Strong second half not enough for Warriors
Sports reporter
If you take away the first quarter, Marion High School played a good football game Friday against the Hoisington Cardinals.
However, the 4-1 Cardinals put up 21 points in the first frame, including an Adam Demel touchdown return of the opening kickoff, en route to a 35-14 victory.
It looked like the 35-point rule that keeps the clock moving in the second half would be in effect, but the Warriors came out strong in the second half, and outscored Hoisington 14-7.
"We were a little tentative," head coach Grant Thierolf said of his team's play in the first half. "Once our kids kind of figured out that if they just play hard and make good plays, good things will happen."
Adam Sullivan's opening kickoff return for a touchdown didn't deflate the Warriors, as they came out and earneda first down on the opening drive.
However, after being forced to punt, Austin Hager's kick was blocked and the Cardinals returned the ball to the Warriors' seven-yard line.
Six plays later Cameron Horesky was in the end zone, and HHS led 14-0.
After a Marion three-and-out the third Cardinals player scored, this time it was Adam Demel from 11 yards out, and with one minute, 48 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Hoisington had a three-touchdown lead.
Horesky seemed to put an arrow in the Warriors' hearts with a 73-yard run two minutes into the second quarter, making the score 28-0.
Another Marion punt followed, and Hoisington took over. But a fumble recovery by Eric Vogel gave the ball back to Marion.
The Warriors were in the giving mood as well, turning the ball right back over with a fumble of their own.
Neither team scored the rest of the half.
MHS couldn't move or stop the ball in the first half, but whatever the coaching staff said to the young team, it worked.
On the first play of the second half Hager rumbled for 21 yards, and the Warrior crowd was on its feet.
The teams then decided to trade fumbles again, as Marion took the ball over on the Hoisington 35-yard line.
After six runs and two Hoisington penalties, Hager dived across the goal line after a hard-fought four-yard run.
Brian Fruechting kicked the extra point and the score was 28-7.
Thierolf and his staff realized they couldn't run outside on the Cardinals due to their defensive speed, so they decided to try running between the tackles.
"I told them we're going to pound it up inside, and see where we are as a football team."
By the end of the game it seemed to work as they rushed for 211 yards as a team.
Hager accounted for 126 while quarterback Mitchell Leppke had 44, and running back Sheldon Boone, 41.
Despite the success, Hoisington came right back down the field and scored on a Sullivan five-yard run.
The final score came on a Boone nine-yard run up the middle where the back was nearly untouched.
It was too little too late, but Thierolf liked what he saw in the second half.
"I was glad that our kids hung in there.," he said. "They finished the game, and that's what we've talked about all season."
The play of his offensive line also pleased Thierolf.
"We just challenged them and asked them to grow up, and I think they did that."
They finished against the Cardinals' first-team that remained in the game until the final three minutes.
On the defensive side, Nick Klenda continued his solid play with 10 total tackles, including seven solo.
Derek Riggs, Chase Carlson, and Brad Klenda each had five solo tackles.
Carlson also had a pass break, and made two touchdown-saving tackles.
"Chase Carlson was all over the field," Thierolf said. "He is always, always, playing hard. He has a nice instinct for where the ball is."
At 3-2 and 2-2 in the MCAA, the Warriors play Friday at Lyons, who is 2-3, 2-2.
The game is the final one before district play, and a Warriors' victory will give them second place in the MCAA West division.
The Lions defeated Marion 35-34 in overtime last season.
While Thierolf tries to treat every game the same, he knows his players are looking forward to this one.
"Everyone looks at their team in the paper and wants to see their name toward the top," he said.
A victory will assure that, and give the team momentum heading into district play that includes games at home against Hillsboro and Hesston, and on the road at Remington.
