Marysville's 'D' shines at right time

Orange and black was just too dominate on Friday night.

After slipping into a 21-14 deficit at halftime, the Marysville High football team turned a red-zone stop into a game-changing moment early in the third quarter and never looked back in the Golden Empire League showdown.

The Indians (6-2, 2-1) shut down what had been a damaging Capital Christian air attack, unleashed a relentless ground game and lit War Memorial Stadium into a playoff-like atmosphere to take down the Cougars (6-2, 2-1), 34-21.

The two teams exchanged touchdowns early as Capital Christian quarterback James Lee hit Jeremiah Oates on a quick out, and the wideout danced his way 23 yards for the score midway through the first quarter.

Marysville quickly responded and tied the score on an eight-play, 65-yard drive, capped off by a 16-yard James Chandless scamper.

With a minute left in the first quarter, Capital Christian's Cody Barsam scored on a toss left from 14 yards out to take a 14-7 lead, but again, it didn't last long.

Marysville needed just two plays, the second being a 50-yard TD strike from Chant DeForest to Matt Horsfall.

Capital Christian got the last word in before the half however, when Lee hit Spencer Hagan from 23 yards out for the score.

Lee completed 10-of-15 passes for 153 yards and the two scores at half, and Hagan hauled in three catches for 70 of those yards, but all of that changed in the second half.

Lee went 7-for-25 for 120 yards in the second half, was sacked twice and fumbled twice due to a Marysville defense that simply clamped down.

"That was a huge win for us," said Marysville coach Cullen Meyer. "It doesn't completely take away the San Juan loss, but it was big."

To begin the third quarter, Capital Christian marched down the field in 10 plays before it faced a fourth-and-goal from the 9-yard line — the Cougars went for it and Marysville deflected the pass to take over on downs.

Instantly, excitement filled the stadium.

Marysville then looked to its horses to finish the job.

The Indians spun off runs of 16, 15, 29 and 15 before Michael Barabin scored from 11 yards out to knot the score 21-21 midway through the third quarter.

And after shutting down the Cougars again, the Indians recorded runs of 24 and 20 before Chandless broke away off right on a 21-yard rumble to the end zone to take a 28-21 lead.

A scary moment for Capital Christian occurred shortly after the Cougars took over on the Indians 15-yard line on a botched punt that was fumbled.

Hagan made one of his several outstanding catches in the end zone but was hit hard by Marysville's Barabin and was taken to Rideout Hospital by ambulance for precautionary purposes after being knocked out cold following the hit.

Marysville made another red-zone stop and then marched down the field to seal the win when Chandless trampled over the Cougars defense from 31 yards out.

Chandless finished the game with 19 carries for 136 yards and the three touchdowns.