Defense stellar in Warriors' shutout victory
Sports reporter
If there is one word to describe the 2007 Marion High School football team, it would be simple: defense.
It isn't a flashy description, but it's the truth.
MHS has yielded only 60 points in six games this year. Fifty-two of those points were given up in their two losses, allowing for a mind-blowing stat that shows the Warriors have out-scored their opponents in four victories this season, 89-8.
The defense was at its best Friday, recording a second shutout this season with a 28-0 victory at Lyons, improving to 4-0 on the road.
After leading just 6-0 at halftime, the offense woke up en route to a 28-0 nothing victory.
"We weren't taking advantages of our opportunities," head coach Grant Thierolf said of his team's play in the first half.
After a 13-play opening-game drive ended with a fumble on the Lyons three-yard line, Mitchell Leppke hit Chase Carlson on the Warriors' next possession in the end zone from 29 yards out as one of the few perfectly executed, first-half plays.
The extra point was no good, but Marion led 6-0 with just more than three minutes in the first quarter.
The defense continued to play however, and in the end gave up only 39 yards rushing and 45 yards passing.
"I thought our defense just played lights out," he said.
It especially did to start the second half when Nick Klenda intercepted a Jake Craig pass. The Warriors did not score, but it set the tone for the second half. After forcing a punt, the Warriors offense took over and stepped up to the defense's level.
Starting at the Lyons 34-yard line, Marion used just seven plays to score as Sheldon Boone, who carried 17 times for 71 yards, dove into the end zone from four yards out for the score.
Both defenses played solid the rest of the way until Marion found the end zone with 1:46 left on a Leppke quarterback sneak for a 21-0 lead.
Right before the touchdown, end Brett Billings pumped up his team with a blind-sided sack of Craig who never knew what hit him.
"All of a sudden everything just slowed down and I thought, 'Don't throw, don't throw,' just sit there," Billings said. "It felt great."
One final defensive play capped the night when Austin Hager, who also rushed for 54 yards, stepped in front of a Craig pass and ran 30 yards to paydirt for the final score.
"That was just two seniors really working hard, and doing what they were supposed to do," Thierolf said of the two big plays.
By the time the game ended it may have been the defense leading the way, but the team played well in all facets of the game.
The Warriors gained 195 yards on the ground, 55 yards through the air, including their first passing touchdown of the season, and the special teams helped set up good field position for Marion and poor position for Lyons.
Hager said MHS came out ready in the second half.
"The coaches getting on us was a little motivation," he said.
He also said the team badly wanted a shutout, and keeping the Lions out of the end zone will give them momentum for district play Friday at home against Hillsboro.
"Everybody is ready for that game," he said
Something is going to have to bend when the two county rivals meet, as Hillsboro has won its three games with a potent offensive attack from Jacob Yoder and Spencer Brown.
Billings has faith.
"I love our defense," he said. "It's a lot of young guys stepping up, it's great. We are going to be great the next couple of years, and I'm glad that I'm a part of it now."
As for the MHS coaching staff and fans, playing great Friday night will do for now.
