Staff writer
The Marion High School football team’s hard work during the offseason was apparent Friday on five Moundridge drives the Warriors halted on fourth-down tackles. The plays eventually allowed Marion to win the game, 22-20.
The interior of the Warrior defense clogged all the running lanes for Moundridge running back Trey Unrau on a fourth-and-3 try in the first quarter. Marion defenders forced an incomplete pass on fourth-and-10 later in the first half.
At the end of the third quarter, the Warrior defensive line forced their opposing lineman backward to earn a stop on fourth-and-2.
The Warriors stopped two more drives in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats threw an incomplete pass on fourth-and-20 and the Warriors forced another incomplete pass on a fourth-and-7 pass over the middle that ended the game.
Marion’s leading tackler, Connor Thierolf with 9, said the Warriors played to their assignments, filling running lanes to get stops.
“Everybody played hard and did everything right,” Connor Thierolf said. “It all just started coming together.”
Relief was Connor Thierolf’s reaction on the Warriors most important stop of the game when he tackled a Moundridge running back on a two-point conversion attempt that would have tied the game.
Warrior running back Randy Regnier scored a touchdown to give Marion the lead 20-14 in the fourth quarter. He scored on a 23-yard right side sweep. Les Riggs ran for the two-point conversion, diving between the Warrior tackles.
Regnier broke through to rush for 95 yards on 11 attempts, running for 8.6 yards a carry.
“The line held their blocks really well on the outside,” Regnier said.
He said the Warriors passing game helped take attention away and allowed him to break big runs. Dillon Richmond completed three passes in the first half: Jordan Versch caught a pass on a hook route and broke a tackle to gain 33 yards, Mikael Antoszyk caught a pass in the flat for 5 yards, and Cole Lewman received a 27-yard completion on a straight-line route.
Regnier also gave credit to the bruising style of his counterpart Les Riggs. Riggs ran for 95 yards and scored the Warriors first two touchdowns.
“Les is a really good running back,” Regnier said. “A lot of teams key on that.”
After the Warriors reached the end zone, the Wildcats broke an outside run on a right side counter sweep by Unrau that gained 42 yards. Marion safety Brody Carroll kept Unrau from running past the goal line, but not without drawing a horse-collar penalty. Carroll grabbed Unrau behind his neck on his shoulder pads and threw him to the ground at the 1-yard line.
Although it was a penalty, the play kept Moundridge from scoring on that play and having the penalty yardage accessed on the ensuing kickoff.
“Brody Carroll saved our butts tonight,” coach Grant Thierolf said.
The play was an example of the bend-but-don’t-break defense the Warriors employed Friday. Unrau gained 176 yards on 17 carries; most of the yards were earned on outside runs. He scored the first touchdown of the game on a 94-yard left-side counter sweep, breaking all the way to the east end of the Warrior end zone.
“They’re going to make some plays,” Connor Thierolf said. “That’s just football.”
Connor Thierolf said it was the Warriors’ response to those big plays that showed resilience. After a big play, the Warriors would stop the next run in the backfield.
One of the reasons the Warrior defense was not as opportunistic and fast as it had been in early contests was injuries. Starting defensive end Dakin Ledford was out after suffering an injury against Bennington. Starting defensive tackle Tim Costello was on the sideline with his right arm wrapped.
The Warriors were without two starting linebackers. Colten Johnson was injured against Lyons in the first game of the season. Corey Hiebert left the game against Inman two games previous.
Largely, it was sophomores like Cody Carr and Isaac Baldwin on the defensive line and Carroll in the backfield who filled those positions.
“We had a lot of underclassmen step up and make plays,” Regnier said.
Moundridge quarterback Cooper Wedel eventually dived between his center and left guard on a quarterback sneak to score for the Wildcats.
With the Warriors up two, the Wildcats, who had favored kicking extra points earlier in the contest, had to go for a two-point conversion.
On a right side run, the Warrior defensive line contained their lineman and allowed Connor Thierolf to go free. He promptly registered his most important tackle to retain the Marion lead 22-20.
“We’ve done this a lot,” Regnier said. “Coming down to every player deciding we were going to step up.”
Grant Thierolf said the Warriors ability to make the stops when they needed was the next step in their evolution as a hard working team.
“It’s a byproduct of them never quitting,” he said. “It ain’t pretty. It’s never going to be pretty. They just did what it took.”
Regnier and Connor Thierolf both said their experience on a team that struggled to win a single game in middle school has motivated them to try harder to win.
“We have more heart and desire to win,” Connor Thierolf said.
Coach Thierolf said the team’s effort started with the players who were not out for winter sports last year working out in the weight room in the off-season.
“A lot of guys would take it easy,” coach Thierolf said.
He also said the team’s effort in practice is a factor in its success.
“You can’t underestimate the power of just wanting to play well,” he said. “It’s a group that tries to please as much as they can. I feel bad sometimes for getting on them because they want to do it right.”
The ability of football to be a unifying force for a class is also something not to be underestimated, coach Thierolf added. While many of Marion’s athletes are separated among different sports in the other seasons, football brings most of the athletes into a singular activity.
The camaraderie among team members is high, which bolsters teamwork, coach Thierolf said. Many of the team members cheered on the cross-country team in the rain on Thursday.
“The guys had a blast last night at the cross-country meet,” he said. “Then they came back and focused in practice. That shows maturity.”
While the players have fun with one another, Grant Thierolf enjoys coaching a hardworking team.
“It is so fun to coach kids who don’t know how to quit,” he said.