Ever since the season began, everyone knew that game #7 would be the big one. Both the Marshall and Casey-Westfield football teams rolled over their opponents week after week this season, and they finally met up at Bush Field last Friday. The place was packed. Extra seats had been brought into the end zones and fans lined the spaces around the track between the bleachers three and four deep. There was excitement in the air.

It was like two ball games rolled into one - the first dominated by Casey, the second by Marshall.

The Lions scored first with a field goal by Daniel Littlejohn, and Casey followed with two touchdowns to lead 16-3 at the half. The Lions couldn’t seem to stop ball carriers Colin Carver and Heath Huisinga. The Marshall fans were worried.  Would their beloved Lions take charge in the second half? They soon got their answer as the Lions they’ve come to know and appreciate  came back to dominate the third and fourth quarters and take the win 17-16.

The game started out in big fashion with Andre Strohm taking the kickoff to the 22 yard line, and the Lions rolling down the field with three consecutive first downs on carries by Strohm and Jacob Duncan and great work by the offensive line of Troutman, McNeely, Bartnick, Kendall.

The Duncan-Strohm duo picked up smaller gains all the way to the three yard line. Then Marshall fumbled the ball, and it was recovered by Casey, who began their trek to the other end with carries by Livvix and Heath Huisinga. The Lion defense trimmed the next few Casey gains, and Strohm pulled Carver down for a loss, forcing the Warriors to punt.

Shaun Ahlers received the punt and carried the ball to the Casey 44 yard line, where Marshall began their next campaign. Strohm and Duncan carried the ball in 9 of the next 10 plays, bringing the Lions within field goal range just as the second quarter got underway. Daniel Littlejohn sent it through the uprights from the 20 yard line, and Marshall led 3-0.

Back in possession, Casey moved relentlessly toward the goal with carries by Ajaye Meeks and pass completions from Huisinga to Ethan Blankenship. Taylor Sanders pulled down Meeks within six inches of the goal line, and the Warriors burst up the middle for those last few inches. The extra point kick failed and Casey led 6-3.

In the next series, Duncan and Strohm garnered a first down, but the Lions were soon forced to punt, and Casey took control on the 27 yard line.

In Casey’s first play, Huisinga sprinted 43 yards down the side line. Two plays later, Carver finished the job, Clark Schultz’s extra point was good and the Warriors led 13-3.

Cole Rice received the ball for Marshall and took it to the 30 yard line, but the Lions lost ground due to a bad snap and were soon forced to punt.

Back in control of the pigskin, Casey advanced with carries by Meeks and Blankenship and a pass completion to Carver. A 27-yard carry by Huisinga brought the Warriors into field goal range. They took the opportunity and were successful for a 16-3 halftime lead.

As the action began in the third round, Casey-Westfield  made a first down on their first play, but their drive fizzled as the Marshall defensive line of Jared Boyll, McQuaid Peterson, Adam Kendall, Zach Bartnick, Dalton McNeely, Rodney Troutman, Taylor Maurer and Nolan Miller pushed back.

Shaun Ahlers recovered the Casey punt to the 24 yard line but no sooner had Marshall gotten started down the field, when Huisinga intercepted a Lion pass and the ball changed directions.

After minimal gains on the ground, Huisinga tried the air, but the receiver was forced out of bounds and Casey had to punt.

Taylor Sanders returned the punt to the 25 yard line, and the real fun began. The Big Red machine pounded down the field as the offensive line of McNeely, Boyll, Kendall, Lewis, Troutman, Kuhn and Miller moved forward and Strohm and Duncan alternated carries. Duncan faked a hand off to Strohm, which convinced most of the crowd and his opponents too, allowing him to bolt over the goal line for a touchdown. Littlejohn’s kick was good and the Lions trailed 10-16 with 1:55 left in the third.

The Warriors took possession on the 35 yard line. Again, the Lion defense was relentless as Jared Boyll forced a loss on the first play and Rodney Troutman sent the Marshall fans to their feet with a sack of the Casey quarterback for a loss of six. Casey lost three yards on the next play and were forced to punt.

As the fourth quarter began, Duncan, Rice and Hook carried the ball, and the Lions‘ momentum increased when Duncan connected with Sanders along the side for a gain of 15, which brought Marshall within 30 yards of the goal.

Duncan picked up another first down on four carries, Strohm ran for another first down, and Duncan swept to the left for a touchdown. The score was tied 16-16 with 4:30 to go. The extra point kick might be the last point of the game and prevent an overtime, which has become common to Lion-Warrior games in recent years. Littlejohn did it again, and Marshall led 17-16.

With four minutes on the clock, the Casey fans had a flicker of hope as Carver sped down the field for a 40-yard gain, the Warriors weren’t  able to capitalize and soon turned over the ball. After three more Strohm carries, the Lions took a knee and the game ended with a 17-16 Lion victory.

“Big mistakes in the first half really hurt us,” commented head coach Todd Evers. “It gave Casey opportunities. First, we fumbled on the three yard line and on our next drive there were two or three missed key blocks that stalled the drive.”

However, said the coach, “At half time we didn’t panic. We knew those mistakes. We had to come out being a lot more physical and be smart with the football.”

“Our defense really stepped up in the second half and gave the offense more opportunities. The offense stayed on the field most of the second half. Our offensive line really made a statement finishing out the game the way that they did.”

Though the toughest of opponents on the field, the schools joined together at Friday’s game in the fight against breast cancer. There was pink everywhere. The field striping crew had painted the Breast Cancer Awareness ribbons on both sides of the field. Hundreds of fans on both sides wore special “We’re in This Together” pink shirts. The cheerleaders were dressed in pink. Even the players on both sides wore pink socks.

Just after the coin toss, Vicki Wallace and Cindy Burris presented a check in the amount of $6050 to the Susan B. Komen Foundation. It represented the proceeds from sponsorships and T-shirt sales. During halftime the Marshall High School band and the Casey-Westfield performed together wearing pink also. After the band played dozens of cancer survivors, along with family members (including four Marshall Lions) were honored on the field and launched balloons in unison.

The Lions will play Palestine-Hutsonville at Palestine this Friday.

 

Andre Strohm - 29/139; Jacob Duncan - 25/109, 2TDs; Brock Hook - 1/1.

 

Taylor Sanders - 1/12.

 

Jacob Duncan - 1/6, 12 yds.

 

Andre Strohm - 4; Shaun Ahlers - 3; Taylor Maurer - 1; Jacob Duncan - 6; Cole Rice - 1; Brock Hook - 6; Taylor Sanders - 6; Jared Boyll - 12; Dalton McNeely - 2; Adam Kendall - 2; Rodney Troutman - 4, 1 sack.

 

Daniel Littlejohn - 2/2, 1FG; Andre Strohm - 2 punts/89 yds, 2 kick returns/17 yds; Shaun Ahlers - 2 punt returns/9 yds; Cole Rice - 1 punt return/15 yds.

 

Score: M - 17, Casey - 16; First Downs: M- 20, C - 11; First Downs: Rushing - Passing - Penalty: M - 19-1-0, C - 9-2-0; Rushing yards: M - 249, C - 221; Passing: Completions/Attempts M - 1/6, C - 5/10; Passing yards: M - 12, C - 60; Total Plays: M - 62, C - 38; Total Offense: M - 261, C - 281; Fumbles Lost: M- 2/0, C - 0/0; Penalties/Yards: M - 2/15, C - 1/0; Punts / Average: M - 2/44.5, C - 4/30.5.