Marion Persich’s transfer from LaSalle-Peru to Morris over the summer received a little bit of hype. The Warriors are always worth keeping an eye on, and Persich was seen as a player who could make a major difference in Morris. It has happened quickly.
The junior quarterback is listed as 6-4, 232 pounds, but the numbers don’t do his frame justice. Persich is thick, powerful and athletic. He broke free for an 81-yard touchdown run in the third quarter of the Warriors’ 44-27 win against visiting Simeon on Saturday, and the play showcased how difficult it is for defenses to contain his rare combination of size and speed.
A Simeon defender had a good angle for a tackle and met Persich ten yards from the end zone. Most high school players get smacked out of bounds or tied up and taken down at that point. Persich threw the defender to the ground, never breaking his stride.
“It was a read option and I saw the linebacker bail,” Persich said. “I was going to hit the defender, but I wanted the touchdown, so I put my arm out and hit him.”
Persich had 13 carries for 115 yards and two touchdowns. He was 8 of 12 passing for 128 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
“He’s a phenomenal athlete,” Morris coach Alan Thorson said. “Missed a few throws early on, but he adjusted. He’s a playmaker. There are little things that the crowd doesn’t see. He made some nice audibles today and changed some plays. Directional stuff where he saw openings in the defense.”
Persich threw a 35-yard touchdown to Quaid Phillips late in the first half to put the Warriors (3-0) ahead 31-7. He connected with Mick Smith for a 14-yard touchdown with 2:05 left to hold off a late comeback from Simeon (0-3).
“He is still not fully settled in, and he’s playing amazing,” Smith said. “He’s putting up good numbers and playing his tail off. Once we can put the little pieces of the puzzle together and get him comfortable, it is going to be fun.”
Morris opened the game with a quick-tempo drive that resulted in a three-yard touchdown run by Maxwell Skrtich. Then Simeon fumbled the kickoff, and the Warriors recovered. Persich punched in a one-yard TD run a minute later, and the Wolverines were down 14-0 before taking a snap on offense.
Simeon fumbles on the kickoff return. Morris recovers and this long pass from Marion Persich to Robert Kennedy sets up another TD.
Warriors lead 14-0 before Simeon takes a snap on offense. pic.twitter.com/pMGGMdKr2G
— Michael O’Brien (@michaelsobrien) September 5, 2026
“Morris jumped on us fast,” Simeon coach Sinque Turner said. “You can’t play a team like this in a hole like that. I take some of the blame for what we were in during the first quarter. I knew they were a heavy-run team and we were playing a bit of zone, and that didn’t match. When we got into man coverage and sent some pressure, we were able to have our way here and there.”
Simeon cut the Morris lead to 38-27 on a 34-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Aki King to sophomore receiver Jalonny Billingsley with 5:18 left.
King was 13 of 23 passing for 370 yards with three touchdown passes, all to Billingsley, who finished with six catches for 194 yards.
“The guys persevered, and we played good football in the second half,” Turner said. “We don’t expect to get a bunch of calls coming all this way down south, but this is not on the refs. We have to get our act together. Morris is a perennial power, and we wanted to come down here and see it. We will get back to league play and do well. It is really about the state playoffs for us. This is to prepare.”