EAST CHINA — Dominic Bonnetti has always been dangerous for the Richmond football team, be it at running back or wide receiver.
This time, his damage was done from a new position.
In the junior’s debut at quarterback, Bonnetti scored five touchdowns (four passing, one rushing) to guide the Blue Devils past St Clair, 49-19, at East China Stadium on Thursday, Aug. 28.
Richmond improved to 1-0 overall.
Ben Farkas threw three touchdown passes (all to Braden Schalk) for the Saints, who dropped to 0-1.
Here are some takeaways from the game.
Bonnetti steals the show with stellar debut
How good was the new quarterback? Well, Bonnetti’s first throw resulted in a 50-yard touchdown pass to JJ Hollister — on fourth-and-8. It was that kind of night.
“I felt great (out there),” Bonnetti said. “I was prepared for it. I was preparing all winter long for it.”
“His passing was spot on,” Richmond coach Sean Misko said. “We knew day one, back in December (that he’d be our quarterback). He’s been dialed in the whole time. He’s just a natural leader and the kids really respect him. I think tonight, especially, he really showed (why) with a couple a really gutsy runs.”
Bonnetti’s lone rushing touchdown came on a 3-yard keeper, where he knocked over a defender on his way into the end zone.
Despite the loss, Schalk shines for St. Clair
In a game St. Clair will want to forget, Schalk’s performance should still be remembered.
The senior wideout had three receiving touchdowns, including one with a defensive back right on his hip 30 seconds into the second quarter. Schalk reached for the sky, snagged the ball and brought it down just past the goal line.
“He was a guy we went to a ton last year,” St. Clair coach Andrew Szalkowski said. “Clearly, he’s picking up where he left off.”
With his ability to generate yards after the catch, Schalk often turned short receptions into long gains.
Richmond has its own ‘Sonic and Knuckles’
Some backfields feature a bruising power back, while others opt for speedster with swift cuts. The Blue Devils have both with sophomore Trenten Kulman and senior Logan Evans.
“It’s kind of our own version of Sonic and Knuckles,” Misko said in reference to Detroit Lions running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. “(Kulman) is 20 pounds heavier and two steps faster than he was last year … (Evans) is definitely a downhill guy, and that’s great, because it offers us a change in tempo.”
Kulman displayed not only his speed, but his agility, on a 74-yard touchdown run against the Saints. After taking a handoff up the middle, he evaded a few tackles, cut to the left and was off to the races down the sideline.
“He is so explosive,” Evans said of Kulman. “When he gets to the edge, there’s no one catching him.”
Contact Brenden Welper at bwelper@gannett.com. Follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @BrendenWelper.
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Takeaways from Richmond football’s season-opening victory over St. Clair
Reporting by Brenden Welper, Port Huron Times Herald / Port Huron Times Herald
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
