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ORONO – Marshall faced a familiar postseason opponent Friday night, taking on Orono in a rematch of last year’s state semifinal before falling to the Spartans 20-7.
Orono set the tone early, scoring 14 points in the opening quarter to take control. The Spartans added six more points in the third quarter to extend their advantage to 20-0 heading into the final period.
The Tigers responded in the fourth quarter with their lone score of the night, avoiding the shutout and cutting into the deficit. However, Marshall was unable to generate enough offense to complete the comeback as Orono held on for the 20-7 victory.
Marshall used two quarterbacks throughout the contest. Starting quarterback Canon Craigmile completed five of 13 passes for 66 yards, while Magnus Schlenner completed two of four attempts for 26 yards. The duo combined for 92 passing yards.
The Tigers also committed two turnovers, creating additional challenges as they attempted to rally against the Spartans.
Despite the early deficit, Marshall continued to compete through the final quarter and found the end zone to get on the scoreboard. However, Orono’s early scoring surge proved too much for the Tigers to overcome in the postseason rematch.
Marshall will return home Wednesday to face Fergus Falls, another opponent that qualified for the state tournament, as the Tigers look to bounce back against another postseason-caliber team.