Photo by Jake Przytarski Marshall’s Bryce Lance looks to get past a Jordan defender during their Section 2AAAA tournament game on Friday.

MARSHALL — The No. 8 ranked Marshall football team dug deep in Friday’s Section 2AAAA matchup with No. 4 Jordan and was rewarded with a come from behind 14-10 victory over the previously unbeaten Hubmen. With the win, the Tigers improve to a final record of 5-2 on the season.

Marshall’s offense got off to an uncharacteristically slow start in the first half beginning with a short-lived series that went three and out and opened the door for Jordan to breakthrough on its first drive.

The Hubmen took little time to find their rhythm offensively as running back Ian Hennen broke loose for a 34-yard run on the very first play of the drive, and later gave Jordan a 7-0 lead with a nine-yard rushing touchdown.

Marshall’s offense ran into more trouble on the ensuing drive when a fumble by DeMario Gaines after a long run gave the ball right back to Jordan with a chance to add to its lead. In desperate need of a stop midway through the quarter, the Tiger defense delivered and set up the offense with strong field position at the 37-yard line.

Marshall’s offense was able to move the chains quickly as quarterback Brevin Runia delivered a pair of strikes to Bryce Lance to cross into Jordan territory, and later entered the red zone following a run by Gaines. A reception on fourth down by Jack Bly brought the Tigers to the four-yard line where they were stuffed by the Hubmen defense and turned the ball over on downs.

With 1:45 left in the first quarter, Jordan put together its final scoring drive that lasted over five minutes and culminated in a field goal to make it 10-0. The Tigers were unable to answer back in the two possessions that followed–leaving them trailing 10-0 at halftime.

The tide began to turn for Marshall early on in the second half after a defensive stop set the tone for the team’s first scoring drive. The series began at the 20-yard line and picked up steam when Lance hauled in a long reception from Runia to cross midfield. Runia kept the chains moving with a long scramble into the red zone before Gaines crossed the goal-line for the team’s first touchdown to make it 10-7 following a made extra point by Joseph Hulet.

On the ensuing offensive drive for Jodan, the momentum shifted entirely to the Tigers favor when a Hubmen receiver tipped a pass before Lance reeled it with one hand and ran it into the end zone for a touchdown to give the Tigers a 14-10 lead.

The clock continued to wind down in the fourth quarter with Marshall still clinging to a 14-10 lead. Near the halfway mark, Blake Fogelson provided a key play for the defense with a fumble recovery to end Jordan’s offensive drive and help seal the Tigers victory.

Runia completed 13 of 20 passing attempts for 143 yards and added 24 yards on the ground. Running back DeMario Gaines rushed for 27 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown.

Lance finished as the leading receiver with 84 yards on six receptions, while Jack Bly added 30 yards on three receptions. Jacob Hughes hauled in one reception for 17 yards.

Bly led the team in tackles with seven, followed by Lance with six and a half and Fogelson with five.