Marion looks for bounceback game after week off

Patriots set to take on Sylvan Hills tonight after rare lopsided loss

By Chuck Livingston

Marion School District

Marion head football coach Lance Clark had no choice on Wednesday morning other than to channel Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.

When asked about his team's early rash of injuries to start the 2024 season, Clark's answer was brief. “The only thing that matters now is 'next man up,'” said Clark. “We have some guys who are going to be out this week, but we have other guys who are capable and have been waiting their turn to produce. We think they'll play well.”

Tomlin has coached Pittsburgh to a sterling 176-100-2 record and a Super Bowl championship since taking the franchise over in 2007 by preaching accountability and maintaining a standard of play no matter which players were available in a given week.

That's where Clark finds himself this week as his team readies for Sylvan Hills in Marion's 6A East conference opener this Friday night at 7 p.m.

Marion fashioned a 2-1 nonconference record so far this fall but managed to lose at least one starter in each contest.

The Patriots are preparing to play the Bears in Friday night's homecoming game without seven starters, three on offense and three on defense, with a handful of others limited with various maladies. “We will be stretched almost to our limit this week with some of the guys that we're missing,” said Clark. “But the other guys are talented too, and they prepare well, and we're excited for them to get an opportunity now.”

Offensively, Marion will be without senior receiver Christian Young against Sylvan Hills, while senior center Charlie Cantrell and right tackle David Patterson.

Spelling Young against Sylvan Hills will be a timeshare between senior Corey Yates and sophomore Kam Riley, while junior Philip Walker will stand in for Cantrell at center, while senior Michael Watson will get the call at right tackle.

“We like what Corey and Kam bring us at receiver, they prepare well and are talented,” said Clark. “We have always had seven guys we like up front, so we are confident that Michael and Philip will give us what we need for the offense. They're all good kids who we can count on.”

As for the defense, Marion will be without linebacker Carter Moore and defensive lineman Tayshon Lowery.

That will require more juggling as junior Zadean Wilson shifts from his stand-up defensive end spot to a true linebacker role for the Sylvan Hills game, and junior linebackers Zimran Phelix and Christopher Byrd will earn even more reps, “which may have needed to happen, anyway,” said Clark. “Those guys have played well and done everything we've asked. We are looking forward to seeing them.”

Sophomore Aaron Mack has filled in admirably for Moore as the team's deep snapper.

Marion kicker Marselo Amaya is also out on Friday, but Nick Bledsoe, who handles the team's kickoffs, has handled extra points well this week at practice.

Marion has won six of nine meetings all-time with Sylvan Hills, including two in a row, and the Bears drag a 13-game losing streak into this game, a fact that Clark is quick to warn about.

“They've been in every game so far this year, and play ex-

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tremely well in the first half,” said the coach. “They were up on Russellville by 10 last week and it was only 6-0 against Maumelle in the opener. This is a team that's better than its record.”

Also part of the equation is Sylvan Hills' talent level, which exceeds that of your average 0-3 outfit. The Bears boast two players, Josiah Rainey and Malachi Summons, who have multiple Division 1 scholarship offers, and Rainey won the state's 100-meter dash state championship last May, breaking the state record by finishing the race in 10.46 seconds.

“On film, you see several guys who could play for anyone,” said Clark. “Their offensive linemen are big and look great. They have nice skill guys. Their defense plays really hard and finds a way to make plays, and force turnovers when they need it.

Their quarterback is really gamey and gutsy. They have a lot of kids, maybe almost 80 in uniform on game days. So they're going to win some games this year, and it could be us if we don't approach this with the right mindset.”

HOW TO WATCH

Marion hosts Sylvan Hills on Friday night for the 6A East conference opener and for Marion's annual homecoming game. Homecoming festivities will kick off at 6:30 p.m., and the game will be underway at 7:00. Presentation of the homecoming court and the Sylvan Hills football game can be viewed for free on MarionPatriots.com, on the MPAN YouTube channel, or on the MPAN mobile app Friday night. RANKINGS RUNDOWN Marion stayed at No. 4 in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's weekly Class 6A SuperSix rankings, while the Patriots kept their position at No. 5 in Hooten's Arkansas Football's weekly rankings.

HOMECOMING HEROES

Marion has won six straight homecoming games, dating back to Coach Keith Houston's initial season as head coach in 2018.

This includes Clark's 3-0 record as Marion's head coach as his teams defeated Pine Bluff 38-24 in 2021, Jacksonville 49-18 in 2022, and Greene County Tech 37-0 last September.

BYE, BYE, BYE

Clark's Patriots are 3-1 following a bye week since he took over. His 2021 team beat West Memphis 33-3 following a 1-2 start that fall. MHS took its open date during Week 1 in 2022 and 2023 with a nine-game conference schedule, but it did not keep the Patriots from beating El Dorado following the bye each year (27-23 in 2022, 5013 in 2023).

Marion absorbed its only loss following a bye week in the quarterfinals of the 2023 playoffs when defending Class 6A state champion Pulaski Academy stunned Marion 27-26 on the game's final play following the Pats' first-round playoff bye.

HOMECOMING COURT

Marion's 2024 homecoming court will be recognized prior to the kickoff of the Sylvan Hills game, including sophomore maids Kennedi Barrow, Da'Sia Thomas, Rayah Hinton, and Kendall Brown, junior maids Joslynn Mitchell, Aynslee Coad, Taylor Chamness, and Khiryona Montgomery, and senior maids Chelsea Butler, Ariel Ross, Brooklyn Slater, Maylei Cartwright, and Ariel Hopkins.

WHAT'S THE RUSH?

With 402 rushing yards so far in 2024, Marion senior tailback Jalen Smith continues to close in the school's all-time rushing record of 3,622.

Smith went over 3,000 career rushing yards last Friday night at Conway and currently sits at 3,171 yards on the ground.

WINNING WAYS

Marion will enter conference play with a winning record for the second year in a row, and just the third time since 2018 when the Patriots hit Week 4 with a 3-0 mark.