In their final 6A District 1 game of the season, the 3-4 Marshals were looking for their first district win and a chance to snap a three-game losing streak. Apollo, at 1-6, were also looking for an opportunity to turn things around.
Apollo was the 6A District 1 runner-up last season with a record of 6-5, but have only managed one win this season, 55-54 over Meade County in overtime. They beat the Marshals last season 28-14. The Marshals lead the all-time series against the Eagles 16-14 dating back to 1977 but their last win came back in 2016 by the score of 42-35.
Apollo extended their win-streak over the Marshals to six straight with Friday’s 48-14 win.
After receiving the opening kick, the Eagles went 80 yards and scored on a 17-yard run by senior Donte Dixon. On the Marshals opening drive, quarterback Conner Nix was intercepted but Gavin Clark returned the favor with an interception of Apollo quarterback Christian Combs.
That set up their first touchdown of the night when Nix handed off to Landon Utley who completed a 71-yard pass to Parker Gibbs. Logan Parker’s extra point was good and the game was tied 7-7.
Another 80-yard drive by Apollo on their next possession ended on a 19-yard touchdown run by Dixon to go up 14-7. Following a Marshall County fumble, Apollo scored again on a six-yard run by Bryson Velotta after a 55-yard drive to lead 21-7 at the end of the first quarter.
The Marshals punted on their next drive but took the ball back on a fumble recovery by Wilson Shadowen at midfield, only to lose it again on an interception of Nix.
The Eagles would go on to score once more before halftime on a 13-yard pass from Combs to Dixon to lead 27-7.
Receiving the ball to open the second half, a couple of penalties set the Marshals back to inside the 10 and unable to make up the over 30 yards for a first down, they would punt the ball away. The short field gave Apollo another scoring opportunity they took advantage of on a 13-yard keeper by Combs for a 33-7 lead.
An interception ended the Marshals next drive and the Eagles scored on a 42-yard run by Dixon, his fourth of the game, and the lead was 40-7. Apollo intercepted Nix once more and turned it into points on a 15-yard run by Combs. The two-point conversion was good to end the third quarter leading 48-7.
The Marshals opened the fourth quarter with the ball and a running clock, able to put together a 77-yard drive with Utley going the final two yards for the touchdown and 48-14 final score.
Dixon had a big night for Apollo, rushing for 149 of their 291 yards on the ground and scored four touchdowns. Unofficially, Apollo had 435 yards of total offense.
The Marshals were led by Utley with 90 of their 140 yards rushing and was the leading passer with one completion that covered 71 yards to Gibbs. They finished with 257 yards and their record falls to 3-5.
They will host Warren Central (3-5) in their final home game of the season on Friday.
Marshall County 7 0 0 7 – 14
Apollo 21 6 21 0 – 48