by Jon M. Gambee

A furious comeback fell just short for Martin Friday evening as Marcellus prevailed 26-24.

Derek Flory was the pain in Martin’s side as the sophomore running back rushed for 169 yards in only 19 carries and scored two touchdowns. Teammate Taylor Sonnevil also scored twice for the Wildcats, who won for the first time this season. Martin fell to 0-3.

Payton Hunt led Martin rushers with 42 yards in eight carries.

Garrett Dill, Martin’s senior quarterback threw 20 times and completed eight for 188 yards and two touchdowns. Both touchdowns and a two-point conversion were caught by Tanner Curry, who finished with four catches and 55 yards.

Marcellus got on the scoreboard first on an eight-play drive that covered 75 yards. Sonnevil ran the final 15 yards for the score and at the end of the first quarter it was 7-0 with Ruben Plachy’s extra point kick.

Marcellus made it 14-0 with 7:30 left to play in the second quarter when Sonnevil ran it in from three yards out. The touchdown was set up by a 44-yard punt return by Flory, giving the Wildcats excellent field position at the Martin 20. It took Marcellus only five plays to score.

Martin got on the board with just over two minutes left in the half when Dill hit Curry with a 12-yard touchdown pass and Dill ran in the two point conversion, making it 14-8 at the half.

Flory scored with 6:54 left to play in the third quarter, completing a 10 play drive that covered 52 yards.

In the final quarter, Flory scored on a 32-yard end run with only 4:17 left to play, but on the ensuing drive, Dill hit a wide open Andrew Boss over the middle on the first play from scrimmage and Boss outran the field for a 75-yard score. Dill ran in the two-point conversion again to close the gap to 10, 26-16.

Martin’s defense held Marcellus to three and out and the Clippers took over on their own 31 with just under two minutes left to play. On the first play from scrimmage, Dill hit Collin Warner with a screen pass and the speedy Warner raced down the sideline all the way to the Marcellus 17, a 52-yard strike. Three plays later, Dill found Curry in traffic and the junior tight end wrestled the ball free and scored from 17 yards out. Dill threw to a wide open Curry for the two-point conversion, making it 26-24 with a minute and thirty-six seconds left to play.

That enabled Marcellus to run out the clock on the game and Martin’s hopes for an upset.

Martin will travel to Saugatuck next week.