Patriots drop regular season finale against Bention

By CHUCK LIVINGSTON

Marion School District

Marion took the field last Friday night with an opportunity to earn a No. 1 playoff seed for the first time ever, and a share of the 6A East conference title. For one quarter, Marion had played mighty Benton to a 7-7 stalemate as the Patriots found their footing inside the friendly confines of Southern Bancorp Stadium.

But from there, it was all Benton.

The Panthers exploded for 35 unanswered points to take control of the regular-season finale, as well as the outright 6A East conference title, earning a 55-10 victory.

Marion will settle for the No. 3 playoff seed from the 6A East as a result, and the Patriots will host the Van Buren Pointers (3-7 overall, 2-5 6A West) at 7 p.m. on Friday night. The winner will advance to the quarterfinals on Friday, November 22 at Shiloh Christian.

Marion caps its 2024 regular year at 7-3 overall and 5-2 in the 6A East, the fourth year in a row that the Patriots have won at least seven games, and MHS will make its 20th straight playoff appearance on Friday night.

Benton managed to top Marion despite junior all-state quarterback Drew Davis missing the contest with an injury he suffered earlier in the week in practice.

In Davis’s absence, sophomore Chase Cobb directed an efficient offense, accounting for 4 touchdowns on the evening.

Benton tailback Luther Tucker added 3 scores on the ground, the first of which opened the scoring with 4:13 left in the first period and gave the Panthers a 7-0 lead.

But Marion got even just two plays later when sophomore skill player Jeremiah Dent ran 8 yards for a touchdown, which followed a 63yard Zayden Walker-to-Jeremy Dent pass completion, that tied the game at 7, which was the tally after the opening quarter.

It took Benton just two plays into the second quarter to take the lead for good when Tucker bowled over the top for a 2-yard TD jaunt and a 14-7 Panther advantage.

An O’Marcus King interception ended Marion’s following drive, and the Panthers pushed ahead 21-7 when Cobb hit Maddox Davis for a 12-yard TD toss with 7:59 left in the first half.

Benton embarked on a methodical drive to cap the first half, marching 73 yards in 13 plays, culminating when Tucker covered the final 4 yards on the ground for a score with 3 seconds left in the first half, and the visitors led 28-7 at the break.

The Panthers took the opening kickoff of the second half and scored when Cobb kept around the right side and scored from 7 yards out with 9:45 left in the third for a 34-7 bulge.

Benton forced a Marion punt on the ensuing drive and cashed it in on first down when Cobb hit Davis for a 69-yard TD toss, and when Davis hit Cobb on a reverse pass for the two-point conversion, Benton had triggered the sportsmanship rule at 42-7 with 7:35 left in the third, and that was the score to open the fourth quarter.

On the second play of the fourth period, Marion’s Nick Bledsoe booted a 33-yard field goal to get the Patriots within 42-10, and Benton scored again when Cobb hit tailback T.J. Williams for a 42-yard TD toss with 8:46 left in the game.

The Panthers piled on late in the fourth when Cobb threw a backward pass to Davis, who found Bryson Griffis in the end zone for a 19-yard TD to cap the scoring.

What’s next?

Marion hosts Van Buren at 7 p.m. on Friday night, and you can watch the game for free on MarionPatriots.com, on the MPAN YouTube channel, or on the MPAN mobile app.

Van Buren Series

Marion won the only previous meeting with Van Buren, a 55-34 decision over the Pointers in the 2020 quarterfinals. That victory catapulted the Patriots into the state semifinals for just the second time ever.

Playoff

Marion makes its 20th straight playoff appearance this season, and the Patriots will host a playoff game for the ninth year in a row.

Winning ways

Marion won seven regular-season games for the third season in a row, and the 15th time in school history.

Brotherly love

Marion’s touchdown drive in the first quarter was special because junior receiver Jeremy Dent came up with a 63-yard reception to get the Patriots into position, and his brother, Jeremiah Dent, capped the drive off with a scoring run.

Week 10 6A East results

Benton 55, Marion 10 Jonesboro 42, W. Memphis 20 El Dorado 84, Sheridan 49 LR Catholic 21, Sylvan Hills 6

Final 6A East standings

Benton 7-0 LR Catholic 6-1 Marion 5-2 El Dorado 4-3 Jonesboro 3-4 Sheridan 2-5 W. Memphis 1-6 Sylvan Hills 0-7

Marion junior tailback Rico Ward (16) looks to break a run against Benton.

Photo by Eryn Edwards