Washington racks up 105 yards and a score on three touches
Sports editor
Trailing 6-0 coming out of halftime Friday, the Marion Warriors calmly went about their business, racking up 21 second-half points to improve to 1-0 on the season.
After struggling to move the ball on the ground or in the air in the first half, Marion came out with a 13-play scoring drive on its first possession.
Fullback Sheldon Boone capped it off at the five minute, 55 second mark with an 11-yard score.
After forcing Lyons to punt, Marion started on its own 27, and went five plays, capped off by quarterback Mitchell Leppke’s 10-yard run, and promptly took a 13-6 lead.
“I put the blame on the whole coaching staff. We didn’t really stress enthusiasm and passion this week,” head coach Grant Thierolf said. “Our kids just finally played like they could in the second half.”
Junior Marc Washington had a 22-yard run on the drive, and Leppke completed a 21-yard pass to tight end Nick Klenda.
However, it was Washington who would make headlines later on.
With neither team moving the ball well, the Warriors had a first-and-10 on its own 15 with just more than five minutes left in the game.
On third-and-four from the 21, Washington took the ball from Leppke, broke through a hole, and sped 79 yards for the game-clinching score.
“Coach was yelling at me a little bit, so I thought I’d suck it up, get in there, and make something happen,” Washington said.
Thierolf said he thought Washington played well.
“I am very proud of him, he’s worked hard.”
The touchdown gave him 105 yards on just three carries. He also had five tackles from his cornerback position.
Thierolf also noted the team had some other contributions as well.
Boone finshed the game with 88 yards rushing, Leppke had 81, and Adam Regnier added 17 on five carries.
That kind of depth at the slot back position, and others as well, kept the team fresh.
“In the second half we just wore them down a little bit,” Thierolf said.
The senior Leppke said after the game, no one was worried about the slow start.
“We had to step it up,” he said. “We knew what we were capable of, and we just came out and did it.”