08/29/2026
BY JACK BULLOCK
SPARTA - Last season head coach Drew Kordys, in his first campaign running the program at Sparta, saw his squad travel in Week #2 to face a Marshall team that pushed his Bulldogs around in a 42-12 Lions' triumph.

That loss was one of the five that Coach Kordys and his staff suffered, which eventually kept them out of the playoff picture.

This coach knew his team would have to get tougher in the off-season and it showed in the rematch on Saturday.

“We were ready. We knew that we had to be more physical than they were. Last year we were not. We got off the bus and we were not ready to be kicked in the teeth the way we were,” said Coach Kordys. “We preached physicality because that's what they're going to do. We said if we answer that call then its our game to lose.”

Sparta/Steeleville gave up a first quarter scoring drive to Marshall, but little else, while senior quarterback Dariontez Monroe put on an offensive show.

The Bulldogs' defense held Marshall to just 260 yard total offense and 5-of-15 on third downs and Monroe completed 20-of-26 passes for 417-yards and four touchdowns in a 36-7 one-sided victory as his team improved to 2-0 on the season.

Monroe had a passer rating of 141.8, which is impressive.

Eight different receivers caught passes from the senior left-hander, with three of the receptions coming from sophomore Jakhai Dancy.

Dancy turned two of them into long touchdowns with 175 of the Monroe passing yards.

Junior wide out DJ Hayes added 138-yards on seven receptions and the other two aerial scores.

The senior QB, who is also a defensive leader in the secondary, came up with a big defensive play in the fourth quarter.

Monroe closed in on a pass attempt and came up with an interception at the Bulldogs' goal line that kept Marshall from scoring.

Marshall and head coach Steve Weber, after a win last week over Cahokia Conference team Wesclin, saw his team dip to 1-1 on the season.

Junior quarterback Luke Brodie didn't have a very good afternoon and neither did his teammates.

Brodie ended up 12-of-22 for 152-yards with no TD passes and the one Monroe INT.

The Lions weren't much better on the ground, picking up just 108-yards on 35-attempts for a 3.1 yards per carry average.

“We have a lot of momentum going right now with a 2-0 start,” said Monroe. “Last year that team put us down after we won our first game but we're feeling good now going into Week Three. I really give it to our coaches. They told us that we have to be physical all week. We came out physical, we did our job, they preached defense all week. We did what we were supposed to do.”

After forcing Sparta/Steeleville to punt on the Bulldogs first possession, Marshall went 77-yards on 12-plays.

Junior running back Max Welsh finished the drive with a 12-yard run up the middle for a score.

The subsequent PAT kick by junior Owen Griguhn made it 7-0 Lions with 5:17 remaining in the first quarter.

Sparta got on the scoreboard on there third possession.

Monroe found Dancy on a pass that went 39-yards into Marshall territory to begin a five-play scoring drive.

A 13-yard strike from Monroe to senior Tyrell Charles put the Bulldogs on the board.

The PAT kick by Dancy was blocked which left Sparta/Steeleville down 7-6 with just :05 left in the quarter.

Sparta/Steeleville took the lead for good on what turned an bad omen for the Lions the rest of the afternoon.

Taking the ball after a Marshall punt at their own 25-yard line, the Bulldogs quickly scored.

Monroe found Dancy on a short pass over the middle and the sophomore speedster did the rest.

Dancy broke loose on a 75-yard sprint to the endzone.

A two-point conversion pass from Monroe to Hayes made it 14-7 Bulldogs.

Coach Kordys' squad added another TD before intermission.

Forcing another punt, Sparta/Steeleville started on their own 23-yard line.

A fumbled snap moved the ball back to the 17 and an incomplete pass forced a third-and-long.

Monroe got the ball on a swing pass to Dancy, who eluded the Marshall defense before dashing down the field to finish off an 83-yard scoring play.

Another two-point conversion pass from Monroe to Hayes finished the first half scoring at 22-7 Bulldogs.

“I think that one through four (Charles, Dancy, Monroe, Hayes) I don't think anyone around here can guard us. I think we have one of the best passing attacks in the state. It starts with our quarterback but our receivers are electric and we have a good running game going, which helps open up the passing game,” added Kordys. “It's fun to be able to call and offense that has this many weapons. Everybody we have on the field is explosive and they show what they can do.”

Marshall failed to get a first down on its first possession of the second half and Sparta/Steeleville took a punt at its own 49.

It took just five plays for the Bulldogs to add to their lead.

Monroe to Hayes on a long pass down the sideline reached the Marshall nine before sophomore running back Earl Carter got in on the scoring with a nine-yard touchdown run.

Although the PAT pass was incomplete, the Bulldogs were in complete control, 28-7 with 8:07 remaining in the third quarter.

Marshall's best scoring chance since the first quarter came to a close on the Monroe interception.

Brodie had moved his team to the Sparta/Steeleville 19-yard line.

His second down pass to the endzone was picked off by Monroe, who returned the ball to the Bulldogs' 27.

“I really do say that he (Monroe) is an overall football player. As good as he is as a quarterback, he's that much better of a football player,” said Coach Kordys. “You see him creating plays on offense but then you put him out there on defense he's one of the best players on the field.”

Sparta/Steeleville put the game away on what turned out to be their longest scoring drive of the afternoon.

It took 11-plays and to cover the 73-yards.

Facing a fourth-and-10 from the Marshall 22, Monroe again found Dancy down the right sideline, as Dancy scored to complete the drive that took 6:36 off of the game clock.

Monroe ran in the PAT to finished the scoring and the 2-0 start to the season.

One other player who dented the stat chart on Saturday was junior running back Wyatt Peck, who caught two of the Monroe passes for 49-yards.

The Bulldogs have a rare late afternoon contest next Friday against St. Louis (MO.) Confluence Prep at 4:30 pm at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation Center in East St. Louis.

“We made a statement that we're not just a team with speed, we're a team that can control the line of scrimmage, get outside with speed and we're a team that going to flow outside and tackle,” said Kordys.