Marshall
too strong for Blue Devils
Southern
Sports & Travel
The
Marshall Patriots rolled into Tunica on Friday night for a District 1-A opener
with the eighth ranked Tunica Blue Devils and left with a convincing 54-14 win.
The
Patriot combination of quarterback Dakota Dailey and tailback Devin McGreger
accounted for 8 touchdowns on the night. Dailey contributed with 298 yards and
3 touchdowns on offense and added a pick six on defense while fellow junior
McGreger added 242 all-purpose yards and 4 scores.
“It
was a great way to start district play,” said Marshall head coach Bart Jenkins.
“I think we’re getting better every week.”
The
Patriots put up a four play, 53 yard opening drive that took just 30 seconds
off the game clock and was capped on Devin McGreger’s 12 yard burst around the
right side to give Marshall an early lead. Christian Compton’s PAT gave the
Patriots a 7-0 advantage.
Tunica’s
offense was only on the field for three plays before being forced to punt on
their opening possession of the night and the result was much of the same as
Marshall answered with another four play scoring drive.
Setting
up shop at their own 39 yard line Dakota Dailey would hit wide-out Colt Lindsey
for a quick 7 yard gain to the 46.
Dailey
added an 8 yard keeper into Blue Devil territory and then scrambled for 19
yards to the Tunica 27 yard line.
Dailey
finished the scoring drive with a 27 yard hook-up with Colt Lindsey for a score
with 8:15 remaining in the opening quarter. Compton’s PAT gave Marshall an
early 14-0 lead.
Tunica
answered the call early on.
The
Blue Devils displayed their big play capability when quarterback Quinn Ware
connected with wide-out Tyrone Isom for a 58 yard touchdown strike and Joey
Poff’s successful PAT cut the Marshall lead in half at 14-7 with 5:43 still
left in the first quarter.
Tunica’s
momentum was short-lived as Marshall’s Devin McGreger returned the ensuing
kick-off 72 yards for a touchdown to push the lead back to two touchdowns at 21-7.
Tunica
would let a scoring opportunity slip through their grasp on their next
possession and it would prove costly.
Blue
Devil tailback Keith Hamilton took a first down hand-off at midfield and erupted
for 41 yards to the Marshall 9 yard line but two plays later a high snap over
quarterback Quinn Ware’s head was recovered by Marshall linebacker Canaan
Pearson at the Patriot 20 yard line to thwart the drive with 4:07 to go in the
quarter.
Marshall
would return the favor after driving to the Tunica 11 yard line where Quinn
Ware intercepted a Dakota Dailey pass with 47 seconds left in a wild first
quarter of play but Dailey would produce a huge play on defense two minutes
into the second quarter.
Dailey
picked off a Quinn Ware pass at the Patriot 42 yard line and sprinted 58
yards for a pick six to give Marshall a 27-7 lead with 10:05 remaining in the
half.
Tunica
hit pay-dirt on the ensuing possession when Quinn Ware connected with Keith
Hamilton for a 67 yard pass and catch score but the Blue Devil defense had no
answer for the potent offense of Marshall.
Devin
McGreger’s 22 yard touchdown run capped a three play drive that covered 45
yards and pushed the Marshall lead to 41-14 to close out the opening half of
play.
Dakota
Dailey’s 11 yard keeper with 46 seconds remaining in the third quarter made it
47-14 and Dailey would hit A.J. Boyd with a screen pass in which Boyd turned
into a 64 yard touchdown to close out the scoring with just under five minutes
left in regulation.
“We’ve
performed at a high level all year offensively,” said Jenkins. “We’re still
searching for a defensive identity but we’re getting closer from a personnel
standpoint.”
Dakota
Dailey went 10/12 for 227 yards and 2 touchdowns passing and rushed for 71
yards on 7 carries and a score. Dailey also had a 58 yard interception return
for a touchdown.
Devin
McGreger rushed for 113 yards on 7 carries and 3 touchdowns and had a 72 yard
kick-off return for a score.
Colt
Lindsey had 3 receptions for 53 yards and a touchdown and A.J. Boyd had 2
receptions for 75 yards and a score along with 28 rushing yards.
Junior
linebacker Hunter Barringer led the Marshall defense with 11 tackles.
Tunica
tailback Keith Hamilton rushed for 110 yards on 15 carries and had 3 catches
for 83 yards and a touchdown.
Marshall
(3-0), ranked second in Class A, will host Class AAA Magnolia Heights next
Friday night in Holly Springs. Magnolia Heights lost to Jackson Academy 35-0
last night.
Tunica
(2-1) will travel to Clarksdale to take on Lee Academy next week. Lee edged
Pillow 13-10 last night..
Post Game with Marshall Head Coach Bart Jenkins
