by Ben Murphy
Sports Writer
Marion gave up a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage in its road West Michigan ‘D’ League 8-man football game at Baldwin on Friday. From there it was all Eagles however, as they racked up a 74-8 victory.
The Panthers scored on a 78-yard run by their quarterback, but Marion scored four touchdowns in the first quarter to take a commanding 30-8 lead.
Gavin Prielipp opened the Eagle scoring moments after Baldwin scored, taking the ensuing kickoff 83-yards back for a touchdown. Braden Prielipp ran in the two-pointer to knot things up at 8-8.
From there, B. Prielipp scored on a two-yard touchdown run, Mason Salisbury raced in for an 18-yard score and Salisbury also completed a pass 31 yards to Cole Meyer for another touchdown.
In the second, Aadin Yowell returned a punt 51-yards for a touchdown and Meyer intercepted a pass for a touchdown.
The Marion offense also had G. Prielipp bust off with a 70-yard touchdown run and B. Prielipp scored from eight yards away, making it 60-8 at the half.
A running clock slowed Marion down some in the second half, but it did get a six yard touchdown run by Aaron Whitney in the third, and Whitney scored in the fourth as well, on a 28 yard touchdown run.
Salisbury was two-of-two passing for 70 yards and one touchdown and he also had 64 yards and a touchdown on six rushing attempts. Whitney ran four times for 80 yards and two scores, B. Prielipp carried it seven times for 74 yards and two scores, G. Prielipp added a 70-yard touchdown on his lone carry, Nick Newman had three carries for 50 yards and Colin McCrimmon rushed three times for 18 yads.
G. Prielipp had one catch for 39 yards and Meyer’s lone catch was a 31-yard touchdown.
Weston Cox led the defense with seven tackles, Whitney had five tackles and James Williams had four tackles.
Marion (4-0 overall, 3-0 WMD) heads to Battle Creek St. Philip (1-3) on Saturday for a non-league. St. Philip is coming off a 52-20 loss to Climax-Scotts last week.