Heading into Friday?s matchup at Hutchinson Trinity, head coach Grant Thierolf said the Warriors needed to increase their physicality. Marion did just that, defeating the Celtics on their homecoming night, 28-8.
Marion drew first blood in the contest. Three plays into the Warriors? second drive, Jack Schneider completed a 27-yard strike to Mason Pedersen to put the Warriors in the red zone. Two plays later, Schneider found the end zone on a 14-yard run. The two-point conversion attempt failed, giving Marion a 6-0 lead with 5:16 left in the first period.
The Warrior defense forced a turnover on downs, and the first quarter ended with Marion on the move, ahead by six.
Aaron Riggs punched in Marion?s second score of the evening from 4 yards out, capping a 15-play, 65-yard drive. Schneider?s two-point conversion made it 14-0 with 7:22 left in the half.
Trinity?s offense showed signs of life after that, gaining momentum with Adam Sattler?s 35-yard running play on first down. But after advancing to the Warrior 4-yard line, Trinity lost 4 yards in three plays to face fourth-and-goal from the 8, only to be aided by a false start penalty against Marion. The Celtics scored on the next play when Angel Martinez scooped up a low pass from Nolan Hughes in the end zone for a touchdown. The two-point conversion made it 14-8 with 3:25 left in the half.
In what was perhaps the turning point of the game, Marion orchestrated one final scoring drive before halftime, shifting the momentum back in the Warriors? favor. The Warriors advanced from the Trinity 46 to the Trinity 18 thanks to a hard run by Schneider coupled with a Sedgwick penalty. Four plays later, on fourth-and-5 from the 13, Schneider completed a 9-yard pass to Corbin Wheeler, and Wheeler ran in for the 4-yard score on the next play. The two-point conversion failed, giving Marion a 20-8 lead, which held to halftime.
In a scoreless third quarter, Pedersen ended a Trinity drive with an interception, and Marion saw a Wheeler touchdown negated by a holding penalty. The Warriors suffered two turnovers in the period.
The Warriors tacked on a final score with 6:56 left in the game when Schneider ran untouched for a 40-yard score. Wheeler?s two-point conversion brought it to the final, 28-8, margin.
Trinity?s final drive stalled at the Warrior 17-yard line, and Marion was able to run out the final 3:09.
Marion tallied 352 yards of total offense, including 298 rushing yards. Schneider was Marion?s leading rusher, carrying the ball 17 times for 122 yards and two touchdowns. Riggs also surpassed the century-mark with 19 carries for 101 yards and one score. Through the air, Schneider was 3-for-8 for 54 yards and one interception. Marion limited Trinity to 168 yards of total offense, including 154 rushing yards and 14 passing yards.
Coming?Marion (2-0) will travel to Remington Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff. Remington comes into the game after suffering a 51-24 loss to Sedgwick.
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