Warriors trample Haven
Dresses worn by the homecoming queen candidates to the Marion-Haven football game Friday night were stunning, but no piece of fabric was more beautiful to Warrior faithful than a scrap of wrinkled yellow cloth fluttering at the Marion 25-yard line.
Capacity-filled Warrior Stadium was shocked into silence on the first play from scrimmage when Haven Wildcat Isaiah Barfield took an inside handoff at the Haven 30 and bolted down the left sideline, leaving Warrior defenders sprawled in his wake on the way to an apparent 70-yard touchdown.
But there at the Marion 25 was that little yellow flag, tossed by an observant official who spotted an illegal block in the back by a Haven player. The penalty nullified the touchdown and gave Haven the ball on the Marion 35.
The reprieve for Marion was the beginning of the end for Haven. The Warrior defense snuffed out the Wildcat threat, and buoyed by three Calvin Jeffrey interceptions held Haven in check until the outcome had long since been decided.
Marion's first offensive drive fizzled on a failed fourth down conversion at the Haven 26, but the Warrior defense got the ball back on the next play. John Barr III caused a fumble by Wildcat quarterback Byron Nienstedt which was recovered by Marion's Austin Hager on the Haven 25.
Runs by Hager and Kyle Hett moved the ball to the Haven 5, and three plays later quarterback Mitchell Leppke scored Marion's first touchdown on a one-yard run with 1:09 left in the first quarter.
Wildcat receiver Jordan Drake outwrestled Marion defenders to haul in two critical receptions as Haven's next drive moved to the Marion 25.
Nienstedt tried to even the score on a pass to Barfield, but Jeffrey stepped in front of the receiver in the end zone for his first interception of the night.
With just over five minutes remaining in the half, Marion faced second-and-13 at its own 45 when Hager took a Leppke handoff and disappeared in a massive pileup at the 46. Hager suddenly reappeared seven yards later and dashed untouched into the end zone, giving the Warriors a 12-0 lead.
"I thought Austin's run there where it looked like a big rugby scrum and he just broke out — that was a big play," said Marion head coach Grant Thierolf in describing how Marion built momentum in the second quarter.
Marion added to its lead right before the end of the half when Leppke capped a 54-yard drive with a 7-yard touchdown run. Hett swept around left end for the 2-point conversion, staking Marion to a 20-0 halftime advantage.
Haven opened the second half with a failed onside kick attempt, setting Marion up at its own 43. A methodical drive, taking over seven minutes off the clock, was punctuated by a bullish 4-yard touchdown run by Hager, who amassed 179 yards rushing in the game. The score boosted Marion's lead to 26-0.
Another good Wildcat drive from their own 20 to the Marion 25 came to an abrupt end with the second of Jeffrey's interceptions with 1:40 left in the third quarter.
Warrior defensive linemen Jacob Czarnowsky and Emmanuel Jackson combined efforts to thwart a Barfield punt attempt early in the fourth quarter, giving Marion excellent field position at the Haven 26.
Three plays later, on offense, a determined Jackson broke three tackles on the way to a 19-yard touchdown run. Kicker Toby Brauer added the extra point to give Marion an insurmountable 33-0 lead with 6:56 remaining in the game.
Barfield accounted for Haven's only touchdown moments later with a 65-yard run reminiscent of his nullified first quarter scamper. The Wildcats added the 2-point conversion on a pass from Nienstedt to Drake.
The Warrior offense piled up 383 yards rushing, with Hett grinding out 133 yards to complement Hager's total.
"Derek Riggs did a great job of blocking for those kids," said Thierolf. "All three of those backfield kids had a fine evening."
Thierolf was quick to credit the Warrior scout team players for much of Marion's offensive success by doing an outstanding job of mimicking Haven's defense during practice.
"Our scout team defense did a great job for us all week long," he said. "I think there were just two times they (Haven) caught us — and two times out of 73 plays isn't bad."
Defensively for the Warriors, Brad Klenda was everywhere, accounting for four tackles, six assists, and a sack. He also caused a fumble, recovered a fumble, and knocked down a pass.
The Warriors will face their toughest test of the season Friday evening when they go on the road to face Hoisington, who was ranked 5th in the latest Wichita Eagle Class 3-A rankings. Game time is 7:00 p.m.
