Marist football bows to St. Thomas, falls into tie for first place

Marist football faced a challenging loss to St. Thomas, falling into a four-way tie for first place in the Pioneer Football League. The Red Foxes (4-4) were outclassed in a 35-13 defeat at Tenney Stadium on Saturday, October 24. St. Thomas (6-2), along with Butler and Dayton, now share the top spot with a 3-1 record.

Marist led 7-0 after the first quarter but quickly slipped away, trailing 21-10 at halftime after allowing 21 points in the second quarter. The Tommies' offense was dominant, accumulating 429 total yards, with 190 coming from freshman quarterback Nick Peipert through the air and 12 yards by Pierce McCrary. Their running back, Peipert, also rushed for 85 yards and had 18 carries.

Marist's offense struggled, managing only 57 rushing yards, and their starting QB Sonny Mannino completed 13 of 25 passes for 193 yards but threw a first-quarter touchdown to Jayden Taylor. Luke Stenson contributed with field goals, including a 45-yarder in the fourth quarter.

St. Thomas' defense stifled Marist, forcing three punts, two fumbles, and one interception from Mannino, who was also sacked three times. The Tommies held the football for nearly 39 minutes, while Marist only received the ball for three times and fumbled twice.

Marist's defense was stout, with Jace Williamson and Chase Hatton each recording 10 tackles, while Tyrell Powell, Kade Wermer, and Naheem Ridore also made significant plays. However, the Red Foxes failed to capitalize on their chances, resulting in a disappointing 35-13 loss. Marist head coach Mike Willis expressed disappointment, acknowledging the need to evaluate both his team's effort and technique.