MOUNT VERNON -- Every year, Marion and Mount Vernon high schools meet on the football field to do battle. Marion has been known to dominate the series, as they have outscored the Mustangs 172-13 in the past four years.

In Friday night’s football season opener at Mustang Field in Mount Vernon, Marion thought a little too much about the past.

Mount Vernon stunned Marion, and presumably most people in attendance, as they took a quick 10-0 lead in the first quarter behind the arm of senior quarterback Jacob Timm.

Despite finding themselves in an early hole, the Indians righted the ship and found a way to make history repeat itself, sliding by Mount Vernon 14-10 in an exciting prep football opener.

“It wasn’t a good performance by us,” said Marion Coach Tony Perkins. “Coach (Duane) Orr should be complimented because their kids have come a long way in a year. They played with a lot of heart and played physical football tonight, and I thought we came out tonight really soft.”

Mount Vernon got the scoring started early in the first when kicker Jordan Roe blasted a 36-yard field goal through the uprights to push the Mustangs ahead 3-0.

Marion didn’t seem to have an answer for Timm, who found a weak spot in middle of Marion’s secondary. Late in the first quarter he orchestrated a 70-yard drive, completing two lengthy passes, and found Jack Keleher for a 6 yard touchdown with 50 seconds left in the quarter.

“That is just not Marion football,” said Perkins.

Down 10-0 to a team they were accustomed to blowing out, Marion was reeling.

Marion’s senior tailback workhorse Colton Storla had seen enough. Coming out in the second quarter, Marion controlled the line of scrimmage, and Storla accounted for 45 yards in a 75-yard scoring drive, capped off by a 6-yard touchdown run by the tailback.

The ensuing Mount Vernon possession, things looked like they were finally going Marion’s way, as Hunter Banes intercepted a Timm pass giving Marion possession at their own 44.

Storla and the Indians marched down the field again, running the ball straight ahead in a 9-play, 64-yard drive. Storla, who rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns in the game, capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown run putting the Indians in front 14-10 with 3:27 left in the half.

“We just stayed in the game after our bad start,” said Storla. “But there still is a lot of room for improvement.”

Mount Vernon caught a bad break when Timm went out with an injury at the end of the first half, leaving backup Logan Walker as the signal caller. Marion’s defense did not seem to be worried about who was under center for the Mustangs, as they played lights out in the second half holding Mount Vernon to negative yards.

“Our defense did an amazing job. They just kept us in the game,” said Storla.

Banes came up big again in the fourth quarter, blocking a Mount Vernon punt with 8:51 left in the game. The Marion offense pounded the ball and ate the clock away, and the defense held strong to preserve the victory.

“We really just had to get over the shock that we can’t just show up and win,” said Perkins. “Once we got over that and started doing our job we were all right.”

MARION 14, MOUNT VERNON 10

Marion                        Mount Vernon

First Downs                      13                                      5
Rushes- Yards            47-210                                    19-3
Passing                        4-11-1                                   16-20-1
Passing Yards                    60                                   140
Punts- Avg.                 4-39.25                               4-40.1
Fumbles                        1                                          1
Penalties                     7-55                                    8-40

Marion                       0   14  0   0  --  14
Mount Vernon            10  0   0   0  --  10

MV- FG Roe 36
MV- Keleher 6 pass from Timm (Roe kick)
M- Storla 6 run (failed 2 pt conversion)
M- Storla 1 run (Davis pass from Cannoy)

Individual Stats

Marion
Rushing- Storla 22-110, Tyler Gunderson 5- 34, Trev Biery 7-40, Cale Cannoy 2-2, Jake McDonald 5-13, Andrew Davis 4-13
Passing- Cannoy 4-11-1 60
Receiving- Gunderson 2-53, Storla 2-7

Mount Vernon
Rushing- Marshall Tuerler 8- -5, Micah Russell 4-5, Timm 2-3
Passing- Timm 14-16-0 135, Walker, 2-4-1 5
Receiving- Connor Shaffer 6-94, Jack Keleher 1-6, Jacob Malik 1-11, Roe 1-26, Tuerler 1-3