NEW MARTINSVILLE — Monroe Central has sputtered since starting the season 2-0, losing its last three games.

A trip to Alumni Field at Bill Stewart Stadium to face an equally struggling Magnolia squad was just the right cure.

Monroe Central used a fast and powerful running game, as well as some timely turnovers, to spoil Homecoming for Magnolia with a 51-13 rout.

“Both of us were in the same position coming in with losses in the past weeks and trying to get on the right path,” Monroe Central coach Josh Ischy said. “I was pleased with our effort and execution was better than it has been in the past few weeks. Still a lot to improve upon and we have a tough road to hoe coming up. We have to get a lot better, but it is nice to get off that schneid and get a win.”

For the Seminoles (3-3), it was nothing fancy. They have two dynamic players in their backfield in quarterback Malachi Rose-Burton and bruiser Alex Kilburn.

The two combined for only 14 carries, but turned those into 298 yards and four touchdowns (Kilburn 9-180-3td, Rose-Burton 5-118-td).

Most of the damage was done in first quarter as the Blue Eagles (0-5) had no answer for the duo.

Kilburn opened the scoring with a 44-yard touchdown run on third-and-4, breaking a host of Magnolia tackles and charging into the end zone for a 7-0 lead.

It was the first of three straight plays that turned into Seminoles touchdowns.

After a Magnolia three-and-out, Kilburn took the handoff and had an easier run this time, going up the middle untouched from 59 yards for a score.

Following another Blue Eagles punt that pinned the Seminoles back on their 20, Rose-Burton got in on the fun, taking the snap himself around the left side and down a sideline 80 yards for a 20-0 lead.

“It was one of those things were we felt we had a couple solid things we felt we could do,” Ischy said. “The big start was huge after the last few weeks where we gave up the opening score. I still think we are searching for that consistent effort. But we started off hot and we were able to ride that wave for a while.”

Even when Monroe Central made a mistake, it was able to rectify it.

Magnolia’s Gavin Postlethwait intercepted Rose-Burton at the Blue Eagles 4 to kill a drive at the start of the second quarter.

Two plays later, Rose-Burton returned the favor, picking off a Caden Cisar pass and returning it 29 yards for a touchdown.

On the ensuing Magnolia possession, Cisar was intercepted by Talin Babcock, who went 70 yards the other way.

Monroe Central also intercepted a pass in the end zone as Austin Hogue snuffed out a scoring drive before halftime.

“We had some adversity hit here the last couple weeks,” Magnolia coach Dave Chapman said. “These guys trust and believe in each other and it has been tough. You try to keep the kids motivated and try to keep plugging away.

“We need to focus on getting better each day, each week and the wins will take care of themselves. Attitude and effort. The guys are hurting, but you have to continue to play. We just didn’t make the plays, missed a few tackles and we didn’t execute offensively. The guys are capable, but we have to get them to play a little beyond what they think they can do.”

Jagger Keylor had a solid day in relief for the Seminoles, rushing nine times for 74 yards and two touchdowns.

Magnolia got late touchdowns as Cisar connected with Postlethwait for 64 yards and Silas McKeever ran one in from 36.