Late surge propels Marion Local into regional finals

SIDNEY - Going into Saturday night's Division V regional semifinal game at Sidney Memorial Stadium, Waynesville had exactly one playoff victory in its program's history.

Marion Local, on the other hand, entered the game with 32 playoff victories and four state championships.

The Flyers came away with a 40-14 victory in a game that was close much of the way.

Marion Local will face West Jefferson on Saturday at a site to be determined.

The Spartans struck early behind its one-two punch of running back Seth Millar and quarterback Cory Young. The two combined for 69 yards rushing in a nine-play 80-yard drive that culminated with Young going in from 10 yards out to give Waynesville a 7-0 lead.

The Flyers answered immediately by going 56 yards in five plays with running back Ben Smith accounting for 38 yards and getting Marion Local with a 4-yard run.

The Flyers then grabbed the lead late in the second quarter when Smith went 1 yard to cap a 87-yard drive and put Marion Local up 12-7 going into the half.

Late in the third period, a 10-yard punt by Waynesville gave Marion Local a short field. The Flyers then went 44 yards in five plays and the TD came on a 25-yard pass from quarterback Troy Prenger to wide receiver Jason Wolters to give Marion Local a 19-7 lead.

On Waynesville's first play from scrimmage after the Flyers score Millar went 70 yards to help his team cut the lead to 19-14 entering the final period of play.

On Marion Local's first possession of the fourth quarter it faced a fourth-and-2 from its own 40-yard line and coach Tim Goodwin decided to go for it. His team responded by getting a big first down with 11:00 remaining. The Flyers ended that drive by going 68 yards in 13 plays, ending on a 1-yard run by Smith to put Marion Local up 26-14.

"I just had the feeling, I didn't want to give them the ball back," Goodwin said. "Smith is a good back and he got the first down. The final score was not indicative of how close the game was. We are banged up at wide receiver and had to control the line of scrimmage and run the ball."

Waynesville then fumbled on consecutive plays. Marion Local recovered both times and scored two touchdowns, the first on a 3-yard run by Smith and the second on an Alex Post 3-yard run with less than 1:30 to go in the game.

Marion Local amassed 397 yards of total offense with Smith touching the ball 32 times for 167 yards and quarterback Prenger completing 9-of-14 passes for 144 yards.

Millar led Waynesville with 174 yards rushing on 23 carries.

Marion Local improves to 10-2 while Waynesville bows out at 9-3.