In a series that has produced final scores of a touchdown or less in seven of the last nine showdowns, of course Marion Harding and Mount Vernon played it down to the final minutes.
Marcus McGary scored the game-winning touchdown with 2:50 left to lift the Presidents to a 21-17 victory Aug. 21 inside Harding Stadium.
Harding outgained the Yellow Jackets 352 to 144 in yards and 14 to 7 in first downs as the teams combined for five turnovers.
Harding’s Mattic Simmers scored the game’s first touchdown on a 9-yard run, and Dez Feliciano scored on a 19-yard run. Feliciano was 9 of 16 passing for 117 yards and ran 14 times for 59 yards. McGary led the squad with 97 yards on 14 carries. Theo Collins caught five passes for 48 yards, and Jackson Payne’s two catches went for 60 yards. Jaden Jordan intercepted a pass, and Sean Kelly returned a kickoff 60 yards.
Here are more results from around the Marion area during Week 1 of high school football:
Highland 28, Fredericktown 7
Highland’s Robby Schmidt only attempted three passes, but he completed two with one going for a touchdown to Hudson Howell as Schmidt finished with 41 yards passing and 110 yards rushing on nine carries, scoring two more TDs.
Nick Hinkle added 85 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown, plus made 12 tackles. Kane Stover produced 17 tackles and forced a fumble, while Zach Riley had nine tackles, and Dylan Wiggand had eight tackles. The Scots combined for six tackles for loss, and Hayden Moore returned a fumble 56 yards.
Elgin 29, Arlington 8
Elgin made the road trip to Arlington and took it to the home team as Abram Norton ran for 54 yards on 14 carries with a touchdown and added 11-for-15 passing for 142 yards and two more scores.
Archer Johnston ran for 49 yards and caught four passes for 47 more, adding a TD, while Braydon Lowry ran only five times but finished with 108 yards with an 86-yard touchdown. Finn Van Gundy caught a 32-yard touchdown, and Luke Nelson caught two passes for 40 yards. Cayden Hunt kicked a 26-yard field goal, too.
For the Elgin defense, Drew Brown led everyone with 11 tackles and three tackles for loss, while Zack Bowers and Nelson picked off passes, and Russell Norton recovered two fumbles. T.J. Britton made seven tackles, and Johnston also recovered a fumble.
Bloom-Carroll 21, River Valley 9
After a scoreless first quarter, River Valley tied it at 7-7 on an Owen Collins to Carter Myers pass, then took a 9-7 lead after a safety on a kickoff return by Bloom-Carroll. A pair of TD runs by Kyson Cline proved to be the difference as he ended with 236 yards on 25 runs for the Bulldogs. Myers made six catches for 114 yards as Collins was 21-for-42 passing and 219 yards.
Triad 40, Ridgedale 6
Ridgedale dropped one on the road. Lincoln Kramer was 10 of 25 passing for 131 yards, while Billy Wren made six catches for 89 yards, and Kingston McGary caught four for 47 yards for the Rockets. Braxton Roberts led with 64 rushing yards on 16 carries.
On defense for Ridgedale, Wren recorded nine tackles; Roberts ended with five tackles and two sacks; Britton Pottkotter finished with six tackles; and Hunter Hutchinson blocked an extra point attempt.
Wynford 34, Cardington-Lincoln 20
Wynford led 14-6 at halftime, and Cardington cut it to 27-20 in the third quarter but got no closer.
Laythan Ralston put together a big night for the Pirates, running 23 times for 216 yards and a touchdown, and completing 3 of 12 passes for 20 yards and a touchdown. He also led the defense with nine tackles. Dillion Donkin backed him with 60 rushing yards on 12 tries, and James Fiant made a 5-yard TD catch, while Bentley Manley picked off a pass.
Martins Ferry 42, Mount Gilead 19
Martins Ferry made the long road trip from the Ohio River but still jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter before rolling to a 35-6 edge by halftime.
Scoring for MG were Tyler Harr on a 20-yard run, Kolton White on a 35-yard fumble return and Boe Sayers on a 4-yard run. Harr caught both of his team’s receptions and rushed 12 times for 86 yards. Sayers ran for 80 yards on 14 tries.
Upper Sandusky 30, Northmor 21
It was the first time the Rams defeated Northmor on the varsity football field.
Jackson Welch caught 11 passes for 182 yards, including touchdown strikes of 24 and 56 yards for the Golden Knights. Tanner Miley was 14-for-31 with 228 yards, adding 41 rushing yards on 24 attempts. Brody Beck ran it 13 times for 41 yards, adding an 11-yard TD run.
Northmor earned 19 first down and 310 total yards, while US had 14 first downs and 323 yards of offense.
rmccurdy@usatodayco.com
419-610-0998
X @McMotorsport
Instagram @rob_mccurdy_star
This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Marion Harding, Mount Vernon play another classic, plus more roundup
Reporting by Rob McCurdy, Marion Star / Marion Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Rob McCurdy, Marion Star | USA TODAY Network
