KARNS CITY — The passing game wasn’t particularly an option for Karns City in its home opener.

The thing was, it didn’t need to be.

There were more than enough carries to go around for the Gremlins, who rushed for 335 yards in a 28-0 victory over Ridgway Friday night. A loss would have meant Karns City’s first 0-3 start to a campaign since 1995.

“We did a lot of good things those first two games, it just didn’t show up in the win column,” Karns City coach Joe Sherwin said. “I still believe we’re a good football team. I think we’ve got a lot of things to accomplish this season and it’s good to get in the win column.”

The team’s third-year starting quarterback, Eric Booher, toughed it out and played with a hairline fracture in his right wrist, wearing a cast. He and a dozen other Gremlins (1-2) had at least one tote, and all four of Karns City’s scores came on the ground.

“Our plan was to kind of spell the guys a little bit here and there, just to keep guys fresh,” Sherwin said. “Some guys have earned more time by the way they’ve practiced.”

The two programs — which met in the District 9 Class 3A title game last November — both entered the contest seeking their first tally in the win column this season.

It took the hosts less than three minutes to punch in the game’s initial score. The Gremlins used a six-play, 58-yard march — capped by Cooper Coyle’s 15-yard scamper — to get on the board.

They’d double their lead on their next possession, with sophomore Braden Slater’s 30-yard rumble setting up freshman Nathan Hess’ first of two scores.

“Not a lot of freshmen get (that chance), but it wouldn’t have been done without the line,” Hess said.

Ridgway (0-3) saw their first five series end in either a three-and-out or a turnover. That included what wound up being their best scoring threat of the night.

After Booher booted out and zoomed 26 yards to paydirt, opening up a 21-0 advantage for the Gremlins, junior signal-caller Cameron Larkin and senior tailbacks Aiden Zimmerman and Kaden Dennis helped the Elkers as far as the opponents’ 12-yard line.

Karns City halted the drive there when senior Nate Garing snared his second interception of the half.

The next play, Sherwin’s side put the ball in the air for the first — and only — time. Freshman Riley Hamilton’s throw was picked off with 0:39 to go before the half.

Ridgway mustered only 70 yards of offense in the first 24 minutes. In that same stretch, the Gremlins had over three times that total on the ground.

“That’s our style,” Hess said. “We’d like to keep the momentum running and keep pounding (opponents).”

Despite being blanked against Karns City and having only scored 12 points in as many quarters this season, Elkers coach Mark Heindl was pleased with his crew’s unwavering effort.

“Karns City is a big, physical football team,” he said. “We held in there ... To come back and play them, 7-0, in the second half, I give our guys a lot of credit.”

Ridgway graduated 16 seniors from last year’s runner-up team. Their only offensive returner, senior Aaron Sorg, is out for the year with a broken foot. Juniors Luke Zimmerman and Cameron Larkin, who play important roles for the Elkers, sat after cramping up on the team’s penultimate touch.

“We’ve just got to get consistent,” Heindl said. “It’s not one guy, it’s not one place. It’s just (that) we miss a block here, we miss a hole here. It’s just a matter of getting more experience for our guys as the year goes on.

“Right now, we definitely have to find an identity ... Being 0-3 is definitely not fun by any means, but our kids are workers. They’ll come back to work Monday and we’ll get back at it again.”

Ridgway 0 0 0 0 — 0

Karns City 14 7 7 0 — 28

First Quarter

KC — Cooper Coyle 15 run (Colson Ritzert kick), 9:16

KC — Nathan Hess 10 run (Ritzert kick), 5:52

Second Quarter

KC — Eric Booher 26 run (Ritzert kick), 5:38

Third Quarter

KC — Hess 1 run (Ritzert kick), 7:30

Individual Statistics

Rushing: Ridgway, Cameron Larkin 13-20, Aiden Zimmerman 5-19, Kaden Dennis 1-14, Rocco Delhunty 3-6, Luke Zimmerman 4-2, Derek Beimel 1-0.

Karns City, Cooper Coyle 6-62, Braden Slater 5-60, Levi Hawk 6-36, Nathan Hess 8-34, Nate Garing 3-32, Hunter Scherer 5-31, Eric Booher 2-28, Owen Heginbotham 5-25, Zach Kelly 1-6, Riley Hamilton 2-6, Mason Bell 2-4, Brennan Harmon 1-3, Layla Colsey 1-1.

Passing: Ridgway, Cameron Larkin 6-14-27-2, Derek Beimel 1-2-10-1.

Karns City, Riley Hamilton 0-1-0-1.

Receiving: Ridgway, Isaiah Jackson 2-17, Luke Zimmerman 2-15, Kaden Dennis 1-9, Aiden Zimmerman 1-2.