A 1-yard run on the first play from scrimmage didn’t sit well with Richmond-Burton junior running back Hunter Carley and the Rockets’ offense.

A 64-yard touchdown run by Carley on the second play felt more up to R-B’s standards.

“The first play, they knew exactly what we were doing,” Carley said. “So the next play, we just ran the next gap over and they couldn’t cover it. I didn’t have to do much.

“The line blocked real good on that one and I just went.”

The Rockets had their run game working close to perfection. Carley ran for five touchdowns and over 200 yards, and R-B coasted to a 49-13 win against Marian Central in the teams’ season opener Friday at George Harding Field in Woodstock.

Richmond-Burton (1-0) finished with 445 yards on 31 carries (14.35 average per carry), including 334 yards by halftime.

Carley ran for 211 yards on 12 carries, including touchdown runs of 64, 1, 66, 8, and 18 yards. Fullback Riley Shea had 71 yards on five carries, Luke Johnson had 84 yards on three carries, and Blake Livdahl had 54 yards on six attempts. Gavin Saranzak added 13 yards, including a 5-yard score.

“All physicality. They brought it,” Marian Central coach Liam Kirwan said. “[R-B Coach [Mike] Noll’s a great coach. He’s going to get his down blocks, and he’s going to get his angles. We thought we had a plan for it. But when you get punched in the mouth, there’s not too much more you can do if you don’t punch back.

“If you have a running back [Carley] that good with good blocks and good angles and we’re not bringing it physically, it’s going to be a long night.”

Richmond-Burton led 35-6 at halftime on the third and fourth TDs from Carley, who ran in from a yard out with 1:30 left in the second quarter. He then scored again with 28 seconds left until halftime, this time from 66 yards out.

Carley’s 66-yard TD came two plays after R-B outside linebacker Luke Robinson chased down Marian’s Josh Gawronski at the Rockets’ 1-yard line, punching the ball out before he crossed the end zone and resulting in a touchback.

“I knew I could catch him,” said Robinson, who also recorded a sack. “He was holding the ball out there, so I knew I could punch it out. It felt great to save a touchdown.”

Robinson said Carley’s big plays are no surprise.

“He’s just so strong. He’s the strongest kid I’ve ever met, so I kind of expect it from him at this point,” Robinson said. “I feel if we told [Marian] the play, we’d still be able to get our yards.”

Noll expects big things from his junior RB.

“He’s dynamic when he’s got the ball in his hands, and he’s improved a lot,” Noll said of Carley. “We’ve got a lot of kids around him who are pretty good weapons too.

“I think we did a lot of things well tonight. The first part of the season you’re trying to figure out where you are and what you have to clean up.”

Marian (0-1) got most of its yards through the air as sophomore quarterback Colin Hernon completed 17 of 33 passes for 187 yards and a score. Hernon connected with receiver Max Kinney seven times for 71 yards. He hit Wilson Jakubowicz for a 23-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

“Colin fought every single play,” Kirwan said. “That kid is a warrior. He stepped up every play and did everything he possibly could.”

Carley believes this year’s team is ready to take the next step. R-B entered the season seeking its 18th straight playoff berth.

“Last year our team was still young and kind of developing, but this year we’re a little more mature,” Carley said. “It’s nice to start the year fast and show we’ve got a pretty dominant offense.”