By Mark Eddlemon

sports@joplinglobe.com

REPUBLIC, Mo. — Marionville never led until the final play of its season-opening game, a 20-14 overtime win over visiting McAuley Catholic on Friday night.

Sophomore running back Chris Banks scored the game winner on a 7-yard touchdown run on the fifth offensive play in overtime for Marionville. Banks finished with 116 yards rushing to lead the Comets’ offense.

Marionville finished with 273 yards rushing in a game of contrasting styles. McAuley finished with 122 yards passing to just 7 yards passing by the host. The game was played at Republic Middle School because Marionville is getting new lights at its home field.

Austin Metts put the Warriors on top with a 6-yard scoring run in the second period. The junior quarterback scrambled to his left and dove across the pylon with 7:51 on the clock.

Metts hit Tim Schoenfeld for a 16-yard gain on the play prior to the TD run. Rocky Spry had provided the Warriors with great field position via a 29-yard punt return.

Kevin O’Keefe kicked the point after to put McAuley up 7-0, a score which stood until intermission.

The Warriors’ defense bent but would not break in the first half, allowing the Comets a 69-yard, 14-play drive in the first period before forcing a turnover on downs. The big defensive stop came when Brant Russell and Briton Freitas combined to throw Marionville for a loss on a fourth-and-one play on the Warriors’ 14.

Marionville did not record a first down in the first half after that first drive, as the Warriors’ defense came up big.

The Comets opened the second half with a seven-play, 48-yard scoring drive capped by a 2-yard TD run by Caleb Wells. Banks had a 33-yard kickoff return to provide good field position, and carried twice for 17 yards during the drive. Wells, a junior, ran 3 times for 22 yards.

“We wanted to get back to getting off the ball,” Marionville coach Chris Jennerjohn said. “We thought our numbers would eventually wear them down. Joplin has a heck of a ball club. But it was hot and sticky out there tonight.

McAuley answered with an exciting 40-yard catch and run by Brant Russell on a screen pass from Metts for a touchdown. Russell, a senior running back/wide receiver, shook loose from three different would-be tacklers on the play, and O’Keefe drilled the point after to put McAuley up 14-6 with 5:06 to play in the third period.

Marionville scored early in the final period on a 67-yard drive capped by a 1-yard TD run by Banks. Banks also had a 33-yard run during the drive. The Comets sent fullback Wells up the middle for the game-tying two-point conversion with 10:31 left to play.

The Warriors had a good scoring opportunity in the final moments when Russell reeled off runs of 8, 4 and 30 yards, moving into Marionville territory at the 28. But the Comets held.