Defense leads way in MA win
It wasn’t the prettiest of wins Friday night for Marshall Academy, but it was a win and most importantly, a district win.
The Patriot defense carried the load, holding the Green Wave to less than 50 yards total offense, while the offense had its struggles in a 14-7 District 1-4A win.
“We’re certainly not in midseason form after missing two games (cancellations versus Bayou and South Pontotoc),” head coach Tony Banks said. “The great thing — we dominated the game, we just didn’t dominate the scoreboard.
“And it was a huge win because it was our first conference game, and it was North Delta. North Delta is a big and physical team, running right at you, but to be honest, we were the more physical team.”
The Marshall offense opened the game by driving deep into Green Wave territory. A holding penalty pushed the Pats backwards, and on the very next play, North Delta’s Ridge Aldison snatched a fumble from the air and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown. Stiles Rowland added the extra point.
MA trailed 7-0, and then the game was halted for about an hour and a half due to lightning.
At 8:46 p.m. Played resumed, and the MA offense struck with its only scoring drive of the night. Colton Neal found a hole over the left side and picked up 26 yards to the North Delta 34.
On a fourth and 9, Landon Houston threw to Hayes Henry, who made leaping catch and kept his feet in bounds for a 14-yard gain to the 19.
The Patriots had a touchdown called back on a penalty, and then facing a fourth and 7, Houston rolled out, avoided a would-be tackler and found Henry in the back of the end zone for an 18-yard score. Ethan Helton kicked the extra point to tie the game with 3:18 left in the first quarter.
Midway through the second period, Marshall drove to the North Delta 21 but fumbled the ball away.
The defense then got the Patriots’ only other score of the night. Will Merrell intercepted a pass and returned it 25 yards for six points. Helton added the extra point with 5:29 to go in the second.
MA had another scoring chance late in the opening half. Houston lofted a pass deep for Rusty Bolden, who made an over-the-shoulder catch and gained 34 yards to the Green Wave 16. Then on the last play of the half, Houston threw again to Bolden, who made the snag but just out of the back of the end zone.
The MA defense held North Delta to just one first down in the first half and two in the second half.
The two teams swapped fumbles to start the second half. Then Marshall failed to convert on a fourth-and-eight try.
Houston picked off a pass to halt a North Delta possession early in the fourth quarter.
The Patriots in turn drove to the Green Wave 14 but turned the ball over on a fourth-and-two play.
The Marshall defense stopped North Delta one last time in the closing minutes, and then the offense was able to run out the clock.
“We made a lot of mistakes,” Banks told his squad after the game. “We should have scored more points, but we’re 1-0 in the conference, and I’m proud of you. It was a big win.”
He said in a later interview that his Patriots have to clean up the mistakes and play better, but “our kids are showing up and playing hard.”
Banks named Marquay Monger the most valuable player for his “great night on the defensive and offensive lines.”
The next challenge for the Patriots (3-1) is this Friday night when they travel to face public school Walnut. The Wildcats are 2-2 with wins over Falkner and Middleton, Tenn., and losses to Alcorn Central and Biggersville.
“Like I said, it’s mid-season, and we’re not in mid-season form,” Banks said. “We have to go back to work this week. But I know this, our kids are hungry to play and improve.”