PEORIA — Notre Dame didn't really have a one-two punch at running back Friday in a dominating win over Richwoods.

It was more like a one/one-A punch as lifelong friends and football teammates Jack Hanley and Ben Mullens ground up the Knights in a 42-7 victory.

Hanley ran 21 times for 194 yards and a touchdown while backfield partner Mullens churned out 90 yards on 13 touches with three touchdowns. The junior tandem combined for 34 carries, 284 yards and four touchdowns and was all the Irish needed on the way to a 28-0 lead in the game's first 14 minutes.

"Our mindset was to shut them down early, get them to quit," Mullens said. "And that's exactly how it turned out. I think we complement each other well. I have more size and power, Jack has the speed.

"It's a tough combination."

Week 4 coverage: Full recap | All the scores | Top performers

In fact, it's a combination that, through four games now, has produced a combined 796 yards and 13 touchdowns on 97 carries.

"There's no jealousy between us," Hanley said. "We do the work, and for us the only thing that counts is a win. That's what we're both after."

It started in JFL

Hanley and Mullens met as little kids in the Junior Football League, playing for years on the same team together.

"We've known each for years," Hanley said. "We weren't always both running backs, though. Back in JFL, Ben was a guard and I followed him as a running back."

Now they are side-by-side, and what has followed is a 3-1 record overall and in the Big 12 Conference. Richwoods is 1-3 overall and 0-2 in conference play.

The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Hanley has scored a touchdown in every game this season, and has 57 carries for 609 yards and eight touchdowns overall. The 6-foot, 205-pound Mullens has 40 carries, 187 yards and five touchdowns.

"It just depends on the game, what those numbers look like for us," Hanley said. "Ben is such a hard worker, he's always prepared and it's fun to watch him play."

Said Mullens: "Jack is such a big part of us, a leader."

How 42-7 happened

Notre Dame jumped out 7-0 when Mullens finished a drive with a 5-yard TD carry at 6:28 of the first quarter.

Senior linebacker Matt Baker picked off Richwoods quarterback Joell Sturdivant at the 50 on the Knights answering drive.

Six plays later, it was 15-0 after Hanley had runs of 10 and 23 and then finished off a six-play drive with carry across from the 1 with 1:11 left in the quarter.

Richwoods turned it over again two plays later when Sturdivant fumbled a shotgun snap and Notre Dame recovered at the 41.

More PND: Notre Dame has a history of all-state linemen. The latest is also a Division-I prospect

Mullens finished that off three plays later with a push across from the 1 for 21-0 with 2.6 seconds left in the quarter.

The Knights got on the board with 9:56 left in the second quarter when Sturdivant passed 45 yards to senior receiver Mason Hawkins down the right sideline for a touchdown.

But Notre Dame took its next possession and ground out a nine-play, 61-yard drive in which Hanley and Mullens carried seven times. Hanley finished it with a 16-yard scoring run for a 35-7 lead with 5:36 left in the half.

The Irish tacked on one more big drive, a 14-play, 68-yard power move in which Hanley carried six times and Mullens finished with a plunge from the 1 for 42-7 with 8:04 left in the fourth quarter.

Richwoods got 8-of-21 passing for 131 yards, a touchdown and an interception from Sturdivant.

The Knights had 56 rushing yards on 16 carries, plus 131 by air. Notre Dame had 423 yards total, including a ground effort that produced 55 carries for 376 yards and five touchdowns.

Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria Notre Dame football rushing duo added to numbers vs. Richwoods