Warriors shut out Douglass with 22-0 win

By RYAN RICHTER

Staff writer

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

Marion High football heeded that lesson Friday night by grabbing a 22-0 win at home over Douglass for its first victory of the season.

Marion coach Shaun Craft said he had an athletic team earlier this year and, after a few tests on the road, that is proving true.

The first was an opening week near miss for the Marion High team, with a 14-8 loss to Trinity Catholic in Hutchinson. The second was a 48-0 loss against Sterling High this past week.

On Friday night, the Warriors flew to ball, played as a team and had fun doing it, grabbing a 2-0 lead by the first quarter’s end forcing a safety.

Marion pushed the lead to 8-0 by halftime with a Braeden Mercer touchdown. Mercer had a successful day overall, gaining 168 yards on 25 carries.

Quarterback Will Alleven scored twice, the first stretching the lead to 14-0 right before the end of the third quarter on a 1-yard plunge up the middle.

The Bulldogs, who entered the contest on a 51-30 loss to Class 2A stalwart, Garden Plain, had a chance in the final frame with a fumble return setting Douglass up with first and goal inside the Marion 5.

The play was called back on a Bulldog-block in the back, which eventually let Alleven put the final touch on Marion’s first victory.

The win gives the Warriors a 1-2 upgrade as they host Inman High’s Teutons Friday during homecoming.