Let’s do it again!

That may have been Marian’s rallying cry this past week during practice after seeing its five-game win streak get side tracked against Minersville a week earlier.

Bounce back week did indeed occur.

Marian can thank its defense, and in particular Jesse Rodino. The two-way junior standout used his quickness to harass visiting Catasauqua all evening in the Men of Marian Stadium on Stan Dakosty Field.

And with his teammates huffing-and-puffing trailing by one-point, Rodino bull-rushed his way through the Rough Riders line to block a punt with a little over two minutes to play giving his team an ideal chance at the win from the 10-yard line.

Struggling all evening long with its offense, Marian finally cracked the end zone for only the second time, when its most versatile player, Matty Martin, raced around the right end, looked up to find a slight crack in the pursuit, cut it back and into the end zone for what would be the winning touchdown 12-7 with 1:56 to play in the game.

It sure wasn’t the way the Colts had planned it out.

Catty, which came in winless at 0-2, kept Martin in check allowing him all of 62 yards rushing on 18 carries, the least number of yards over the past two years in any ball game for the stellar senior running back.

“We left some opportunities (on the field), we missed some plays, and we won,” Marian head coach Stan Dakosty said. “That’s what good teams do; they find a way to win.”

Catasauquay gave the Colts a good punch in the gut to take a second-quarter 7-0 lead,

Marian was dropped for a 10-yard loss on its second series at its 5, then had to punt.

Catty was en route to a short field 34-yard drive, that was capped by their standout runner junior Jyzaiah Bonilla (5-9, 179) who rushed for 110 yards on 17 carries.

But it was quarterback Christian Fye who came up with a Houdini like play enabling Bonilla to grab a 5-yard shovel pass for what would be the only touchdown for the visitors.

Fye escaped the grasp of a Marian defender keeping the drive alive. Fye’s PAT with 11:10 in the opening half for a 7-0 lead.

Marian’s Joey Walko pounced on a fumble, then Marian’s offense had its best series of the night marching down to the 9, before Bruce Hopeck found tight end Mike Gelatko with a touchdown pass on fourth down.

“Yeah, we’re struggling somewhat with our offense,” Dakosty said,.

And that was evident in the third quarter, when the Colts had all but three possessions, gave away a fumble at its own 47, but turned back to the standout play of Rawlin Melendez, Rodino, Walko and Martin.

“We are tenacious and play great defense,” Dakosty said. “This is a big win… that’s a nice football team. They’ve lost their first two games against some pretty good competition.”

DEFENSE WINS OUT … Good teams rise to the occasion and when you can play stingy defense you give yourself a chance in any sport.

WOW GOT LOVE HIM … Rodino is a load. He was all over the field from his defensive end spot. Don’t overlook linebackers Walko, Martin and the way Melendez can bully his way inside.

HE CAN PLAY … Bonilla is one tough hard-nosed runner for Catty. He barreled his way time and time again into the heart of the Marian defense. Fye, the quarterback, is a gamer.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN … Marian plays at a very good Line Mountain on Friday. It is a last-minute replacement.

GOOD BOUNCE BACK … Marian could have gone into a tailspin if it didn’t comeback for a win. After a frustrating loss to Minersville last week, the Colts were grinding all evening with Catty.

HUSHED CROWD … The fans got silent when Catty’s Martinez Yaneudy sustained a bad leg injury. He was carted off the field in an ambulance.