Union Mine pours on Marysville
EL DORADO — The showers started at kickoff and didn't let up until the final gun. And as the rain continued to fall, so did the curtain on Marysville High's season.
The Indians saw their season come to an end with a 25-6 loss to Union Mine in the second round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV playoffs.
Fumbles and a strong Diamondbacks' running game was the difference in the contest, but the No. 3-seeded Indians still came away with some respect after finishing the season with an 8-4 record and the Golden Empire League title for the second time in three years.
"People in the inner circle knew we were going to be pretty good, but I think we surprised some people after that Wheatland game," said Marysville coach Cullen Meyer, referring to the Indians' close loss to the Pirates. "We moved the ball well in the first half tonight, I just think they handled the elements better than us."
The teams exchanged punts to open the game and after a scoreless first period, Union Mine cracked the scoreboard on a 4-yard touchdown run by running back Cody Tow. The two-point conversion failed and the Diamonbacks took a 6-0 lead.
Marysville answered the drive by marching the length of the field, but a fumble near the goal line was recovered by Union Mine.
The score remained the same until late in the first half when the Indians took possession of the ball at their own 12. After moving the ball out to the 20, Marysville lined up to punt the ball with four minutes left in the half and the snap sailed over punter Michael Barabin's head and the Diamondbacks recovered at the Indians' 24-yard line with 1:35 remaining.
One play later, Graham Bennett found Ron Eddy for the touchdown and Sean Tow added the extra point to give Union Mine a 13-0 lead.
The Indians answered back and drove the ball across midfield on their next possession, but another fumble gave Union Mine the ball with 35 seconds left. After two completions, Bennett ran in a touchdown with no time left, however a penalty nullified the score and the Diamondbacks took a two-touchdown lead into the half.
Sean Tow scored on a 55-yard touchdown run early in the third period and brother Cody Tow scored on a 1-yard run with 53 seconds left in the third period to give Union Mine an insurmountable 25-0 lead heading into the fourth.
The Indians then put together their best drive of the game by marching 65 yards. Barabin did the honors on a short 1-yard run but it was too little too late and Union Mine ran out the clock to earn the win.
Cole Hannum finished with nearly 200 yards rushing to lead the Indians.
