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MARIANNA DEFEATS MACLAY 28-7 AT FRIDAY NIGHT’S HOMECOMING GAME

BY JACLYN SUMMERS

The Maclay student section was filled with Frank Shaw Field’s biggest crowd of the year as the Marauder football team faced off against the Marianna Bulldogs for Maclay’s 2021 homecoming game. Current students and Maclay alumni alike returned for this year’s homecoming game on Friday, Oct. 15, when the Bulldogs defeated the Marauders 28 to 7. Although Maclay ended up losing, the homecoming game was filled with festivities, special appearances and school spirit.

In the first quarter, senior Tucker Hicks kicked off the ball for the Marauders, driving it down the field. Marianna had the ball first and tore through the Marauder’s defense, constantly making first downs and getting closer to the end zone. The Bulldogs scored their first touchdown within the first few minutes of the game. With a few of the varsity players for Maclay out because of injuries, the Marauders struggled in the beginning. The first quarter ended with a score of 7 to 0, with the Bulldogs having the only touchdown and extra point on the scoreboard.

“We need to tackle better,” junior Caleb Heuchan said. “Really overall we need to just execute better.”

Throughout the second quarter, the Bulldogs succeeded in putting up some more points on the scoreboard. There were some solid tackle plays by juniors Grayson Oberste and Shane Croston, however. On offense, junior Michael Grant made some throws to Heuchan and other teammates. This quarter did see Maclay running the ball, but they mostly passed.

During halftime, the 202122 school year’s homecoming court was announced, with two of the Marauder football varsity teammates making it onto the court. The ceremony started off with the freshmen representatives, who walked out onto the middle of the field. Then, the sophomore, junior and senior representatives were announced as well. Halftime ended with seniors Eli Paddock and Turner Beshears being crowned Homecoming King and Queen. The Florida State Seminoles marching chiefs also made an appearance at the game and on the field at halftime.

In the next half of the football game, with a few minutes left in the third quarter, Heuchan finally put up six points on the board with a touchdown. Hicks kicked the extra point, making the score of the game 28 to 7 with the Bulldogs still ahead.

“I think we fought well, and we did not give up,” senior captain Jim Murrah said. “I think I played like a C+. I thought we were going to stick it out and it would be a better football game, but you know it wasn’t.”

In the last quarter, both teams gave a hard fight, with neither the Bulldogs nor the Marauders putting up points on the board. The Marauders lost the game with a final score of 28 to 7.

“I think we simply lost because of the four factors we look at every game, which are explosive plays, turnovers and takeaways, tackling and 3rd down deficiency,” Coach Lance Ramer said. “We lost pretty much all of those categories and lost the game, and it was not about effort at all. The effort, I thought, was great. The execution is where we fall short.”

BULLDOGS

MARAUDERS

Committed Connor

BY EVAN NGUYEN

With seniors nearly a fourth of their way through their last year, the time for college commitments has come. On Oct. 10, senior Connor Chason decided to continue his lacrosse career at Le Moyne, a Division II lacrosse school.

“I do think Maclay had a massive impact on where I am today,” Chason said. “If I didn’t have the program and VT [Coach VanTassel], I have no idea if I would end up where I’m at. It feels great to be committed. It’s a huge weight off my shoulders for sure.”

Le Moyne is a private Jesuit college in Dewitt, New York. The Le Moyne Dolphins went undefeated in the 2021 season, 15 to 0. They are the number one team in their division and head into next season with the NCAA Division II Championship title. Before committing, Chason has had dreams of playing lacrosse since day one. He has already played with countless National College Association Athletes (NCAA) while in high school, and has served as an inspiration for younger teammates.

“It’s pretty cool to know and play with someone who plays DII,” sophomore Jackson Webb said. “As a person, it’s been nice to see him grow and mature.”

Chason has been playing lacrosse since the third grade, where he played midfielder, but moved on to play defense (D-pole) in seventh grade. As for his coaching, Chason has been coached by VanTassel for several years through club and high school. In the 2020-21 season, Chason caused 77 ground balls and 26 takeaways. He also scored eight goals over the course of the season, which is an achievement for a defender. Overall, his stats support his decision to commit to a Division II team.

“Le Moyne is a great school for him,” Coach Justin VanTassel said. “He’s the perfect style player for the type of team they are, big, aggressive and plays physical lacrosse. Maclay has had a huge impact on Connor. The college prep style education has prepared him to be successful at Le Moyne, and our competitive lacrosse schedule has taken care of that side of it.”