The Sherburne-Earlville Marauders run out through a tunnel of youth football and cheer, along with the Varsity cheer team for their homecoming game against Southern Hills. (Photo by Morgan Golliver)

SHERBURNE – Sherburne-Earlville is off to its best start in several seasons, and on its homecoming weekend, rolled past Section III rival Southern Hills.

The matchup was within one possession at halftime, 16-8, but the Marauders reeled off three unanswered touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters to build a 36-8 lead.

“The kids have matured a lot, and we took a lot of lumps last year,” said S-E second-year coach Steve Franklin. “Most of the starters are back and we have seven senior starters. Now they are starting to deal out the lumps.”

It didn’t take much time for the Marauders (2-1) to assume command in the second half.

A long kickoff return to the Southern Hills 45 to start the second half put S-E in prime field position. On the first play from scrimmage after that return, Nick Hull raced 45 yards for the touchdown.

Not long after that, it was the Marauders’ defense that chimed in with a key defensive score.

Landon Andrade had a do-it-yourself big-time defensive play. He had a strip sack of Southern Hills quarterback Harper Shaw. Andrade scooped up the fumble and rumbled 42 yards for the next S-E score.

The scoring avalanche continued in the fourth, when, S-E quarterback Darren Miles tossed his third TD pass of the game.

Miles hooked up with Ethan Shaw on an 8-yard score raising the count to 36-8.

Shaw had a big all-around day with a team-high 85 yards rushing and 79 yards receiving.

Miles, meanwhile, finished 10 of 16 passes for 126 yards, and now has seven TD throws through three weeks of the season.

“We went to more of a zone running scheme, and we’re now passing it probably 35 percent of the time,” Franklin said.  “The kids are thriving.”

Score by Quarters

Shills  0  8  0  16--24

S-E  0  16  14  6—36

S-E scoring

2nd quarter

Nick Hull 6 pass from Darren Miles (Key pass from Miles)

Aaron Key 19 pass from Miles (Miles run)

3rd quarter

Nick Hull 45 run (Ethan Shaw run)

Landon Andrade 42 fumble recovery (pass failed)

4th quarter

Shaw 8 pass from Miles (kick failed)

Individual statistics

Southern Hills passing:  13-19-2, 212 yards, 3 TDs

Southern Hills rushing:  12-32 yards.

S-E passing:  Darren Miles 10-16-1, 126 yds, 3 TDs

S-E rushing: Ethan Shaw 11-85, Nick Hull 6-56, Justice Race 4-31, Hadden Price 2-18, Darren Miles 2-15. Total:  25-205.