By Chris Parker
Fast.
Physical.
State champions.
The Marionville football program flexed its muscles and did what it had done all season shutting out North Platte 29-0 to win the Class 1 state championship.
“In years past we wanted to be an RPO-spread team. This year at the beginning of camp we said RPO is ‘run people over’. We wanted to be built for November and December football, and I feel like we did that very well and our kids were built for that this year,” Marionville head coach Paden Grubbs said.
Marionville set that tone from the opening drive taking the opening kickoff on and driving 60 yards across 14 plays culminating with a physical eight-yard touchdown run by Hugh Eaton. That gave the Comets a 7-0 lead with 3:22 left in the first quarter.
“That (drive) was a great tone-setter for the way we wanted to play especially with this weather,” Grubbs said.
Both teams came up empty on their next drives before the Marionville defense changed the game. Bryer Guerin pulled down an interception with 2:32 left in the first half to get the ball back for the Comets.
Three plays later, Guerin ripped through the North Platte defense for a 34-yard touchdown run to give Marionville a 14-0 lead into the break.
“We knew coming in it was going to be a very physical football game. Defensively, we felt like the defensive line up front was very physical and good for (North Platte), so we knew our kids would have to accept the challenge of being physical. I feel like we kind of wore on them throughout the game. Whenever you can get three, four or five yards per carry in this type of weather is huge,” Grubbs said.
Marionville’s defense answered the bell again in the third quarter by recovering a fumble. That led to a seven-play, 33-yard drive capped off by a one-yard touchdown run by Eaton.
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The Comets finished out the scoring with a 67-yard touchdown run by Cash Pomeroy followed by a two-point conversion reception from Guerin to Kanien Klineline with 2:36 left in the game.
Marionville’s defense pitched a shutout for the fifth time this season and held a team below 10 points for the 13th time.
“Our defense just played the way it has been playing all year; lights out, fast to the ball, getting there as a team and a unit and finishing plays. Defensively our guys did what they were coached to do and did a phenomenal job of taking advantage of some balls on the ground,” Grubbs said.
Pomeroy led the Comets with 13 carries for 117 yards and a touchdown. Guerin carried 10 times for 87 yards and a touchdown. Eaton had 19 carries for 62 yards and two touchdowns. The Comets outgained North Platte 300-188 possessing the ball for 28:31 to North Platte’s 19:29.
Prior to the game, Marionville’s 2003 state championship team was honored prior to the game. Grubbs was a member of that team. Friday was a full circle moment with Grubbs winning a second title, this time as head coach.
“It is a dream come true. I bleed blue. I love Marionville and the community and these kids in it. I am so proud for these kids, our program and our town and community,” Grubbs said.
The victory sends the senior class out with a 49-3 record in the four seasons. Most only played varsity from their sophomore seasons on meaning they only experienced two losses as varsity players.
“It is a true testament not just to them (the seniors), but our coaching staff as well. We have a phenomenal coaching staff that spends a lot of time getting these kids prepared not just on x’s and o’s but physically throughout the course of the year to where we can put them in position to be successful. These kids wanted to be successful. Since they wanted to be successful, they allowed us to coach them hard. That is a testament of a champion,” Grubb said. “They wanted it. Those two losses meant the world to them, and they didn’t want to feel that feeling again.”
“It feels like a dream. It is something that we have talked about since we were super young. It has been something that seemed really far away until this year. To get it done and do it the way we just did feels amazing,” Eaton said. “They are all my best friends. We are really close. We have played together for a long time since we were in Mighty Mites. We have never been losers and we like winning together. We do it for each other.”
While the Comets lose 10 seniors to graduation, there is plenty of talent returning next season.
“One thing that we set out to do was not just have a good year but to build something that is going to continue to be successful,” Eaton said. “We have guys like Cash and Bryer and all those younger guys that step up every year and do a really good job. They care about the program a lot too, and they are winners.”
