VINCENT - Anytime a defense can hold an opposing team's top offensive threat to 33 yards it usually figures to be a pretty good night.

When that same team can have a quarterback pick apart the opposing defense with the efficiency that Warren senior Clay Ellenwood had Friday night against visiting Marietta, it makes for a really good night.

Ellenwood completed 10-of-15 pass attempts for 117 yards and a pair of scores offensively while the Warren defense held All-Ohio running back Perry Wheeler to a meager 33 yards as the Warriors picked up a 35-19 win at Warren High School.

The Warriors' win ends a streak of seven straight losses to the Tigers.

"It feels great. Those were seven long years," said Warren senior Erik Mason, who recorded a pair of interceptions defensively for Warren.

Known for their prowess running the football it proved to be Ellenwood's right arm that made the difference, especially in the early going as the Warriors never really let Marietta feel like it was in the game as Warren led 21-7 at the break.

"My receivers and tight ends were just making incredible catches the whole night," Ellenwood said.

After the Warriors fumbled the opening kickoff on their own 19-yard line Marietta covered the 19 yards to paydirt on five plays with Wheeler going in from three yards out.

From that point on the game clearly favored the Warriors.

"I thought we controlled the game from that point forward," said Warren football coach Jim Pifer.

Keeping the Tigers off-balance with a diverse mix of pass and run plays in the first half favored the Warriors, who outgained Marietta 164-37 in the first half and 303-154 for the night.

"Our balance was definitely important," Ellenwood said. "Coach was really putting us in position to win."

On the ensuing drive after the Marietta score the Tigers attempted an onside kick with the Warriors recovering on their own 45.

Twelve plays later Ellenwood capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Justin Yocum with 4:27 to play in the opening period.

Warren capitalized on each of its' two possessions in the second quarter to lead 21-7 at halftime, holding Marietta to just 37 yards of offense in the half, including only 16 from Wheeler.

"We figured if we could stop Wheeler we had a chance and we did that," Pifer said.

As the Tigers offense was struggling the Warriors were the epitome of efficiency.

Taking possession on Marietta's 35 after a strong punt return from Yocum the Warriors marched down the field to mere inches outside the goalline but needed a fourth down sneak from Ellenwood to get into the end zone.

Warren's second offensive possession in the second quarter was much more dazzling as Ellenwood hit junior tight end Grant Venham for a 31-yard pass, again converting on a fourth down before the circus came to town.

With the ball on the Marietta seven Ellenwood dropped back to pass and fired the ball over a pair of Marietta defenders to Venham in the corner of the end zone, where the Warrior receiver reach back and made a fingertip catch for the score.

"I've never really seen a catch like that one," Ellenwood praised.

Third quarter play saw neither team account for much offensively, as it took nearly 10 minutes for a first down.

The fourth quarter saw a resurgence of offense, especially for Marietta as the Tigers recorded 112 of their 168 yards.

"They controlled the line of scrimmage," said Marietta football coach Andy Schob. "It's hard to move the ball when someone controls the line of scrimmage."

Included in that total was all 100 yards passing for the Tigers, who had more passes intercepted by Mason than completed until McKitrick connected with Morgan Wynn on an 11-yard pass with just over four minutes to play.

"The D-line did good getting pressure. Coach always said the ball's up in the air it's anybody's. I just went up and got it," Mason said.

Marietta might have managed a pair of scores in the fourth quarter, but it actually saw its' deficit increase by one when Warren blocked an extra point attempt.

Warren senior Kyle Pritt opened the second half scoring with a 23-yard scamper to paydirt with 7:28 to play in regulation, giving the Warriors 28 unanswered points, while Kaleb Wolfe added a 1-yard plunge with just over a minute to go.

Both Marietta's scores came on passes from McKitrick to Dustin Baker, of 12 and 15 yards respectively with the last tally coming as time expired.

"I thought our defense played extremely well and our offense played good at times," Pifer said.