By By TOM NYHUIS / Niles Daily Star
NILES – There was no stopping Marquis Hall Friday night as Buchanan took a 49-20 Lakeland Conference win over Brandywine.
Hall racked up 183 yards rushing on 24 carries and put the ball in the end zone three times for the Bucks. Not only did Hall's power running lead to the win, but Clinton Orr's speed added another two scores, with Orr carrying the ball 13 time for 202 yards rushing. Ninety-five of those came late in the third quarter on a sprint down the sideline to push the lead to 36-14.
Early miscues by the Bobcats put the home team down early. On their first play from scrimmage a bad exchange for quarterback Joel Perry to one of his running backs turned the ball over to the Bucks at the Brandywine 13. Hall took the first play into the end zone and an early 6-0 lead.
The Bobcats came right back and capped off a drive with a Joshoil Benjamin 49-yard scamper for a score. Greg Beaver gave the Bobcats a 7-6 lead with the extra point kick.
The Bucks regained the lead on a 9-yard run by senior quarterback Taylor Oake and stretched it to a 22-4 lead on Hall's second score of the night, an 8-yard carry.
"We had a bad game last week and coach told us to push it this week," Buchanan's senior running back Marquis Hall said following the victory. "So that's what we did and we came out with the win."
Brandywine closed the gap on a 1-yard tote by quarterback Joel Perry and it was a 22-14 game. Hall's third scoring jaunt came in the second quarter on a 4-yard run bumping the lead to 29-14.
The Bobcats had an opportunity to close the gap as they drove the ball down to the one-yard line in the final minute of the first half. Buchanan penalties gave the Cat's the ball inside the two-yard line. After two downs the Bucks defense made the stop as time ran out to end the first half holding off the threat of the Bobcats narrowing the score.
"We wanted this one for our seniors," Buchanan coach Joe Austin said. "We had five senior out there tonight and I love them all. Taylor Oake, Jon Mondschein, Arron Sater, Marquis Hall and Austin Ferris this game was for them. This is a rivalry game for us and Brandywine is always tough. They are a well-coached team. The turning point to the game is when we got the stop at the end of the first half."
Orr's 95-yard run iced the game for the Bucks in the second half as the run put the Bucks up 36-14. Oake hooked up with Jon Mondschein for a 25 yard scoring pass early in the fourth for a 43-14 advantage.
Perry lofted a ball to Caleb Frazier for a 40-yard strike for the Bobcats third touchdown of the night with 8:14 to play in the game. Orr finished the scoring with an 11-yard burst with five minutes to play in the game.
Buchanan finished the night with 376 yards rushing, Brandywine ended the night with 226 yards on the ground led by Benjamin with 91. Perry was 4-for-6 with one interception for 87 yards and a touchdown. Oake was 1-of-2 with a touchdown.
"They controlled the line of scrimmage and that is where football games are won," Brandywine coach Terry Borr said after the game. "Last year we couldn't stop Marquis Hall and this year we couldn't stop Marquis Hall. He's a great running back."
Buchanan 22 7 7 13 – 49
Brandywine 14 0 0 6 – 20
B – Marquis Hall 13 run (kick failed)
BW – Joshoil Benjamin 49 run (kick Greg Beaver)
B – Taylor Oake 9 run (Hall run)
B – Hall 8 run (Hall run)
BW – Joel Perry 1 run (Beaver kick)
B – Hall 4 run (Josh Borr kick)
B – Clinton Orr 95 run (Borr kick)
B – Oake 25 pass to Jon Mondschein (Borr kick)
BW – Perry 40 pass to Caleb Frazier (run failed)
B – Orr 11 run (kick failed)