Millard South quarterback Trae Taylor didn’t have a lot of room to run Friday night, but he took full advantage when a lane finally opened for him.
Taylor found a lane through the Lee’s Summit (Mo.) North defense for a 10-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter that extended the Patriot lead to double digits in a game Class A No. 2 Millard South would go on to win 24-14.
“It’s going to be a dog fight for four quarters, and that’s what we prove every week,” Taylor said.
Taylor’s touchdown run capped a five-play drive for the Patriots (2-0) that covered 45 yards. Millard South deflected a Bronco punt to set up the offense in plus-territory.
Taylor started the drive with back-to-back completions to Landon Schneider and Grant Scribner. A Scribner run and a Taylor completion to Antayvious Ellis moved the Patriots to the Bronco 10-yard line.
Taylor took the snap and rolled to his right and as soon as he saw a running lane, tucked the ball and ran for the corner of the end zone for the score to push the Patriot lead to 17-7 with 47 seconds to go in the third quarter.
Millard South senior safety/running back Aidan Marshall carries the ball against Lee’s Summit (Mo.) North. Photo by Wyatt Carmichael.
“This team is so used to taking shots and the kid’s running open,” Taylor said. “Let’s have these 12-play drives and go score a touchdown off the short game and then make them start to come up and take a shot.”
Aidan Marshall put the game out of reach on the following defensive series. The safety stepped in front of a Bronco receiver and picked off quarterback Carson Soeken and returned the interception 55 yards down the near sideline for a touchdown to push the lead to 24-7.
“I was reading the quarterback, and then I saw him rolling out and I just rolled out,” Marshall said. “I saw the open receiver, kind of guessed he was going to throw it there, and just broke on it and got the interception. Once I got it, it was just take it to the house.”
The score was his second fourth-quarter touchdown in as many weeks for the senior.
“It means a lot,” he said of his late-game playmaking. “Being a captain on the team and being able to step up and provide for the team is really good.”
Marshall’s interception was one of four turnovers the Patriot defense forced. Millard South intercepted Soeken twice and also forced two fumbles. Additionally, the Patriots stopped the Broncos (1-1) on downs three times.
“The defense really stepped up today,” Marshall said. “I’m very proud of the defense.”
After a scoreless first quarter that saw the Patriots get stopped on downs twice in Bronco territory, a turnover put Millard South in position to get on the scoreboard first. The Patriots forced a fumble on an Aaron McIntosh punt return, allowing Millard South to keep the drive going.
Jayden Brown started the drive with a 31-yard catch, and after a Patriot penalty, Xane Krause followed with a 30-yard catch. Taylor followed with a scramble for 14 yards and on the next play rolled out to his right and tossed a four-yard pass to Carter Margheim to put Millard South ahead 7-0.
Taylor completed 21 of 38 passes for 240 yards and the touchdown to Margheim. He also had 15 carries for one yard and the rushing touchdown.
Lee’s Summit North sacked Tayor five times, including two by Nebraska commit Caleb Green.
“Definitely a freak athlete, definitely a different type of kid to play against,” Taylor said of his future college teammate.
The Broncos, the second-ranked team in Missouri, tied the game when Bryce Thompson took a fourth-down carry 35 yards over the left side for the tying touchdown.
Ellis led Millard South with seven catches for 74 yards.
