UMATILLA – Keystone Heights High football stayed with what works with three running backs; Ty Friedlin, Colby Townsend and Kade Sanders pummeling the Umatilla defense for five scores and nearly 300 yards yards rushing as the Indians stayed perfect (3-0) with a 35-6 win over Umatilla in a region 2-4A clash on Friday in Umatilla. Keystone Heights goes to 3-0 with a BYE week this week while Umatilla falls to 0-3.

Keystone Heights led 21-0 at the half.

“We run the ball, that’s what we do,” said Keystone Heights coach Chuck Dickinson. “We recovered the opening kickoff fumble to get a quick score, a 15 yard run from Ty Friedlin.”

With Friedlin leading the trio of leather luggers with 94 yards in 13 carries with three scores, the Keystone Heights ground game averaged near nine yards per carry between the trio.

Friedlin scored the second touchdown from 28 yards out to put Keystone Heights up 14-0.

Townsend finished with 90 yards also on 13 carries with one score; a six yarder to put the score at 21-0 before the half, while Sanders handled the ball nine times for 79 yards with an 11 yard score and a 34 yard scoring run to get the score to 35-7. Friedlin’s longest run was a 28 yarder.

“Kade is probably our fastest guy out there,” said Dickinson. “He gives us that breakaway threat.”

For the three games, Friedlin has rushed for 249 yards on 36 carries; averaging 6.9 yards per carry with three scores. Townsend has 234 rush yards on 29 carries; 8.1 yards per carry with two scores. Sanders has 188 yards on 32 carries; 5.9 yards per carry, with three scores.

“We were able to score on five of seven possessions for the Umatilla game,” said Dickinson. “We take eight minutes or so off the clock with each long drive and with out team going a lot of both sides, it helps our defense by keeping them off the field.”

Adding to the run game are Colton Tibbetts with 63 yards on five carries; a 44 yarder his longest and Nick Channell with 99 yards in just two games with two scores. Dalton Hollingsworth has one carry for 19 yards.

Quarterback Gage Stevens handled just two passing plays both for eight yard gains.

“One was a fourth down play on the first drive,” said Dickinson. “The other was a fourth and four play action to Andrew Cox for eight yards and a first down. That set up the fourth touchdown.”

Dickinson credited his offensive line; Andrew Cox TE, Cody Wells LT, Michael Kirtley LG, Luke Snider C, Caleb Moncrief RG and Mason Dicks RT, Ian Schofield TE, with a balanced approach to where the ball carrier goes.

“We run either side with Townsend a fullback going mainly dives up the middle,” said Dickinson. “When we average near eight yards a pop, we just keep going with it.”

Keystone Heights gets a BYE week this week with the rest of the schedule, according to Dickinson, ramping up the Indians’ challenges for a successful season and an elusive playoff spot.

“St. Joseph (2-1, region semifinalist last year) is first up in two weeks; a good 2A school that went 9-1 last year, with Crescent City (2-1, region semifinalist last year) after them, then 3A-Interlachen (3-1),” said Dickinson. “We’ll get tested the rest of the season. We just play one game at a time.”

Crescent City is in Keystone Heights’ region 2-4A.