Warrior’s first half crush sends Ellinwood to 48-21 loss

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN TOM STOPPEL
You know it’s not a good sign for the home team when the largest cheer comes at halftime during a field-goal kicking contest.

That was the scenario Friday at Ellinwood as the Marion Warriors rolled to a 48-7 halftime lead on the way to a 48-21 win.

Parlaying four Eagle turnovers into touchdowns, Marion’s opportunistic offense and crushing defense made it easy to see which team was undefeated and which team was still searching for its first victory.

“It was a good half for us,” coach Grant Thierolf said in perhaps the understatement of the year. “We challenged our kids all week long to come out and play fast and to get after every possession on every play. I thought for the most part we did that in the first half.”

It didn’t take long for the first feather to fall from the Eagles’ tail.

After botching the opening kickoff and opening shop on its own 6-yard line, Ellinwood fumbled on its second play and Marion’s Russell Ploutz recovered the ball on the Eagle 11.

Four plays later, Casey Nelson blasted into the end zone on a fourth-and-one to put Marion on top 7-0 less than three minutes into the contest.

The Eagles began their second possession on their own 20-yard line, but three plays later they punted and Marion had the ball on its own 45-yard line.

After quarterback Josh Kelsey hooked up with Ploutz for a 15-yard gain, the Warriors used a little trickery. Kelsey handed off to Jason Hett, who pulled up and hit David DeForest down the sideline for a 40-yard scoring strike with 6:53 left in the first quarter.

“Jason is a good athlete and Dave made a good catch and run,” Thierolf said. “Sometimes you call plays and they work and sometimes they don’t.”

Although the extra-point attempt was blocked, Marion led 13-0.

Marion’s next kickoff provided one of the few bright spots for the Eagles as diminutive return specialist Nathan Cass (5-feet, 2-inches, 130 pounds) returned the ball to the Eagle 48 yard line, setting up Ellinwood’s only first half scoring drive.

After the Eagles moved to the Warrior 17, a one-yard run, an incomplete pass and a quarterback sack by Emmanuel Jackson, they faced fourth-and-14 at the 21-yard line.

But quarterback Jason Wahlmeier connected with Josh Williams across the middle for a 20-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 13-7 with 2:47 to left in the quarter.

Unfazed, Marion responded with a four-play, 65-yard drive as Kelsey connected with Jason Hett for the final 43 yards and a 21-7 lead at the 1:46 mark.

Thierolf said the emphasis on the passing game wasn’t necessarily a by-product of innovative coaching and scouting.

“We’re probably the least game-planning coaching staff. We just do what we do and if they’re good enough to stop us, that’s fine,” he said. “We’re going to go out and take advantage of what we think we see.

“Fortunately, we’ve got good skill people at every position and that helps.”

The penalty-free first quarter ended with Marion on top 21-7 and it wasn’t until midway through the second stanza that the Warriors again threatened.

With the Eagles in a first-and-10 situation, linebacker Casey Nickelson stepped into the passing lane for his first interception of the season on the Warrior 28-yard line.

“Casey had a great interception,” Thierolf said. “Our defense was just flying around to the ball and I was very pleased with that tonight.”

True to form, it took the Warriors only four plays to capitalize on the turnover as Nelson blasted into the end zone from two yards out to put Marion on top 27-7 with 7:11 left in the half.

Ellinwood had the ball only three plays on its next possession before Jason Hett picked off a Wahlmeier pass at the Eagle 15-yard line.

Four plays later, Kelsey scored from four yards out and Marion owned a commanding 34-7 lead with 2:40 left in the half.

After the Warrior kickoff sailed out of bounds, Ellinwood set up shop on its own 35-yard line. Three plays produced just seven yards however, forcing another punt.

This time coach Monte Doll called for a fake punt, but Jason Hett intercepted the pass and returned the ball to the Eagle 40.

Striking while the iron was hot, Kelsey hit Ploutz along the Ellinwood sideline for a 40-yard touchdown strike on first down. Marion led 41-7 with 2:31 to play in the half.

“We really focused on getting Russell some touches, being it’s his home town,” Thierolf said. “I know that means a lot to kids.”

Ellinwood’s hope to mount one final drive in the half ended when Adam Depler fell on another Eagle fumble at the Ellinwood 34.

From there, Nelson covered the distance on runs of 19 and 15 yards as Marion’s lead ballooned to 48-7.

“It’s important to take advantage of turnovers,” Thierolf said. “That’s where you hope the kids develop that ‘put-away,’ where if you get a team down, you can put them away. I thought we exhibited that tonight.”

The half ended with the Warriors rolling up 257 total yards compared to 106 for the Eagles.

Invoking the 35-point rule, the clock ran continuously in the second half as Marion cleared its bench.

Ellinwood turned a Marion turnover into a two-play, 15-yard scoring drive and also saw Williams score on a 47-yard s run for the only points of the half.

“The young kids made some plays,” Thierolf said of his reserves. “That’s the fun part. The starters deserved the opportunity to stand on the sidelines and enjoy the game.”

Marion finished the game with 164 yards rushing-with 85 for Nelson on nine carries-and a season-high 151 yards through the air.

Kelsey completed five of eight passes for 111 yards. Jason Hett had the other 40 yards.

Michael Brookens led the defense with 10 solo tackles and two assists.

“Michael Brookens was fantastic,” Thierolf said. “He made three-fourths of our tackles in the first half. They could not block him and he would not be blocked.”

Coming-With the win, Marion improves to 4-0 in the MCAA and 5-0 overall. The Warriors will play host to undefeated Hoisington Friday in Marion to determine the Mid Division championship for 2005.

“We know (Hoisington) is big and physical and they have a great running back and a very good quarterback,” Thierolf said. “It’s going to be a heck of a challenge for us because they’re well coached.”

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