Chargers ride running back Ellison to 42-6 rout of Seahawks

Chattanooga Christian running back Mondo Ellison totaled four first-half touchdowns in a 42-6 region victory Friday night against Silverdale Baptist Academy.

The 2018 Times Free Press Dynamite Dozen pick and 2017 all-state player recorded 83 yards rushing on 10 carries with the four touchdowns.

“Everybody knows he’s our go-to guy,” Chargers coach Mark Mariakis said. “Even when everyone knows he is going to touch it, he does what he does.”

Ellison’s impressive performance was buoyed by stifling play from the Chargers on special teams. The CCS defense was equally imposing, holding the Seahawks to 159 yards of total offense and only one touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

“The defense was spot on tonight,” Mariakis said. “I think the kids listened to and trusted the game plan. When (Silverdale) busted a couple of big plays, the defense stepped up and kept them out of the end zone.”

Silverdale’s offense tried to dig itself deep out of its own territory on almost every series with little success. Miscues kept the Seahawks in bad field position, disrupting any building of momentum.

“We shot ourselves in the foot multiple times,” Silverdale coach Al Rogers said. “We presented 35 points to them. We’ve just got to realize that when adversity rears its head you’ve got to step up and go.”

That lack of momentum drove the Seahawks in the wrong direction. Their mistakes led to all four of Ellison’s scores — from two blocked punts, a muffed punt and a fumble on their own 10-yard line.

Mariakis credited his star running back’s leadership in the classroom and on the field to the team’s success.

“That’s what is so impressive about Mondo. Something clicks with him in between the white lines on Friday night,” the coach said. “He plays angry, he runs angry, and our kids feed off of it.”

Contact Justin Dempsey at sports@timesfreepress.com.