ryan Lynch, he does a great job of blocking when he doesn't get the ball."
Columbian intercepted Mansfield Senior three times in the first half, and appeared to be winning things up front. But all the Tornadoes had to show for it was a 13-0 advantage that came to be on a 37-yard touchdown connection between quarterback Mike Rohrbach and Jordan Dye in the first quarter, and a 2-yard scoring jaunt by Jacoby in the second.
Mansfield, despite not picking up a first down in the first quarter, was hanging around.
"We came out flat," said Tygers' coach Chioke Bradley. "I kind of saw it when we were warming up; I acknowledged it in the locker room. We came out flat."
Despite being in Columbian territory several times before the final quarter, the Tygers got nothing thanks in part to three Columbian interceptions - by Ben Hoyda, Dye and Jacoby.
"Our first group defense played awesome," Colatruglio said. "They didn't give up a point."
In the third quarter, TC added to its advantage when Jacoby picked up 72 yards over consecutive rushes to set up his own 1-yard TD run for a 20-0 lead.
Lynch added to the lead a few minutes later with a 13-yard scoring rush.
"That's our motto, finish," Lynch said. "The second half, it's our duty. Just go out there and do what we do."
For Lynch, that meant rushing for 146 yards and two touchdowns. Jacoby went for 186 yards and a pair of scores.
"I think you've got to make some decisions when you defend us," Colatruglio said. "We've got a great 1-2 punch."
The Tygers scored their first points when Keon Johnson returned a kick 79 yards for a touchdown late in the third quarter, but TC answered.
Lynch polished off his evening with a 27-yard touchdown run with 4:14 left in regulation. Mansfield Mansfield Senior scored a pair of touchdowns late, but TC never lost control.
In the passing game, TC's Rohrbach threw for 99 yards, while Dye had 69 yards receiving on three catches, all in the first half.
Columbian 33,
Mansfield Senior 22
Columbian 76137 - 33
Mansfield Senior00715 - 22
First quarter
TC - Jordan Dye 37 pass from Mike Rohrbach (Donovan Walker kick), 8:48
Second quarter
TC - Jack Jacoby 2 run (Walker kick fails), 5:29
Third quarter
TC -Jacoby 1 run (Walker kick), 3:51
TC - Ryan Lynch 13 run (Walker kick fails), :27
MS - Keon Johnson 79 kickoff return (Hutch Blackstone kick), :14
Fourth quarter
TC - Lynch 27 run (Walker kick), 4:11
MS - Chekiah Washington 36 pass from Jalen Reese (Blackstone kick), 2:14
MS - Travon Harris 3 run (Keevon Taylor run), :38.
TCMS
First Downs2016
Rushes-yards48-33230-158
Passing yards99160
Comp-att-int6-12-111-28-3
Punts-ave.4-37.542.2
Fumbles-lost1-12-1
Penalties-yards4-307-52
Individual Statistics
RUSHING: Columbian - Jacoby 30-186; Lynch 18-146; Jake Adams 1-0. Mansfield Senior - Taylor 11-81; Washington 7-28; Malon Samual 3-3; Adrais Lawrence 3-12; Matt Robison 2-3; Keon Johnson 2-25; Mitch Nixon 1-3; Harris 1-3.
PASSING: Columbian - Rohrbach 5-11-1-99; Jacoby 0-1-0-0. Mansfield Senior - Reese 9-22-3-142; Washington 1-3-0-12. Mitch Nixon 1-3-0-6 .
RECEIVING: Columbian - Dye 3-69; Walker 2-23; Jacoby 1-7 . Mansfield - Johnson 4-38; Washington 4-79; Chris Diaz 1-37; Samual 1-6.
