Late game heroics propel MFL MarMac past Osage
By Audrey Posten, Times-Register
Late game heroics propelled the MFL MarMac football team to a 35-28 win over Osage on Sept. 10. The victory improved the Bulldogs’ record to 3-0 heading into district play.
MFL MarMac was trailing the Green Devils 28-27 with just over one minute remaining in the game when quarterback Carver Blietz-Bentien hit Cullen McShane for a 98-yard touchdown reception. It was the senior running back’s third score of the night.
The Bulldogs had led throughout most of the game, starting with a Gabe McGeough touchdown early in the first quarter. He gave the team good field position after intercepting an Osage pass, and Blietz-Bentien followed it up with a 33-yard completion to receiver Kaden Stocker.
MFL MarMac made it 15-0 later in the quarter, capitalizing on another Osage turnover—this time an interception by Stocker. McShane scored the touchdown, and Jonah Wille hit the extra point, after a 50-yard breakaway by McGeough set the Bulldogs up with first down and 10 at the Green Devil 8 yard line.
Osage trimmed the lead to 15-6 early in the second quarter, but the Bulldogs responded on a 21-yard score by Bryce Radloff with 6:32 remaining in the half. The two-point conversion was not successful, leaving MFL MarMac with a 21-6 advantage.
Less than a minute later, the Green Devils broke into the end zone again, pulling to within seven points. The Bulldogs responded quickly, however, as McShane dashed off an 85-yard touchdown run that left MFL MarMac up 27-14.
The Bulldogs led 27-20 heading into halftime, after Osage rattled off another touchdown with 12.5 seconds left on the clock.
The third quarter was quiet offensively for both teams. But Osage started the fourth with a bang, intercepting a Blietz-Bentien pass and later scoring a touchdown and two-point conversion to go up 28-27. It was the Green Devils’ first lead of the game, but one they couldn’t hold on to, as MFL MarMac broke through late to claim the victory.
The Bulldogs accumulated 454 yards of offense in the game, including 275 on the ground. McGeough had 135 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, while McShane, the other half of the team’s “McDouble” combination, turned in 122 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries.
McShane was also the prime target of quarterback Blietz-Bentien, catching four passes for 127 yards and a touchdown. Blietz-Bentien was 7-9 overall, throwing for 179 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Defensively, MFL MarMac was able to force four Osage turnovers, including interceptions by McShane, McGeough, Stocker and Radloff.
The team also sacked Green Devil quarterback Max Knudsen three times. That included two by Wyatt Powell, who was the tackles leader with 11.5 overall and 3.5 for a loss. Radloff finished the night with 8.5 tackles, while McShane and Tristen Koehn each had 7.5, Austin Schlee had 6.5 and Chauncy Drahn had 5.5.
The Bulldogs will now start district play this week, heading to Columbus Catholic in Waterloo on Friday, Sept. 17. The Sailors are 2-1 this season.
