AUBURN – Sure, rain and mud can be the great equalizers in high school football. Or they can make a triple-threat athlete such as Josh DiBattista infinitely more dangerous.

While would-be Edward Little High School tacklers, receivers and punt returners fought to keep their footing Friday night at weather-beaten Walton Field, Mt. Ararat High School quarterback, defensive back and punter DiBattista looked like he was performing his handiwork on artificial turf.

DiBattista scored all five touchdowns – three on the ground, two courtesy of interception returns – and powered Mt. Ararat to a convincing 35-7 victory.

After scoring runs of 3 and 46 yards to give the Eagles (4-3) a 14-7 halftime lead, DiBattista dashed 40 yards to the end zone on Mt. Ararat’s fourth play from scrimmage in the third quarter.

Later, he applied the exclamation point with returns of 15 and 45 yards in the final 3:16.

“It was up there,” DiBattista said of where the game ranked among his personal best. “The plays were just there to be made.”

DiBattista rushed 24 times for 161 yards, a total that was kept beneath the two-century mark by a flurry of high and fumbled snaps in the first half.

As if his contributions on both sides of the ball weren’t enough, DiBattista also punted six times for an average of 46.7 yards. He pinned the Red Eddies (1-6) inside their own 20-yard line with five of those boots and was visibly angry himself for the lone kick that dribbled across the stripe for a touchback.

“He’s a great, great football player. He’s a fantastic athlete,” said EL coach Darren Hartley. “But I give a lot of credit to their staff. They use their personnel very well.”

Two textbook option plays spelled doom for the Eddies.

Mt. Ararat took possession just on the business side of midfield after EL’s fourth three-and-out of the first half. DiBattista faked a toss to Will Brown, put the ball on his hip, head-faked two defenders near the 40 and raced down the home sideline.

“They were trying to stuff the middle. I told (Coach Mark LaFountain) the bootleg was there,” DiBattista said. “He said run it, and it worked to perfection. It was just great blocking and good teamwork.”

EL marched 67 yards in 13 plays just before the half, with an assist from two Mt. Ararat penalties, and Dylon Therrien barreled in from a yard out with 50 seconds remaining. Cody Goddard’s extra point made it 14-7 at the half.

It only took four plays after intermission for the Eagles to double that cushion, with a 40-yard tuck-and-run by DiBattista that was a virtual replay – albeit in the opposite direction – of the second-quarter strike.

“We expected that any time they were going to spread us out and run some kind of option play, we were going to see a pitch fake and a keep,” Hartley said. “They balanced us up with their little inside zone, and then when they needed a play most, they got one.”

Field position was abysmal for the Red Eddies after the Eagles’ third touchdown, thanks again to DiBattista. Ensuing drives started at the 35, 19, 20 and 3 (twice).

QB Cody Goddard had another strong night directing the Eddies’ junior-dominated and injury-laden offense, completing 13 of 33 attempts for 167 yards. Shane Ciriello (four catches, 84 yards) was the primary target.

Mt. Ararat is ensured of its first season at .500 or better since returning to Class A football after an absence of nearly two decades. EL, down to fewer than 30 healthy bodies, will host its de facto playoff game against heavily favored rival Lewiston next Saturday.

“We’re just so darned thin, and we can’t wave magic wands. Our guys are out here giving everything they have. We’re suffering, we’re hurting, and we’re trying to stay positive. We’re just up against it right now,” Hartley said.