The Sherburne-Earlville football team and cheerleaders honored their 2023 seniors prior to the game vs Phoenix. Congratulations to Jacob Dunham (64), Aydin Gunther (23), Aaron Key Jr. (13), Mason Lindholm (74), Dominic Fowlston (55), Darren Miles (10), Fabien Pierce (53), Ethan Shaw (21) and Tyler White (58), as well as cheerleaders Batya Mizrahi and Bryleigh Grant. (Photo from SECSD)

Sherburne-Earlville 48, Phoenix 14

SHERBURNE – Sherburne-Earlville had an emphatically dominant response to an uncharacteristic performance from the previous week.

Facing once-beaten Phoenix, the Marauders (6-2) raced into the Section III C-2/D-2 playoffs piling up 424 yards of total offense against the Firebirds.

Ethan Shaw had a monster day for the Marauders, but it was a huge defensive stop in the first quarter that swung momentum the host club’s way.

Phoenix (5-2) took the opening kickoff, and drove deep into Marauders territory, but a clutch defensive stand that stopped the Firebirds at the one ending the possession.

From there, S-E marched 99 yards for the opening score.

Shaw scored the first of his four touchdowns lifting S-E to a one-score lead.

“That (drive) set the tone for the game,” said S-E coach Steve Franklin. “To be honest, Nick (Hull) has been so explosive, any time we put him in motion, the defense shifted to that side. So, we’d attack backside (with Ethan) away from Nick.”

While documented all-time statistics were not available, Hull’s 304 yards rushing on 17 carries is likely the best single-game performance for S-E in 11-man football in at least 30 years.

Shaw’s two-yard TD score was complemented by his 56-yard TD dash in the second quarter, 62-yard scoring jaunt in the third, and an 11-yard TD reception from Darren Miles in the second quarter.

Miles added a nine-yard TD pass to Justin Race in the third quarter. Miles built on his single-season TD pass record giving him 20 on the season.

Later in the game, Hadden Price returned an interception 71 yards for a touchdown lifting the S-E lead to 42-6, and Aydin Gunther completed the Marauders’ scoring punching in a run from three yards out.

Franklin explained the Marauders are not eligible for the state playoffs, but Section III created a Class C and D division – the C-2/D-2 – tournament this year.

The top four teams from that division earned playoff berths, and S-E will host Jordan-Elbridge Thursday night at 6 p.m. as the top seed.

“Last week showed that if you don’t bring your best stuff, anything can happen,” Franklin said. “That was the message we had (for the team) and it resonated with them. We wanted to set the tone from the opening whistle, and we did that.”

Score by quarters

Phoenix   6   0   0  8—14

S-E’ville  8 14 14  12--48

Scoring summary:

S-E, Ethan Shaw 2 run (Landon Andrade run).  P, Joe Edick 9 run (PAT failed). S-E, Shaw 56 run (Andrade run). S-E, Darren Miles 11 pass to Shaw (PAT failed). S-E, Miles 9 pass to Justin Race (Shaw run). S-E, Shaw 62 run (pass failed). S-E, Hadden Price 71 interception run (pass failed). P, Tallen Prior 1 run (Edick run). S-E, Aydin Gunther 3 run (pass failed).

Individual Statistics:

Passing:  Darren Miles 4-6-0, 38 yds, 2 TDs.  Phoenix:  10-20-1, 142 yards.

Rushing:  Ethan Shaw 17-304, Nick Hull 8-44, Justin Race 1-26, Landon Andrade 2-6, Darren Miles 1-4, Aydin Gunther 2-4, Aaron Key 2-3, Hadden Price 1-(-5) Phoenix 21-145 yards

Receiving: (S-E): Ethan Shaw 2-21, Justin Race 1-9, Nick Hull 1-8.