The Maroa-Forsyth Trojans wasted little time taking control Friday night, scoring three touchdowns in the opening quarter and building a commanding lead before cruising to a 63-14 victory over PORTA/Ashland-Chandlerville Central/Greenview.
The Trojans produced points in nearly every way possible, finding the end zone through the air and on the ground while also turning a defensive takeaway into a touchdown. Maroa-Forsyth led 21-0 after the first quarter and 42-7 at halftime, putting the game firmly in its control before the break.
Quarterback Aiden Williams opened the scoring with a five-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Lucas Cline converted the extra point to give Maroa-Forsyth an early 7-0 advantage.
The Trojans’ defense quickly joined the scoring. Declan Shannon recovered a PORTA fumble and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown, doubling the lead to 14-0.
Williams and Shannon then connected for one of the biggest offensive plays of the night. Williams found Shannon for a 67-yard touchdown pass, completing a 21-point opening quarter and putting PORTA in an early hole.
Maroa-Forsyth continued to control the game in the second quarter. Jerrin Taylor scored on a 17-yard run to extend the advantage to 28-0 before PORTA finally broke through with its first touchdown, a 37-yard passing score from Lane McAnally, making it 28-7.
The Trojans answered immediately.
Gunnar Larner broke free for a 28-yard rushing touchdown, restoring the four-touchdown advantage at 35-7. Taylor then found the end zone for the second time in the quarter, adding another 17-yard touchdown run to send Maroa-Forsyth into halftime with a commanding 42-7 lead.
The Trojans picked up where they left off coming out of the break. Williams connected with Braeden Lee for a nine-yard touchdown pass early in the third quarter, giving the quarterback his third total touchdown of the night and extending Maroa-Forsyth’s advantage to 49-7.
PORTA added its second touchdown early in the fourth quarter on a rushing score, but Maroa-Forsyth continued to find the end zone with different players contributing.
Quarterback Peyton Brilley connected with Cason Stewart for a four-yard touchdown pass, pushing the lead to 56-14. The Trojans later added one more rushing touchdown before the final whistle, bringing the game to its 63-14 final.
Maroa-Forsyth’s offensive balance was one of the defining aspects of the night. Williams accounted for three touchdowns — one rushing and two passing — while Taylor scored twice on the ground. Larner added another rushing touchdown, Shannon contributed both a defensive touchdown and a receiving score, and Lee and Stewart each hauled in touchdown receptions.
The Trojans also consistently capitalized on opportunities. Shannon’s 36-yard fumble return helped Maroa-Forsyth establish separation early, and the offense followed by scoring six touchdowns across the opening two quarters.
By the time the teams headed to halftime, the Trojans had already built a 35-point advantage. Maroa-Forsyth then added 21 more points over the final two quarters to close out another decisive performance.
With contributions coming from the offense and defense throughout the night, Maroa-Forsyth turned a fast start into a convincing 63-14 victory over PORTA, highlighted by a 42-point first half and nine total touchdowns.
