Second-Half Surge Keeps Warriors’ Perfect Season Alive

Featured Image Caption: Casey-Westfield’s Daryn Hupp hauls in a fingertip touchdown pass from quarterback Nolan Clement during Friday’s game against Marshall. The spectacular 26-yard reception was a pivotal fourth-quarter play that led to the game-tying two-point conversion, sparking the Warriors’ comeback victory. (Photo by Terri Cox)

By Terri Cox | Staff Reporter

CASEY — In a storied Clark County rivalry where records are thrown out the window, the Casey-Westfield Warriors overcame a daunting halftime deficit to keep their perfect season alive, staging a dramatic comeback to defeat the Marshall Lions 50-34 in their 2025 Homecoming game Friday night.

Despite the homecoming festivities at Sinclair-Vidoni Field, it was the Lions who came out swinging. Marshall dominated the first half, building a 28-18 lead at the intermission. But football is a game of two halves, and the second belonged entirely to the Warriors, who ignited in all three phases of the game to secure the victory.

Marshall took the opening kickoff and immediately began moving the ball on the legs of Lucca Giannavola. The drive was cut short, however, when Luke Karras punched the ball loose on a tackle and Korbyn Bennett recovered it in Marshall territory.

The Warriors’ offense went to work. After two runs by Nick Fouty moved the chains, he converted a crucial 4th-and-1 to keep the drive alive. Four plays later, Karras rumbled across the goal line from four yards out for the first score of the night. Wyatt Erickson’s extra point was good, giving the Warriors an early 7-0 lead.

That’s where the wheels fell off for the Purple and Gold. Marshall erupted for three unanswered touchdowns to open the second quarter—on one- and two-yard runs, followed by a 67-yard pass—to swing the momentum and seize a 22-7 lead.

Karras posted his second touchdown of the night to get the Warriors back on the board, and a successful two-point conversion run by Nolan Clement cut the deficit to 22-15. But on the ensuing kickoff, the Lions’ returner weaved through the coverage team and took it 90 yards to the house, taking the wind right back out of the Warriors’ sails.

As time wound down in the half, a big reception by Fouty from Clement moved the Warriors deep into Marshall territory. A nice run by Clement then put CW in the red zone with just three seconds remaining. Erickson was called upon for a field goal, and the junior calmly drilled it from 34 yards out to narrow the deficit to 28-18 at halftime.

After the teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter—a 50-yard pass for Marshall and an 11-yard touchdown catch by Fouty from Clement—the Warriors entered the final frame trailing 34-26.

The fourth quarter was a scoring frenzy for Casey-Westfield. The Warriors put up 24 unanswered points while their defense pitched a shutout.

The rally began with a fingertip catch by Daryn Hupp on a 26-yard pass from Clement. Karras bullied his way in for the conversion to knot the score at 34-34. On the next play, Weston Hupp recovered a surprise onside kick, putting the ball right back in the Warriors’ hands. Four plays later, Kellen Sullivan slithered through several would-be tacklers for a 31-yard scoring run. Karras again provided the conversion, and the Warriors took their first lead since the first quarter, 42-34.

The defense, inspired by the comeback, forced a three-and-out. When Marshall dropped back to punt, Fred Thomas blew through the line and blocked the attempt. Though the Lions recovered, it was a turnover on downs, giving the Warriors the ball at the 15-yard line.

Three plays later, Clement found daylight for an eight-yard touchdown run. Sullivan carried in the conversion to seal the 50-34 final score.

The victory was capped by a history-making moment. On the Lions’ final offensive series, senior defensive end Fred Thomas picked up his fourth sack of the night, becoming the all-time sack leader for the Warriors and breaking the previous record set by Clinton Scott in 2010.

With the win, CW improves to 6-0 (4-0) and secures a spot in the state playoffs. The Warriors will travel to Mt. Carmel on Friday to face the Golden Aces in another key Little Illini Conference matchup.

The Casey-Westfield sideline erupts as the Warriors celebrate a successful onside kick recovery by Weston Hupp in the fourth quarter. The electrifying play was the turning point of the game, giving the Warriors possession right after tying the score and setting up the go-ahead touchdown. (Photo by Terri Cox)

Warriors receiver Nick Fouty secures a key reception from quarterback Nolan Clement. Fouty’s big catch at the end of the first half was instrumental in setting up a field goal that cut Marshall’s lead to ten points heading into halftime. (Photo by Terri Cox)

Casey-Westfield’s Luke Karras powers through the Marshall defense for one of his two touchdowns during Friday’s homecoming win. Karras was a workhorse for the Warriors all night, also leading the defense with 15 tackles. (Photo by Terri Cox)

Kellen Sullivan plunges into the end zone for a successful two-point conversion on Friday night. Sullivan’s run followed the Warriors’ final touchdown of the game, capping the team’s incredible 24-point fourth-quarter scoring frenzy. (Photo by Terri Cox)

Casey-Westfield defensive end Fred Thomas wraps up the Marshall quarterback for a sack during the fourth quarter of Friday’s homecoming game. The play was Thomas’s fourth of the night, making him the Warriors’ new all-time career sack leader and sealing a historic performance. (Photo by Terri Cox)

Scoring Summary

1st Quarter

• CW: Luke Karras 4-yard run (Wyatt Erickson kick)

2nd Quarter

• MSH: 1-yard run (conversion failed)

• MSH: 2-yard run (conversion pass good)

• MSH: 67-yard pass (conversion run good)

• CW: Luke Karras 14-yard run (Clement run)

• MSH: 90-yard kick return (conversion failed)

• CW: Wyatt Erickson 34-yard field goal

3rd Quarter

• MSH: 50-yard pass (conversion failed)

• CW: Nick Fouty 11-yard pass from Nolan Clement (Karras run)

4th Quarter

• CW: Daryn Hupp 26-yard pass from Clement (Karras run)

• CW: Kellen Sullivan 31-yard run (Karras run)

• CW: Clement 8-yard run (Sullivan run)

Individual Statistics (CW)

Offense

• RUSHING:

  • Nolan Clement: 11 carries, 81 yards, 1 TD

  • Luke Karras: 11 carries, 58 yards, 2 TDs

  • Kellen Sullivan: 3 carries, 42 yards, 1 TD

  • Nick Fouty: 9 carries, 32 yards

  • Jett Self: 1 carry, 21 yards

  • Wyatt Erickson: 1 carry, 4 yards

• PASSING:

  • Nolan Clement: 6 of 14, 104 yards, 2 TDs

• RECEIVING:

  • Nick Fouty: 2 receptions, 46 yards, 1 TD

  • Daryn Hupp: 1 reception, 26 yards, 1 TD

  • Jett Self: 2 receptions, 17 yards

  • Weston Hupp: 1 reception, 15 yards

• KICKING:

  • Wyatt Erickson: 1/1 PAT, 1/1 FG

Defense

• TACKLES:

  • Luke Karras: 15

  • Weston Hupp: 10

  • Fred Thomas: 8 (4 sacks)

  • Will Moore: 7

  • Owen Tate: 4

  • Kellen Sullivan: 3

  • Daryn Hupp: 3

  • Riley Phillips: 3

  • Drew Stutesman: 2

  • Korbyn Bennett: 2

  • Jett Self: 2

  • Landon Rohr: 2

  • One tackle each: Nick Fouty, Kian Davis, Nolan Clement, Wyatt Erickson, Kai Davis