Staff photo / Preston Byers Girard quarterback AJ Pearson (2) celebrates with running back Sam Scott (28) during the first half of Friday's game against Struthers.

GIRARD — Friday’s Northeast 8 Conference opener between 3-0 Girard and 0-3 Struthers played out much like their respective records would indicate.

The Indians entered Week 4 averaging more than 55 points per game and having won their games by an average of 33 points. Conversely, the Wildcats arrived in Girard having scored 26 points all season and with an average margin of defeat of 35 points.

The trends continued Friday, with Girard squashing Struthers in a 48-12 rout at Arrowhead Stadium.

“Our kids were locked in and focused. … Our kids were ready to go, and we came out and we executed. We played fast on defense and made big stops, and our offense continued to be explosive,” Girard coach Pat Pearson said.

While almost the entire game decidedly belonged to the Indians, the Wildcats did immediately catch their opponents by surprise.

On the opening kickoff, Struthers kicker Anthony Pastella lightly tapped the top of the ball with his toe for an onside kick. The ball, which hit a Girard player, eventually bounced into the arms of Pastella.

With some unexpected momentum, the Wildcats’ offense, with a backup quarterback in Pastella starting, took over at their own 44. But the momentum and energy would quickly dissipate.

Three plays after recovering his kick, Pastella punted for the first time Friday, pinning the Indians inside their own 5-yard line.

Field position ultimately mattered very little to Girard, though.

Quarterback AJ Pearson got the Indians out of danger with his legs, and with his arm, he connected with Mario Lipinski for a 32-yard pass and catch.

Following another Pearson run to get the Indians down to the one-yard line, Girard back Sam Scott capped off the 98-yard drive for the first score.

After another three-and-out by Struthers, the Indians made their next trip to the end zone a much more abbreviated one.

In less than 90 seconds of game time, Pearson found Scott, Lipinski and Braxton Sloan through the air before powering through would-be tacklers and stretching the ball across the plane for a rushing touchdown.

Struthers again went without a first down, punting the ball away with less than 20 seconds left in the opening quarter.

On the first play of the next drive, Pearson linked up with Jadon Wade, who ran the rest of the way for a 63-yard touchdown.

One of Struthers’ best offensive possessions followed, which included their first first down of the game. But a desperation heave by Pastella soon thereafter fell into the awaiting hands of Girard’s Lipinski.

Capitalizing on the interception, the Indians efficiently drove 85 yards for another score.

Following another ineffective Struthers drive, Girard went more than 90 yards with a Pearson-to-Wade touchdown pass on the first play of the possession.

On their next drive, the Indians scored quickly again; a 67-yard pass to Tremaine Kennedy did most of the work before Scott made it a 41-0 game.

To begin the second half, the entirety of which featured a running clock, Struthers drove down the field against the Indians’ reserves. Pastella carried the ball in from a yard out to end any shutout hopes for Girard. The two-point try was unsuccessful. The Indians and Wildcats each scored once more over the quick 24 minutes of game time.

The Wildcats (0-4, 0-1 NE8) will be back at home next week, when they host perennial league winner South Range.

“What we’re trying to do is handle adversity. That is something we are not doing well right now, so that’s something that we keep trying to tell them,” Struthers head coach John Pascarella said. “When we go down one or two scores, we gotta get that warrior mentality to keep fighting. We did see some of the guys step up and do that today, but we’re just gonna need more guys to keep that mentality.”

Girard (4-0, 1-0) plays at home vs. Garaway in its final non-conference game of the regular season next Friday.