Marion Football

Marion ends season with 4th straight loss

With their fourth straight loss, the Marion Indians closed a once-promising season Friday night at Thomas Park by falling to Class 3A eighth-ranked Maquoketa, 31-7.

The story was the same as it has been throughout the tailspin that saw a playoff-contending 4-1 team finish at 4-5 and compile a 2-5 record in district competition.

"We just shot ourself in the foot again," said rock-solid senior linebacker Jake McDonald. "We gave up three games this season we should have won. And we made too many mistakes tonight."

In fairness to Maquoketa, which won its eighth in a row and claimed the District 5 title, the best team did come out on top. Cardinals senior quarterback Chase Coakley was razor-sharp on his passes all night, finishing 12 for 19 for 231 yards.

Three more of his laser-like liners would have gone for sure touchdowns if they hadn't been flat-out dropped. Even so, the lanky Coakley led his team to three second-quarter scores to turn a close game into a 31-7 lead at halftime that stuck for the rest of the contest.

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Marion tumbles at Union, 45-14

LA PORTE CITY - The up-and-down Marion Indians saw their Class 3A playoff dreams go up in smoke Friday night by falling on the road to District 5 qualifier Union, 45-14.

"It's the same thing it's been all year," said Marion Coach Tony Perkins. "We find ways to beat ourselves.

"We do silly things like miss blocks or miss tackles. We fumble the ball at a bad time or have an interception. Or we have a costly penalty. We seem to always do things to hurt ourselves."

With one game left against district leader Maquoketa, the Indians are now out of the postseason picture at 4-4 overall and 2-4 in district play. The Union Knights, meanwhile, improved to 6-2 and 4-2.

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DeWitt spoils Marion homecoming, 18-6

Chris Lubben's 47-yard interception return for a touchdown broke a 6-6 tie and sent DeWitt Central past Marion, 18-6, Friday night in a Class 3A District 5 football game at Thomas Park.

The loss spoiled Marion's homecoming and put the Indians' playoff hopes in doubt. Marion (2-3, 4-3) has two games remaining. The Indians play at Union next Friday and close out the season at home against district co-leader Maquoketa on Oct. 21.

"We still have a chance, but we have to play better than we are right now,” Marion Coach Tony Perkins said.

Both teams ground out the ball on offense. DeWitt Central (3-2, 3-4) finished with 329 rushing yards and Marion 252. The Indians' Colton Storla rushed for 143 yards.

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Marion stunned by Center Point-Urbana, 24-19

CENTER POINT - The Marion High School playoff express stumbled Friday night, losing to a team that hadn't won a ballgame all season.

Gage Silker picked off an errant Cale Cannoy pass with 1:52 remaining to preserve a 24-19 upset victory for Center Point-Urbana over the Indians.

Center Point-Urbana erased the goose egg next to its name and raised its records to 1-5 overall and 1-3 in Class 3A District 5. Marion fell to 4-2 overall and 2-2 in the district.

A tight battle from start to finish saw the Pointers take an early 7-0 lead on a 1-yard touchdown plunge by Brandon Roseberry. Marion countered with a 50-yard touchdown pass from Cannoy to Tyler Gunderson, but the Indians went for two points and were denied.

Roseberry capped an 84-yard drive with a 15-yard touchdown scamper to give CP-U a 14-6 advantage. Marion tailback Colton Storla responded with a 5-yard touchdown, but the 2-point conversion failed again and the Indians trailed 14-12.

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