Sports editor
The scoreboard operators aren’t going to be putting in for overtime pay, but it didn’t matter to the Marion High School football team.
Drew Maddox scored on a three-yard run with 10:38 left in the fourth quarter Friday as the Warriors escaped Hoisington with a 6-0 victory.
Maddox, who had 49 yards on eight carries, wasn’t about to hog the glory.
“It was a team effort,” the junior said. “We just kept pounding the ball at them and finally got it in the end zone.”
As a team, the Warriors (4-1) rushed for 222 yards on 43 carries, and threw for 92 as well.
Perimeter runners Maddox and Marc Washington had a combined 85 yards on 16 carriers, while feature back Sheldon Boone pounded away for 68 yards on 16 carries.
“We were way better on the perimeter, and that’s what we challenged our kids with,” MHS head coach Grant Thierolf said.
However, it was the defense that really shined during the night.
It was the second straight shutout for Marion who has not allowed a point since the third quarter of a Sept. 19, 21-14 victory against Nickerson.
“The kids just played the way we thought they were capable all year,” MHS defensive coordinator Jerry Smith said. “I’m just as proud as punch of these guys.”
In the Cardinals’ three victories this year, they have outscored opponents 128-21.
“Our defense has played better every week, and to shut their team down the way we did is impressive,” Thierolf said.
To the Saturday morning newspaper reader the game may not have seemed exciting, but don’t tell that to anyone involved.
“It was awesome. We’ve come a long way since our freshman year,” quarterback Mitchell Leppke said.
The senior was 6-10 passing for 92 yards, and ran for 69 yards on nine attempts, including a 50-yard run early in the second quarter.
The Warriors didn’t score on the drive, something that proved to be a theme of the game.
Each defense stepped up when it needed to, especially the Warriors.
When the Cardinals (3-2) drove into Warrior territory on the opening drive, Leppke recovered a fumble on the Warrior 28-yard line.
On Hoisington’s next drive, Tylor Neil stopped the Cardinals on a fourth-and-goal from the three with a tackle in the backfield.
Another tough defensive stand forced a missed field goal from the Cardinals, and three second-half punts kept Hoisington out of the end zone as well.
Special teams played a pivotal part in the game as well.
One of the biggest plays in the game came at the start of the fourth quarter when Marion faced fourth-and-two on its own 47.
Thierolf was forced to call a timeout because they had only 10 men on the field. After the timeout, the Warriors pulled off a fake punt that eventually won the game for them.
Mitch Cady snapped the ball to Leppke who ran to the right, avoided a tackled, slipped left, and 14 yards later ended up on the Cardinal 39.
Six plays after the gutsy move, Maddox plunged in for the game-winning score.
“I thought the kids did what we asked of them extremely well,” Thierolf said. “I’m just very proud of them.
“The thing I’m most excited about is that we played together as team.”
Linebacker Brad Klenda, who had 11 tackles and a pass break, agreed.
“It feels pretty good,” Klenda said of the shutout. “Here lately we’ve been flying around on the field, keeping everything positive.”
Whatever the defense is doing is working.
“Jerry had a great scheme, but more importantly our kids are starting to play together,” Thierolf said.
Whether a 6-0 victory is going to get people talking or not, doesn’t matter to anyone on the Warrior sideline.
“That seems to be the way we play our games,” Thierolf said. “That’s fine. We’re just going to keep playing hard and getting better.”
Both sides of the ball did that for the Warriors, especially the aerial attack.
Luke Gordon caught four passes for 64 yards, and Eric Vogel had his first two catches of the season totaling 28 yards.
“Our passing game stepped up tonight,” Thierolf said. “We played a full 48 [minutes]. And that’s what we need to do.”
Marion plays host to Ellinwood at 7 p.m. Friday in the final game before district play.
For more game coverage see Page 12.