Marietta Faculty's Vante' Hodges (21) carries the ball as Mount Union's Jason Grimes (four) defends throughout Saturday's sport in Alliance, Ohio. (Photograph by Jordan Holland)
ALLIANCE — The Marietta Faculty Pioneers didn't come to Kehres Stadium Saturday trying to earn respect — though they definitely did.
Marietta got here to Mount Union trying to knock off the third-ranked Purple Raiders, however finally fell in need of that aim. Mount Union scored two touchdowns within the last 5 minutes to flee with a 28-21 victory.
“Marietta is so good” stated Mount Union head coach Geoff Dart. “They’re undoubtedly a playoff workforce. Now with 40 groups within the playoff, if they will handle enterprise subsequent week towards John Carroll, they need to get in. It's value entering into.”
The 22nd-ranked Pioneers (Eight-1) took a 21-14 lead with 1:22 left within the third quarter when Connor Vierstra threw a 19-yard landing cross to Dawson Snyder.
Marietta's protection, which hasn't allowed greater than 14 factors in any sport all season, was stingy for a lot of the sport. Nonetheless, Mount Union (9-Zero) got here up clutch on its last two drives.
Marietta Faculty's Connor Vierstra (7) celebrates after scoring a landing throughout Saturday's sport towards Mount Union. (Photograph by Jordan Holland)
Tyler Echeverry, who carried 12 instances for 116 yards, broke free for a 51-yard landing run to tie the sport with four:54 left within the fourth.
Marietta obtained the ball again and drove to midfield when Snyder, who caught 12 passes for 103 yards, drew cross interference and hauled in a 10-yard catch. The Purple Raiders, nonetheless, stopped the lead thanks partially to Kaleb Brown de Vierstra's sack, considered one of 4 sacks on the afternoon for Mount Union.
The Pioneers needed to punt, and Mount obtained the ball at its personal 14-yard line with 1:49 left.
Backup quarterback TJ Deshields, who performed your entire second half after starter Noah Beaudrie was injured on the ultimate play earlier than halftime, accomplished a 20-yard cross to Tyrell Sanders to get issues going. That will be the theme all through the game-winning drive as Sanders, who completed with eight catches for 126 yards, had two extra catches of 16 and 11 yards to arrange his 27-yard TD reception with 32 carries on the timer.
Deshields, a graduate pupil, completed 9-for-17 for 117 yards. He returned after 4 of his first 5 cross makes an attempt have been incomplete.
Marietta Faculty's Dawson Snyder catches a landing cross over Mount Union's Tony Prepare dinner (20) throughout Saturday's sport in Alliance, Ohio. (Photograph by Jordan Holland)
We’ve 100% confidence and belief in TJ,” stated Dart.
“To start with, possibly I didn't put him in the perfect locations by way of the sport. That's on me. I stated, “Hey, man. You’ll be able to truly cross the ball right here. He saved the one and put his shoulder down and made a couple of yards. I'm very happy with everybody, particularly TJ.”
Marietta had three timeouts to work with on its last drive, but it surely wanted to maneuver shortly. A 23-yard cross from Vierstra to Jay Melchiori, who caught six balls for 90 yards, introduced MC to midfield with 20 seconds left. After two straight deep completions, the Pioneers had time for yet another play. Vierstra accomplished a brief cross to Snyder to begin a layup. Lastly, Vierstra obtained the ball again and tried to throw it throughout the court docket, however Brown stepped in entrance of her to finish the sport.
It was the turnover of the sport for the Pioneers, who additionally misplaced a goal-line fumble earlier within the contest.
“The protection simply, time and time once more, has its again towards the wall.” Dart stated. “They got here up with some turnovers within the pink zone. Then they made a couple of stops. An amazing workforce win.”
Marietta Faculty's Quinn Brown (42) celebrates after scoring a landing throughout Saturday's sport towards Mount Union. (Photograph by Jordan Holland)
The Purple Raiders completed with 396 yards of complete offense. They have been in a position to run the type of performs that Marietta has been so good at stopping all season.
“We didn't do too nicely within the first half due to their protection, however we saved preventing.” Dart stated. “We made some explosive performs — that's what we've executed all 12 months. Blissful to come back away with a win.”
Marietta head coach Andy Waddle thought his workforce missed some alternatives.
“Individuals at all times ask, 'What's the important thing to the sport?'” Waddle stated. “I felt like if we didn't flip the ball over, if we made good particular groups and if we didn't surrender any large performs, we had an opportunity to win the sport. Sadly, we had some large performs come again and harm us.”
Echeverry's 16-yard landing run within the first quarter began the scoring and put the Mount up 7-Zero.
Marietta Faculty's David Busch blocks Mount Union's Brandon Bowden (41) throughout Saturday's sport in Alliance, Ohio. (Photograph by Jordan Holland)
Marietta answered when Vierstra, who completed 26-for-38 for 266 yards, discovered Quinn Brown ultimately zone for a 12-yard strike to tie the sport.
Vierstra used his legs to seek out the top zone within the second quarter, scoring from a yard out on fourth-and-goal to place Marietta up 14-7.
Beaudrie, who was 10-for-13 for 127 yards within the first half, threw a 10-yard landing cross to Matt Anderson to tie the sport at 14-all with three:28 left earlier than halftime.
The Purple Raiders obtained the ball again with 47 seconds left and tried to mount a drive, however Beaudrie was harm on a 5-yard scramble because the clock expired.
Mount Union persevered, and the win clinched its eighth straight Ohio Athletic Convention championship.
Mount Union quarterback Noah Beaudrie (Eight) throws a cross as Marietta Faculty's Likelihood Knight (55) defends throughout Saturday's sport in Alliance, Ohio. (Photograph by Jordan Holland)
“We blocked and tackled higher within the second half and that's what we challenged them to do” stated Dart, who emphasised the ambiance and scale of the sport.
“Finish of the 12 months, each groups Eight-Zero — that's Mount Union. That is the type of help we get. Marietta clearly traveled nicely. What a fantastic sport.”
Waddle agreed.
“Marietta Appeared” he stated. “Marietta got here out, so due to all of our alumni, our followers, our mother and father and our college students who got here out and supported the boys as we speak. They made it our stadium as a lot as Mount Union's. We had a fantastic crowd.”
As Waddle identified, “It doesn't get any simpler subsequent week.”
Marietta returns to the highway subsequent Saturday at John Carroll for a 2 p.m. kickoff. Will probably be John Carroll's last common season sport as a member of the OAC. The Pioneers have by no means overwhelmed the Blue Streaks, however a win subsequent week will give them a fantastic shot at a postseason berth.
“We obtained right here as a result of we cherished one another” Waddle stated. “We obtained right here as a result of we labored and we cared about one another. That can nonetheless be the hallmark of who this workforce is. In the present day's outcome doesn’t have an effect on that. We want to have the ability to bounce again and get again to work subsequent week.”
Contact Jordan Holland at jholland@mariettatimes.com.