Tag: Football

  • High School Football | Week 8

    High School Football | Week 8

    Mt Carmel Golden Aces at Marshall Lions

    The Marshall Lions host the Mt Carmel Golden Aces at Bush Field on SENIOR NIGHT – October 17, 2025! Catch all of the High School Football action with pregame show and play-by-play commentary by the Voice of the Lions, Joey O’Rourke! The Central State Pregame Show starts at 6:30pm; Kickoff at 7pm Central Time.

    Richland County Tigers at Casey-Westfield Warriors

    Two UNDEFEATED teams come together on the gridiron on SENIOR NIGHT at Sinclair-VIdoni Field in Casey, Illinois, on Friday, October 17, 2025! Catch all of the Friday Night High School Football action with pregame show and play-by-play commentary by the Voice of the Warriors, Patrick Tullock!

    Oblong Panthers at Martinsville Bluestreaks

    • Friday, October 17, 2025
    • Kickoff: 7 pm

    Paris Tigers at Robinson Maroons

    • Friday, October 17, 2025
    • Kickoff: 7pm

  • Lions roll over Lawrenceville 34-7 as Lucca Giannavola rushes for 208 yards and 3 TDs

    Lions roll over Lawrenceville 34-7 as Lucca Giannavola rushes for 208 yards and 3 TDs

    On Friday, October 10th, the Marshall High School football team played host to Lawrenceville High School at Bush Field on the campus of Marshall High School on a picturesque evening in east central Illinois. The Lions came into the contest with a record of 3-3, while the Indians came in with a record of 1-5. The Indians’ record, however, belies how they have started games in four of their previous five outings. Beginning with a 22-point win over Carlisle five weeks ago, Lawrenceville experienced early leads in their games versus conference-leader Olney as well as Paris and Robinson before falling behind in those games. Marshall’s mission tonight was to start fast and prevent the Indians from garnering any momentum in this Little Illini Conference clash as the Lions make a playoff run for the first time since 2017.

    Boston Rollings (54) leads the way around the edge for Marshall against Lawrenceville
    Boston Rollings (54) leads the way around the edge for Marshall against Lawrenceville. Photo by T Ray Henry.

    Lawrenceville won the opening coin flip and elected to defer to the second half, so the Lions elected to receive the ball. Silas Dean caught the kick at his own 2-yard line and brought it back to the Marshall 26 where they began their opening drive. On the first play from scrimmage, Marshall ran a counter with Liam Keim over the right side, and Keim brought the ball out to the Lions 34-yard line where they had a second-and-2. On the next play from scrimmage, Marshall’s Lucca Giannavola took the handoff and ran the ball through the right side while carrying a Lawrenceville defender all the way to the Indians 45 for a first down. With that 21-yard run, Giannavola went over the 1,000-yard mark in rushing on the season.

    After the Lions were brought back to midfield, they faced a third-and-14 from the 50. A handoff to Lucca Giannavola went up the middle for 41 yards to the Indians’ 9-yard line and a Marshall first down. Giannavola then plunged the ball down to the 1 before quarterback Luke Brodie ran it in for a Marshall touchdown. After the two-point try was good when Lucca Giannavola ran it in on the right side, and with 8:31 to go in the first quarter, Marshall led 8-0.

    Lawrenceville began their first drive on their own 32 after the Marshall touchdown and two-point conversion, and the Indians went three-and-out. Marshall’s Gavyn Boden made a nice fair catch on a wobbler at the Lions 32-yard line where they began their second possession of the game. Marshall mixed it up in the running game to work the ball down into the red zone through the end of the first quarter into the start of the second, but the drive stalled at the Lawrenceville 9-yard line where Marshall turned the ball over on downs.

    After Lawrenceville couldn’t get anything going on their next drive, they punted the ball back to the Lions. A carom on the punt hit the turf, and Kaiden Sanders jumped on the ball for Marshall to prevent a costly turnover. With 9:20 to go in the first half, Sanders prevented Lawrenceville from capitalizing and looking for the equalizer. After a short gain, Marshall quarterback Luke Brodie launched a deep pass down the left sideline to Kaiden Sanders, who was draped all over by Lawrenceville’s 6’4” Jacek Mickiewicz. Sanders jumped up, twisted his body to shield the defender, and caught the pass for a big gain down to the Lawrenceville 14. Three plays later, Lucca Giannavola ran it in from 7 yards out. After the two-point try was no good, Marshall led 14-0 with 7:35 to go until halftime.

    Bryer Jansen strips the ball from the Lawrenceville ball carrier
    Bryer Jansen strips the ball from the Lawrenceville ball carrier. Photo by T Ray Henry.

    On the ensuing drive, Lawrenceville looked to start throwing the ball. On first down, Marshall’s Bryer Jansen sacked Lawrenceville quarterback Blayton Gossett for a loss. A penalty on the Lions moved the ball to midfield, and a pass play to the Marshall 37 gave the Indians a first down. A tackle for a loss by Bryer Jansen, followed by an unsportsmanlike penalty on Lawrenceville got the Indians behind the chains back to the Lawrenceville 45. On the next play, Lawrenceville tried to get a big chunk of yardage back, but Marshall’s Kaiden Sanders intercepted Gossett’s pass at the Marshall 36 with 4 ½ minutes to go in the half.

    With the Lions facing a third-and-3 from the Marshall 43, Luke Brodie took the snap with an empty backfield and lofted a pass downfield to Bryce Griguhn, who caught the ball and ran all the way to the Lawrenceville 37. Kaiden Sanders then ran a jet sweep down to near the red zone. A couple catches by Gavyn Boden brought the ball down into the red zone. The Big Red then ran behind their offensive line, first with Liam Keim, then with Lucca Giannavola into the end zone from one yard out. With the extra try no good, Marshall led 20-0 with 21.6 seconds to go before the half.

    On their first possession of the second half, Lawrenceville went on a touchdown drive which took 5:01 off the clock in the third quarter, and with Marshall leading 20-7, the Lions took over on their own Lawrenceville 42 after a big kickoff return by Gavyn Boden, who caught the kickoff at the Marshall 21. Luke Brodie scrambled to the Lawrenceville 30 on first down to give the Lions a first down. Lucca Giannavola then took a handoff on the next play, and he broke two tackles before carrying an Indians defender into the end zone for a touchdown. Marshall now led 26-7 with 6:03 to go in the third quarter.

    The Lions stopped Lawrenceville on the next drive, and the Big Red took over at their own 10-yard line. A 58-yard catch and run by Liam Keim got the Lions out from the shadow of their own end zone. On the next play, Lucca Giannavola rushed off tackle on the right side inside the red zone. A change of pace at running back with Silas Dean tested the perimeter defense of the Indians, and Dean rushed the ball into the red zone when he outraced the Lawrenceville defense to the pylon from 2 yards out. On the two-point try, Luke Brodie connected on a pass to Kaiden Sanders, and with 2:42 to go in the quarter, Marshall led 34-7.

    From that point on, the Lions were content to chew up yardage and the clock, and in a fast fourth quarter, no more scoring by either side brought the clock down to zeros. The final score was Marshall 34, Lawrenceville 7.

    The Lions dominated in all phases of the contest, outgaining Lawrenceville 440-145 in total yards, and they never punted. Senior running back Lucca Giannavola rushed the ball 26 times for 208 yards and three touchdowns. He now has 19 total touchdowns on the season, 17 of them on the ground. On his first carry from scrimmage, Giannavola passed the 1,000-yard plateau in rushing for the season. Sophomore quarterback Luke Brodie was 5 for 9 through the air for 129 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, Lucca Giannavola led the team with 10 tackles, while senior linebacker Liam Keim finished with 9.

    For this year’s senior class, which began their collective high school careers in 2022 by going 0-9 during their freshman season, they won Marshall’s first game in over four years during their sophomore season, then they won two games last year, these Lions are now one win away from playoff eligibility with two games to go in the regular season, which is a remarkable turnaround.

    Marshall (4-3) returns to action Friday night, October 17th, when they host Mount Carmel at Bush Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM. Prior to the game, Marshall senior athletes from the football team, cheerleading squad, Marshallettes, marching band, golf team, and cross-country team will be recognized along with their parents beginning at 6:30. Win or lose, after the game, Marshall’s football players will participate in the traditional class walk from end zone to end zone as part of the Lions’ Senior Night activities.

  • This Week in High School Football

    This Week in High School Football

    Lawrenceville Indians vs Marshall Lions

    Casey-Westfield at Mt Carmel Golden Aces

    • Friday, October 10, 2025 at Mt Carmel, Illinois
    • Pregame Show LIVE at 6:30pm WATCH LIVE!
    • Kickoff: 7pm

    Martinsville Bluestreaks at Metro-East Lutheran

    • Friday, October 10, 2025 at Edwardsville, Illinois.
    • Kickoff: 7pm

    Paris Tigers at Richland County Tigers

    • Friday, October 10, 2025 at Olney, Illinois
    • Kickoff: 7pm
  • NFL Week 5 coverage on WWMC

    NFL Week 5 coverage on WWMC

    Thursday. October 2 – SF 49ers @ LA Rams

    • Kickoff: 7:15 p.m. Central
    • Game Announcers Kevin Kugler and Ross Tucker; Studio Host: Scott Graham
    • Analysts heavily favor the Rams to win, citing the 49ers challenges with injured players and the Rams defense against the 49ers running game.

    Sunday, October 5 – Minnesota Vikings vs Cleveland Browns LIVE from London

    • Kickoff 8:30 a.m.
    • Game Announcers- Oliver Wilson and Byron Chamberlain
    • Analysts favor the Vikings having already adapted to the weather, and highlighting talent at the offensive skill positions. However, the Browns’ formidable defense could keep the score low.

    Sunday, October 5 – New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills

    • Kickoff: 7:20 p.m.
    • Game Announcers- Ryan Radtke and Mike Golic, Sr.; Studio Host- Scott Graham
    • Analysts show the Bills as strong favorites. Some point out the Bills’ defense as struggling, others note the Patriots’ defense as improved over last season.

    Monday, October 6 – KC Chiefs @ Jacksonville Jaguars

    • Kickoff: 7:15 p.m.
    • Game Announcers- Kevin Harlan and Kurt Warner; Studio Hosts- Mike Golic, Sr. and Mike Golic, Jr.
    • Analysts are predicting a slim win for the Chiefs, noting the momentum of a two-week winning streak, but note the Jaguars’ home-field advantage and strong defensive squad.

    Tune in to WMMC Radio 105.9 FM for LIVE NFL football coverage with Westwood One Sports!

  • Lions give up 3 early touchdowns, lose to Robinson on Homecoming 34-26

    Lions give up 3 early touchdowns, lose to Robinson on Homecoming 34-26

    The Marshall High School football team hosted Robinson High School on Friday, September 26th at Bush Field in Marshall on Homecoming. The Lions came into the game with a record of 3-1, while Robinson came in with a record of 1-3.

    Robinson kicked off to Marshall to begin this conference battle in front of a big crowd.  The Lions began their first drive at their own 19-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, Luke Brodie handed the ball off to Lucca Giannavola. He went around the right side and went from the 19 all the way to the 35 for a Lions first down. After a run for 4 yards by Giannavola, QB Luke Brodie hit Gavyn Bowden for a first down with a gain to the Lions 46. The Big Red then moved quickly into Robinson territory on a run by Giannavola, followed by a counter to the left by Liam Keim. The drive stalled, however, and the Maroons took over on downs at their own 35.

    On a night when Robinson pulled out its bag of tricks all night, a double pass on first down scored a 65-yard touchdown. The extra point kick was good, and the Maroons took a 7-0 lead with 7:53 to go in the opening quarter.

    On the ensuing drive, Marshall went three-and-out with a critical missed opportunity, and Robinson capitalized on the situation by driving all the way down into the red zone. The Marshall defense, however, held strong inside their own 5, and the Lions kept the Maroons out of the end zone. Marshall took over on downs after the big stop inside their 5 with 2:29 to go in the first quarter.

    Hoping to flip the field, Marshall again went three-and-out and punted the ball to their 38-yard line, where Robinson took possession. It didn’t take long for the Maroons to hit pay dirt again, for on the first play from scrimmage, a pass on a slant pattern went all the way for a touchdown. With the extra point, the Lions found themselves trailing 14-0. Another quick strike for Robinson stunned the homecoming crowd, and Marshall looked completely out of sorts while trailing 21-0 early in the second quarter.

    On the next drive for Marshall, a screen pass from Luke Brodie to Lucca Giannavola was caught near the right sideline, and Giannavola took it all the way to the house to put the Lions on the scoreboard.  After the two-point try failed, Marshall trailed 21-6 with 9:32 to go before the half.

    The Lions defense could not stop the Maroons on the ground or in the air, as Robinson marched down the field for another touchdown on their next drive just like they had on 3 of their 4 previous possessions. After the extra point was no good, Robinson led 27-6 with 5:58 left in the half.

    Marshall began their next possession at their own 23-yard line. Lucca Giannavola took a handoff on second down at the Marshall 26 to the Robinson 47, and after a taunting penalty on Robinson, Marshall had a first and 10 at the Maroons 32. Silas Dean took the next handoff and ran to the Robinson 10. After a short run, a fumble on second down put the Lions once again behind the chains back at the Robinson 23 where Marshall faced a third and 22. Two unproductive plays later, Marshall turned the ball over on downs at the Robinson 25-yard line with a little over 3 minutes remaining on the clock.

    Marshall’s defense stiffened on the next set of downs. Tevin Cribelar made a great play separating a receiver from the ball on second down, then a third down pass fell incomplete. On fourth down, a bobbled snap ended when Bryer Jansen tackled the Robinson punter near the red zone where Marshall took over on downs.

    After Liam Keim rushed the ball down inside the 10, Lucca Giannavola plowed his way into the end zone for his 11th touchdown of the season. After the two-point try failed, Marshall now trailed 27-12 with just over a minute and a half to go before halftime.

    Robinson drove the ball on their next possession to the Marshall 25 as the clock ticked down towards halftime, and after a throw into the end zone fell incomplete, Robinson attempted a 42-yard field goal as time expired. The kick was short and left, and Robinson took a 27-12 lead to the locker room.

    Robinson took the second half kickoff and began their opening drive at their own 33-yard line. On third down, Robinson QB Reese Johnson escaped the clutches of Marshall defenders and threw a jump pass for a first down. The Lions continued to struggle on defense, and with 9:07 to go, the Maroons punched it in the end zone from 13 yards out.  With the extra point good, Marshall found themselves down 34-12.

    Marshall began their next drive at their own 25-yard line. After an offsides call on Robinson moved the ball up to the 30, Luke Brodie strapped back and threw a deep pass that was caught by Kaiden Sanders at the Robinson 37. One play later, Lucca Giannavola picked up a first down at the 25, and the Lions continued churning yardage up the middle. A couple runs by Giannavola brought the ball down to the 7. He then ran to the 4 on the next play. On third and one from the 4, quarterback Luke Brodie rushed the ball up the middle for a touchdown. The two-point try was stopped, and Marshall now trailed 34-18.

    From their own 42 to begin their next possession, Robinson had little trouble moving the ball down the field on the Lions defense, but on a third and 7 from the Marshall 32, a pass fell incomplete to make it fourth down. On fourth down, a pass was dropped, and with just under two minutes remaining in the third, Marshall took the ball over at their own 32.

    After a nice first down run by Liam Keim, the Lions kept running the ball, first with Lucca Giannavola, followed by Luke Brodie. On a third down call, Brodie faked the handoff and threaded a perfect pass in stride to Kaiden Sanders on a post pattern to move the ball down to the Robinson 30 and a first down.

    On a big third-and-6 from the Maroons 27, Lucca Giannavola took the handoff and ran off tackle to the right. He spun off tacklers and raced untouched to the end zone for a huge Marshall touchdown. On the two-point conversion, Giannavola rushed the ball through the 4 hole and scored. Marshall now found themselves down by only 8 with the score 34-26 with 11:14 to go in the game as the Marshall side roared.

    The Lions defense took the field for the most important defensive sequence of the night for Marshall. After a face mask penalty on Robinson and a stop by the defense, Robinson gained a first down to keep the drive going. On third-and-15 from the Lions 43, Josef Stafford blew up the play when he rushed Reese Johnson into an incomplete pass. Robinson then punted the ball to the Marshall 14 with just over 6 1/2 minutes left.

    With the Lions down by one score and a two-point conversion, Lucca Giannavola ran the ball twice for a first down. The Lions then got behind the chains and faced a third and 11 from their own 26 with 5:02 to go when Marshall head coach Steve Weber called timeout. A post corner route fell incomplete, and the Lions lined up to punt on fourth down. Luke Brodie punted the ball to the Robinson 34 where the Maroons took over with 4:43 to go on the clock.

    The Lions stuffed Robinson’s Reese Johnson on first down, then Tevin Cribelar came up and stopped a Robinson trick play on second down. On third-and-11, Robinson did a hook-and-ladder pass play for a first down to the Robinson 46. That play seemed to take all the momentum away from the Lions. The Maroons then moved the ball steadily into Marshall territory while milking the clock. On a third and 2 from the Lions 32, Marshall’s Josef Stafford broke through and tackled Reese Johnson for a one-yard loss. With 1:25 to go, Robinson went for it on fourth down and three and got the first down at the 29. The Maroons then ran out the clock and won the game by the score of 34-26, spoiling Marshall’s homecoming.

    For the Lions, Lucca Giannavola ran the ball 27 times for 185 yards (2 touchdowns and a two-point conversion). He also caught one pass for 53 yards and another score. Luke Brodie passed for 114 yards and a TD. He also scored a touchdown on the ground.  Kaiden Sanders led all receivers with 2 receptions and 52 yards.

    On the defensive side of the ball, Lucca Giannavola had 13 tackles and Josef Stafford had 12 to lead the Lions.

    Marshall (3-2) plays their next game Friday, October 3rd when they travel to Sinclair-Vidoni Field in Casey to take on the Casey-Westfield Warriors. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

    Tom Lisella’s photos of the game are on Facebook!

  • NFL Week 4 Coverage on WMMC with Westwood One Sports

    NFL Week 4 Coverage on WMMC with Westwood One Sports

    Thursday, Sept. 25 – Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals

    • Kickoff 7:15 p.m. Central
    • Broadcast Team: Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit, and Kaylee Hartung
    • Analysts’ Insight: The Seahawks enter this NFC West showdown with a strong defense, ranking second in points allowed per game. Analysts favor Seattle as slight favorites, especially with the Cardinals’ recent loss of star running back James Conner for the season.

    Sunday, Sept. 28 – Minnesota Vikings vs Pittsburgh Steelers (LIVE from Dublin)

    • Kickoff: 8:30 a.m. Central
    • Broadcast Team: Joe Davis (Play-by-Play), Greg Olsen (Analyst), Pam Oliver & Jamie Erdahl (Sideline Reporters)
    • Analysts’ Insight: The Vikings are slight favorites in this historic international matchup. Analysts highlight Minnesota’s strong overseas performance and the Steelers’ recent form

    Sunday, Sept. 28 – Green Bay Packers @ Dallas Cowboys

    • Kickoff: 7:20 p.m. Central
    • Broadcast Team: Ryan Radtke and Mike Golic.
    • Analysts’ Insight: The Packers are favored to win, with analysts noting the Cowboys’ struggles in pass defense and the Packers’ strong defensive lineup.

    Monday, Sept. 29 – Cincinnati Bengals @ Denver Broncos

    • Kickoff 7:20 p.m. Central
    • Broadcast Team: Ryan Radtke and Mike Golic
    • Analysts’ Insight: The Broncos are favored by 7.5 points, with analysts highlighting their strong home performance and the Bengals challenges on the road.

  • Football | Lions gain 427 yards on the ground in loss at Richland County

    Football | Lions gain 427 yards on the ground in loss at Richland County

    The Marshall High School football team traveled to Olney to face the Richland County High School Olney Tigers in a Little Illini Conference game on Friday, September 19th.  The Lions and Tigers (no Bears) came into the game with identical records of 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the conference.  

    Boston Rollings (54) leads Lucca Giannavola (40) around the corner. Photo by T Ray Henry.
    Boston Rollings (54) leads Lucca Giannavola (40) around the corner. Photo by T Ray Henry.

    When you look at the final stat sheet from this contest, you will see that the Lions marched up, down, and through the overhyped Olney defense all night long.  Being the largest school in the LIC, which hasn’t lost a regular season game since 2023, Olney had no answer in trying to stop the Lions’ ground game.  Marshall’s Lucca Giannavola rushed the ball 28 times while gaining 228 yards.   When the Tigers’ defense loaded up the box to try and contain Giannavola (they never stopped him), Marshall used misdirection plays with Kaiden Sanders, Liam Keim, as well as quarterback keepers by sophomore Luke Brodie.  For a change of pace, Marshall inserted sophomore running back Silas Dean, who sprinted through and around the Tigers’ defense at will.  Down the stretch, freshman David Sherrell had some nice runs on the ground.  Marshall’s offensive line won the line of scrimmage, pushing the Olney defensive line back seemingly on every play.  When the Tigers stacked the box, the Lions would pull Boston Rollings to lead runners around through the seams.  

    For the game, Marshall outgained Olney on the ground with a season-high 427 yards on 52 carries to Olney’s 403.  Marshall had 19 first downs to Olney’s 16.  Olney had more total yards, 482 to 445, but when you examine the numbers, you would expect an extremely close game on the scoreboard.  However, although the Lions had more success running the ball, a few miscues in the middle stages of the game changed the complexion as Olney defeated Marshall by the score of 57-19.

    Marshall won the coin flip and elected to receive.  Marshall freshman Preston Welsh gathered the opening kick and took the ball out to the Lions 31-yard line where the offense started with a first-and-ten.  On the first series of downs, the Lions showed the large crowd on hand they were going to be in the fight all night long by going for it on fourth down in their own territory with the ball on their own 40.  Lucca Giannavola took the 4th down handoff, and the L-Train powered his way up the middle for a Marshall first down.  The drive stalled, though, and Marshall’s punt gave Olney the ball at their own 42-yard line.  .

    Marshall gained 427 yards on the ground vs Olney. Photo by T Ray Henry.
    Marshall gained 427 yards on the ground vs Olney. Photo by T Ray Henry.

    The Tigers methodically moved the ball down the field, but the Lions held strong, and with the ball sitting at the Marshall 18, Olney was facing a third-and-ten.  On the next play, Olney’s Gavyn Cothern found Ian Pianfetti in the left corner of the end zone for an Olney touchdown.  After the extra point kick was good, Olney led 7-0 with 5:01 to go in the first quarter.

    Marshall began the ensuing drive at their own 20, and in just two running plays from scrimmage, the first by Kaiden Sanders and the second by Liam Keim, the Lions moved all the way to the Olney 29-yard line with a first-and-ten.  On the next play, Lucca Giannavola ran off tackle to the right, and it took five Olney defenders to bring him to the ground.  Three plays later, Giannavola ran up the middle from the 5-yard line for a Lions touchdown, and after Trip Gaines kicked the extra point, the game was tied up at 7 apiece with 2:17 to go in the opening quarter.

    Lucca Giannavola (40) turns the corner and gains yardage against Olney. Photo by T Ray Henry.
    Lucca Giannavola (40) turns the corner and gains yardage against Olney. Photo by T Ray Henry.

    Three of the Lions’ miscues happened over the next 5 minutes of play which altered the entire course of play.  On the kickoff after Giannavola’s touchdown, Olney ran the kickoff back to the house when Marshall lost lane integrity, and with the extra point good, Olney led 14-7. When Marshall got the ball back, they drove all the way down the field where they had a first-and-goal from the Olney 10-yard line.  A high snap, followed by a small gain, then an offsides call on Olney’s defense moved the ball to the Tiger 5.  On the next play, Olney jumped on a loose ball, and what could have been the tying touchdown turned into a critical turnover.  Olney took advantage of the situation and drove 83 yards to paydirt to take a 21-7 lead with 8:55 to go in the first half.

    The Olney crowd, which has witnessed recent success on the gridiron since the Tigers went from the basement of the Apollo Conference to the upper echelon of the Little Illini Conference in 2012, expected an easy rout, but they did not count on the fight of the Big Red.  Certainly, being the largest school in the LIC has its benefits in being able to have more players who play just one way, but the opposite side of the coin is whether there is a benefit of playing schools three and four times smaller.  Everything matters when preparing a team for the IHSA playoffs come late October.  A little research of Olney’s record since moving into the LIC shows significant data.  In the 13 years since making the move from the Apollo to the LIC, Olney has made the Class 4A playoffs 9 times.  Of those nine trips to the state playoffs, they’ve won a playoff game only once (last year at home against a 5-4 Kewanee team before the Tigers were demolished by Normal University High the following week).

    Silas Dean (6) breaks open through the right right side against Olney. Photo by T Ray Henry.
    Silas Dean (6) breaks open through the right right side against Olney. Photo by T Ray Henry.

    Getting back to the game, Marshall took the ensuing kickoff and kept riding the L-Train behind the O-Line down the field as Olney’s defense was getting gassed and had to make multiple defensive substitutions on the drive.  The drive culminated in another Lucca Giannavola touchdown, this time from 3 yards out, and Marshall was suddenly down by one score (21-13) with just under four minutes to go before halftime.  Olney tacked on another score with a half-minute to go before the break, and the first half ended with Olney leading by the score of 28-13.

    In the second half, the depth of Olney extended their lead, but the Lions still gained yardage on the ground and scored another touchdown by Lucca Giannavola from 8 yards out in the fourth quarter.  Olney scored a couple meaningless touchdowns down the stretch to make the score seem like the game was an easy win, but those in attendance will take away that these Lions are on the right track, and their goals are still there in front of them.  One big note to take from this game was the stellar defensive play of Josef Stafford, who won his position battle against University of Illinois signee Casey Thomann, who stands 6’7” and tips the scales at 325.  Stafford carried Thomann all around the field throughout the contest and finished with a team-high 10 tackles.  Thomann even hugged Joe many, many times during the action.  Outplaying a D-1 athlete on the field of battle can only propel Josef to dominate on defense as we move forward in the season.  

    Overall, the squad came out of the game with only a couple nicks here and bruises there as the Lions turn the page to their homecoming game at Bush Field against Robinson on Friday, September 26th.  Kickoff for that game is set for 7:00 PM.  Let’s fill the stands at Bush Field and support our student athletes.

    Marshall stats:

    Lucca Giannavola (28 carries for 228 yards and 3 touchdowns)

    Liam Keim (7 carries for 48 yards and 2 receptions for 12 yards))

    David Sherrell (3 carries for 36 yards)

    Silas Dean (2 carries for 35 yards)

    Kaiden Sanders (1 carry for 6 yards, 5 receptions for 40 yards)

    Luke Brodie (7-11 passing for 52 yards, 7 carries for 32 yards)

  • Hear the NFL Kickoff: Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles LIVE on WMMC!

    Hear the NFL Kickoff: Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles LIVE on WMMC!

    The NFL season kicks off on WMMC with a showdown between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles tonight, Thursday, September 4, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. No matter where you are – on the job or on the go, WMMC Radio is bringing all the live action straight to you via Westwood One Sports.

    The Eagles went two for three in preseason, while the Cowboys were just one for three. Analyst predictions have the Eagles favored to win at home. No matter what, it’s sure to be a great game! Tune in to 105.9 FM or click here to listen online!

  • Magic Hits 105.9 FM WMMC: Your Local Fighting Illini Radio Network Affiliate

    Magic Hits 105.9 FM WMMC: Your Local Fighting Illini Radio Network Affiliate

    WMMC is proud to be part of the Fighting Illini Radio Network, bringing University of Illinois football games straight to our community.

    Tune in one hour before kickoff for the pre-game show featuring exclusive insights and coverage. Brian Barnhart serves as the play-by-play announcer, bringing the excitement of Illini football right to your ears.

    Please note that we will not be broadcasting the season opener on Friday, August 29th, as it conflicts with the Marshall High School football season opener. However, starting September 6th at 11 a.m., WMMC will carry every Fighting Illini football game, beginning with the matchup against Duke.

    In addition to football, WMMC will also broadcast Illini basketball games throughout the season.

    Listeners can catch the games live on air at 105.9 FM or stream them online via our streaming player.

    Fighting Illini Football Schedule

    DateTeamatTeamTime
    Aug 29, 25Western ILatIllinois6:30 p.m.
    Sep 6, 25IllinoisatDuke11:00 a.m.
    Sep 13, 25WMUatIllinois6:00 p.m.
    Sep 20, 25IllinoisatIndianaTBD
    Sep 27, 25USCatIllinoisTBD
    Oct 4, 25IllinoisatPurdueTBD
    Oct 11, 25Ohio StateatIllinoisTBD
    Oct 25, 25IllinoisatWashingtonTBD
    Nov 1, 25RutgersatIllinoisTBD
    Nov 15, 25MarylandatIllinoisTBD
    Nov 2, 25IllinoisatWisconsinTBD
    Nov 29, 25NorthwesternatIllinoisTBD
  • WMMC High School Coaches Preview Show to be broadcast LIVE August 23

    WMMC High School Coaches Preview Show to be broadcast LIVE August 23

    The school year is about to begin! And along with it comes the beginning of a new season of high school sports! Get a preview of this year’s high school football team leadership with host Joey O’Rourke.

    Hear from head football coaches of the Marshall Lions – Steve Weber, Casey-Westfield Warriors – Jeff Fritchtnitch, Martinsville Bluestreaks – Mitch Baird, and Paris Tigers – Jeremy Clodfelder.

    Powered by Casey State Bank, the broadcast will be LIVE from Marshall American Legion Post #90, at 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 23, 2025.