INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Madonna erased a 14-point second-half deficit and took the lead with 1:29 remaining, but Ashton Vogel kicked a 35-yard field goal as time expired to give Marian (IN) a 27-25 victory Saturday. Marian drove 51 yards in the final 1:21 to deny the Crusaders after their fourth-quarter comeback.
Madonna (2-2) trailed 10-3 at halftime and fell behind 17-3 when RJ Griffin capped Marian's 98-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown run at the 10:27 mark of the third quarter. Jamarrion Banks answered 16 seconds later, returning the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. Eric Thomas added the extra point to pull the Crusaders within 17-10.
The Crusaders' defense kept creating chances despite Marian's advantage in total offense. Cam Paige recovered a third-quarter fumble, then Christopher Coates forced another early in the fourth quarter that Brock Culpepper recovered at the Madonna 17-yard line. Madonna turned the stop into an 83-yard drive, tying the game at 17 when Demetrick Welch found Duke Coats for a 3-yard touchdown on fourth down with 7:37 left.
Marian (4-1) regained the lead less than two minutes later on Jake Dunn's 6-yard touchdown pass to Montasi Clay. Madonna responded with a 75-yard drive led by Kolter Smith. Smith scored on a 1-yard run, then passed to Hassan Bazzi for the two-point conversion and a 25-24 lead. Marian answered one final time, moving into position for Vogel's winning kick on the last play.
Smith completed 19 of 41 passes for 201 yards and added the late rushing touchdown. Coats caught five passes for 69 yards and the tying score, while Aiden Napier contributed 50 receiving yards. Thomas made a 44-yard field goal in the first quarter, converted both extra-point attempts and caught five passes for 30 yards. Kwame Miller led Madonna's rushing attack with 46 yards on 16 carries.
Madonna forced and recovered three fumbles, beginning when Jacobe Oglesby stripped Zander Bernecker and Coats recovered at midfield in the first quarter. Culpepper and Kamren Wilkerson each recorded 10 tackles, while Joel Hackett had one of the Crusaders' two sacks. Marian finished with a 563-244 advantage in total offense, but Madonna converted all three of its red-zone opportunities and used its takeaways and special-teams touchdown to remain within one play of the road win.
With an impressive performance against #11 Marian, the Crusaders will look to match that energy when they welcome RV Saint Xavier Univeristy (Ill.) to The Hawk on Saturday, September 26, 2026. This homecoming game is slated to kickoff at 6:00 PM.
