The TMP-Marian football team kept their playoff hopes alive Friday night as they rallied to beat Minneapolis 14-7 at Lewis Stadium in Hays.

Minneapolis opened the game with the ball and dominated the time of possession in the first quarter. They put together a 14-play, 85 yard drive that took more than seven and a-half minutes off the clock and capped it off with a two-yard touchdown run by Tyson Villalpando to take a 7-0 lead.

After that the two defenses settled in and neither offense was able to get on the board until late in the fourth quarter.

Down 7-0 with just over six minutes left in the game the Monarchs put together a five-play 48-yard drive and cut the deficit to one on a two-yard touchdown run by Kaleb Hagans. He then gave the Monarchs the lead for good on the two-point conversion at 8-7.

Monarchs quarterback Carson Jacobs, who completed 3-of-7 passes for 63 yards with one interception, set up the touchdown run with a 33 yard pass to Bryce Hickman to the Lions two-yard line.

The TMP defense forced Minneapolis to punt on their next offense possession with 3:20 to play in the game.

On third down and long the Hagans struck again for the Monarchs walking the Lions sideline on the way to his second touchdown of the night, this one from 54 yards out giving the Monarchs a 14-7 lead.

The TMP defense held off a late drive from Minneapolis to secure the win.

TMP Coach David Bowen

Game Highlights

The Monarchs improve to 2-5 overall and 1-3 in district play and Minneapolis moves to 3-4 and 1-2 in district with just one district game to play.

TMP will be at Ellsworth next Friday where, with a win they would clinch a playoff spot for the first-time since 2002.