Watch Now "Marquette Explorers at Roxana Shells Football"
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ROXANA - Riverbend rivals Roxana and Marquette Catholic squared off on the football field Friday night. It was Senior Night for the Shells, honoring a senior class that has seen the highs and lows of the Roxana football program over the past four years.
The Marquette Explorers came into the contest looking for their first win of 2024, having lost 14 straight since a 49-21 win over East Alton-Wood River in September 2023. For the hosts Roxana, a win meant a playoff home game at Charles Raich Field.
The Shells ran all over the Explorers, and celebrated Senior Night in style with a 42-0 win to close out the regular season.
Sophomore quarterback Joe Stephan was at the helm of the Marquette offense. Stephan took over the QB spot from junior Jack Rea, who now features as a receiver for the Explorers.
“We just needed to try to find something for us, and Jack (Rea) is a tremendous athlete and teammate,” said Marquette Catholic head coach Eric Dickerson. “He accepted that, and he’s flourished out there as a wide receiver.”
Roxana first found the endzone after Marquette’s opening drive went for three-and-out. Senior Luke Hartman took a handoff two yards for the Shell touchdown after fellow senior Jordan Carter broke a big run down near the goal line.
It didn’t take long for the Shells to return to the promised land, the blue turf of the endzone at Charles Raich Field. Explorer quarterback Joe Stephan threw an errant ball that was picked off by Roxana two-way star senior Andruw Ellis. On the next play from scrimmage for the Shell offense, senior Zeb Katzmarek left white and blue shirts in the dust on his way to six.
Less than eight minutes gone in the first quarter, and Roxana was well in the ascendancy, thanks to their seniors on senior night.
“(the seniors) have seen the progression,” said Wade DeVries of his big senior group. “Going from being kind of the whipping boys in the conference, to being competitive, to kings last year.”
Andruw Ellis and Zeb Katzmarek’s first quarters would only get better. Ellis housed a 68-yard run to give the Shells a three-touchdown advantage, and on the next Marquette drive, Katzmarek picked off a Joe Stephan pass and ran it all the way back for the pick six, and a 28-0 Roxana lead before the end of the first quarter.
Not done there, Andruw Ellis broke another big 50-plus yard run to put the Shells in the red zone near the midway point of the second quarter. Ellis would cap the drive with a rushing touchdown on a counter play to put the Explorers down by five scores.
Roxana’s lone stumble of the first half nearly turned into points for Marquette the other way. Roxana lost a fumble with just over a minute remaining in the first half, giving the Explorers possession in their own territory.
Jack Rea, formerly the Marquette QB, came through in his new role as a wide receiver, hauling in a pass from Joe Stephan for a big gain to flip the field. Another quick Joe Stephan pass put Marquette within field goal range, but Stephan’s field goal attempt hooked just wide to the left as time expired on the first half.
Up big and cruising, with a playoff game on the horizon, Roxana head coach Wade DeVries just wanted to see the right attitude and execution from his team.
“Energy and execution were the things that I feel like we’ve been lacking at times this year,” said DeVries postgame. “It’s easy to have that positive energy when you’re winning, we’ve got to be able to take that and extrapolate that into next week. We know whoever we play is going to be a really, really good team.”
Roxana would trigger the running clock with the final points of the evening, when Max Autery snuck in the endzone from eleven yards out to put the Shells up 42-0.
Andruw Ellis added to his impressive evening with a fumble recovery late in the third quarter, but Roxana’s somewhat rotated offense couldn’t add to their lead after the forced turnover. The teams traded possessions in the final stanza.
Roxana’s Jamir Cornell shone during the final stages of the game, breaking a few positive runs on offense. Cornell would have had a pick six to end the game had the play not been called back for a roughing the passer penalty.
Roxana, now 7-2, undefeated at home in 2024, will have a home playoff game to open the postseason. Wade DeVries and his team now get to find out who will come to Charles Raich Field.
“We have to continue to get better in practice,” said DeVries on preparations for the upcoming playoff game. “We have to execute at a higher level. We’re not going to see a team that has fewer than six or seven wins.”
Marquette is growing as a team, with many young players playing varsity football against bigger and stronger opponents who’ve had time to develop as a team.
“We’re learning a lot about the game this year,” said Dickerson postgame. “A lot of kids are just in their second year, some of them their first year. Our numbers aren’t great, but you have to look at the experience those numbers bring with them. I’m not using that as an excuse, but it is the reality.”
“A lot of our kids that play tonight are going to turn around and play in the (freshman and sophomore) game on Monday, and they have all year. So they’ve learned a lot this year on how to deal with adversity, and playing together as well.”
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