A trio of Monarch running backs each rushed for more than 100 yards during Friday’s 35-14 playoff victory over Dublin Jerome. They were Ryan Kern (top photo, left), Griffin Johnson (top photo, right) and Gabe Powers (36) in the bottom photo. (Journal-Tribune photos by Chad Williamson and Sam Dillon)
One of the most difficult things a high school football squad can do is face a team for the second time in the same
season.
A coach has to wonder… what will the opposition do differently than the previous time?
Will we be able to make adjustments to any changes in strategy?
Any worries from Monarch Nation were offset by a trio of 100-plus yard rushers Friday night.
The Marysville Monarchs rolled past Dublin Jerome 31-12 a month ago early in the regular season.
As the No. 7 playoff seed, they had to face the No. 10 Celtics once again on Friday during the opening round of the
Division I state post-season.
Ryan Kern (142 yards), Griffin Johnson (113) and Gabe Powers (109) each eclipsed the century mark.
They helped MHS head coach Brent Johnson and the rest of the squad answer the questions they needed to during a
35-14 triumph in the rematch.
“Jerome squeezed and blitzed us a little more than they did a month ago,” said Johnson.
Just how did the Monarchs respond?
“We went right at C gap, which is what they left exposed,” said the Monarch coach. “We ran iso and power and during
the fourth quarter, we found our buck sweep.”
Marysville’s defense held the Celtics to a three-and-out during the opening series of the contest.
Jerome’s punt left the Monarchs starting at their own 33-yard line.
MHS’ offensive bread-and-butter this season has been its running game.
Kern, Johnson and Powers took care of the infantry duty during the team’s first series, while quarterback Ethan Musel
loosened up Jerome’s defense with a short pass to Kern.
MHS’ running backs continued to barrel into Dublin territory.
Johnson took the ball at the 42-yard-line and went through on a reverse.
He found a gap and was off for the Monarchs’ first touchdown.
Logan Hall booted the extra point for a 7-0 MHS lead.
The Celtics’ next series went 10 plays and moved close to the red zone.
Aiden Lambert of MHS stopped the drive with an interception off a pass thrown by Jerome’s Ryan Miller.
That turnover led to Marysville’s second touchdown of the night.
Musel and Jeremiah McNeil helped MHS’ regular runners move the ball deep into Jerome territory.
Powers sealed the series with a 17-yard touchdown run on the initial play of the second quarter.
Hall’s accurate leg pushed Marysville’s margin to 14-0.
The Celtics showed they weren’t going to roll over after the Monarchs took a two-touchdown lead.
Miller connected on a pass to Carter Barco at midfield within the first two minutes of the ensuing period.
Preston Everhart took a handoff, found a seam in the MHS defense and picked up a head of steam.
Everhart sprinted 50 yards into the end zone for Jerome’s first score.
Pat Havenstein tallied the extra point that halved Dublin’s deficit to 14-7.
MHS surrendered the ball on a punt, but got it right back when Tanner Powers came up with a second interception
against Miller.
The Monarchs could not capitalize on that turnover and were forced to punt.
Marysville’s defense, however, was just as stringent.
The Celtics had possession for only three plays before punting.
MHS took over on its own 18-yard-line with 1:24 left until halftime.
Johnson and Powers carried the ball on two plays to the 31-yard line.
What happened next was described by coach Johnson as “huge.”
Kern took the handoff from Musel and raced around the right side.
The Celtics gave chase and Kern eluded a would-be tackler between the 20 and 15 yard-lines.
He found an extra cylinder and went into the end zone as the clock reached zero.
Hall planted the ball between the uprights for a 21-7 halftime lead.
Johnson said the touchdown was an example of how his squad responded to adversity.
“We got up two touchdowns and Jerome answered with a score,” he said. “Ryan’s touchdown was absolutely huge.”
Kern’s TD grew even bigger in significance when Jerome narrowed the deficit with its second touchdown in the third
quarter.
Miller directed a quick series with several passes.
He concluded it with a 10-yard scoring strike to Nate Kirk.
Havenstein’s PAT pulled the Celtics to within 21-14 with slightly less than eight minutes left in the period.
Marysville was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct on the TD.
As such, the Celtics tried an onside kick from the MHS 45-yard-line.
McNeil fielded the ball at the Monarchs’ 32.
Logan McSwords also helped with the ground game during the ensuing series.
Marysville, though, lost the ball on downs at the Jerome 23.
The Celtics tried a bit of razzle-and-dazzle, but their sizzle only fizzled.
Barco attempted a halfback option pass after a reverse.
Colton Powers of Marysville sniffed out the play and intercepted the offering.
Offsetting unsportsmanlike infractions left MHS with the ball on the Jerome 22.
Once again, the Monarchs failed to generate any offense as they lost the ball on a fumble.
That bobble, which came at the start of the fourth quarter, did not hurt MHS as Jerome again yielded possession with a
punt.
Marysville regained possession with 9:29 left in the third quarter.
Kern, McSwords and Powers rambled over real estate, while Musel hit Cameron Jones with a 15-yard pass.
Powers carried the ball down to the Celtic 25.
From there, Johnson took another handoff and scampered into the end zone.
Hall’s extra point extended the Monarchs’ margin to 28-14.
Jerome was caught holding on the touchdown and the penalty was enforced on the kickoff.
MHS booted from midfield and left the Celtics starting on their own 20.
A three-and-out had Jerome once again punting the ball back to Marysville.
The Monarchs began their final scoring series with 6:46 left in the game.
Kern and Johnson knocked Dublin Jerome’s defense back on its heels.
Powers stuck a dagger in the Celtics’ hearts with a 28-yard touchdown run.
Hall’s final extra point expanded MHS’ lead to 35-14.
Jerome than ran off a couple of meaningless plays as time expired.
Johnson said his team continued to work through adversity at various times.
“The guys didn’t let anything bother them,” he said. “They just continued to play.”
Although happy with MHS’ first football post-season win in nearly two decades, the coach said there is more work to be
done.
“We have to clean up some details,” said Johnson. “We had some penalties (five for 55 yards) and that’s not what we’re
about.
“We were a little off some details with our checks,” he said. “You’ve got to be better than that during the playoffs.”
The Monarchs’ next step along the post-season trail comes Friday.
They will travel to play No. 2-seeded Clayton Northmont on the Thunderbolts’ home field.