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MOUNDSVILLE — John Marshall had it all clicking Friday on Homecoming Night in Moundsville, riding a nasty defensive effort, a relentless push from its offensive line, and the habitually hot hand of QB Jacob Cisar. But ultimately, as always seems the case, it was Dalton Cooper who owned the stage in this one.
Cooper rushed 16 times for 178 yards and four touchdowns as the Monarchs turned back the Warren Warriors 44-18 before a fine turnout at chilly, damp Monarch Stadium.
Ranked eighth in the latest WVSSAC Class AAA playoff standings, John Marshall will take a 5-1 record into next week’s anticipated match-up with unbeaten and defending state champ Frankfort. Warren went home with a 2-5 record.
The Monarchs were the superior force in this one, rolling up 406 total yards while holding Warren to 190. In fact, the Warriors had just 56 total yards of offense until racking up two late TD drives against the JM reserves. Warren was led by QB Braylen Murray, a Martins Ferry transfer who rushed 13 times for 70 yards and the three TDs. Murray was 8-for-13 in the air for 97 yards and an interception.
“We played well,” John Marshall head coach Mark Cisar said. “Great execution of the game plan on both sides of the ball. We ran the ball well, we tackled well on defense.
“It’s been a tough two days here,” he pointed out, referring to the tragic shooting death of a John Marshall teacher and her husband this week. “Coming to school today for some of these guys … to lose a teacher, that’s really hard.”
John Marshall’s first possession hit paydirt, with Cooper getting the ball on six of the nine plays, including the last three yards for the score. After a Reid Hamrick pass theft, the Monarchs went back to work, this time culminating with Jacob Cisar’s 23-yard TD pass to the sensational Landen Snyder, less than two minutes after the first score.
Warren’s lone touchdown of the first half followed a muffed punt return by John Marshall, with the Warriors needing eight plays to cover the brief, 27-yard drive. Murray bolted in from the one for his first tally of the night. He would add scoring totes of two and 54 yards in the fourth quarter.
Cooper impressed with two more scoring jaunts in the second period, the first covering five yards behind linemen Braden Storm and Riley Williams, the second a 17-yard foray to glory to make it 27-6. The Monarchs would add a 30-yard Reid Hamrick field goal at the halftime buzzer.
John Marshall enjoyed a 13-3 advantage in first downs in the first half. Cisar was electric, finding Snyder and Tiler Clemons on several pretty pitches downfield. Cisar would finish the day 7-for-9 for 143 yards, the one TD and no thefts. Snyder, a first-team all-state and All-Valley honoree last season, caught five passes and was equally dazzling in the defensive secondary.
Other defensive standouts for JM included Clay McCord, Hayden Fordyce, Hamrick, and Nathan Hughes. And Cooper, a lighting bolt at 220 pounds, added a QB sack to his bag of tricks.
Coach Cisar is excited about the emerging excellence of his offensive front.
“We made a couple of adjustments on the line,” he said. “They were feeding off each other. It meant a lot last week, a lot of guts and grit and seeing guys playing hurt. It made a big difference. It’s like, ‘This guy’s gonna suck it up and go. If they can do it, I can do it.’ I think it’s made a big difference.”
Aubrey Lilley was crowned Homecoming Queen at halftime, and Dalton Brown was named Homecoming King.