Marysville’s Carson Overbey (3) intercepts a Perrysburg pass at the goal line. Also pictured for the Monarchs is Vanyn Fultz (21).
(Journal-Tribune photo by Chad Williamson)
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At the end of the first quarter Friday night, Marysville’s football team may have picked up a check from the Union County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, because never in history has a busload of visitors from Wood County been made to feel more welcome.
In the first five minutes, the Monarchs handed Perrysburg a gift basket filled with such treats as a fumble 20 seconds into the game, an offsides penalty when the Yellow Jackets faced fourth down, a bobbled kickoff that left the ball at the 7 and blocked punt that left the ball well inside Monarch territory.
And after all of that, and other later miscues, the Monarchs still only lost by 3, 17-14.
“Bottom line is we made too many mistakes,” MHS coach Brent Johnson said. “Too many balls on the ground. Too many penalties. Too many missed tackles. And and it all adds up.”
After the sloppy start, Marysville’s defense capped the damage at a 7-0 halftime deficit, before the Monarchs came charging back in the third quarter. The game entered the fourth quarter tied 14-14.
All the missed opportunities earlier in the game set up a wild final minute that saw a touchdown negated on a penalty, a pass interference in the end zone, an intentional grounding call and Perrysburg kicker Taylor Thomas getting iced, twice, before nailing a 26-yard field goals with eight seconds left in the game.
“Things didn’t go our way early, but I was proud of how they battled back,” Johnson said. “They played hard. I told them it’s not an effort thing.”
After fumbling away the second offensive snap at the MHS 28, Marysville’s defense was one stop away from escaping unharmed, but jumped offsides on a hard count to move the chains. From there, Yellow Jacket QB Josh Takats found Matt Hubbard for an easy 11-yard scoring strike. Thomas’ PAT made the score 7-0 two minutes into the contest.
Marysville had trouble getting a handle on the ensuing kickoff and started its drive at the 7.
Marysville picked up one first down, but was then forced to punt. The kick was tipped and rolled dead at the MHS 39.
A pass interference call and another neutral zone infraction had Perrysburg knocking on the door again, but Marysville’s Carson Overbey picked off a Takats pass in the end zone.
Marysville picked up its only other first down of the half on a QB keeper by Brevin Bourquin. However, a personal foul on the Monarchs meant the chains moved forward, but the Monarchs moved backward. Marysville punted and the ballwas tipped again.
A good roll, though, kept the local squad out of danger.
MHS’ first drive of the second quater unraveled on an offsides penalty.
The Marysville defense, however, played aggressively and helped the Monarchs limp into halftime trailing just 7-0.
Marysville tallied just 44 yards of offense in the first half. Johnson explained that the Yellow Jackets came out in a 50 defense after previously showing a four-man front . They also pinched their defensive ends hard, serving to disrupt Marysville’s counter game.
Perrysburg opened the second half with a 72-yard scoring run by Nick Oros. The PAT put the score at 14-0 just 22 seconds into the third quarter.
The Monarchs had spent halftime drawing up a new game plan and were ready to put it in motion after a decent kick return.
Another penalty, however, left the Monarchs staring at third-and-14.
A pass from Bourquin to running back Matt Krutowskis picked up 13 yards. The Monarchs then moved the chains by picking up a yard on fourth down.
Bourquin connected with Krutowskis for another nice gain to put the ball around the Perrysburg 20. A holding call, though, negated the play.
The Monarchs went downfield again. This time Bourquin found tight end Drue Fraker for 25 yards and a first down.
Krutowskis capped the drive on a two-yard run. Trey Phillips hit the PAT to put the score at 14-7 with 6:53 left in the third.
The Monarchs got the ball back and Bourquin found Fraker again, picking up 12 yards on third down to move the sticks. The MHS QB then scrambled for another first down at the Perrysburg 14.
A few plays later, Nathan Woods scored from seven yards out. Phillips evened the score with the PAT, 14-14 with 2:09 left in the third quarter.
“I told the kids ‘I’m so proud of just your tenacity in the second half, putting blinders on and just kept playing.’” said Johnson.
Early in the final quarter, Monarch linebacker Vanyn Fultz fell on a Yellow Jacket fumble at the Monarch 42. The local squad appeared to have all the momentum and was pushing the ball into Perrysburg territory.
Bourquin scrambled around the right end and picked up a first down. He lost the handle on the ball as he was fighting for extra yards, giving the Jackets the ball at their own 23 with less than 10 minutes left to play.
Perrysburg picked up a couple of first downs through the air and was clearly shortening the game by running the play clock all the way down before taking the snap. They punted with under five minutes left, but Marysville returned the favor at the 3:12 mark.
The Yellow Jackets continued to milk the clock, maneuvering down for a late field goal try.
Takats was nearly sacked on third down, but broke loose and was run out of bounds at the 9 with 49 seconds left.
Two plays later, he hit Hubbard for what looked like a second TD pass. The play, though, called back because a lineman had wandered down field.
Marysville was hit with a pass interference call on the next play, putting the ball at the 7 with 33 seconds left.
On the next snap, Fultz wrapped up Takats for a sack. The signal caller flung the ball out of bounds in the area of nobody, drawing a grounding call and moving the ball back to the 24 with 26 seconds left.
A short pass recovered some of the ground, but a third down toss to the end zone missed the mark, setting up fourth down as Thomas came out to try a 26yard field goa.
Marysville called consecutive timeouts to rattle the senior kicker, but he made good on the try with eight seconds left.
Marysville took the kickoff and had one try for a Hail Mary, but it fell to the ground well short of the end zone.
“You know, it was good high school football. It really was,” Johnson said. “I hate being on the wrong side of it, but our kids battled and their kids battled. We’re in a schedule that is going to be that way every week.”
The Monarchs, now 1-1, will host Reynoldsburg on Friday.