Victory just out of reach for Warriors
Sports reporter
It started off well for Marion Friday in week three of the high school football season, but the physical Sterling Black Bears wore down the Warriors in a 17-7 victory.
The biggest reason for the loss seemed to be in the ground game as Sterling out-gained Marion 263-53.
"I thought they beat us physically on the line of scrimmage," Warrior head coach Grant Thierolf said. "We never had an answer. We couldn't move it offensively, we tried everything we've got."
It seemed like things would be fine for the Warriors after a bad snap on a punt gave MHS a first-and-10 on the Sterling 25.
Faced with a third-and-12 on the Black Bear 16-yard line, quarterback Mitchell Leppke threw to the sidelines for wide receiver Luke Gordon.
Gordon bobbled the ball, but kept his concentration by hauling in the ball and keeping his feet inbounds.
The 10-yard gain made it fourth-and-one on the Sterling four. Leppke kept the ball on the next play and easily ran up the middle for the score.
Brian Fruechting gave Marion a 7-0 lead with the extra point.
The momentum looked like it was heading toward Marion's side in full force when Leppke intercepted a Cody Riggs pass deep in Marion territory.
However, Marion was flagged for a questionable pass interference penalty, which gave Sterling a first-and-10 on the MHS 35.
Three plays later Riggs scored on a 20-yard run, and the game was tied with two minutes, 24 seconds left in the first quarter.
Thierolf told his players not to worry about what the officials were doing, and concentrate on making plays themselves.
Unfortunately for Marion, it didn't make many more the entire game.
Good defense kept either team from scoring during the next two quarters, and it seemed like the game could possibly head into overtime.
Joey Stromberg made sure it didn't.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, the Sterling running back broke through a tackle and sped down the sideline for a 55-yard touchdown.
Kholby Munoz made the score 14-7 with the extra point.
After it looked like Marion was maybe moving the ball to tie the game, Sterling stepped up the defense and got the ball back.
With 1:57 left in the game Munoz connected on a 20-yard field goal to put the game nearly out of reach.
Leppke was injured on the next Warrior play, so receiver Chase Carlson came in at quarterback.
Playing with a broken finger on his throwing hand, Carlson completed a 19-yard pass to Justin Heidebrecht that got the crowd to its feet.
But MHS couldn't move the ball anymore, as time ran out on the game.
The Warriors fell to 2-1 overall and in the Mid-Central Activities Association.
"Four or five plays determined the game," Thierolf said. "They made them and we didn't.
"We're still young in some places, but we aren't going to blame that. Our kids are good enough athletes [that] we won't be beaten physically again."
Running back Austin Hager, who had two straight 100-plus games to start the season, was held to 54 yards on 17 carries.
Leppke was 6-16 through the air for 49 yards.
Nick and Brad Klenda continued to lead the defense, with 23 combined tackles. Matt Thierolf was in on 10 total tackles.
Coach Thierolf was disappointed with the loss, but knows his team has to move on.
"We're still learning, and we are going to keep getting better," he said.
"The official said our kids played hard. But Sterling kids played hard too. It was one of those games were the officials really enjoyed officiating."
