ARCHIVE

Nelson s five touchdowns, strong defense help eliminate Hillsboro

Hesston-Marion winner Thursday moves on to state

Sports reporter

On the schedule it was a district game, in the minds of the Marion Warriors it was a state playoff game.

Winner stays alive, loser plays for pride.

In the end it was the Warriors who were victorious Friday in convincing fashion, 33-6 against rival Hillsboro.

Marion High School football team's coaching staff and players didn't put too much stock into just beating the Trojans, they want to go to state no matter who is in their path.

"We learned a lesson over the years you can't focus on that," MHS head coach Grant Thierolf said. "Any time you focus on one opponent or one rivalry you're spending time and energy worrying about something you can't control."

Instead the Warriors focused on winning a football game Friday in front of a pumped-up crowd, on a perfect football weather night.

It was the Hillsboro fans who were cheering to start however, when the Trojans moved 72 yards in 10 plays to set up a first-and-goal on the Warrior three-yard line.

Three plays later the Warrior defense was preparing to turn the table when the Trojans lined up for a fourth-and-goal from the one. The men in red held Hillsboro one more time, stuffing them for a loss of one.

Thierolf saw something in his team after the stop, especially in the seniors.

"They're hungry to get back to the playoffs," he said. "They don't want to be denied that, and tonight could have been that night."

Although MHS punted after taking over on downs, it stopped Hillsboro's momentum and moved them back 47 yards after the punt.

The Trojans went three-and-out after lineman Emmanuel Jackson hit quarterback Josh Boese just as he threw to force an incompletion.

MHS took over on its own 14 after the punt, and kept the momentum in its favor, with a little luck.

After driving to the Hillsboro 35-yard line, running back Casey Nelson picked up 15 yards on the ground, but fumbled just before he hit the ground. As the ball sat untouched for what seemed like an eternity, quarterback Josh Kelsey picked it up and ran to the 14-yard line.

Nelson, who would score a career-high five touchdowns in the game, went 12 yards on the next play, despite having his helmet ripped off at the two-yard line.

Marion gained just one yard on the personal foul, facemask penalty, and Nelson plunged in from one yard out for the first score of the game.

Jeff Richmond nailed the extra point, and MHS led 7-0 with 32 seconds left in the first quarter.

The defense stepped it up against recovering a Boese fumble two plays later on the Trojan 18.

After a rush for no gain, Nelson scampered 17 yards on an option for his second score of the game. The PAT was good and it was 14-0 MHS.

The teams traded punts until five minutes left before halftime when Hillsboro had a fourth-and-13 at the Marion 26.

Boese threw to the end zone and Richmond went up to intercept the pass, but realized he was on the one yard line. Instead of catching the ball giving MHS the ball on its own one, he threw it down resulting in an incompletion and a first down for Marion at the 26.

"That just shows those kids are well coached by [defensive coordinator Jerry] Smith," Thierolf said. "I don't know how many times I've seen pro or college games where they make the interception just to make the interception."

Richmond led the Warriors in interceptions last year, and is the current leader this year with four. He says the process of keeping receivers from the ball is simple.

"I don't really see it until I hear someone yell ball," Richmond said. "And I just turn around and try to beat my man to the ball."

The turnover bug hit MHS on the next play, as it fumbled the ball and Hillsboro took over on the Marion 28.

Just one play later running back Lucas Hamm rumbled 28 yards for a score, knocking over every Warrior defender in his path.

The touchdown broke a streak of five and a half scoreless quarters for the Trojans against Marion.

The extra point was no good, and MHS went into the locker room with a 14-6 lead, but Hillsboro had stolen the momentum.

Thierolf said he didn't give a rah, rah speech; instead his team just knew what it had to do in the second half.

The Warriors took seven minutes off the clock on the opening drive of the half, and added six points after Nelson scored from two yards out.

Leading 20-6 the Warrior defense forced a Trojans fumble two plays later, but Hillsboro recovered to keep the drive alive.

But Richmond made sure it would last only one more play as he intercepted a pass on the next play, setting up the Warrior offense at its own 35.

Marion kept running the ball down Hillsboro's throat, moving 65 yards in nine plays, capped by Nelson's fourth score of the night, a 24-yard run.

The kick failed, but Marion had a 26-6 lead just 14 seconds into the fourth quarter.

The defense would hold the rest of the way, with the help of another Richmond interception, and Nelson added one more TD for good measure, to cap off the 33-6 victory.

The running back would finish with 228 yards on the ground, and his five touchdowns gave him 20 for the season.

"Casey showed why I think he's an all-state running back," Thierolf said. "We just rode him the second half and he delivered time and time again."

Thierolf gave credit to his young offensive linemen as well, and Nelson, who rarely praises himself, agreed.

"I have confidence they can make the blocks and let me make my moves in the end," he said.

Kelsey completed just three-of-nine passes for 30 yards, but did not throw an interception for the ninth straight game of his career, a string of 74 pass attempts.

Now Marion turns its head to Hesston, who fell to Southeast of Saline 32-23, Friday.

The winner will move on to the state playoffs as District XII runner-up.

Theirolf said Thursday's game will be worth watching.

"They look very comparable to us," he said. "It's just going to be a heck of a battle."

Nelson, who said he enjoyed beating Hillsboro but enjoyed it more because they now have a chance at state, knows the significance of Thursday night.

"Every game from here on out is win or lose, and we're laying it all on the line," he said.

Quantcast