Celtics shut out Marion

MHSFbvsTrinJohnson899

MHSFbvsTrinJohnson899

They cut down on the big plays that hurt them against Sedgwick last week, but the Marion football team could not match Hutch Trinity?s physicality, losing at home, 21-0.

?I thought, by and large, the game was won up front by Hutch Trinity,? said coach Grant Theirolf. ?Our kids played hard, but they were just a little more physical than we were, and that?s something we just have to change.?

Trinity scored first at 8:35 in the first quarter on a five-yard run from Austin Rea.

Colten Johnson returned the kickoff to the Trinity 15-yard line from about his own 20. But a fumble on the next play gave the ball back to Trinity.

The Celtics drove downfield and scored on a 44-yard pass to Holden Thielen with 2:21 remaining in the first quarter, to make it 14-0.

Johnson ran from his 22-yard line to the Trinity 45 late in the quarter, but the Warriors were unable to turn the yardage into points.

Marion recovered a Celtic fumble with 5:43 left in the second quarter on the 32-yard line, but again could not capitalize on the opportunity.

The score remained 14-0 at halftime.

The Warriors looked like they would get the ball rolling at the beginning of the second half when Johnson ran to the Trinity 20-yard line, but the drive ended with a punt.

Marion again tried to avoid the shutout with a drive into Trinity territory, but fumbled the ball away on the Celtic 30-yard line at the 7:46 mark.

With 4:56 left in the fourth quarter, Rea capped another Celtic drive with a touchdown to make the final score 21-0.

Seconds later, Marion?s Taylor Heidebrecht showed a flash of brilliance, completing a 47-yard pass to Jacob Harper at Trinity?s 19-yard line.

But once again the offense could not cash in the opportunity, turning the ball over on downs at the Trinity 10.

?That first series we didn?t move the ball, we gave them a short field,? Thierolf said, referring to the fact that Marion won the opening toss and chose to receive.

?It proved to be, honestly, a turning point in the game. If we could have gotten a couple first downs, made them work a little bit harder for that first touchdown, it may have changed some things a bit.?

Theirolf was pleased his defense cut down the number of big plays.

?We had one we gave up where we were in position to make a nice play,? Thierolf said. ?And kids will learn how to make that play.

?We?re playing some sophomores. They?re going to think they?re doing it right, and in the right position, but just didn?t make that play.?

He thought the Warriors got better as the game progressed.

?I thought after the first quarter we started getting a feel for what they were doing a little bit, and we were able to at least hold the tide back,? Thierolf said. ?But I don?t think we ever once established dominance on the offense or defense.?

Trinity had 17 first downs and 261 yards in total offense compared to Marion?s seven first downs and 168 yards.

Johnson had 119 rushing yards for the game. Brody Carroll led the defensive efforts with seven tackles and six assists.

The Warriors have suffered injuries on both sides of the ball, with senior running back Mikael Antoszyk and senior tight end/defensive end Dakin Letford still sidelined.

Coming?Marion (4-2, 3-2) opens district play Friday with a Heart of America league game Remington (3-3, 3-2) at home Friday.

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