Marion routs Lyons 28-0

The Marion High School football team cruised to a 28-0 win on Friday night.

Chase Carlson recorded his first touchdown grab of the year, a 29-yarder from Mitchell Leppke and Marion took a 6-0 lead with 3:19 left in the first quarter. On the play Carlson sprinted straight through double-coverage, but got tangled up with a defender and fell just as he broke into the clear. He kept his eye on the ball and made the catch from the seat of his pants.

?The 6-point lead was all Marion needed from the offense, as the Warrior defense kept the Lions from advancing.

?Lyons appeared distracted and struggled to regain its focus as a team amid homecoming festivities. Lyons committed multiple penalties on several drives?combined with a determine effort by the Warrior defense, the home team faced numerous third-and-long situations on nearly every drive. Marion forced a punt, denying Lyons 13 much-needed yards on its first crack at a third down conversion.

Lyons second drive ended in an interception thrown to Nick Klenda, but the Warriors were unable to strike again before halftime. After the half, Carlson jumped in front of a waiting receiver and caught an interception of his own. But it was not until Leppke broke a 20-yard run with 4:21 left in the third quarter that the Marion offense started to click.

Leppke's burst moved the ball from the 35 yard line down to the 15, and Sheldon Boone pushed forward for 7 more yards on the next play. Austin Hager hammered his way into the end zone on two runs up the middle. Justin Heidebrecht caught the 2-point conversion pass, making it 14-0 Marion with 2:29 left in the third? quarter.

Leppke broke a 33-yard run with 4:22 left in the game, setting up the touchdown he scored on a quarterback sneak 2:37 later. Brian Fruechting tacked on the extra point, and Marion led 21-0.

Hager iced the game with a 35-yard interception return and Fruechting drilled his second extra point, making it 28-0 with 1:19 to go.?

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