Marian continued its ascent to the top of the District 11 Class 1A football competition Friday night at the Stan Dakosty Field of the Men of Marian Stadium, avenging a 16-6 loss earlier this year to Tri-Valley with a 14-6 triumph that advances them to the district title game next week.

The win moves the Colts to 7-4 and puts them in the championship game against Minersville - a 19-13 overtime winner over Nativity. It will be the Colts’ first title game since 2016.

That defense wins games was never more apparent as the Blue and Gold - behind a superb performance by senior Jesse Rodino - slammed the door on the visiting Bulldogs time and time again, forced five turnovers, allowed just one score on a coverage breakdown and yielded just 37 yards on the ground.

“It was a battle worthy of a playoff game, and our kids responded. Defensively, we’re something,” said Dakosty. “Hats off to Tri-Valley, but, I’ll tell you, we’re a really good football team.”

Rodino, a WNEP-TV Dream Team member from a year ago who was simply outstanding in pressuring Tri-Valley quarterback Blake Swartz, was credited with seven tackles, two sacks, two strips that caused fumbles and one recovery of his own.

“If there’s a better defensive football player in Pennsylvania, then I want to see him,” said Dakosty.

Of course, you also have to put points on the board to win games, and Marian’s 1,000-yard passer - senior Bruce Hopeck - played an equally important role in making sure that happened.

Completing his first four passes (and 8-of-11 in the first half), Hopeck engineered a 70-yard drive in 15 plays, consuming 7:10 of the clock in the first possession of the game.

After taking the opening kickoff at their own 30, the Colts mixed things up nicely as Hopeck completed passes to four different receivers - Rory Dixon (19 yards), Michael Gelatko (seven), Michael Silliman (10) and Rodino, the latter reception being the six-pointer on a 22-yarder with 4:50 left in the opening stanza.

“I was just trying to do what I could do to help the team win,” Hopeck said.

Meanwhile, joining Jesse Rodino up front on the defensive side of the ball were his brother, James, Gelatko, Aidan Milkovitz and Chase Hower, while the linebackers were Charlie Hower and Dixon.

They helped keep the Bulldogs out of the end zone until the coverage breakdown saw a 56-yard pass play advance the pigskin to the Colt 2-yard line. Tailback Cole Gemberling hit paydirt with 8:55 left in the third stanza. The PAT kick failed, keeping the Colts in front 7-6.

Hopeck then fired a 27-yard touchdown strike into the hands of Nova McGuire with 10:54 left in the game, with Gelatko’s placement rounding out the scoring.

“We’re going to the championship game ... it’s been a long time,” Dakosty said. “Our kids and our coaches worked really hard preparing for this. We’re pleased.”

Afterwards, Rodino said the semifinal win on the Men of Marian turf was a special moment for he and his teammates.

“The credit goes to my teammates,” he said. “We came in mentally prepared, wanting to play our hearts out because we knew, as seniors, it would be the last time we would play on this field.”

“It feels great,” Hopeck added. “We’ve come a long way. To go from 1-8 when we were freshmen to 7-4 now going to the title game, it’s the best feeling in the world.”

Losing coach Jeffrey Sampson said, “We’re very disappointed. Thought we would have fared better, but five turnovers are hard to overcome. Marian showed us some different things up front, and we never got into rhythm.”

WILL MEET MINERS ... The Colts will have a chance to avenge another loss when they meet the Battlin’ Miners in the title game. The Miners eeked out a 41-39 win at Marian in Week 2.

KEY PLAYS ... Marian’s first score came after they converted on two third-down plays, one being a hook-and-ladder play in which Gelatko caught a pass from Hopeck and tossed it to Dixon. The tally came on a fourth-and-16 play.

LAST TITLE ... Marian last won a District 11 title in 2015, defeating Tri-Valley 33-0.