HAYS ā The TMP-Marian Monarchs recorded their third straight shutout as they take down the Ellis Railroaders 27-0 Friday night in a key district game at Lewis Field Stadium in Hays.
On paper, it appeared that defenses would headline the latest of edition of the āBattle of Big Creek,ā with both Ellis and TMP allowing fewer than 15 points per game through four weeks of the season. When it was all over it was the TMP defense that proved up to the task.
TMP held Ellis to fewer than 100 total yards of offense, sacked quarterback Easton Burton four times and forced a pair of turnovers in the victory.
After TMP was forced to punt on their first possession Ellis gave the ball right back to TMP on a fumble inside their own 40 yard-line.
The Monarchs were able to string together a seven-play 40-yard drive that was capped off by an Andrew Schwartz six-yard touchdown that put TMP up 7-0.
After that both defenses settle in for the remainder of the first half, Ellis was forced to punt three times and had a drive come to end at the end of the first half. TMP was forced to punt and had a turnover on downs before they found the endzone with just 10 second left in the half.
They opened the drive on their own nine-yard line but they wasted no time scoring in a little more than two minutes. TMPās Junior quarterback Kade Harris broke free on a 60-yard touchdown run that put TMP up 14-0 with just 10 seconds left in the first half.
Leading by a pair of touchdowns TMP got a 43-yard punt return from Harris that put the Monarchs at the Ellis 13-yard line. It took TMP just three plays to find the endzone when Bryce Seib scored from four yards out that made it 21-0 with 8:48 left in the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter TMP added one final touchdown, this one a six-yard touchdown pass from Harris to Jace Wentling that made it 27-0 after a blocked extra point.
Harris led the Monarchs with 98 yards on the ground and Seib added another 76 yards.
The shutout is the third straight for TMP as they improved to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in district play.
The Monarchs will host Southwestern Heights next Friday night while Ellis hosts Syracuse.