Marshall County traveled to Madisonville-North Hopkins to play the first District 1 Class 5A game of the season for both teams. Madisonville has won the last eight over the Marshals dating back to the 2008 season and came into Friday’s game after their first loss of the season, 41-40 to Fort Campbell. The Marshals were coming off a 45-0 win last Friday over Calloway County
The Maroons beat the Marshals 52-14 behind the powerful duo of quarterback Kanyon Johnson and running back Markezz Hightower who are currently the top two rushers in the state in Class 5A. Hightower sits atop the list of rushers with 737 yards for an average of 10 yards a carry and Johnson has 648 yards with an average of 11.4 yards per carry over the first four games.
Madisonville took advantage of Marshall turnovers and scored their first two touchdowns of the game, the first on a 66-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown pass from Johnson to Jayden Travis near the end of the first quarter. The second at the start of the second quarter on a Hightower four-yard run.
One successful and one failed two-point conversion attempts gave the Maroons a 14-0 lead.
With great field position following a Marshall punt, the Maroons went up 22-0. Johnson picked up a gain of 26 yards and the one-yard touchdown was scored by Travion Stafford. Hightower ran in the two-point conversion.
Madisonville found the endzone again on an 11-yard run by Hightower and with the two-point conversion successful, took a 30-0 lead at 3:28 in the second quarter.
Needing something good to happen, the Marshals got it after giving up the ball on a punt and setting Madisonville up with great field position once again. Noah Short intercepted a pass by Johnson which set up the Marshals first touchdown.
Neyland Jezik connected on a 17-yard pass to Cash Henson to put an exclamation point on the 64-yard drive and with the point after good by Tommy Robertson, they were on the board trailing 30-7 at halftime.
A great return by Hightower on the opening second half kick preceded another Madisonville touchdown. Hightower scored his third touchdown of the game from nine yards out. The two-point conversion failed but the Maroons pushed their lead out to 36-7.
Late in the third quarter, the Marshals found the endzone again on a 57-yard drive. Jezik connected with Henson once more for a 14-yard touchdown to trim the Maroons lead to 36-14.
Madisonville scored two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter on a Johnson keeper that went 22 yards and 11-yard pass from Johnson to Hightower.
The night ended on a Marshall County interception of Johnson by Grant Franklin.
Marshall County (2-3) will host Muhlenberg County (1-4) on Friday.
Marshall 0 7 0 7 – 14
Madisonville 8 22 6 16 – 52
