By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
HAYS – The TMP-Marian Monarchs held tough with the top ranked team in 2A, the Norton Bluejays in the first half but Norton used a big third quarter to pull away for their 10th straight win over the Monarchs 47-22 Friday at Lewis Field in Hays.
The game was a tight one early with neither team finding the endzone in the first quarter.
TMP (1-1, 1-1 MCL) fumbled the snap on the fifth play of the game and that allowed Norton (2-0, 2-0 MCL) to take possession and drive inside the redzone on their opening drive.
But on fourth and goal the Bluejays were turned away when Isaac Purinton batted the ball from the intended receiver in the endzone forcing Norton into a turnover on downs.
Following a TMP punt, on their second possession of the game, Norton strung together an eight-play touchdown drive that was set up by a 22-yard pass from quarterback Eli Jones to receiver Tyce Melvin. Jones scored on a one-yard touchdown run on the next play as Norton took a 7-0 lead just 14 seconds into the second quarter.
TMP answered with a Grant Nehls kickoff return to midfield and then they proceeded to drive inside the Norton redzone, all the way to the 10 yard line. But the Monarchs committed three straight penalties and were facing a third down and long from the Norton 26 yard-line.
That's when Carson Liles found Purinton, who slipped out of a tackle and took it to the endzone for a 26-yard touchdown, making it 7-6 Norton.
The Monarchs failed on the two-point conversion but trailed by just one with just under eight minutes remaining in the first half.
Norton added a second touchdown late in the first half when Jones capped off a 12-play 82-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown run putting Norton up 13-6 at halftime.
Jones started the second half right where he left off in the first half, scoring on a 57-yard touchdown run making it 21-0.
The Bluejays went on to score two more third quarter touchdowns and one early in the fourth quarter building a 40-6 lead.
TMP scored a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns, a Jacob Seib 72-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and a Carson Liles touchdown pass to Caden Dinkel eight-yard touchdown pass but Norton proved to be too much in a 47-22 victory.
Eli Jones led Norton with four rushing touchdowns and an interception return for a score. He amassed 143 yard rushing and 126 yards passing.
TMP’s Carson Liles finished 14-for-25 for 150 yards with two touchdown s and an interception.
TMP will travel to Phillipsburg next Friday while Norton will host Smith Center.