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Lions sweep the Warriors on Senior Night at Casey-Westfield

On Thursday, October 16^th, the Marshall High School volleyball squads traveled to western Clark County to take on the Casey-Westfield High School Warriors in a Little Illini Conference doubleheader. Marshall entered the contest with a record of 19-7, while the Warriors came in with a record of 17-9. It was Senior Night for Casey-Westfield, and an alumni volleyball scrimmage between graduates of the two schools to benefit breast cancer awareness.

After the junior varsity squads put on a show with a competitive match, with Marshall coming away with the win in three sets 27-25, 17-25, and 15-10, the varsity teams took to the floor in this Clark County showdown with each school experiencing its most successful season in many years. With both sides already knowing their postseason seedings, opponents, and schedules in the upcoming state tournament, this battle was not only going to decide third place in the conference, but it was also to award bragging rights in the county.

Casey-Westfield jumped out to an early lead in each set, only to have Marshall come back to tie it up in the early stages. The teams would then battle back and forth in front of a large crowd. Neither side wanted to lose this match, but when the dust settled, Marshall came away with a hard-fought, exciting win over Casey-Westfield in straight sets (26-24 and 25-23) to sweep the doubleheader in a vocal, hostile environment which had a tournament feel all match long. With the victory over their rivals, Marshall has now won 20 matches on the season versus 7 losses, and regardless of the results during the final week of the regular season next week, the Lions will finish in sole possession of third place in the LIC. With the loss, Casey-Westfield’s record falls to 17-10.

In the opening set of the varsity match, Marshall’s McKenzie Davis scored the first point for the visitors on a tip winner to tie the set at one apiece. Casey-Westfield moved out in front 4-1 before the Lions got a kill from McKenzie Davis and Ella Mattas and Lilly Ross combined on a block for a point. A kill by Lilly Ross then tied it up at 5. She followed that with another kill, but the Warriors moved ahead 11-6 before Harper Richardson scored a kill and Lilly Ross served an ace to get the Lions within three with the score 11-8. A seesaw battle took place through the middle stages of the first set, with the Lions getting scores from McKenzie Davis with a kill, Ella Mattas with a kill, and Harper Richardson with a tip winner. Casey-Westfield built another 5-point lead to make it 15-10, but the Lions steadily closed the gap with kills by Ella Mattas and Lilly Ross.

The Big Red got it all tied up at 17 for the first time since it was 5-5, then the Lions got kills by Harper Richardson and Ellie Delp to knot it back up at 19. On the next point, Marshall finally saw their first lead of the match at 20-19 when a Casey-Westfield hit went out of bounds. A side out scored for Casey-Westfield tied the set again at 20, but a Marshall side out, followed by a tip winner by Harper Richardson, gave the Lions a two-point lead at 22-20. The play went back and forth until the Warriors tied it again at 23 before Marshall’s McKenzie Davis blocked a kill for a huge point that put the Marshall side ahead 24-23 and needing one more point to win the opening set.

Casey-Westfield got the next point to tied it up again at 24, but consecutive kills by Marshall’s Lilly Ross put the Lions over the top to win the opening set by the score of 26-24.

Marshall started the second set slowly, spotting the home side 4 straight points before the Lions got on the scoreboard. Two kills by Lilly Ross wrapped around a block winner by Lilly Ross and Ellie Delp gave the Lions their first lead of the set at 6-5. Lilly Ross and Addy Ross then combined on another block winner to move the Big Red ahead 7-5 before Casey-Westfield evened the set at 7 by winning the next two points.

Lilly Ross (6) lines up to smash a kill through the Casey-Westfield block during Marshall’s big win.

The Lions then fed Lilly Ross, for whom Casey-Westfield had no answer at the net. Ross scored three straight points on two kills and a tip winner to give Marshall a 10-7 lead. Another point gave the Lions a four-point lead at 11-7. After the Warriors scored a point to get the score to 11-8, another Lilly Ross kill gave Marshall a 12-8 lead. Aces served by Harper Richardson and Ella Mattas, as well as a kill by McKenzie Davis and another kill by Lilly Ross, highlighted a Marshall run which gave the Big Red a 21-14 lead.

With the Lions four points from taking the match, Casey-Westfield went on an 8-1 run to tie the set at 22. On the next point, Casey-Westfield scored to take a 23-22 lead as Marshall called time out and the home crowd erupted. On the next crucial point, Marshall tied it up at 23 when the Warriors serve went out of bounds. With the score all tied up at 23, Marshall’s Lilly Ross calmly stepped up to the serving line and scored an ace to give the Lions a 24-23 lead. On the next point, the ball went back and forth over the net, with both teams making saves. The point ended when Marshall’s Harper Richardson tipped the ball over the net, and the ball landed in bounds to give the Lions a 25-23 win in the second set, giving the Lions the match two sets to none over Casey-Westfield, spoiling the Warriors Senior Night festivities.

In the first set of the junior varsity match, Marshall got scores from Olivia Strohm (kill), Ellie Delp (kill and a tip winner), and Lilly Ross (tip winner and a kill) to tie it up with Casey-Westfield at 5. Lauren Richards and Nya Engledow set up the hitters on the inside and outside during this stretch. Kills by Aubree Shaffer and Lilly Ross, as well as an ace served by Ross, gave the Lions an 11-8 lead.

During the middle stages of the first set of the JV match, Olivia Strohm (kill), Ellie Delp (tip winner and a kill), and Lilly Ross (tip winner) scored for Marshall before Ellie Delp served an ace to give the Lions an 18-14 advantage. Lilly Ross then scored a kill to give Marshall a 19-14 lead, then she scored another kill which gave Marshall a 21-15 lead.

Lilly Ross served another ace during a 9-3 Casey-Westfield run which tied the set up at 24. The team tied again at 25 before a Casey-Westfield serve out of bounds gave the Lions a one-point lead at 26-25. Lilly Ross quickly ended the first set with an emphatic kill, and Marshall came away with the first set by the score of 27-25.

In the second set of the JV match, Olivia Strohm once again scored Marshall’s first point with a kill. Aubree Shaffer (2 tip winners) and Lauren Richards scored, and the teams were tied at 7 apiece. From that point on, Casey-Westfield began scoring while the Lions went cold on the court. Kills by Aubree Shaffer, McKenzie Davis, and Olivis Strohm were the only individual points for Marshall as Casey-Westfield won the second set 25-17 to set up a third and deciding set to 15 points.

To open the third set, Marshall’s Nya Engledow served six straight points for the Lions to jump out to a 6-0 lead. Olivia Strohm scored a kill during the run, while Lexi Mason moved into the setter position along with Lauren Richards. The Big Red stretched their lead out to 8 points on a combination block by McKenzie Davis and Lauren Richards, followed by a tip winner by Davis to make the score 11-3. The Lions then stayed out in front through the end, and on match point, Aubree Shaffer put an exclamation point on the set and match with a kill to give the Lions the win over Casey-Westfield in three sets.

Marshall (20-7) returns to action next Monday evening when the Lions host Tuscola in a non-conference doubleheader inside McNary Gymnasium. The junior varsity match is scheduled to begin at 6:00 PM, with the varsity match to follow. With only two matches remaining in the regular season, let’s get big crowds inside McNary Gym to support these student athletes who are experiencing the best volleyball season in many years.

October 18, 2025
Harlan Hall & Transitions Care to Host Free Veterans Luncheon November 10, 2025

Harlan Hall and Transitions Care will be hosting a Veterans Luncheon at 11am on Monday, November 10, 2025.

The guest speaker will be Matt Kreeb, who served as a Sentinel of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, D.C., from 2001 to 2005. Matt is a graduate of Eastern Illinois, Lincoln Christian Seminary and a survivor of a rare brain cancer. Now a civilian, Matt serves in the Christian Ministries and lives in Fisher, Illinois.

A meal of baked spaghetti, salad and dessert will be served and is FREE for all Veterans, thanks to Transitions Care. All others will be $6.

Limited seating is available, please call Harlan Hall at (217) 826-2498 to reserve your spot.

October 10, 2025
Volleyball Lions Prove They Belong Among LIC’s Best in Three-Set Battle with Newton

On Thursday, October 9^th, the Marshall High School volleyball team hosted the four-time reigning LIC champion Newton Eagles in a Little Illini Conference match inside McNary Gymnasium on the campus of Marshall High School. The Lions brought a record of 19-6 into the match, coming off a win at Red Hill on Tuesday night. Newton, which has won or shared the LIC conference crown every year since COVID, came in after having their 13-straight conference match winning streak snapped on Tuesday night by Mount Carmel. The Eagles were looking to bounce back in the win column.

This match was played in front of a big crowd, replete with the Marshall High School pep band and drum line. The Marshall student section showed up with its largest attendance of the season to cheer on this year’s edition, which has been very successful as they look forward to the state tournament. This battle was also played to determine who would remain in first place in the conference race as the LIC title remains in the balance. Both teams found out earlier in the day their seeding assignments in the IHSA Class 2A state tournament later this month. Marshall was awarded a 3-seed in the Clinton sub-sectional (B), while Newton was awarded with a 4-seed in the Benton sub-sectional (A). Pairings, sites, and dates/times will be announced later today.

In the first set of the varsity match, Newton broke out to a 4-2 lead before Marshall outscored the Eagles 8-1 to take a 10-5 lead as Newton called timeout. Harper Richardson scored two kills and a tip winner, while Lilly Ross served an ace. The Lions maintained their 5-point lead when McKenzie Davis scored a kill to make the score 11-6, then Davis and Harper Richardson combined on a block for a point to extend the Lions lead to 6 with the score 14-8. Richardson stepped up to the serving line and promptly served an ace to extend the Marshall lead to 7 points at 15-8.

Harper Richardson (3) smashes a kill through the Newton blockade. Photo by T Ray Henry.

Kills by Lilly Ross and Ella Mattas helped the Lions move ahead 18-9 as the Marshall crowd was ecstatic. Newton responded by reeling off 5 straight points to close the gap to four points with Marshall still leading 18-14. Addy Ross and Lilly Ross combined on a huge block for a point to give the Lions a little breathing room with the score 20-15 before the Eagles trimmed the Lions lead to three with the score 20-17.

An important rally ended when Harper Richardson and Lilly Ross combined on a block winner, and Marshall once again had a 4-point lead with the score 21-17. Newton would not quit, for the Eagles came back within three before Harper Richardson smashed a kill to give Marshall a 22-18 lead. Richardson and McKenzie Davis combined on a block to score another point for the Lions, who now led 23-18. A kill by Ella Mattas brought the Lions to set point, and on Harper Richardson’s next serve, Newton hit the ball out of bounds, and the Lions came away with the first set by the score of 25-20.

Marshall had a prime opportunity to win the match in straight sets when the Lions battled back from behind to take a 14-12 lead. Ella Mattas, Harper Richardson, Lilly Ross, and Ellie Delp kept the Lions close, then a tip winner by Harper Richardson, a kill by McKenzie Davis, and another kill by Richardson had Newton on their heels and the Marshall student section in a frenzy. Unfortunately for the home fans, the Lions were outscored 13-4 the rest of the way in the set, which was won by Newton 25-18, and suddenly the match was all square at one set apiece.

In the third and deciding set, the same issues that plagued the Lions in the second set came to the forefront again in the final set. With the set tied up at 12 as a result of scintillating play on both sides of the net, Newton outscored Marshall 13-7 to win the third set 25-19, taking the match two sets to one. Scoring for the Lions in the third set were Harper Richardson, Lilly Ross, McKenzie Davis, Anna Daugherty, Ella Mattas, Avery Cornwell, and Ellie Delp.

Anna Daugherty (4) returns a serve during Marshall’s three-set match vs Newton. Photo by T Ray Henry.

Addy Ross and Harper Richardson set wonderfully to get the ball in position for strikers on both sides of the court. The back court of Avery Cornwell, Ali Sheets, and Anna Daugherty kept the Lions in many points, and hitters Lilly Ross, Ella Mattas, McKenzie Davis, and Ellie Delp were dialed in. This match will help the team as they move forward in the season knowing they competed with the best the conference has to offer, and if some breaks went their way, the Lions would have come away with a victory. As they enter the final two weeks of the regular season, the goal is to be playing their best volleyball now as they go into state tournament play.

In the junior varsity match, which preceded the varsity contest, the young Lions shook off the cobwebs exhibited in Red Hill and played much better together. In the first set, the teams went to overtime before Newton pulled ahead and won the set 29-27. In the second set, Newton outscored Marshall 25-18 to win the match in straight sets.

Scoring for the junior varsity against Newton were Lilly Ross, Olivia Strohm, Lexi Mason, McKenzie Davis, Ellie Delp, Ali Sheets, Aubree Shaffer, and Lauren Richards.

Marshall (19-7) returns to action next Thursday, October 16^th when the Lions travel to Casey to take on the Casey-Westfield High School Warriors in an LIC doubleheader. The junior varsity match begins at 6:00 PM, with the varsity match to follow.

October 10, 2025
Kirchner Building Centers & Milwaukee Tools Pregame Tailgate Party Friday, October 10

Join Kirchner Building Center and Milwaukee Tools for a Pregame Tailgate Party on Friday, October 10, from 5 to 7pm. Get in the game-time spirit with a FREE hot dog, chips, cookie and drink!

Check out their Milwaukee Tools display and register for your chance to win one of several Milwaukee Tool items to be given away!

October 7, 2025
Lions complete the Tiger Hat Trick with a sweep over Westville 25-19 and 25-19

When the Marshall High School Volleyball schedule has been released in recent years, the Lions are scheduled to go through back-to-back-to-back matches against Tigers during the latter part of the season. A trifecta where Marshall faces Richland County, Paris, and Westville in succession has dotted the schedule during the past three seasons. If not for a midweek tilt in Robinson 11 days ago, the Lions would have added Hutsonville-Palestine to the string and made it four consecutive matches against Tigers.

On Monday, October 6^th, the Marshall Lions welcomed the Westville High School Tigers to McNary Gymnasium for a non-conference volleyball doubleheader between two teams who found out last week they have been assigned to the same sub-sectional of the Class 2A state tournament by the IHSA later this month. Marshall entered the contest with a record of 17-6, while the Tigers came in with a record of 19-4.

In a well-played match between two of the better volleyball squads in the area, Marshall took advantage of their versatility in all phases to defeat Westville in straight sets by identical scores of 25-19. In the junior varsity match, Marshall defeated Westville’s JV squad in straight sets 25-19 and 25-18.

Harper Richardson strikes the ball to score against Westville.

In the first set of the varsity match, Marshall got out to an early 2-0 lead with a tip winner by Harper Richardson and a kill from Ella Mattas before Westville tied it up at 2. The teams battled back and forth to tie again at 4 and 5 apiece. Avery Cornwell served an ace and Lilly Ross scored a kill during this stretch. A Lilly Ross tip winner put the Big Red ahead 6-5 which began a 10-2 run for Marshall to make the score 15-7. Scoring for Marshall during the big run were Lilly Ross with a tip winner and a kill, Lilly Ross and Harper Richardson combining on a block for a point, and Ellie Delp with a kill.

The Lions kept the Tigers at a safe margin on a kill by Ella Mattas and a tip winner from Harper Richardson. Westville trimmed the Marshall lead to 5 with the score 24-19 before the Lions’ Lilly Ross put an exclamation point on the first set with a kill, and Marshall took the first set by the score of 25-19.

Marshall kept the pressure on Westville during the second set, with crisp passing and setting by Harper Richardson and Addy Ross. The Marshall defense along the back row (Avery Cornwell, Anna Daugherty, Ali Sheets) was saving returns and digs, keeping the Lions in long rallies. The start of the second set began the same as the first set as Marshall pushed out to a 2-0 lead with a Harper Richardson ace. During the first set, Westville came back and took the lead with the score 3-2, 4-2, and 4-3. Those were the only times the Tigers held the lead in Set #1. In Set #2, Marshall would not allow the Tigers to ever get an equalizer the entire set. A combination block for a point by Addy Ross and Lilly Ross, a tip winner by Harper Richardson, an ace served by Ella Mattas, and a kill by Lilly Ross gave the Lions an 8-3 lead.

Harper Richardson nailed a kill before Lilly Ross served an ace to give the Big Red an 10-4 advantage. An ace later served by Anna Daugherty gave the Lions a six-point lead with the score 12-6. Five straight points scored by Westville trimmed the Marshall lead to one point with the score 12-11. A kill by Ella Mattas helped the Lions open up a three-point lead at 15-12, and kills by Lilly Ross, Ellie Delp, and Harper Richardson fueled a Marshall run for the home team to take a 19-15 lead. Lilly Ross then served another ace to make the score 20-15 as Westville called timeout.

A tip winner by Harper Richardson gave the Lions a 21-15 lead before Westville scored four straight points to trim their deficit to two points with the score 21-19. With Westville holding the serve and the momentum, a big kill by Marshall’s Harper Richardson gave the Lions a 22-19 lead. Anna Daugherty stepped up to the serving line and led the Lions to three straight points to close out the set and the match. Ella Mattas scored a kill to get the Lions to match point, and Marshall won the final point to win the second set by the score of 25-19, taking the match in straight sets over Westville. With the win, Marshall’s record improved to 18-6 on the season, while Westville moved to 19-5.

In the junior varsity match, a much-improved Lions squad used balanced scoring and defense to keep Westville on their heels all match long. In the opening set, Marshall setters Nya Engledow and Lauren Richards kept feeding Lilly Ross, Olivia Strohm, and Aubree Shaffer along the front line for kills and tip winners, while in the second set they fed McKenzie Davis, Ellie Delp, and Shaffer. The back line of Lexi Mason and Ali Sheets had prodigious saves and serves throughout the match to keep the Lions out in front of the Tigers.

Marshall plays their next match tonight (Tuesday, October 7^th) when the Lions travel to Bridgeport to take on the Red Hill High School Salukis in a non-conference doubleheader. Junior Varsity action is scheduled to begin at 6:00 PM with the varsity match to follow.

October 7, 2025
Witches’ Night Out at Harlan Hall

Harlan Hall will host a Witches Night Out on October 23rd from 5pm-9pm.

This is a Ladies Night event!

Vendors participating are Castle Finn Winery, Revive-Health & Wellness (Kacey McGuire), Brick Road Blooms, Back in the Woods, Casey Candle Co., 121 Studio, House of Colour, Autumn Renaes, Willow Lane Boutique, The Tarnished Lady Bug, Journey Well Home, Krumcakes & Kolaches, Cozy Concept, Golden Link by Brooke, Sweet Tooth Tati.

Tickets are $5 each, and can be purchased at Harlan Hall or at Back in the Woods.

Proceeds will go to the Summer Lunch Program run by Kelly Lindley.

Grab your Ghoul-friends for a fun evening of shopping, dining, drinking and cackling!

Hats & Brooms are Optional!

October 7, 2025
2025 Great Pumpkin Decorating Contest

Harlan Hall will once again have their Pumpkin Decorating Contest. Open to all in the Marshall School District. Pumpkins may be dropped off beginning October 20th and will be displayed at Harlan Hall through the 30th.

Awards and Trophies awarded to the Most Creative use of Materials, Most Original Idea and Best Overall in each age category: Kids up to 10 years, Kids 11-17 years and Adult 18 years and Older.

Pick up an entry form at Harlan Hall. NO Carved Pumpkins!

October 6, 2025
Lions give Casey-Westfield a huge battle as the team continues to build the foundation

On Friday, October 3rd, the Marshall High School football team traveled to the western edge of Clark County to play Casey-Westfield High School in a Little Illini Conference game at Sinclair-Vidoni Field in Casey. Marshall came into the game with a record of 3-2, while Casey-Westfield, ranked #5 in IHSA Class 1A, came in with a record of 5-0.

Kaiden Sanders caught 2 touchdown passes vs Casey-Westfield.

After Casey-Westfield scored early in the contest to take a 7-0 lead, the Lions fought back and scored a touchdown when Lucca Giannavola ran the ball in from 1 yard out. After the conversion try was no good, the Lions trailed 7-6. On the kickoff immediately following Marshall’s touchdown, the Lions’ Trip Gaines pulled off a perfect onside kick and the Lions recovered the football. The Lions proceeded to run through the Warriors defense like no other team had done thus far this season. Marshall drove the ball all the way down the field and scored a touchdown when Lucca Giannavola plowed in from 2 yards out. A two-point conversion pass by Giannavola to Liam Keim was good for a score, and all of a sudden, the Lions led the Warriors 14-7 as the home crowd sat in stunned silence.

The final two minutes of the first half alone were worth the price of admission, with the two teams combining for 25 points in quick succession. Marshall had the ball after starting a drive at their own 11. The Lions worked the ball out to the 33 where they faced a third down and four yards to go. Lions quarterback Luke Brodie faked a hand-off and threw the ball to Kaiden Sanders on a slant pattern. Sanders caught the ball in stride and weaved his way across the field. Once he hit the edge, Sanders outran the entire Casey-Westfield defense for a 67-yard touchdown. A counter-play on the two-point conversion by Liam Keim was good, and with 1:45 left before the half, Marshall was ahead 22-7.

A run by Casey’s Nolan Clement on a quarterback keeper gave the Warriors the ball in Marshall territory. Another run put the Warriors on the Lions 27 before a holding call on Casey-Westfield moved the ball back to the Marshall 37. As the clock winded down under a minute, the Warriors scored a touchdown. With the two-point conversion good, the Marshall lead was 22-15 with 57 ticks left on the clock until halftime.

On the ensuing kickoff, Marshall’s Silas Dean fielded the kick at his own 9-yard line. Dean followed his blockers up the middle, then he sprinted to an opening on the right side where he had just one man to beat. He bolted past the Casey-Westfield kicker and outran everyone to the house for another Marshall touchdown. After the two-point try was no good, Marshall led 28-15 with 45 seconds to go in the half. A Casey-Westfield 34-yard field goal at the end of the half made the score Marshall 28, Casey-Westfield 18.

In the first half, Marshall gained a total of 330 yards against a Warriors team which had stuffed opponents on the ground, through the air, and in the return game. In the first half, Marshall gained 104 yards on the ground (97 yards and 2 TDs from Lucca Giannavola), 124 through the air (121 yards passing and a TD from Luke Brodie), and a huge 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Silas Dean.

On Casey-Westfield’s first drive of the second half, they tried a fake on fourth down in punt formation. Casey-Westfield’s Nolan Clement was stuffed at midfield short of the marker, and the Lions took over on downs. On the first play from scrimmage for Marshall after the turnover on downs, a play-action fake and slant pass from Luke Brodie to Kaiden Sanders brought the Big Red another strike for a touchdown when Sanders outran all the Warriors across the field and down the right sideline to the end zone. With the two point try short of the goal line, Marshall was now out in front of Casey-Westfield 34-18 with 9 minutes and change left in the third quarter.

On the ensuing possession for Casey-Westfield, the Warriors went three and out as the Marshall pass defense didn’t give the Warriors offense a good look. The Lions took over at their own 30 after the punt and return by Marshall’s Gavyn Boden. A first down run by Lucca Giannavola, a second down run by Liam Keim, and a third down run by Giannavola gave the Lions a first down. The drive stalled, however, and Marshall punted the ball back to Casey-Westfield where the Warriors began their next drive at their own 47.

Casey-Westfield scored on a pass play with 28 seconds remaining in the third quarter, and after a two-point try was good, Marshall’s lead was down to 8 points with the score 34-26.

Marshall began the next drive at their own 15. After a Giannavola run, the third quarter ended with the Lions holding an 8-point lead. Marshall couldn’t generate anything on the drive and got behind the chains, so they punted the ball back to Casey-Westfield where the Warriors began the drive in Marshall territory.

A big fourth down and three from the Marshall 21 resulted in a touchdown for Casey-Westfield with 8:36 to go in the fourth quarter. After the two-point try was good, the teams were all tied up at 34.

Casey-Westfield recovered an onside kick on the next play to take over possession at the Marshall 45. They marched the ball down the field and scored a touchdown and two-point conversion to take a 42-34 lead with 7:42 to go on the clock.

The Lions began their next drive after taking the kickoff back to the 22 with somehow no time running off the clock. Two rushes set the Lions with a third down and four at their own 28. Marshall couldn’t convert the first down, and Casey-Westfield took over possession deep inside Marshall territory. Another Warriors touchdown and extra points made the score 50-34 with 3:12 to go.

The Lions continued to struggle generating any momentum, and after most everything went right during the first half and the majority of the third quarter, nothing went right the rest of the way. In the end, Marshall came up on the short end of the scoreboard with the final score Casey-Westfield 50, Marshall 34.

For the Lions, Lucca Giannavola rushed the ball 26 times for 116 yards and 2 touchdowns. Luke Brodie had 5 completions in 7 attempts for 170 yards and 2 touchdowns. Kaiden Sanders caught 3 passes for 131 yards and 2 touchdowns. Silas Dean was brilliant in the kick return game, scoring a touchdown on a 91-yard return which gave the Lions a 16-point lead in the second quarter. On defense, Josef Stafford led the Lions with 10 tackles, while Lucca Giannavola finished with 8.

Marshall (3-3) returns to action Friday night, October 10th, when they host Lawrenceville at Bush Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 7pm.

October 6, 2025
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!

September 27, 2025
Ribbon Cutting to be held for Horizon Health Marshall Clinic on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2025

Marshall, IL – The Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the Horizon Health Marshall Clinic on Thursday, September 25, 2025 from 4 to 6 p.m. The ribbon cutting will take place at 4:30 p.m.

The Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to welcome Horizon Health Marshall Clinic as a valued new member and contributor to our local community.

Community members are invited to tour the facility, meet providers and staff, and learn more about the healthcare services offered close to home. Light refreshments will be provided, and Horizon Health representatives will be available to answer questions and share information about the clinic’s commitment to quality, compassionate care for Marshall and the surrounding area.

The Horizon Health Marshall Clinic offers a variety of healthcare services designed to meet the needs of patients of all ages.

The public is encouraged to attend, celebrate the ribbon cutting, and connect with the providers who are helping advance healthcare in Clark County.

The Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce

The Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to promoting local businesses, supporting community growth, and fostering a vibrant and welcoming economic environment throughout Marshall, Illinois. To learn more about the Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce, visit their website.

September 24, 2025