CAMBRIDGE The streaks continue.
Dover senior quarterback Mason Mamarella threw four touchdown passes — three to fellow senior Jonathan Fell — as the Tornadoes blew out Cambridge 42-9 in an East Central Ohio League football clash at McFarland Stadium on Friday night.
Dover has won 37 consecutive conference games and recorded its seventh win in a row over Cambridge.
The Tornadoes (3-0, 6-2) built upon last Friday’s thrilling 26-17 win over Zanesville, after which Dover jumped nine spots and into sixth place in Region 11 of Division III.
Meanwhile, the Dover defense bent, but did not break, as it allowed Cambridge just three field goals by Eric Fox.
It also got a big interception from Josh Short late in the first half that helped set up a Demetrius Farmer 1-yard scoring plunge for his first of two rushing scores.
Luke Filippi also had a pair of fumble recoveries for the Tornadoes.
Dover head coach Dan Ifft felt his team’s performance was a mixed bag.
“I liked a lot of things we did, but then I saw some things I didn’t like,” said Ifft. “The bottom line is that I saw more good than bad, and we got out with a win.”
Mamarella was 19-of-30 passing for his 335 yards. He did most of his damage in the first half as he was 15-of-22 for 316 yards.
Fell hauled in six passes for 126 yards and the three scores of 55, 17 and 31 yards. Cory Contini added five catches for 87 yards, while Trey Wallick had a pair of receptions for 43 yards, including a 42-yard score.
The Bobcats (2-2, 5-3), who were ranked 11th in Region 11, got a fine passing and running performance from sophomore quarterback Caleb Tingle.
Tingle was 23-of-33 passing for 233 yards through the air and added 71 yards on the ground on 17 carries.
“He’s something,” said Ifft of Tingle. “We had trouble with him. He’s going to be a handful the next couple of years.”
Devon Francis caught seven balls for 155 yards to lead the Bobcat receivers.
Cambridge got on the scoreboard first on Fox’s 24-yard field goal with 8:30 left in the first quarter, but it was the last lead for the Bobcats.
Mamarella threw a 55-yard scoring strike to Fell on a jailbreak screen and Felipe Bravo’s extra point gave Dover a 7-3 advantage at the 6:54 mark of the first quarter.
The Dover senior QB then hooked up with Wallick on a 42-yard touchdown pass with 3:50 left in the first to help the Tornadoes take a 14-3 lead.
Fox countered with a 46-yard field goal with 1:37 left in the first, but Mamarella then hooked up with Fell twice more on TD passes of 17 and 31 yards as the visitors took a 28-6 lead early in the second quarter.
A final Fox 27-yard field goal cut Dover’s lead to 28-9 with 5:19 left in the second quarter.
After an interception by Francis, Cambridge was driving late in the first half when Short returned the favor and intercepted a pass and returned it deep into Bobcat real estate.
“That was the play of the game,” assessed Ifft. “It’s 28-9 and they’re driving deep when we make that play. It gave us some momentum.”
Farmer’s 1-yard plunge and Bravo’s extra point with 3:59 left before halftime put the Tornadoes up 35-9 at the intermission.
Dover worked on the clock in the second half as the Tornadoes began to run the ball. Brant Raber did most of the damage with 43 yards. He also had 54 yards in receptions.
The Tornadoes added a touchdown in final frame after Filippi recovered his second fumble of the night.
Farmer plowed his way over from 3 yards out and Bravo’s final extra point finished the scoring.
