On October 21, the Marcus Marauders played one of the biggest games of their season against the Flower Mound Jaguars in Battle of the Mound.
During the pregame warmup, secondary coach Carder explained how he believed the boys were ready to take on the Jags and dominate. With only 45 minutes before the game Carder had one last message for his players.
“I want the boys to play like it’s the last game they will ever play and leave it all on the field tonight,” Carder said.
In the first quarter neither team could get close to their end zone to score. But with 3:36 left to play in the first quarter number 32, Ifeanyi Uzowihe from Flower Mound scored and number 36, Josh Grant kicked the ball for the extra point leaving the score 7-0 at the end of the first quarter.
William Seykora ran the ball in for a Jag touchdown and Grant with the extra point again. Leaving the score at 14-0 Flower Mound. To get the Marauders on score board number two, Justin Dinka carried the ball down the field towards the end zone.
Number 14, Michael Henry handed Dinka the ball for a Marauder touchdown. Number six John Mayer kicked the extra point which left the score 14-7 in the second quarter.
In the second quarter Flower Mound returned the favor with a pass from number four Jackson Averitt to Seykora leading to another Jag touchdown. The Jags still led the game 21-7.
When the Marauders returned to offense, Henry didn’t have any open receivers, so he decided to run 68 yards for a Marauder touchdown.
With hope to be just one touchdown away from tying with the Jags, Mayer’s extra point was deflected and recovered by Flower Mound. When the Jags couldn’t score when they had the ball back, the Marauder offense returned But there was something different. Number 12, Reed Osborn, the backup quarterback was taking the spot of Henry. Even with the change of quarterbacks the Marauders couldn’t score before the half ended.
At halftime the score remained 21-13 Flower Mound.
Flower Mound lined up on the field ready to receive the kick. But the Marauder defense stopped the Jag offense before they could score. With Osborn still in as quarterback, he threw a long pass to number 84, Duncan Berger which brought the team closer to the end zone. With an easy hand off Dinka ran the ball in for a Marauder touchdown. Instead of bringing Mayer in to kick the ball for the extra point to trail by one point, the coaches decided to go for the two point conversion to tie the game. With a successful run by dinka the game was tied at 21-21.
With the spirit lifted up in the student section, the Marauders were back on defense. Number four, Ridge Rogers intercepted the ball only 20 yards away from the Marcus end zone. Osborn handed the ball off to Dinka once more and he scored, Mayer came in to kick the ball for the extra point. For the first time in the game the Marauders led 28-21.
When returning to offense, number 25, Sam Lancaster ran the ball into the end zone to give the Marauders an even bigger lead. 35-21. But the jags responded with number two, Will Huber scoring leaving it a one touchdown game. With the Marauders back on offense, Osborn threw his first interception of the game with 4:44 left, tying the game 35-35.
Trying to score to win the game, Dinka was injured. The energy in the stadium dropped when Dinka couldn’t get up after his run. The student section took a seat wondering what would happen without the player who scored most of the touchdowns that night. As Dinka was carried off the field the students chanted his name clapping.
After not being able to score on their last couple drives of the game, the ball was given to Flower Mound with 1:29 left in the game. Number 33, Kevin Netters caused a fumble for Flower Mound and it was recovered by number 21, Daniel Sheehan. With the little time left in the game, Mayer came in to kick a 49 yard field goal. But his kick would be deflected for a second time in the game. Leaving the game tied at the end of the fourth quarter leading to over time.
The Marauders were first to try and score in overtime. The ball was snapped to Osborn and with no open receivers or a running back to give the ball to, Osborn ran the ball in himself for a touchdown. Mayer came in for the extra point, the Marauders led the game 42-35. Flower Mound’s offense came back into the game to do the same. Averitt ran the ball in for a touchdown. The Jags had the choice of tying the game with an extra point or winning the game with a two point conversion. But to play it safe, they went for the extra point that tied the game once more, and put both teams into double overtime.
The Jags were first to try and score in the second over time, but they fell short of a touchdown, so they went for a three point field goal, the Jags leading 45-42. Leaving the game in the hands of Osborn, Dinka made a shocking return to the game. After picking up a couple of yards on the first play, the Marauders were only yards away from winning the game. Osborn received the snap and handed it to Dinka, he pushed through every defensive player trying to tackle him and managed to win the game with a final score of 48-45.
The students rushed the field to the team to celebrate with them. Osborn was swarmed by friends and family all at once. Osborn said he was nervous when he was told he would be going in, but he knew he would be ready because his coaches always prepared him for a moment like that. When Dinka came back into the game for the last two plays Osborn said it was like there was another boost of confidence.
“When I watched him cross that line I have never been so satisfied in my entire life,” Osborn said.
After the game, Ridge Rogers explained how he was just at the right place at the right time for his interception and he had to trust the offense to take it from there. During the first overtime when Flower Mound was on offense, he says it was difficult, but he wasn’t let down when they scored. But the second time on defense it was harder knowing they had to be stopped.
“I’m proud of the way our defense worked together in such a hard time for us,” Rogers said.
The Marauders are now 5-3 with a major win on their back. Battle of the Mound was one to be remembered for everyone who was there.
