Four years have passed since Marshall County and Madisonville-North Hopkins have met on the gridiron. The Marshals played the Maroons for the 24th time in Friday’s first home game of the 2023 season. Madisonville-North Hopkins holds a slight 12-11 edge in the overall series.
A combined 100 points were scored at Carroll Traylor Stadium but unfortunately for the Marshals, 70 of those came from Madisonville-North Hopkins who were led by junior quarterback Kanyon Johnson and sophomore running back Markezz Hightower. Johnson and Hightower rushed for a combined 505 yards.
It was an excellent start by the Marshals who drove 64 yards and scored on a nine-yard touchdown run by junior Luke Webber. The drive was highlighted by a 35-yard pass from quarterback Neyland Jezik to senior Jordan Clapp. The extra point kick was block but the Marshals were on the board with a 6-0 lead.
Holding the Maroons and forcing them to punt, the Marshals scored again on their next possession. The drive went 56 yards and they scored on a 35-yard pass pulled in by Clapp under double coverage. The two-point conversion failed and the Marshals led 12-0 with 1:25 left in the first quarter.
Madisonville put their first points on the board in the second quarter. Setting up at their own 27, the Maroons scored on the first play on a 73-yard touchdown run by Hightower. The extra point attempt failed.
On the Marshals next possession, Jezik connected with Toren Redmon on a 36-yard pass which set up a 41-yard field goal attempt by Logan Parker. The field goal was good and with 3:08 left in the first half, the Marshals led 15-6.
Madisonville scored on a 57-yard run by Johnson and with the two-point conversion, the Marshals lead was one point with 1:50 left in the half. On the punt, junior Dylan Robinson recovered a Madisonville fumble and the Marshals held a 15-14 lead heading into halftime.
A resolved Madisonville team took the field in the second half and put up 32 third quarter points to lead.
A 78-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Clapp highlighted the third quarter for the Marshals that cut the Maroons lead to 30-22.
Trailing 46-22, the Marshals opened the fourth quarter with a pass completion from Jezik to Redmon that went 33 yards and with the two-point conversion, the Marshals trailed Madisonville 46-30.
From there it was all Madisonville, scoring 24 more points on a Johnson 59-yard run, a 62-yard run by Louie Amprey and their final touchdown was a 16-yard pass from Johnson to Jaden Travis.
The 30 points scored were the most for the Marshals so far this season and the most given up by Madisonville.
Luke Webber was the Marshals leading rusher with 56 yards on 13 carries. Jezik was 6-of-16 in passing for 157 yards. His leading receivers were Clapp with five receptions for 107 yards and Redmon with four catches for 97 yards.
The Maroons improve to 4-1 and the Marshals drop to 1-4. Next week’s game is at Muhlenberg County (3-2).
Marshall 12 3 7 8 – 30
Madisonville 0 14 32 24 – 70
Marshall County vs. Madisonville-North Hopkins, 9-15-23
