HAYS ā The TMP-Marian Monarchs offense was held out of the end zone for the second straight week as they fall to the Russell Broncos 22-0 in their district opener Friday night at Lewis Field in Hays.
The defenses dominated the first half of the game with the two teams combining for four turnover on downs, three punts and an interception,
Twice TMP (3-2, 3-1 MCL, 0-1 2A District 8) was able to drive into Russell territory in the first quarter but both drives stalled and resulted in a turnover on downs.
With just under a minute to play in the first half TMP pinned Russell (3-2, 3-1 MCL, 1-1 2A District 8) inside their own five-yard line but it took Russell just two plays to score the gameās first touchdown.
Russell quarterback found Jace Peerman open over the top of the TMP defense for a 76-yard touchdown with just 12 second left in the first half giving Russell a 7-0 lead at the break.
TMP began the second half with the football but a Russell interception of quarterback Carson Liles, the first of two in the second half, set the Broncos up inside the TMP 15 yard line.
Two plays later Peerman hauled in his second touchdown catch of the game, this one from 15 yards out for a 13-0 Russell lead.
TMP tried to answer back stringing together a 14-play drive that erased more than nine minutes off the clock but they turned it over at the Russell six-yard line.
Russell drove the length of the field on their next drive and Jacob Ney scored from a yard out for a 19-0 Russell lead.
The Broncos added a 31-yard Charles Krug field goal to go up 22-0 and TMP never threatened the rest of the way suffering the second straight loss.
Russell outgained TMP 331 to 163 total yards.
TMP travels to Phillipsburg next week for a second straight district game.