Multiple milestones marked off for Marion

Multiple milestones marked off for Marion

Lady Pats honor seniors, win conference, extend home streak

Sports Editor By nearly any measure, the Marion Lady Patriot volleyball senior class of 2017 is one of the most decorated classes in the history of the state of Arkansas.

Dating back to the 2014 volleyball season, Marion has advanced to the Class 6A state volleyball final twice, and could make it a third in two weeks.

However, last night, the Lady Pats added one more award to their mantle after beating Nettleton in straight sets (25-15, 25-19 and 2520).

For the first time since 2011, Marion (29-3 overall, 17-1 6A/5A-East) won at least a share of its league title by virtue of its identical league record with Class 5A power Valley View. It was the eighth (2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011) conference championship in school history. The program launched in 1996.

In addition to that, it was also senior night for eight Marion players and a manager, and that event made for what appeared to be the biggest crowd of the year to date at Patriot Volleyball Gym.

Finally, the win against Nettleton was Marion’s 32nd straight win at Patriot Volleyball Gym, dating back to a loss to Jonesboro on September 5, 2013.

Digging deeper, Marion’s senior class of Ally Bramucci, Gabi Catt, Sara Betts, Sarah Burford, Annalee Parker, Hope Phipps, Maggie Aureli and Bo Triplett ensured that they would never lose a regular season match at home in their varsity careers, though Marion could still play a pair of postseason district tournament contests there next week.

After an evening in which all of that happened, Marion head coach Lisa Beasley was relieved in some sense.

“Considering the level of competition that we play in the conference that we’re in, this thing (a conference championship) speaks volumes,” Beasley admitted. “I think that our girls deserve it so much and I’m so happy that they now have that.”

Marion’s lone league loss came on August 30 at Valley View, a four-set defeat, but the Lady Pats avenged that setback last month at home, beating the Lady Blazers in straight sets in front of another raucous crowd at Patriot Volleyball Gym.

The Lady Pats will be the number 1 seed in the 6A-East district tournament, which opens on Saturday afternoon. Marion will be at home to face the winner of the Jacksonville-West Memphis match, which will be played on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Lehr Arena.

The league crown is an added bonus for Marion’s seniors, who have posted a varsity record of 85-14 since 2014, in addition to those state final appearances.

As impressive as those eight girls have been on the court, Beasley is quick to remind anyone that they’re quality people away from volleyball, as well.

“For a group as large as they are, to all be as outgoing as have such huge personalities as they do, that’s hard to find,” said the coach. “Talentwise, there’s nothing I can say because the records say it for me. What they’ve meant to this program and what they’ve meant to me, I could never put into words. They’re living legends. They’re a legacy that young girls will aspire to be around this town.

They’re also great kids.

They’ve involved in school and community and their church. I just can’t explain how great they are. They’ve made me feel really lucky to be their coach.”

Beasley wasn’t the only person that was emotional about that particular moment, however.

“We were bawling our eyes out in the locker room,” said Burford, a three-year starter for Marion.

“Honestly, I thought that we’d be alright, we’ve done senior night the last two years and it was fine,” said Catt, Marion’s number 17. “Nope.

It was pretty terrible.”

“We tried to find ways to postpone senior night, but we couldn’t get it worked out,” explained Parker, a Murray State volleyball commit.

The home-court winning streak predates the class of 2017, but that is a mark that makes those three seniors pretty proud.

“That’s really awesome,” Burford said.

“That’s huge for motivation because we love our fans, and they bring out the best in us,” Parker added.

“I love playing at home, and we just don’t want to let our people down, so we want to give them our best effort,” says Catt.

Marion has already qualified for the 2016 Class 6A state tournament, but their seed in that bracket is yet to be determined. If the Lady Pats win their district tournament opener on Tuesday, then they will also then host the district championship game later on in the week.

The 2016 Class 6A state volleyball tournament will be held at Lake Hamilton High School and will be a threeday event beginning on Tuesday, October 25.

By Chuck Livingston