Fourth-ranked Mesa Mountain View used clock management, pounding the ball Friday to beat Phoenix St. Mary’s.

SLIDESHOW: Friday night high school football

The Toros peppered St. Mary’s with simple passes and the run to efficiently run out to a 20-0 lead in the first 10 minutes and never looked back in a 51-14 rout of the visiting Knights.

“Coach Joe (Tom Joseph) calls good plays. He puts us in situations to win,” quarterback Blake Decker said.

Mountain View (2-0) was so efficient it needed just a little more than five minutes to score twice while holding the St. Mary’s offense at bay for much of the first half. The Knights didn’t help matters by fumbling twice — once inside their own 5 — and committing five scrimmage penalties in the first half.

“We knew they were bigger than us offensively but a little undisciplined, so they were going to penetrate. We knew to move the ball and take advantage of their aggressiveness,” Joseph said. “Our kids did a good job in the first half doing that.”

Decker hit his first five passes and coasted to a 10 of 14 first half for 139 yards and three touchdowns.

“We were just going to take what they were going to give us,” Joseph said. “They were going to let us throw the ball at the beginning, and then anytime they blitzed we were going to throw the ball, too.”

Little Alex Salas only carried the ball six times in the first 24 minutes, but three were for touchdowns.

“It was all based on the defense last week; they played the pass,” Decker said. “(But) this week they gave it to us. Coach Joe plans well.”

Decker added another touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.

“Last week it was the first game,” Decker said. “We just put it all together this week. It clicked, they came through and this is what we are hoping to do the rest of the season.”

Decker found Connor Knoles and Jordan Frost in the flat on the first drive before connecting with Daniel Clemons on a 6-yard score, needing just two minutes to cover 69 yards.

Then, Mountain View went back to the run but quickly drove a short field, with Salas scoring from the 3.

After St. Mary’s fumbled at its 3, Decker hit Nate Birtcher with a little pass over a tight formation and it was 20-0 with 2:33 left in the first period.

“Control the line of scrimmage — we aren’t very big but our kids put their heads in there,” Joseph said.