Gannaway, Bryant rush past Marion

BRYANT 58, MARION 7

BRYANT — Bryant rolled up more than 300 yards and forced a pair of Marion turnovers in the first half to take a 44-7 halftime lead and coasted for a 58-7 victory.

“I thought we played pretty good tonight,” Bryant Coach Buck James said. “Our offensive line played great and to hold a team like that to seven points is big time.”

Bryant junior tailback Chris Gannaway ran 14 times for 191 yards and 4 touchdowns before halftime. He capped Bryant’s first drive, a 10-play, 73-yard journey, with a 2-yard score to give the Hornets a 7-0 advantage with 6:59 left in the opening quarter.

Gannaway was back at it on Bryant’s third drive, rushing for 31 yards, including a 23-yard score to push the Hornets ahead 14-0 with 1:48 left in the first quarter.

Gannaway staked Bryant to a 23-0 second-quarter lead with a 6-yard TD run, which culminated a six-play, 53-yard drive.

That’s when Marion embarked on its only TD drive of the night, covering 69 yards in seven plays. The Patriots cashed in when senior quarterback Ben Gerrard connected with junior receiver Donnie Cheers Jr. for a 24-yard TD reception to pull within 23-7.

Gannaway turned in the decisive play of the game when he pulled away for an 80-yard TD run on Bryant’s first offensive snap after Marion’s score.

Things snowballed on the Patriots when they muffed the ensuing kickoff, recovered by Bryant at the Marion 20-yard line. The Hornets cashed in two plays later when senior QB Carson Burnett connected with senior Robert Hendrix for a 21-yard TD pass and a 37-7 advantage.

Bryant forced a Marion turnover on downs and covered 65 yards in four plays to take a 44-7 lead into halftime.

Marion senior tailback Cam Anderson ran 19 times for 149 yards.