By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
HAYS – The Norton Bluejays held the TMP-Marian Monarchs offense in check for most of the night Friday while their offense controlled the clock on their way to a 28-6 victory at Lewis Field in Hays.
TMP (4-3, 4-2 MCL, 1-2 2A D-8) opened the game with the football but the drive stalled out near midfield as the Monarchs turned the ball over on downs.
Norton (7-0, 5-0 MCL, 3-0 2A D-8) answered with an 11-play drive that took more than six and a half minutes off the clock as quarterback Eli Jones scored on a two-yard run and he added the extra point for a 7-0 lead.
The touchdown run was set up by a rare intentional batting called on TMP when the officials determined TMP’s Griffin Schumacher intentionally batted a lose ball out of the back of the endzone after a fumble into the endzone by Norton.
On TMP’s ensuing drive the Monarchs drive deep into Norton territory before they turned it over on downs for a second time in the first half.
On three first half possessions the Monarchs turned it over on downs twice and fumbled the ball near midfield.
Norton scored a second first half touchdown on a Jones touchdown pass with just under one minute left in the first half as the Bluejays took a 14-0 lead into halftime.
Norton scored on the first drive of the second half and led 21-0 just under halfway through the third quarter.
The two teams then traded interceptions on the next two possessions with TMP’s Schumacher intercepting Jones in the endzone.
Norton added a fourth touchdown midway through the third quarter for a 28-0 lead.
TMP finally broke onto the scoreboard with just over five minutes left in the fourth quarter, when Max Gerstner broke free for a 65-yard touchdown run making it 28-6.
Norton outgained the Monarchs 300 to 167 total yards.
Max Gerstner led the Monarchs with a career-high 86 yards on the ground.
Norton has now won eight straight over TMP.
The Monarchs travel to Beloit next Friday to wrap up the regular season.