McGuinness offense sharp in rout

MCGUINNESS 38, SHAWNEE 7

SHAWNEE — At least for one game, it looks like Bishop McGuinness has the offense to go with its stout defense.

The Fighting Irish held Shawnee to a handful of first downs in the first half while scoring on four straight drives to open up a 24-point lead on their way to a 38-7 season-opening win over the Wolves at Jim Thorpe Stadium.

Zach Segell ran for 103 yards in the first half for the Irish, including a 72-yard touchdown run that made it 31-0 with 2:47 left.

Senior quarterback Jacob Mullins was sharp, completing 11 straight passes in the first half, finishing 12 of 15 for 160 yards and an 18-yard touchdown to Alec Minielly.

In all, McGuinness had 271 yards in the first half.

“The way that we operate, we’re going to take what the defense gives us,” McGuinness coach Justin Jones said. “We feel like we’ve got a good enough run game, a good enough passing game, that we’ll take whatever they want to give us.”

Mullins broke things open on McGuinness’s second offensive play of the game, hitting Rubell Goe for a 44-yard gain inside the Shawnee 10.

After a holding penalty on the Irish, Segell ran for the first of his two touchdowns, this one from 18 yards out to make it 7-0.

McGuinness would get a field goal and two touchdowns on its next three possessions to make it 17-0, before Segell broke loose late in the second quarter on the longest play of the night.

Mullins connected with younger brother Brennan Mullins for a 43-yard touchdown in the final minute of the third quarter for the game’s final points.

“He’s like an extra coach on the field,” Jones said of Jacob Mullins. “To have a high school quarterback that can sit there and read a defense, know where to go with the football, is a big thing.”

Shawnee was held to 42 yards rushing in the first half and finished the game with just over 250 yards of total offense.

“Hats off to the secondary,” Jones said. “We did a great job of covering. We were able to get a lot of pressure with just three guys (up front). We feel good about that.”

The Irish will host Tulsa Bishop Kelley next Friday, while Shawnee will host Duncan.