RAPID CITY - The game may not have been over before it started. However, it was over soon after, as the St. Thomas More Cavaliers dismantled Chamberlain, 57-6, in a mercy-rule shortened high school football game Friday night at Dutton Field.

The Cavaliers pinned Chamberlain deep in their own territory early in the game and a relentless defense blitzed and swarmed ball carriers forcing three and outs on almost every possession. The result was a short field for the Cavalier offense for the entire first half. The Cavaliers started every possession of the first half inside Chamberlain territory.

"Every week we rely on our defense," said St. Thomas More head coach Wayne Sullivan, "again this week they did their job. We're also blessed with a kicker that kicks it in the end zone and forces teams to go 80 yards, and it's hard to do that against our defense."

On offense, St. Thomas More wasted little time putting points on the board, scoring in 15 seconds, when Jared Jacobson started the opening drive with a 33-yard scamper which set up a 6-yard touchdown run by Zach Cimburek for an early 7-0 lead.

"The offensive line really came out focused tonight," said Cimburek. "They did a great job, and I just followed behind them."

St. Thomas More put together all three facets of the game, also having a great night on special teams. Kicker Kevin Robb tallied 13 points for St. Thomas More, going 7-for-7 on extra points, and 2-for-2 on field goals, and the return teams racked up 126 return yards in the first half, including a 32-yard punt return for a touchdown by Parker Sullivan, which gave St. Thomas More a 23-0 lead with four minutes still remaining in the first quarter.

Cimburek scored his second of three touchdowns on the next possession, a 1-yard run, giving the Cavaliers a 30-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

But it wasn't only Cimburek who followed the big boys up front. Jacobson had all day to throw the ball, hooking up with Sullivan on a 30-yard touchdown strike, his second score of the night, and later finding Conor Casey on a

51-yard bomb late in the third quarter.

Jacobson had three touchdown passes and no interceptions in the game.

"The front five accepted the challenge tonight. Homecoming week is always horrendous for coaches with all the festivities," said Sullivan. "But we came ready to play, our running back Zach Cimburek did a great job, and so did Jared Jacobson who made some good reads and threw the ball well. Offensively we clicked and we're going to need that moving forward in our schedule."

St. Thomas More (4-0 overall) travels to Winner next Friday.