Marietta striker Mac Threatt (9) had a hat trick during Tuesday’s 4-1 win over Warren, scoring the final three goals of the match at Devola Soccer Complex. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

DEVOLA — Warren showed the fire and grit against a Marietta team which showed the effects for not having played for 10 days.

But the Warriors, who led 1-0 for all of six minutes in the first half, didn’t have an answer for the explosiveness of Marietta striker Mac Threatt. The senior co-captain turned in a hat trick, scoring the final three goals in the Tigers’ 4-1 win Tuesday night at Devola Soccer Complex.

“I think you could tell we haven’t played in 10 days,” Marietta coach Todd Morris said. “I was worried about that long of a break, but it was good because we were banged up. Warren came out with a lot of energy getting that goal (in the first half).

“They played hard and we seemed to be a little off. But our guys battled and we were able to get the lead before half. Not our cleanest performance, but sometimes you have to win like that, too.”

With fog engulfing the field midway through the first half and for the majority of the final 40 minutes, Warren threw the first salvo when Aiden Westerman was able to gather in a rebound off a free kick from teammate Bryar Gilliland and fired one past the Marietta keeper for the game’s first goal at the 19:25 mark of the first half.

“That goal felt awesome,” said Warren assistant coach Daniel Scott filling in as the head coach for Jon Hurley. “That is what these kids needed. Even though we lost 4-1, I’m still very pleased with the kids.

“Our team came out firing tonight. They had that spark that we have been looking for — really, really happy with their performance. Marietta is a very good, disciplined team and it’s hard to break a team down like that with that type of chemistry.”

Warren mistakenly provided an assist on the game’s next goal. At the 13:04 mark, Marietta co-captain Landon Koscho known to take the majority of the team’s corner kicks sent one of his patented attempts near the box and a Warren defender got his mitts on the ball just before it glanced into the back of the net for the own goal.

“Koscho, especially from that left side, with his left foot he can really get some balls in there and put the ball in dangerous areas,” Morris said. “We weren’t able to get a touch on it, but he put in a dangerous area where crazy things happen.”

Marietta cemented its sixth win in seven matches this season on second-half goals by Threatt with 25:29 showing on the clock and again with 13:34 remaining in regulation.

“Mac is Mac,” Morris added. “Mac is hard to contain. Especially around the goal, he has the knack for finding the goal. The three goals tonight is just Mac being himself.”

While Marietta embarks on a four-match journey over an eight-day span starting with a road test Thursday against Morgan, Warren (4-6) travels to Unioto for a match on Thursday.

“We have come together as a team the past two games, and we are working as a team,” Scott said. “The chemistry is getting better.”

Before the Marietta players exited the field following their postgame handshakes, the public address announcer delivered a piece of good news for the Tigers. In a win this past Saturday at Fairfield Union, senior keeper Caden Gebczyk notched a school record 25th clean sheet for his career.

“Caden was thrown right into the wolves as a freshman — he had to start as a freshman,” Morris said. “He has been consistent and has had numerous games where he has bailed us out. That’s the biggest word — consistent. That’s what you want from your keeper.”

Gebczyk remained completely humble afterwards and credited his defenders over the years for making the record possible.

“When I was a freshman, I didn’t think too much about getting records — I was just trying to learn and become comfortable with the upperclasmen,” Gebczyk said. “I have to give a lot of credit to the defensive line because they do a lot.

“They protect the goal way more than I do. I do take a lot of pride in (clean sheets) but I can’t get full of myself because as soon as I lose a shutout I just can’t shut down.”