Monarch quarterback Brevin Bourquin picks up yardage along the sidelines Friday evening at Thomas Worthington. Marysville evened its record at 4-4 with a 48-7 triumph.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Chad Williamson)
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Marysville obliterated Thomas Worthington 48-7 Friday night with the help of some stellar special teams plays and on all of them, senior cornerback J.T. Hiltscher was there.
On the opening kickoff the Cardinals tried a throwback that went awry and Hiltscher was there to help make the tackle at the four-yard-line.
When the Cardinals fumbled a first quarter punt back to the Monarchs, Hiltscher was there on the tackle.
After Worthington scored its only touchdown of the game, Hiltscher was there to return the ensuing kickoff 92 yards before the run was called back on a penalty.
And on the kickoff to open the second half , Hiltscher was there to take the offering up the Cardinal sideline, juke the kicker and score on an 85-yard return.
“We saw on tape they had given up some stuff on special teams so we were super aggressive,” Marysville coach Brent Johnson said.
The ability to make game-changing plays on special teams has been relatively non-existent for the 4-4 Monarchs, but Johnson would like to see that change as they enter the final two games of the regular season still in the discussion for a league title.
“We’ve got to learn to like big moments,” Johnson said. “We can’t shy away from big moments.”
Even with routine special teams play, the Monarchs were going to win as the offensive line mangled the Cardinal defensive front by opening gaping holes. Marysville’s bevy of ball carriers continues to improve on recognizing cutback lanes that turn five-yard gains into 20-yarders.
Despite having some short fields to work with at times, the Monarch offense churned out 368 yards of offense, with all but 14 coming on the ground.
“I think we’ve made some changes and those are panning out,” Johnson said.
Chief among those changes was moving senior running back Matt Krutowskis from the fullback position out to a wing. While the 6 foot, 200-pound bruiser might seem tailor made for the straight- ahead style required by the fullback in Marysville’s wing-T offense, he has shown good vision in finding lanes and making cuts.
He picked up 116 yards and a touchdown on just 10 touches.
His stat lines might show that the move is paying off, but Johnson said he actually benefits the squad just as much in an area that doesn’t show up in the box score.
“He’s (Krutowskis) doing a great job on edge blocking and that helps us,” Johnson said.
With Krutowskis setting up at the wing, he gets out ahead when the Monarchs run wide, to the advantage of Marysville’s small, speedy backs. Quarterback Brevin Bourquin is also emerging as a threat to turn the corner on designed runs.
The result is a Marysville run game that saw three other Monarchs crack the end zone in addition to Krutowskis.
Sophomore Corbin Wallace, who moved into the vacated fullback spot, continues to improve. He carried the ball 11 times for 86 yards and three scores.
Bourquin had a trio of carries for 33 yards and a TD, while junior Nathan Woods picked up 32 yards and a TD on just four carries.
“The kids are playing hard right now. They’re playing together right now. They’re playing for the guy next to them right now,” Johnson said. “I’m just super proud of these guys.”
Wallace got the Monarchs on top with a four-yard run in the first quarter. An interception by Jacob Fisher put the Monarchs in position to score early in the second period.
Wood danced around the right end for a six-yard score on the first play of quarter number two. Trey Phillips’ second PAT put the Monarchs up 14-0.
Marysville played solid defense all night, holding the Cardinals to just 23 yards rushing. The Monarchs pass defense was also as good as it’s been all season contesting balls and knocking them away – with the exception of a two-play stretch early in the second quarter.
Cardinal QB Grey Kegley found Dominic Parini all alone for a 42-yard gain that put the ball at the MHS 8. He then hit Aiden Llewellyn on a slant for a touchdown on the next play. The PAT cut the Monarch lead to 14-7 with 8:52 to play until halftime.
Hiltscher’s first big kick return was called back on the ensuing boot, but that was about the only time the Monarchs were stopped in the rest of the quarter.
Marysville regrouped, with Bourquin ripping off a 28-yard run and Wallace later capping the 75-yard drive with another four-yard scoring run.
Later in the quarter ,Marysville marched 88 yards in about two minutes, which Krutowskis scoring on a 17-yard run with under a minute to play until halftime. The PAT made the score 28-7.
When Hiltscher scored on the opening kick of the second half. things started to get out of hand, with Marysville up 35-7 just 11 seconds into the third quarter.
Four minutes later, Wallace score dagain, this time on his longest TD run of the night at 20 yards. The conversion made the score 42-7 with 8:17 left in the third and forced a running clock.
Marysville closed the third period in the midst of another drive that saw them five yards from another score.
Bourquin went in on the first play of the final quarter, diving over defenders at the goal line. A bad snap on the PAT left the score at 48-7.
From there ,Marysville second teamers filtered into the game and more than held their own against the Cardinal first-teamers. They recorded a handful of run stops for negative yards and even an interception by Cameron Smith.
On offense, the Monarch reserves moved the chains and helped close out the game.
The Monarchs will close out the regular season with their most difficult pair of games of the season.
They will host Olentangy Berlin Friday and then travel to Olentangy in week 10. Both opponents are currently 7-1.
“You know, I give our kids and our coaches a lot of credit,” Johnson said. “There’s been a lot of adversity and we’ve got two big ones coming up.”