Box Score SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Led by a three-touchdown performance from Keagan La Belle and a strong defensive effort, the Marian football team earned their first win of 2025 Saturday night with their 35-21 victory at Lawrence Tech. The Knights are 1-1 on the season, as they start their road schedule 1-0.
 
Marian's defense made plays throughout the first half, and started fast as Clay Emmrich's defense forced its first turnover of the season on the opening drive of the game. Darian Dixon created a strip-sack fumble on the fourth snap from scrimmage, allowing Cade Houseman to pounce on the loose ball. The offense wasted little time finding the end zone after the takeaway, as a pair of passes from Tristan Polk to Jake Reichard moved the sticks before Keagan La Belle gashed Lawrence Tech with a 17-yard touchdown score.

La Belle's touchdown run elevated the senior running back to third all-time in school history in rushing, passing Robert Gibson '17 on the all-time rushing list.

The defense continued to be a problem for Lawrence Tech, as the Knights lived in the backfield and forced the Blue Devils off the field in a hurry on each of their two additional first quarter possessions. Marian followed suit and struggled to maintain possession after their opening drive touchdown, punting twice before ending the quarter with a 7-0 lead at hand.

Marian found the end zone once again on their first possession of the second quarter, as a series of La Belle runs marched the Knights inside the 20. Polk ended the series with a nine-yard slant to Jake Reichard, with the senior connection striking for the first time in 2025 to make the score 14-0. 

Lawrence Tech would see its ensuing drive end without a score as Logan Carrington snared an interception to halt the Blue Devils drive in the end zone. The Knights failed to chew any clock on their following series, and Lawrence Tech was able to right their early offensive woes, as they drove 45 yards for a score in the final two minutes of the half. The score would be the final points of the period, with the quarter ending in favor of Marian 14-7.

After halftime, a bizarre sequence opened the third quarter, as Alijah Price saw a strong 35-yard kickoff return end in a Lawrence Tech touchdown, as the Blue Devils' Brandon Kedrow ripped the ball out of the freshman's arms in a pile and raced back for a fumble return. The touchdown tied the game in the first 30 seconds of the third quarter, but would not keep Marian down, as Keagan La Belle took over. La Belle ran for 97 yards in the third quarter alone, capping the Knights' first series of the period with a five-yard score to retake the lead. 

A Lawrence Tech punt would give the ball back to the Knights three plays after the La Belle score, and the senior wasted no time reaching the end zone, finishing off a three-play, 48-yard score with a 29-yard touchdown run that saw featured seven broken tackles. La Belle and Hunter Newman marched Marian into the red zone as the third quarter ended, and on the third play of the fourth quarter, Polk connected with Reichard for their second touchdown hookup, making the score a one-sided 35-14 affair.

The Knights would allow a touchdown from Lawrence Tech with under five minutes to play, as the Blue Devils would finish off a time-consuming 95-yard drive against a flurry of Marian backups, setting the score at 35-21. Keagan La Belle, Hunter Newman, and Alijah Price would ice the game after the score, picking up three first downs to melt the final 4:43 off the game clock, ending Marian's first win of the season.

La Belle's big outing saw the senior rush 28 times for 184 yards and three scores, recording his eighth 100-yard rushing game and fourth three-touchdown game. Polk passed for 130 yards and two scores, with Reichard catching eight passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns. Cade Houseman led the defense with eight tackles, and Yassine Falke made seven stops. The defense recorded over six sacks in the win. 

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