Sports editor
Thirteen years ago the Marion Warriors played arguably their most important football game in the history of the school.
Despite losing a tough contest to Wichita Collegiate in the 3A state football championship game, the Marion community was proud of its team.
For the first time since that epic match-up, the Warriors will hit the field Friday against the Spartans.
MHS head coach Grant Thierolf remembers the ESPN camera crew and 6,000-plus people in Hays watching University of Nebraska-bound and WC running back DeAngelo Evans.
The team also boasted a future Kansas Jayhawk in wide receiver Harrison Hill, as well as other Division I prospects.
However, that was more than a decade ago, and Thierolf isn’t about to compare the two games.
“These kids weren’t even in kindergarten when that game was played,” he said of his team. “But it is fun to play them because they are a measuring stick. They let you know how good you are.”
Both teams enter the game with 1-0 records, after Marion dumped Lyons 21-6, and Collegiate downed Nickerson 43-16.
MHS quarterback Mitchell Leppke said he and his teammates all heard the championship game story, and are looking forward to the match-up.
“Rivarly renewed,” he said with a laugh after the Lyons game.
However, Leppke, the coaching staff, and the rest of the players know a victory means moving up in the Mid-Central Activities Association, not equaling any kind of score.
“It’s a big city atmosphere even though we are playing in Marion,” Thierolf said. “It’s going to be two good football teams playing each other.”
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Warrior Stadium.