Marion County rolls over outmanned Panthers

photo Marion County's head coach Ricky Ross congratulates his players after a touchdown against Sale Creek Thursday at Finley Stadium.

Marion County's junior varsity will, for all practical purposes, play three games in eight days.

The understudies got the bulk of the work Thursday night at Finley Stadium, playing most of the final three quarters in the Warriors' 62-12 District 5-A victory over undermanned Sale Creek, which dressed 22 players for the game.

The win pushed state-ranked Marion County's overall record to 6-1 and gave them a perfect 3-0 in district play.

"Aw, they did all right. It looked like we got lined up pretty well, and we blocked well," first-year Warriors coach Ricky Ross said. "The defense, we want to break on the ball hard, but they were playing hard. There's a difference in doing it in practice and then coming out on a Thursday night and doing it in a game."

Thirteen Marion backs got carries as the team rushed 26 times for 374 yards.

Senior running back and linebacker Blake Zeman didn't get on the field after the first quarter but was his team's leading rusher with 97 yards on three carries. He scored three touchdowns as the Warriors built a 39-0 lead before the Panthers' Jay Mitchell returned a kickoff 83 yards on the first period's final play.

"It's good that the varsity guys got a break. We have pushed hard since we were able to start practice because we felt we were behind," Ross said.

The Warriors have now played seven straight weeks on top of preseason work.

"I normally wouldn't give them tomorrow off but I'm probably going to -- let them get some rest and get their legs back under them," the coach said.

Starting Marion quarterback Bryce Massengale ripped off a 72-yard TD run in the opening minutes of the second period, and his night also was done.

Hunter McClain was the next-leading rusher with 71 yards on three carries with a 50-yard touchdown run, and Josh Henderson added 51 yards and a TD. Blake Brooks returned a punt 55 yards, Alex Kirkendoll opened the scoring, causing a fumble and then scooping it up and returning it 11 yards and Patrick Bradford added a safety with a tackle in Sale Creek's end zone.

Mitchell scored both of the winless Panthers' touchdowns, the second coming when he pulled in a Chase Harvey pass and raced the final 50 yards untouched for a 76-yard scoring play.

"I have a lot of respect for them," Ross said. "I told our kids, 'Put yourselves in their shoes. Would you do what they do?' They come out and play hard. They never back off. They do the best that they can do, and they have my utmost respect."

Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him at Twitter.com/wardgossett.

Upcoming Events