UPLAND, Ind. - The Marian football team racked up over 500 yards of total offense and got a timely stop by the defense when called upon, as the Knights outlasted a Saturday shootout against Taylor 42-35. Marian's victory improves the team to 5-1 on the season, extending their winning streak over Taylor to 16 games.

Marian wasted no time putting their imprint on Saturday's game, receiving the opening kickoff and driving 60 yards in four plays to score the game's first points in less than two minutes. Keagan La Belle capped off the first Knights' series with a 10-yard touchdown, and after the defense forced a three-and-out, the offense again found the end zone, this time with Tristan Polk finding Jake Reichard for a 33-yard touchdown. 

The 14-0 lead was grabbed in less than five minutes of game time, but the Trojans would respond, as one of the NAIA's top-10 scoring teams found the end zone on a 59-yard touchdown pass from Alex Amburgy on their second series. The track meet first quarter continued as Marian took their third possession, with Polk completing a 90-yard drive with a 44-yard touchdown pass to Aidan Wanner. The big-play offense put the Knights in front 21-7, where the score would hold after the defense forced the second Taylor punt in the opening quarter with 1:20 to play in the period.

Taylor made a defensive stand to start the second quarter as the Marian drive that began in the waning moments of the first ended in a punt, and then wasted little time to make the game a one-score contest once more. Amburgy connected with Nathan Munson for their second touchdown hookup, connecting on a 78-yard flea-flicker for the Trojan touchdown. 

As they did in the first quarter when called on, Marian responded, getting a lift on a 29-yard Jake Reichard catch that would later spark a 31-yard rushing touchdown for Keagan La Belle. The back-and-forth scoring would continue as Taylor matched La Belle's second touchdown with a score of their own, but prior to the half ending, Marian would find paydirt once more, with Polk finishing a 75-yard series with a rushing touchdown. The quarterback's third total touchdown of the night gave Marian a 35-21 lead that would hold going into halftime.

The third quarter continued the high-octane scoring approach that the first half possessed, as the Knights and Trojans put a combined 21 points on the board in the period. Taylor struck first with a Jedidiah Galvin rushing touchdown, only to see the score answered by Polk, as the quarterback completed a 55-yard series with his second rushing touchdown. 

Polk's second touchdown put Marian on top 42-28, however, like in the first half, the two-score lead would be quickly erased. A pair of Marian penalties and a Taylor gadget play aided a 73-yard scoring drive for the Trojans, as Ethan Albert's second rushing touchdown brought the score to a 42-35 count.

After the Albert touchdown, defense became the game's focal point, with the Knights and Trojans each locking down their opponent. Marian was forced to punt on the ensuing series following the Taylor score, while the Trojans' Aiden O'Dell missed a 42-yard field goal in the closing moments of the third quarter, doinking the kick off the crossbar.

The Knights were unable to capitalize off the missed kick as Jake Reichard fumbled on the first play of the fourth quarter, as the team's first turnover gave the Trojans the ball back in Marian territory. Taylor drove the ball into the red zone, but it would be Marian who stepped up to make a defensive stand, as Logan Carrington intercepted Amburgy in the end zone to slam the brakes on the series. Marian would kill nearly five minutes off the clock following the takeaway, but came up empty in adding to their lead, as Polk had a touchdown wiped off the board on a penalty, and Kenny Curry later missed a field goal to keep the score static.

Taylor would take over possession with 6:28 remaining in the game, and slowly marched the ball into Marian territory. The Knights bent as long as they could, eventually forcing the hosts into a 4th and two from the 28 with under a minute to play. Needing a stop, Luke Swartz made a play in the backfield, breaking up a Taylor trick play to force the turnover on downs, and seal the victory for Marian, as Polk took three knees to savor the 42-35 victory.

Saturday's game featured 1007 combined yards of offense, with the Knights gaining 519 to Taylor's 488. Keagan La Belle paced the ground attack, running for 236 yards and two touchdowns in the victory. Tristan Polk ended the game passing 11-15 for 238 yards and two touchdowns, while also running for another two scores. Jake Reichard led the receiving core with 131 yards and a touchdown on six grabs, while Aidan Wanner logged 45 yards on two receptions and his second touchdown of the season. Riley Palmeter recorded 56 yards receiving in the win.

Defensively, the Knights made plays when called upon and were led by Isaiah Street's career-high 15 tackles. The defensive end made eight solo stops and three tackles for loss in the win, while getting a pair of quarterback hurries. Cade Houseman and Wyatt Woodall each made nine tackles, and Logan Carrington logged his fifth interception of the season while making seven stops.

Marian's defense limited the NAIA's third-leading rusher Nathan Parker to 107 yards while keeping the sophomore out of the end zone, holding him 30 yards under his per-game average, while also denying any points to the No. 3 single scorer this season.

Marian returns home after two consecutive road games, hosting the University of Saint Francis for homecoming next Saturday. Kickoff from Ascension St. Vincent Field is set for 1:05 p.m.

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