This was no easy task.

Heck, anyone that plays Schuylkill Haven knows what they are in for.

It is simple: Niko, Niko and Colton — three terrific, talented running backs that can bruise you, beat you up, and then give you a na na goodbye.

Niko Carestia, Niko Castillo and Colton Reber are a load, and it showed on Friday evening at Men of Marian Stadium on Stan Dakosty Field. The trio was like a mafia hit team, no idea which one is coming at you first. Of course, Carestia is the heavy; he’s a bolt of lightning, quick, strong and passionate when he puts his paws on the pigskin. He lit up the stadium with 281 yards rushing and raced into the end zone on a 35-yard scoot that capped an 8-play, 98-yard drive. The longest of the season, the drive pushed the Hurricanes to a 28-0 halftime lead.

The payload on this particular night belonged to Castillo. He churned out 147 yards on 10 touches. The junior hit the end zone three times on runs of 22, 57 and 1 yard, while Reber found the end zone with a 1-yard run for the game’s first touchdown.

“We are very unselfish,” Castillo said when asked about his night. “But it doesn’t happen if our offensive line (fails) to block. It’s all about our line, they give us the holes and we just make it happen.”

This has been a lethal bunch, save for an opening-night loss to Blue Mountain, as they sprint to the finish line and now sit at 6-1, as well as being the odds-on favorite to go unscathed the remainder of the regular season. The Haven offense combined for 521 yards rushing.

Of course, at times things didn’t sit well with the chief, Mike Farr.

“Darn it we aren’t where we should be on some of our blocking,” he said, expressing his desire for better execution. “You know (our linemen) have played 44 games (career) and we still miss some blocks.”

When asked about the mafia hit team he quickly smiled.

“They complement each other, they’re so balanced … they have burst,” he pointed out.

Haven has had its share of superb runners, but never a triumvirate that can tote the ball and score from any part of the field.

“Nope, nope, nope,” Farr said emphatically. “I’ve had two, never three. (Carestia) has that balance and is still trying to learn that fullback spot.”

Marian never could get its offense off the ground. Unlike a week ago in a victory over Minersville, the Colts never used its milk-the-clock approach. In fact, Marian went airborne on its first three plays.

“We thought we could hit one down the field early in the game,” head coach Billy O’Gurek said. “We knew their line was so big and their linebackers are (very active) quick, and we knew it was going to be so hard running the ball.”

O’Gurek hoped the aggressive approach may have caught Haven off balance.

“They’re really good, and we wanted to give them a different look,” he said.

But it was to no avail, as the Hurricanes never bit on the passing attack. Marian could never get in any kind of an offensive flow. And it showed by game’s end: The Colts had a paltry 22 net yards rushing and 10 passing yards.

“We changed our defense after the first game,” Castillo said. “I was at linebacker before switching to the secondary. We’re all settled in with the defense now.”

Haven went bang-bang in the opening quarter, putting together a four-play drive as Reber finished off the 56-yard march. On its second try, Haven jacked the count to 14-0, with Castillo scoring on his 22-yard.

Carestia set the tables on this drive, blowing past Marian’s defense with a 51-yard dash. Castillo was the gangbuster on the next Haven possession, racing 57 yards and juking his way through the defense. Before the half closed, Carestia zipped into the end zone for the fourth Haven touchdown.

Haven started the running clock on the first possession of the second half, a six-play march to pay dirt, with Castillo cracking the goal line from a yard out and Reber adding the deuce.

QUOTABLE … “Our guys fought hard, but Castillo, Carestia and Reber are pretty explosive.” O’Gurek said of Haven’s powerful trio.

BIG AND STRONG … Haven’s Adam Malinoski (220), Wyatt Keefer (285), Nate Chamberlain (220) and Chase Williams (335) are a brick wall that stuffs the opposing team’s offensive attack.

STILL DINGED … Marian continues to keep plugging away, from Mike Gelatko to Chase and Charles Hower to Rory Dixon and the interior line. The Colts came up short in trying to stay with Haven, but so do a lot of teams.

Schuylkill Haven 36, Marian 0

Schuylkill Haven 14 14 8 0 - 36

Marian 0 0 0 0 -0

Scoring summary

SH – Reber 1 run (run failed)

SH – Castillo 22 run (Carestia run)

SH – Castillo 57 run (pass fail)

SH – Carestia 35 run (Reber run)

SH – Castillo 1 run (Reber run)