Marian wins shootout against Mahanoy Area

Has the Marian football team found that magic touch?

Whatever has been happening to the Colts over the past two weekends, it sure feels good, looks good and this team may be ready to make a late season run to a postseason District 11, Class A playoff berth.

It all started two weekends ago when Marian scored an unbelievable 41 second-half points to shell shock one of its more bitter rivals, Panther Valley. Now Chapter 2 unfolded on Friday, once again in Men of Marian Stadium.

Marian was in a shootout with another strong rival, Mahanoy Area. When both teams combined for eight first-half touchdowns, nearly taking 68 minutes to play, this baby looked like it was headed for a stroke of midnight.

Then suddenly the breakneck speed turned into a game of chunks, dinks and dunks, and a defense which finally surfaced, believe it or not, on both sides. By the time the klaxon tolled to run down the clock, Marian survived in a thriller defeating Mahanoy Area in a Schuylkill League contest, 41-28.

For sure there were huge plays, mostly from the Golden Bears’ side at the onset. After Marian cranked up a near picture-perfect, 51-yard scoring march riding the saddle of Seth Paluck (29-154) to shoot out to a 7-0 lead, all of that momentum was drained in one sweeping play by the Bears.

Sophomore running back Danny Lawrence bolted 74 yards on Mahanoy’s first offensive touch, then turned around on its second possession and raced in front 14-7 when quarterback Matt Lewandowski whistled bye-bye and zoomed 74 yards for a second score. All of that on only two offensive plays from scrimmage. Lewandowski finished with 153 yards on 27 carries.

“It’s scary with their quarterback and a really good running back,” said first-year Marian coach Pat Morgans “But our defense really came up big in the second half. Once we settled down and started to (read our keys) we got more comfortable as the game (wore) on.”

Just when the Bears looked in control, Marian got recharged when quarterback Keith McCall found receiver Aidan Hinchey for a nifty 46-yard completion to the nine and Paluck knocked down his second six-pack before Lucca Stroia’s kick tied the game, 14-14.

Again Mahanoy Area had another answer to open the second quarter with Lewandowski hitting a streaking MJ Terry for a 30-yard touchdown. The see-saw battle was on, and Marian came right back with an in-your-face kick return of 75 yards by Arron Adams. That scored just elevated the Colts for they punched home two more touchdowns before the respite. Paluck finished off an 11-play drive with a 28-yard bend-back run for a touchdown and scored with 3:38 to play in the half on a three-yard run. Marian led 35-21 at intermission.

The only time the Bears countered came at the start of the second half, using a time-consuming 17-play, 65-yard march with Tyler Clewell cashing on with a one-yard run. However, Marian made it a moot point with a nine-play drive of its own for the game’s final touchdown.

“I hope it’s the start of a good run for us,” smiled Morgans. “We have a big game (next week) at Shenandoah and it’s never easy to play there.”

GETITNG IT DONE… Take your pick, John Patton, Zach Falls, Carter Eckman, Andrew Osilka—they all made it work on the line.

PICKING IT… Marian secondary came up with two picks with Jacob McLaughlin getting both and playing steady all evening.

WHAT A LEG… Lewandowski could be recruited as a punter. His first two points were net of 51 each, and the second punt traveled 49 yards IN THE AIR!