ELLIS – The TMP-Marian Monarchs ran their win streak to four-games in-a-row Friday night as they defeated the Ellis Railroaders 28-21, in the Battle of Big Creek, thanks to and interception return for a touchdown with three second left by Jace Wentling.
Coach Jays Harris
Friday night at Ellis marked the third straight game TMP had returned an interception for a touchdown by the 85-yard return by Wentling was the biggest yet.
The game was a tight back and forth battle as expected in the battle of the Ellis County rivals.
The Monarchs opened the game with an eight-play drive that ended with a missed field goal.
On their first offense possession of the game the Railroaders wasted no time covering 80-yards in just five players capped off by a six-yard touchdown run by Konnor Pfeifer that give Ellis and early 6-0. Mason Gottschalk had a run of 72 yards that set up the touchdown run.
TMP answered that long touchdown drive with an eight-play 54-yard drive that was capped off by a 36-yard touchdown pass from Kade Harris to Jace Wentling on 4-and-17 tying the game at six with 3:22 to play in the first quarter.
Both teams failed to convert on points after touchdown tries.
Neither team was able to find the endzone for the rest of the first quarter and for a large portion of the second quarter but Ellis broke the tie with a six-yard touchdown run with just under three minutes to play in the first half as Ellis took the 12-6 lead.
TMP had their chances at the end of the first half but had three straight turnovers later in that first half.
The Monarchs were able to retake the lead late in the third quarter when Harris scored from eight yards out tying the game at 12 and with the extra point TMP took at 13-12 lead with a little more than two minutes left in the quarter.
Midway through the fourth quarter Ellis took the lead on a 31-yard Tegan Cain field goal giving the Railroaders the 15-13 lead.
Almost three minutes later TMP answered with a scoring drive of their own as Lance Lang scored his first touchdown of the season on the ground from eight-yards out giving the Monarchs the 21-15 lead.
Ellis though had an answer as Pfeifer scored his second rushing touchdown of the game, this one from 53-yards that capped off a 71 yard drive that tied that game at 21. They had a chance to take the lead with the extra-point but an errant snap cost Ellis a chance.
With 1:32 to play, Ellis took over and began to work their way down the field and drove all the way to the TMP 20 yard line with just 18 seconds to play.
On a first down play Ellis quarterback Tegan Cain was intercepted by TMP’s Wentling and he was able to run it back for the 85-yard touchdown with just three second left. He added the extra point as TMP claimed the 28-21 win.
For just the second time since 1989 the TMP-Marian Monarchs have won four straight games and are 4-1 to start the season.
Game highlights
TMP improved to 4-1 on the season and 2-0 in district play.
Ellis drops to 1-4 and 0-2 in district.
TMP will travel to Southwestern Heights Friday night while Ellis is Syracuse.