Marengo succumbs to swarming Byron defense

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MARENGO – Marengo’s football team saw its chance to end a 21⁄2-year losing streak implode under a third-quarter Byron defensive barrage Friday night.

The Indians’ offensive line was unable to hold off Byron’s defense, which blitzed and stunted its way to a 63-yard fumble recovery, a 35-yard interception, and 21 consecutive third-quarter points en route to a 33-7 Big Northern Conference crossover victory. It was Marengo’s 23rd consecutive regular-season loss.

“We did struggle on offense, and you can overcome physical mistakes but not mental mistakes,” Marengo coach Matt Lynch said. “We did compete, and that’s how you start a great program, which is by controlling what you can control.”

Byron (1-3) led, 12-0, at halftime.

In the third quarter, Marengo quarterback Scott Donley was sacked three times for 15 yards in losses and consistently thwarted on option handoffs because of a lack of time. Cody Hoch picked up 27 yards on two carries but was unable to recover a fumble on the next play, leading to a Byron score.

The Indians (0-4) forced a turnover to start the fourth quarter and finished a six-play drive with Hoch scoring on a broken-field, 18-yard run, eluding four tacklers.

“I saw the first player and dodged him, but God opened a hole, and I hit it,” Hoch said. “I don’t know about the third-quarter fumble. There was just nothing that could be done.”

Hoch finished with 90 rushing yards.

“He’s a great kid, and he made some great runs for us,” Lynch said. “We asked him to line up and do the job to run and play defense, and he’s been doing it since Day 1.”