INDIANAPOLIS –Â The Marian football team bounced back from its defeat last week and ran all over St. Ambrose, winning 61-24 Saturday at St. Vincent Field in Indianapolis. The Knights are 3-2 overall with the win.
Marian wasted no time getting on the board after receiving the opening kick. It took just five plays and 1:50 off the clock to go 64 yards as Charles Salary ran it in from 22 yards out to put the Knights up 7-0. Cameron Fox added to Marian’s lead with a 28-yard field goal on the following drive after the Knights traveled 80 yards in 4:20.
Marian added one more score in the quarter on a 27-yard touchdown pass from Luke Johnston to Johnny William. The Knights took the 17-0 lead to the end of the quarter. The tide turned a bit early in the second after Johnston threw an interception and St. Ambrose turned it into seven points on a five-yard touchdown pass with 9:47 to play in the half.
The Knights bounced back later in the quarter with a touchdown of their own to make it 24-7. Once again, it was the Johnston-to-William connection that got Marian in the end zone as Johnston found him for a 26-yard touchdown. The touchdown was William’s ninth of the season and Marian would carry the 31-7 lead into the locker room. The Knights outgained St. Ambrose 356-54 in the half and held St. Ambrose to just 27 yards rushing.
Marian posted 16 more points in the third quarter on a 29-yard field goal from Fox and touchdown runs from Johnston and Maurice Woodard. Johnston kept it for a three-yard run, while Woodard scampered in from five yards out. The ground game carried Marian the rest of the way as the lead swelled to as much as 44 points. Wesley Cook scored on a one-yard run after a 62-yard run on the previous play. The touchdown was Cook’s first of the season. He added his second late in the game with a 34-yard run that capped an eight play, 75 yard drive.
St. Ambrose was able to score 17 points in the fourth, but Marian ran away with the game, scoring a season-high 61 points. The Knights compiled 626 yards of total offense and gobbled up 391 yards on the ground. Salary led Marian with 147 yards a touchdown, while Cook eclipsed the century mark with 138 yards on 11 carries to go along with his two touchdowns. Woodard finished with 51 yards and Tonte added 45.
Johnston finished the afternoon 15-of-29 for 227 yards and two touchdowns. William caught both TDs and had 98 yards receiving on four catches. Mac Dutra led the defense with 6.5 tackles and two sacks, while Austin Ginther added five tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. As a team, Marian allowed just 61 yards rushing.
The Knights racked up 29 first downs and forced two turnovers, while leading in time of possession by almost nine minutes.
Marian will return home Oct. 14 to face MSFA and in-state rival, Taylor, at 1:05 p.m.
