by Jon M. Gambee, Martin Bureau Chief

Martin committed four costly mistakes Friday and paid dearly as the Decatur Raiders scored off each turnover and beat the Clippers 41-22.

Decatur scored 27 points as a result of the four Martin turnovers, and that proved to be the difference in the game.

Martin dug its hole early, throwing an interception on the second play of the game, with Zachary Boyer returning it 32 yards for an early score. Victor Barwinski DeSouza kicked the extra point, one of six he kicked in the contest to give Decatur a 7-0 lead 56 seconds into the game.

Martin came right back, going 70 yards in 15 plays, capped off by a nine-yard touchdown run by Luke VanPutten with 2:28 left in the first quarter.

Martin’s kickoff gave Decatur great field position at its own 48-yard line and the Raiders needed only six plays to score and DeSouza’s extra point kick made it 14-6 as the second quarter got underway. The Clippers fumbled on their next possession and Decatur took over on the Martin 47. From there it took the Raiders only eight plays to score with Owen Flowers running it in from two yards out. The extra point try failed.

Decatur would score once more before the half, as another fumble turned the ball over with 2:50 left in the half. Six plays later Eric Mroczek threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Noah Rufo and Decatur took a 27-6 lead into the locker room.

While there was no scoring in the third quarter, another Martin fumble with 3:47 left in the quarter gave Decatur the football and added momentum. Ten plays later, with 11:47 left in the fourth quarter, Mroczek threw a nine-yard scoring strike to Rufo and DeSouza’s kick made it 34-6.

But Martin, which has proven it has no quit in its makeup all season long, came right back. Garrett Dill took the ensuing kickoff at his own 11-yard line and ran it back to the Decatur 43. Dill helped his own cause with a 35-yard pass to Jared Klassen, setting up a two-yard touchdown run by Collin Warner with 9:36 left in the game. Dill ran in the two-point conversion.

Decatur scored its final touchdown with 5:01 to play when Jakob Southworth scored from four yards out, capping a nine play, 61 yard drive.

Martin finished up the night’s scoring with a nine-yard touchdown pass from Dill to Tanner Curry with 1:04 to play.

Dill led Martin in rushing with 51 yards and he passed for 53. Andrew Keyzer finished with 44 yards rushing.

Flowers led all rushers with 131 yards and Southworth finished with 125. Decatur finished with 302 yards of total offense, while Martin finished with 192.

“Too many mistakes,” said Martin Coach Randy Hunt after the game. “But I don’t believe Decatur is a better football team, they just played better tonight. They seldom make mistakes and they didn’t make many tonight. They are a well coached football team and they have a very good program. We are getting there, but we still have work to do.”

Decatur assistant coach Greg Grosvenor praised Martin after the game.

“This (Martin) is no longer a team you can count on beating,” he said. “They played very well tonight. I was particularly impressed with their offensive line.”

Martin’s record slipped to 2-5, while Decatur went to 5-2. Next week, Martin will be host to Galesburg-Augusta in the Clippers’ homecoming contest.

PHOTO: Tanner Curry (88) and Garrett Dill (16) joined Clipper teammates Friday evening in celebrating Parents Night. (Photo courtesy of Jon M. Gambee)