SLIPPERY ROCK - Marquis Alston is a true Greyhound, as the Slippery Rock High School football team's defensive unit became painfully aware Friday night.

Alston, a 5-foot-9, 165-pound speedster, turbo-charged his way to a pair of long touchdown runs - 64 and 61 yards - to lead visiting Wilmington to its sixth win in eight games this fall and fifth in seven region games with a 34-6 win over the Rockets Friday night.

He was the big reason Slippery Rock, despite getting 171 yards on 34 carries from senior fullback Trevor Gallo, fell to 3-5, 2-5.

The biggest reason, though - at least in Slippery Rock coach Clyde Conti's mind - is that the hosts could not stick to their game plan.

"We wanted to hold onto the football and eat up time with drives," he said, "and we did a good job of that in the first half. But, in the second half, we didn't do that, and that was key."

The Rockets drove 80 yards in 15 plays and ate up just less than eight minutes of time on their second possession of the game to take a 6-0 lead with 10:48 left in the second quarter.

Gallo capped the drive with a 4-yard scoring burst off tackle before a pass play off a fake extra point kick failed.

Slippery Rock had another impressive drive going on its next possession, when it moved 30 yards in six plays to the Greyhounds' 43-yard line , but stalled out.

The Rockets were never really in the game after that. Alston sprinted to the end zone on the second play on the ensuing possession to bring the guests even at 6 before Nick Riggall kicked what proved to be the game-winning extra point at 3:30 of the second period.

Wilmington forced the Rockets into a three-and-out series, then went 62 yards in only four plays on their next possession to take a 14-6 lead with 32 seconds left before halftime.

Zac Hostetler connected with David Maret for a 15-yard touchdown pass to cap the drive.

The Rockets threatened to close the gap in the final seconds of the first half. Gallo galloped 42 yards and Ben Collins connected with David Bauer for a 22-yard gain on back-to-back plays to move the ball to the Greyhounds' 25, but David Bicehouse's 42-yard field goal attempt on the final play of the half fell short of the crossbar.

Alston took away any remaining suspense when he sprinted 61 yards to the end zone on the second play of the final half to give the hosts a 20-6 advantage.

The Hounds' Jonathan Fauzey accounted for the final two Wilmington scores with runs of 3 and 11 yards, each of which came on the heels of a three-and-out series by the Rockets, as the Hounds scored 20 third-quarter points.

"Making them go three-and-out late in the first half and then scoring our second TD was the key part of the game," said Wilmington coach Terry Verrelli. "We hadn't been getting that kind of big defensive play this season.

"And, unfortunately, that's why we aren't going to the playoffs. We just didn't make those kinds of plays when it counted this year against Greenville and Grove City."

Conti sympathized with his coaching counterpart - "Wilmington's got a great football team, and I know they have to be awfully disappointed not to be going to the playoffs."

Conti was more disappointed that Gallo's blue-collar effort in his final home game as a Rocket did not result in a victory.

"Trevor Gallo's done a great job for us this year and for the last three years," Conti said. "He's run the ball very well for us and also played great defense. It will be hard to watch him leave after next week's game."

The Rockets close out their season at Erie McDowell next Friday.

Conti said he and school officials have opted not to seek a 10th game.