Marshall at Red Hill Game Story

The game started off with the Salukis kicking off. Patrick Parsley received the ball for Marshall and ran it to the 27 yard line.

The Lions gained yardage on a couple of carries by Andre Strohm but soon gave up the ball on downs.

Red Hill took possession on their 29 yard line and quickly gained a first down. In the next series, they fumbled the ball and recovered it, then quarterback Eli Latch completed a pass to Robert Young, but the Salukis’ progress was cut short by Marshall’s Jared Boyll and Dalton Sanders, and they were forced to punt.

It was obvious that Red Hill had come to do battle. They came to Marshall with a 4-4 record and had to have a win to secure a spot in the State Playoff schedule. The defense held strong on both sides with minimal gains.

Then the Lion attack began as quarterback Taylor Duncan handed off to Andre Strohm for a couple of 10-yard runs. The excitement grew as the offensive line cleared a path and Strohm ran for 39 yards.

The first quarter ended with no score on the board, but Marshall had the momentum and the Lions were within easy striking distance of the goal. In fact, it took only a few plays at the start of the second quarter for a Lion score. Strohm carried the ball 10 yards to the Saluki 5, and Duncan finished the task. The extra point kick was not good, and the Lions led 6-0.

Cameron Peters took the kick off by Luke Nelson to the 35 yard line. But Red Hill soon lost the ball as Taylor Duncan intercepted a Saluki pass and ran for 40 yards. The Lions were cited for an illegal block and the ball was spotted back on the 43 yard line.

The Lions moved down the field with carries by Lee Combs and passes from Duncan to Conor Littleton for 8 yards and to Austin Wetnight for 10 and a first down.

Taylor then faked a hand off to Strohm and ran up the middle for nine to the 12 yard line. Strohm then spun up to the goal line for a gain of 8. Duncan then pushed up the middle to the goal line and secured the TD on his second try. Luke’s kick was good and the Lions led 13-0 with 4:26 left in the half. Nelson kicked off for the Lions. Lucas Hahn received the ball and was tackled by Dylan Reed.

Red Hill gained two first downs as they rolled down the field with carries by Trevor Albertson and Eli Hatch. They switched to passing and after several incomplete passes, largely due to pressure from Dalton Sanders, they were forced to punt. Marshall took possession on their 13 yard line. After a pass attempt, the Lions switched to a running game.

They gained two consecutive first downs as Strohm got loose and ran around one end for 25 yards and the other end for 15. He then fumbled the wet ball, and it was recovered by the Salukis with 24 seconds to go in the second quarter. Jacob Duncan knocked down a Saluki pass to end the first half.

As the game resumed, Nelson kicked off for Marshall. The ball went out of bounds and was spotted on the 35 yard line.

Red Hill made a couple of first downs with carries by Latch. Tackles were made by Jacob Minnich, Jared Boyll, Trey Trudeau and Patrick Parsley.

The Salukis then fumbled the ball, and it was recovered by Boyll.
Strohm made a nice run, but offsetting penalties were called, and the Lions took first down on the 45 yard line.

Duncan drove up the middle for a gain of 17. There were losses on the next two plays, and a 10-yard gain on a pass to Wetnight.

Duncan next wove his way 40 yards through the Saluki defenders for a touchdown. In spite of the cold wind, the Lion crowd was excited.
Nelson’s split the uprights, and Marshall led 20-0.

Luke’s kick off ended up in the end zone, so Red Hill took over on the 20 yard line. The Marshall defense held firm, and Lions soon took possession on their 46 yard line.

The Lion attack began with a gain of 17 yards and a first down on a run by Duncan. On the next play, Taylor faked a handoff to Strohm and ran in for his fourth touchdown of the night. The point after attempt failed thanks to the muddy field, and Marshall led 26-0.

Albertson received the kickoff by Luke Nelson and was brought down by Parsley at the 22 yard line. The quarter ended with a tackle by Boyll and the Lions leading 26-0.

It was slow going for Red Hill as the fourth got underway. The Marshall line kept the Salukis to five yards in three plays before they were forced to punt. Taylor Sanders came in as quarterback with 10 minutes left in the game. He gained 15 yards on two carries, but the Lions lost 10 on a holding call and were forced to punt.

Sam Chubb, T. Sanders, Logan Goldsberry and Sam Wetherell kept the Salukis in check for a couple of plays, then the Red Hill ball carrier slipped through for 20 yards. He was brought down by Wetherell.

The Salukis drove in for their only score of the game. The extra point was good and the game soon ended 26-7.

The Lions will host Westville at 1:30 on Saturday afternoon at Bush Field in the first round of the State Playoffs.

Taylor Duncan - 16 carries 137 yds, 4 TDs; Lee Combs - 2 carries, 2 yds; Taylor Sanders - 5 carries 12 yds; Andre Strohm - 19 carries, 144 yds.

Patrick Parsley - 3, Jordan Grooms - 1, Logan Goldsberry - 2, Taylor Duncan - 4, 1 interception, 32 yds; Dylan Reed - 2, Jacob Duncan - 3, Lee Combs - 7 (1 sack), Logan Cannady - 2, Sam Chubb - 2, Taylor Sanders - 2, Andre Strohm - 4, McQuaid Peterson - 1, Sam Wetherell - 2, Jared Boyll - 7, Jacob Minnich - 4, Dalton Sanders - 5, Aaron Rhoads - 2, Tyler Bishop - 5.