By Sean McNamara
RACHEL – For the second time in as many years, North Marion kept the Brooke Bruins out of the end zone as the Huskies cruised to a 35-6 win on their home field Friday to improve to 3-0 on the season.
With the loss, Brooke falls to 3-1 on the year, and North Marion takes an 8-4 advantage in the all-time series between the two schools in a rivalry that has seen the Huskies and Bruins play four times in the postseason, including the 1980 Class AAA state championship game.
North Marion quarterback Casey Minor completed 11-of-18 passes in the game for 195 yards, an interception, and a touchdown pass to go along with 10 carries for 32 yards and four touchdown runs.
“I think their goal was to stop the pass, and we did a really good job of keeping the pocket clean for me,” Minor said. “The line did a great job giving me time to pass it and our receivers all did great.”
Brock Martin was Minor’s top target, catching six passes for 108 yards and a 30-yard touchdown pass from Minor that came on fourth and 23 in the fourth quarter.
Landon Frey had three catches for 30 yards while Landon Cowger caught two passes for 42 yards and Aaron Hoffman caught one for 15 yards.
“We were getting a pretty heavy box, so we wanted to throw it early to try and lighten that,” NM coach Daran Hays said. “Frey and Brock were really good tonight. They caught everything, and Casey made great reads.”
Minor’s quarterback counterpart on Brooke was Braelyn Sperringer who completed 8-of-30 passes for 121 yards with one interception thrown to Frey.
“I thought we did pretty good,” NM defensive back Richie Eddy said. “We kept our technique, kept our composure and just played ball.”
To start the game, after both teams opened the game with three-and-outs, the Huskies’ offense struck first as a 40-yard pass and catch from Minor to Martin set up a Minor 1-yard touchdown run to give North Marion a 6-0 lead after the PAT was blocked.
Brooke found a big play of its own soon after as Sperringer found Moore down the middle of the field with a 43-yard pass deep into North Marion territory.
The Husky defense tightened, however, and forced a Brooke field goal attempt, which was knocked in from 35 yards by junior Chase Hile to make the score 6-3.
Now with a three-point lead, the Huskies struck again as Minor scored on an 8-yard touchdown run with less than a minute to go in the opening quarter, bringing the score to 14-3, North Marion, after Minor hit Frey with a two-point conversion pass.
To open the second quarter, North Marion extended its advantage to 20-6 after Minor ran in his third TD on the night, this one coming from 21 yards out to make the score 20-3 in favor of the Huskies.
Before the first half came to a close, Moore intercepted Minor near midfield setting up a Hile 31-yard field goal a few moments later to make the score 20-6, Huskies, at the break.
Throughout the third quarter, both defenses hung tough, with neither team able to find the scoreboard, keeping North Marion’s advantage at 20-3 heading into the fourth.
Through the first three quarters, the Huskies utilized a balanced attack, but to close out the game North Marion turned to its running game.
Hoffman, who rushed for a game-high 151 yards Friday, found his groove on the ground for North Marion, rushing for more than 100 yards in the fourth quarter alone, highlighted by a 54-yard run early in the period that set up the TD pass to Martin.
A late touchdown run from Minor helped put the game away as the Huskies out-gained Brooke 403-228 in total yards and came away with the 35-6 win.
“The line was doing a great job of giving us gaps,” Minor said. “That was our goal was to rush, and that was a great win not just for us but for the community.”
Moore led the Bruins in rushing with 52 yards while also posting a team-high 55 receiving yards on two catches.
Now, North Marion will play its first road game on the season next Friday when it travels to take on an undefeated Lincoln team.
”We just have to keep playing how we’ve been playing,” Eddy said. “We’re well coached. I think our coaches are great. We just have to keep playing ball.”
NM;BHS
First Downs;12;14
Rushing Yards;208;107
Passing Yards; 195;143
Total Yards; 403;228
Passing; 11-2-1;9-32-1
Fumbles;1;1
Fumbles Lost; 0;0
Penalties; 10-110;4-35
Individual Statistics
Rushing: NM: Aaron Hoffman 16-151, Casey Minor 10-32 4 TD, Trevor Mullett 8-45, TEAM 2-(-20). Total 33-208. BHS: Braelyn Sperringer 8-13, Gavin Moore 8-52, Jace Campinelli 7-25, Ty Sperringer 2-21, TEAM 1-(-4). Totals 26-107.
Passing
NM: Casey Minor 11-18-1 195 yards, Quinton Harbert 0-1-0. BHS: Braelyn Sperringer 8-30-1 121 yards, Ty Sperringer 1-2-0 22 yards.
Receiving
NM: Brock Martin 6-108 1 TD, Landon Frey 3-30, Landon Cowger 2-42, Aaron Hoffman 1-15. BHS: Gavin Moore 2-55, Anthony Bachinski 3-48, Gus Gilbert 2-19, Colten Palmer 1-22, Jace Campenelli 1-(-1).
NM;;14;6;0;15;;35
BHS;;3;3;0;0;6
Scoring Plays
First Quarter
NM – Casey Minor 1-yard run (kick failed)
BHS – Chase Hile 35-yard field goal
NM – Minor 8-yard run (Landon Frey catch from Minor)
Second Quarter
NM – Minor 21-yard run (kick failed)
BHS – Hile 31-yard field goal
Fourth Quarter
NM – Brock Martin 30-yard pass from Minor (Frey Catch)
NM – Minor 1-yard run (Brady Anderson kick)
