Momentum can be a funny thing in high school football.

A turnover here or there, or a sudden change in field position can often make a difference in the tempo of a game.

For the Marian Colts, the pendulum swung against the Colts for a time Saturday night on the Stan Dakosty Field at Men of Marian Stadium as rival Mahanoy Area fought back to turn a contest that could have easily been a rout into a one-score game early in the third quarter.

But to Marian’s credit, it helped turn the swinging arm back the other way as its defense pitched a shutout over the final 19 minutes to preserve a 21-13 victory before a Homecoming Night crowd.

“Football’s a fickle game,” winning coach Stan Dakosty said after his team won for the fourth time in six outings. “We controlled the entire first half, except for 30 seconds, and then things changed. We faced adversity there for a few moments, but good teams find a way to win, and our kids did just that.”

For the Colts - who now have their best start after six games since a 5-1 start in 2012 - the momentum surely was on their side through almost the entire the first half as they soared to a 21-0 lead with dominating play.

Behind the running of freshman Rory Dixon (19 carries, 92 yards) and bruising fullback Jesse Rodino (11 carries, 81 yards), along with some key completions by quarterback Bruce Hopeck to receivers Michael Gelatko, Michael Silliman and Brandon Klitsch, the Blue and Gold built what looked like an insurmountable early advantage.

Marian took the opening kickoff and marched 68 yards in 10 plays, tallying on a two-yard Rodino bolt into the end zone. Caden Kash booted the first of three successful conversions for a 7-0 lead.

Then, following a huge sack of Mahanoy Area quarterback Levi Terry by James Rodino, the Colt offense took over at their own 40 and proceeded to drive the pigskin 60 yards in nine plays to take a 14-0 lead at the :17 mark of the first stanza. The drive included a key 20-yard toss from Hopeck to Silliman, with the score then coming four plays later on a four-yard Dixon run.

“We struggled to stop the run, and obviously couldn’t stop ‘em in the first half,” said Mahanoy coach Paul Babinsky, whose team dropped to 1-5.

Following a Jesse Rodino fumble recovery at the Marian 45 with 10:28 left in the half, the Colts headed to paydirt a third consecutive time, this time getting into MA territory on a 30-yard completion from Hopeck to Gelatko, and a 25-yarder from Hopeck to Klitsch. With 7:36 left in the half, Dixon’s eight-yard run and Kash’s placement made it 21-0.

Then the tide turned.

Taking advantage of good field position, Mahanoy punched it into the end-zone in the final seconds of the half. Terry passed to Austin Green for an eight-yard TD and Colm McGroarty booted the conversion to make it 21-7 at the break.

Inspired by the last-second score, Mahanoy then took the second half kickoff and went 68 yards to make it 21-13 with 7:11 left in the third quarter. McGroarty, who had 27 carries for 166 yards in the game, lugged the ball eight times, including once for 43 yards, in the march.

Momentum stayed in the Bears’ favor as Marian turned the ball over on it next two possessions - once on a fumble recovery by Bear Cael Quick and the other in a pickoff by McGroarty.

“We had opportunities, but couldn’t finish,” Babinsky said. That’s something we have to be able to do.”

“It was an excellent win,” Dakosty said about the rivalry game. “I was very happy with how our kids responded when the challenge was there. It was a great game between two great rivals.”

IN THE TRENCHES ... While miscues hampered Marian’s attempt to establish tempo in the second half, credit has to go to the Colt defense that came up with big plays time and time again when the Bears threatened. D-linemen James Rodino, Aidan Milkovits, Mason Soult, Julian Hermany, Gelatko and Jesse Rodino and linebackers Charlie Hower and Dixon were primarily responsible for the Colts’ bend-but-don’t-break play.

DISTRICT ASPIRATIONS ... The win lifted the Colts into third place in the District 11 Class A power ratings, behind Minersville and Tri-Valley, putting them in a position to qualify for post-season play after a seven-year absence.

UP NEXT ... Marian travels to Shenandoah Valley next Friday while Mahanoy will be at Williams Valley.