SHANE SHOEMAKER
Writer
For the second straight season, Marion County is headed back to the TSSAA Class 2-A quarterfinals after taking care of business against South Greene, 35-0.
The Warriors (11-1) took an early 7-0 lead when Mason Mays capped an eight-play, 75-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run. The senior running back finished with 45 of Marion’s 187 rushing yards.
Zaiden Humphrey added 14 yards on the ground and scored on a first-and-goal play to open the second quarter. Ashton Martin, the Warriors’ second-leading rusher, tallied 40 yards and broke off a 14-yard touchdown run in the third. Martin also added two sacks on defense.
Speaking of defense, 14 of Marion County’s 21 second-quarter points came directly off turnovers, fueling a stretch of three straight disastrous drives for the Rebels (8-4).
First came a Brayden Pickett pick-six. Then South Greene missed a 38-yard field-goal attempt. On the next drive, a Martin sack forced a scoop-and-score by Mays to make it 28-0 before halftime. Marion won the turnover battle 3-1—with Quincy Mills adding a fourth-quarter interception—and outgained the Rebels 258-170.
Next up is the Warriors’ toughest test yet as they host undefeated Gordonsville (12-0) with a trip to the semifinals on the line.
Photos by Marilyn Quarles