Reported by Tristan James
Marionville’s 35-game regular season winning streak was tested in Week 1 against Stockton, but the Comets were able to extend it by another game with a 12-7 win over their Southwest Conference rival.
Defense was the story of the game.
The contest was scoreless until the 1:55 mark of the first quarter when quarterback Bryer Guerin found junior Braydon Bellah for a 40-yard touchdown. That would be it for first-half scoring, as Marionville carried a 6-0 lead into the break.
The game remained scoreless through the third quarter before Stockton broke through in the fourth quarter.
Quarterback Easton Hubbard and receiver Aiden Elfrits helped lead Stockton down the field. The Tigers appeared to score a touchdown, but a holding penalty erased the score and moved the ball back to the 20-yard line. Hubbard hit tight end AJ Scott for a 17-yard gain down to the Marionville three-yard line. Aiden Elfrits punched the ball in a play later to give Stockton a 7-6 lead with 9:26 left in the game.
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The teams traded defensive stops giving Marionville the ball back at its own six-yard line with 2:47 left in the game. A 49-yard completion from Guerin to Isaac Stimpson helped Marionville get a big chunk of the yardage it needed. Guerin would cap the drive off with another touchdown pass to Bellah from 11 yards out to give Marionville a 12-7 lead with only eight seconds remaining.
The Comets held on to win and advanced to 1-0. They will host Willow Springs next week. Stockton will play host to Miller in Week 2.
