Warrior Voice: Warriors ready for uprising
It was obvious when this season's schedule was released that the first three games were going to pose a big challenge for the Marion Warriors. Minneapolis, SE of Saline, and Sacred Heart all were veteran teams highly regarded in pre-season polls.
The Warriors opened well in beating Minneapolis and played well the last three quarters of a loss to Southeast that was closer than the score indicated. So Warrior fans were looking forward to facing the Sacred Heart Knights and moving on to the heart of Cottonwood Valley League play.
The Knights don't have the dominating size of the Warriors' first two opponents but they have great team quickness and outstanding talent in quarterback Brian Bechard and running back Matt Ryan. To bring a victory home from Salina, the Warriors would have to contain these two. It proved to be an impossible task.
The first quarter provided cause for hope as both teams tried to move the ball through the air. Warrior defensive backs Jason Matz, Joel Versch, and Mitch Enos stuck to the Knight receivers while the Marion line harassed quarterback Bechard and the Knights' offense sputtered.
The Warriors weren't moving the ball either, but they appeared to be winning the war in the line and getting good field position with great special teams play. The teams traded punches throughout the quarter, which ended in a scoreless tie.
The Knights had used big second quarters to break open their first two games so keeping the game close at half time was important for the Warriors. Sacred Heart started to assert themselves in the quarter, scoring on a Bechard pass and a Ryan run to lead 13-0 at the 3:24 mark. The Warriors still had plenty of life left in them, however, driving the ball into Knight territory late in the quarter, raising hope of a one-touchdown game at half time. Unfortunately, the drive stalled and they had to punt. Sacred Heart was unable to run out the clock and kicked the ball back with under a minute to play.
The Marion offense took the field with one last opportunity to score before the half. In what may have been the key play of the game, the Warriors then fumbled the ball back to the Knights who accepted the gift and scored again on a 21-yard Bechard pass to Robert Dolan with 24 seconds left. They tacked on a two-point conversion for a 21-0 half time lead. The Knights had their big second quarter and the wind seemed to come out of the Warriors' sails.
Marion didn't give up and played hard throughout the second half, but Sacred Heart seamed to have all the answers.
Although the Warriors defensive backs were right with the speedy Knight receivers, the Sacred Heart passing game continued to click as they managed to pull in Bechard's well-thrown passes. Mixing runs with their air game, the Knights scored an additional 21 points in the second half.
Steven Boone again showed great heart, refusing to say die, and leading the Warrior offense with 107 rushing yards on 20 carries while providing big hits on defense. Neil Waner had perhaps his best game of the season and twice tackled Knight runners in the backfield for a loss. Jason Matz and Alan Vogel continued to be defensive leaders. Matz lead the team with nine tackles and six assists and Vogel, playing with great emotion in the second half, had six solo tackles. Rivaling Boone for headline status was fellow junior Tyler Smith who was all over the field in the final half wearing down the Knights with nine first hit tackles, two assists, and two tackles for losses.
The Warriors eventually fell in this one, 42-0, but now come home to friendly Marion Stadium where a big Old Settlers' Day homecoming crowd should be on hand to watch them tangle with traditional rival Chase County.
With the tough opening stretch now behind them, they have three games to come together and prove themselves before district play the final third of the season. The Bulldogs will face an angry Marion squad. Look for a Warrior uprising Friday night.
