Fifth-ranked Marion beats CPU

MARION - On paper, Marion facing Center Point-Urbana appeared to be a mismatch.When the two prep football teams met on the turf, it turned out to be a little tougher than expected for the Class 3A fifth-ranked Indians.Marion remained undefeated, however, dropping the Stormin' Pointers, 25-7 in a 3A District 5 contest Friday night at Thomas Park.Homecoming week was a slight distraction during preparation."I don't think we played very well at all," Marion Coach Tony Perkins said. "A lot of that has to do with CPU. They're a tough, scrappy team and did a lot of things right against us tonight."That's on us. We have to play better."Marion (6-0, 4-0) jumped to the lead on its opening possession of the game. The Indians needed less than three minutes to drive 74 yards. Dusty Albaugh, who was voted Marion's Homecoming King, took the handoff and dashed around the left end for a 23-yard score. Albaugh also reeled in a 25-uyard pass from Tyler Fisher to lead Marion into CPU territory three plays earlier. The snap was mishandled, forcing Marion to settle for a 6-0 lead.Center Point-Urbana (0-6, 0-4) answered immediately, thanks to a trick play and Joey Dighton's legs. Dighton returned a kickoff to midfield and then caught a 50-yard flea-flicker pass for a TD from Aric Myers, who took the handoff on a reverse and then stepped back to hit Dighton in stride. Dighton then punched in the PAT for a 7-6 lead just 17 seconds after falling behind. It was the Stormin' Pointers first TD pass of the season.Momentum swung in Marion's favor when they stopped a CPU drive that ended in a missed 32-yard field goal. CPU had driven inside the Marion 10, but couldn't score.The Indians seized control with a 7-play, 80-yard drive, ending in another Albaugh touchdown. On 3rd-and-2, Fisher hit Albaugh on a short pattern and he turned and burned 49 yards for a score. The Indians failed on the conversion, but led 12-7, which stood until halftime.Albaugh was a big contributor for the offense, which had problems at times against CPU. he 128 yards receiving on four catches and rushed for 50 yards."Dusty is a very good athlete,” Perkins said. “When you give it to him on rushing plays and throw it to him on passing plays, he's a big-time player.”Rush yards were hard to come by for Marion running back Colton Storla, who entered the game 764 yards and 12 TDs. Storla ran tough, pounding out 160 yards on 33 carries to lead the Indians.For the exception of the opening play and a big 69-yard jaunt by Logan Driessen to end the first quarter, the Indians defense held CPU in check. The Points were scoreless after the opening play, managing just 53 total yards of offense including 25 in the second half.Defense has been our strength all year though. We run to the ball really well. When we tackle, we're really good.”A big part of that was Jake McDonald who had a couple sacks, forcing one fumble and recovering another fumble which led to Fisher's 11 yard TD pass to Dylan Cronk to make it 25-7 in the third. McDonald rushed 20 yards on a dive play up the middle for a touchdown, extending the Indians' lead to 18-7 with 4:04 remaining in the third.“He's one of the best middle linebvackers I've ever coached and he's just a junior,” Perkins said. “he has the ability to stivck his nose in a hole plus run laterally.”