Marion’s Griffin Bruns hauls in an over-the-head touchdown catch in the first half from quarterback Justin Knouff during Friday’s 74-0 Division VII title win over Hillsdale. (Press Pros Feature Photos by Sonny Fulks and Julie McMaken Wright)
Scoring, impressing, in every manner conceivable, Marion Local showed Hillsdale, and the state, what all the fuss over 64 straight wins, 15 state titles, and four in a row – was about.
Canton, OH – Was anyone surprised?
Was there anyone yet to impress?
Did they have anything yet to prove?
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Well if they did Marion Local wiped the slate clean Friday with shocking 74-0 win over Jerome-Hillsdale High School in the Division VII final that had a lot of impressive moments…and truthfully…a couple of embarrassing ones, too. Teams don’t come to the state championship game expecting to get blown out 74-0, but a stunned Hillsdale crowd went home when it was over having seen it…and believing!
The OHSAA’s John Kronour called them (Marion), simply, a ‘dynasty’, during the post-game trophy presentation.
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“We knew,” said a wide-eyed Hillsdale coach Trevor Cline. “64 wins in a row and 15 state titles? We knew what it might be like to play Marion Local. But I’m proud of my team. They’ve overcome a lot through the years to win a regional championship and get to the state final. Today we saw the standard…what it takes to get back here.”
But 74-0?
It was 33-0 at the end of the first quarter.
It was 60-0 at halftime.
“I just told them I was proud of them,” said Cline, asked about what there was to tell your team when you’re down by 60 at halftime.
Senior Parker Hess scores the first of his four touchdowns – untouched – just 74 seconds into the first quarter.
Marion scored in every conceivable way – offense, defense, and special teams. The rushing game, interceptions ran back for touchdowns, and stunning special teams execution.
“They were the best team I’ve ever played in any sport,” Hillsdale quarterback Kael Lewis said quietly, afterwards. “I haven’t seen a team like that.”
To give you an idea….
Marion Local took the opening kick and five plays and 69 yards later Parker Hess scored from 4 yards out…untouched…to make it 7-0 in a minute and seventeen seconds.
Then Hess scored on a 3-yard run with 8:10 remaining.
At 4:56 wide receiver Vic Hoelscher took a 37 yard pass from Justin Knouff to the end zone to make it 20-0.
At 3:19 Ethan Heitkamp scored on a 2-yard run to make it 26-0.
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And with 57 seconds still remaining in the first quarter, Hoelscher gathered in a punt at his 34 yard line and returned it 66 yards for another score…33-0.
Flip the page….
Marion’s Daniel Everman reaches for the pylon after first quarter interception. He was ruled out of bounds at the one.
At 8:19 of the second quarter Hess scored his third touchdown on a 1-yard run…40-0.
At 6:48 Griffin Bruns hauled in a beautiful over-the-head catch from Justin Knouff for a 45-yard score…46-0.
At 4:40 Justin Knouff, still nursing a shin bruise, begged for a chance to run the ball. And on his one chance he hauled it 60 yards for a touchdown…53-0.
Not to be redundant…but two minutes later Hess scored his fourth touchdown of the half on a 3-yard run to make it 60-0…and halftime!
“I was hoping for a chance to run,” said Knouff in the post-game press conference. “They (coaches) called the play for me, I got to the seam, and it was wide open up the field.”
The Hillsdale crowd, and student section were stunned. They had played too well to get this far for something like this to happen.
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“I still have hope,” said one of the cheerleaders. “If they can score 60 in the first half we can score 60 in the second half. What a comeback that would be.”
Except it rarely works that way.
Victor Hoelscher scores on a 66-yard punt return in the first half of Friday’s Div. VII title game with Hillsdale.
Marion immediately forced a punt to start the second half, operating with a running clock, and within seconds Ethan Heitkamp scored on a 12-yard run to make the margin 67-0.
And with the clock spinning like your DP&L meter, Kamden Eifert and the backups rammed one last touchdown across the line from 5 yards out with 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter to conclude things…74-0.
Marion, in just 33 plays from scrimmage had accumulated 74 points on just 345 yards of total offense…245 yards on the ground.
How did they do that?
Hillsdale, in just 45 plays, accumulated just 74 yards…just two on the ground.
Justin Knouff hit on 5 of 7 passing for 94 yards and a touchdown.
Kael Lewis connected on 6 of 12 for 72 yards and was intercepted three times.
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Special teams, to Tim Goodwin’s delight, were indeed special…Griffin Bruns for 81 yards on two attempts, and Vic Hoelscher on his 66 yard return and touchdown. It was Hoelscher’s second punt return for a score in as many years.
Afterwards, Goodwin was short and succinct, as you would be after 15 titles in 18 tries.
Marion defensive end Kyle Ungruhn pancakes a Hillsdale tackler in Friday’s Div. VII title game.
“There were a few areas where I thought we were better than them…we had an advantage. Special teams was one of them, and what we did on punt returns and interceptions helped make the game snowball pretty fast. This wasn’t exactly what I expected, but our kids played really well.
“We had a goal when we came over this week to play really well because I thought these guys deserved to play well in this game. Obviously, we’ve been here in this game a lot of times and there’s been some times when we haven’t played well. Sometimes it’s been a struggle. But today we put our best foot forward in front of football guys across the state.”
Marion Local at it’s very best?
“Well, we played well in a lot of different areas,” Goodwin added. “Like, we take pride in our special teams and I’m not sure everyone does that. We take pride in our defense. So to answer your question…yeah, I think we played pretty well.”
“It feels weird,” said tackle Kyle Ungruhn. “The season’s over and we’ll never play football together again.”
But rest assured…Marion’s senior class made the most of their opportunity. It was that rare occasion when a class of freshman would go on to play four seasons, never lose a game, win four state titles in succession…and extend the new state record for consecutive wins to 64 in a row.
This, while playing in the acknowledged toughest conference for football competition in the state, top to bottom.
“It’s been super exciting,” said Ethan Heitkamp. “Hasn’t sunk in yet, but I’m sure I’ll be sitting in class next week and it will sink in.”
Justin Knouff hurdles the only tackler in his way on this 66-yard touchdown run before hafltime – his only carry of the game.
“I think I’ll appreciate it on the bus ride home,” added Vic Hoelscher.
However you express it, Marion Local once again not only reached its own standard, but raised it, as well. 74 points in an OHSAA title game was the first time since Delphos St. John scored 77 on Shadyside back in 2010.
“It’s the toughest part of my job,” said Goodwin, reacting to the question about maintaining that standard. “Maintaining the standard.”
And a standard that more than one MAC team continues to approach. One can now justly say, perhaps, that their 21-7 win over Minster was, indeed, the Division VII state title game.
“I said after our regional final win over Minster,” said Goodwin. “There’s a lot of teams not as good as Minster that have won state titles. I’ve seen it, and some of my teams weren’t as good as that Minster team this year.”
Marion’s defense harasses Hilldale quarterback Kael Lewis on a first half fumble recovery.
After fifteen titles, thousands of questions, and conjecture about Goodwin, the record, the legacy – the standard – there is yet that introspection about Goodwin and what he appreciates the most about what they, collectively, have accomplished.
“Well, I genuinely am happy for these guys (players), that they were able to come over here and play like they played today. I was hoping, for them, that we could be awesome.
“And the other thing…obviously I’m a football guy and a big part of my growing up was when St. Ignatius was doing their thing. So to be in that conversation [with them] is special…to be the Ignatius of lately.”
Ignatius, of course, ran dry in 2011, after their 11th title. The Ignatius of today now claims 15, and no one dares question if, and when, the end might come.
“I’m delegating more [to a young coaching staff], and I’m still having fun,” Goodwin said earlier this year. Scary, when you consider…..
After 14 titles…Friday they finally played their best!
Marion’s Daniel Everman returns an interception during Marion’s 74-0 win over Hillsdale in the Division VII Finals game.
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