CHARLESTON, Mo. — Flexing its muscles in all aspects of the game, Charleston ran roughshod over Malden at John H. Marshall Field on Friday, Sep. 13.

The Blue Jays’ (2-1) balanced performance across all three phases of the game led to a lopsided 54-20 win over the Green Wave (0-3).

“We had to come out, make a statement and improve from the last two weeks,” said Charleston coach Justin Hutchings. “We did that tonight by playing great defense and showing we can score in multiple ways.”

Malden fumbled the opening kickoff of the game, giving Charleston a short field to work with. The Blue Jays capitalized on the takeaway when Trenez Lane rushed for a 24-yard touchdown.

Charleston converted multiple fourth downs on the drive, thanks to the efforts of running back Trez Clark, who also ran in the 2-point conversion to make it 8-0 with 8:21 left in the opening quarter.

The Blue Jays also extended the drive with a key fourth-and-11 conversion after Chason Kearby connected with Kaden Branam for a 17-yard throw and catch.

“I know if that happens to us, it kind of takes the wind out of your sails a little bit,” Hutchings said. “We did an excellent job of staying composed after numerous setbacks.”

Charleston forced Malden to punt on the ensuing drive, and Bernard Betts returned the punt approximately 70 yards for a touchdown, cutting across the field and through the defense. Kearby’s completion to Betts on the 2-point conversion made it 16-0 with 7:19 left in the first quarter.

Charleston extended the lead to 24-0 with a well-executed play-action pass where Kearby hit Betts for a 31-yard touchdown pass with 10:21 left in the second quarter. Kearby then found Betts again on the 2-point conversion.

The Blue Jays’ Jamarius Riggins and CJ Kimble combined to force and recover a fumble on the next drive, while Keishundrau Orr forced another fumble that Jaxon Hightower recovered later in the first half.

Charleston increased the lead after a 28-yard touchdown run by Betts with 9:18 until halftime. DeShaun Henderson steamrolled his way into the endzone on the 2-point conversion to make it 32-0.

“[Betts] a versatile, all-around baller,” Hutchings said. “He gets it done on offense, defense and special teams.”

Malden was able to narrow the lead to 32-6 with a 69-yard touchdown pass at the 8:10 mark of the second quarter.

However, Charleston responded with an 8-yard touchdown run by CJ Kimble with 5:26 until halftime to make 40-6.

“We did a phenomenal job on defense and special teams,” Hutchings said. “We were pounding the ball on offense and utilizing different weapons on the outside. We played a complete football game.”

Charleston pushed the lead to 54-6 midway through the third quarter after another touchdown run by Betts (10 yards) and a 40-yard interception returned for a touchdown by Branam.

“I wanted to fake a blitz and have him drop back into that spot,” Hutchings said. “I knew he was going to have a shot. He snagged it and didn’t know he could run that fast.”

Malden narrowed the final margin to 54-20 after a pair of late touchdown receptions by Dyentez Dobbins.

Charleston’s ground game was a dominant force, rushing for 248 yards on 37 attempts. Clark led the charge with 19 carries for 105 yards, while Kimble added nine carries for 77 yards and a touchdown.

Through the air, Kearby completed 7-of-11 passes for 119 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

“Our quarterback did a great job of managing his space and throwing the ball well,” Hutchings said. “We had some great route combinations and he did a great job.”

Betts was a dual threat, rushing for 44 yards and two touchdowns while also catching three passes for 46 yards and another touchdown. Betts’ four total touchdowns were a significant factor in Charleston’s victory, demonstrating his versatility and impact on the team.

Malden struggled to generate offense, rushing for just 9 yards on 13 attempts. Their passing game was more productive, with completions on 8-of-18 attempts for 196 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.

Next Friday, Charleston hosts Caruthersville (3-0), while Malden travels to Sikeston (1-2).