No. 10 Patriots set for clash with No. 5 Conway

Marion on the road tonight in Week 3 action against Wampus Cats

By Chuck Livingston

Marion School District

Eyes from across the state will descend this Friday night on Conway for one of the more intriguing contests of the 2024 high school season.

That’s when 2-0 Marion travels to Faulkner County to do battle with 2-0 Conway for each team’s final non-conference game this fall.

Adding intrigue is the latest edition of the Arkansas Democrat- Gazette’s Top 10 Overall rankings, which came out on Sunday morning.

As many expected, there was Conway with a solid No. 5 ranking in the state, just behind juggernauts Little Rock Parkview, Greenwood, Bryant, and Fayetteville. The potent Wampus Cats were also ranked third in the Class 7A Super Six rankings.

Perhaps more surprising was the debut of Marion in the Top 10 overall ranking at No.

10, likely for the first time in school history.

The Patriots also maintained their No. 4 ranking in the Class 6A Super Six rankings.

Additionally, Marion checked in at No. 5 in this week’s Hooten’s Arkansas Football weekly rankings.

All that must make for a very happy football coach of the Marion Patriots…. right?

“I haven’t thought all that much about it,” said fourthyear Marion coach Lance Clark. “I don’t have much to say about it one way or the other. We like our football team, but we know we have a big game this week that will show where we really are as a program.”

Marion football’s progression has escalated over the past decade. Following a prosperous run from 2005-2009, which included a conference title and a semifinal appearance, the Patriots won just five times from 2012-2014, bottoming out with a 1-10 final record in 2014.

But fortunes flipped from there. Marion won five times in 2015, a playoff victory at Lake Hamilton that November, marking the first of three straight five-win seasons for the Pats under Coach Jed Davis.

League coaches picked Marion to finish sixth in the 6A East prior to the 2018 season under rookie head coach Keith Houston, but his Pats persevered, charging to eight victories, a conference runnerup finish, and an appearance in the quarterfinals. Houston’s third and final team advanced to the 2020 state semifinals for just the second time in school history.

Clark succeeded Houston in June 2021, when Marion was universally picked to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

The Patriots walloped Crittenden County neighbor West Memphis for the first time in school history on September 24 of that season, but the Patriots never won consecutive games that fall until late that fall when the Pats rallied for a 38-24 homecoming victory over Pine Bluff, setting off a five-game winning streak that included a mercy-rule victory at Sheridan, a seven-point conquest of 6A East champion Jonesboro Week 10, another mercy-rule conquest over Russellville in the opening round of the state playoffs, and Marion’s first victory ever over a No. 1-ranked team in the quarterfinals with a rousing 59-37 victory at 6A West champion Benton. Eventual state champion El Dorado downed the Pats in the semifinals one week before beating Greenwood for the state title.

Marion has averaged eight wins per season under Clark, including this year’s 2-0 start.

Friday night’s contest features

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a Conway team coming off a 10-2 season in 2023, the second double-digit victory season in a row, and the Wampus Cats lost a heartbreaker in the semifinals by three points to eventual state champion Fayetteville.

Conway is in its second season under legendary Arkansas high school football coach Buck James, who previously guided Camden Fairview to the 2012 state championship before turning Bryant in the most dominant program in the history of Arkansas bigschool football, winning five Class 7A state titles in a row for the Hornets.

Clark says that Conway rotates eight defensive linemen with regularity, which will test Marion’s emerging offensive line, featuring left tackle Carius Curne, left guard Walt Tucker, Jr., center Charlie Cantrell, right guard Jasean Burks, and right tackle David Patterson, with plenty of reps left over for talented sophomore Jarrett Selvy.

“We know what we have with Charlie and Carius, they’ve played so much football for us that nothing will surprise or overwhelm them,” said Clark.

“I’m excited to see my pups out there. How will we respond in a big moment against fresh legs across from you? It will be a good experience for them, and I believe they’ll respond.”

Stout Marion receivers Mitrell Lewis, Cam Garrett, and Jeremy Dent match up with Conway’s secondary, which boasts a handful of fast players.

“The story there will be if our guys can make contested catches in traffic,” said Clark.

“Our kids are fast enough to get open and make plays, but their guys close quickly. Our story will be catching the ball with someone hitting you as the ball arrives, or someone swiping through. It’s not easy to do, but it’s very important that we make some of those plays.”

On the flip side, Marion’s secondary of Taheem Frost, Kendrick Cauley, Kajeris and Kejeris Hill, Brian Benford, Jr., and R.L. Johnson will be tested by Conway playmakers Kambrien Blackmon, Carter Crow, Alex McCray, Trey Harris, and two-way stud Jacoby Wade. “Harris and Wade are seriously impressive,” said Clark. “Harris runs well, he’s tough, he gives them a lot of options at ‘back. Wade is great on defense, and if he’s playing both ways at a school like Conway, that tells you what they think of his ability, and they’re right. Our guys will have to be very disciplined and schooled defensively.”

Conway quarterback Grayson Wilson transferred to the school over the summer from Central Arkansas Christian, where the Arkansas football commit was an all-state selection last year after passing for 3,413 yards and 41 touchdowns, with 837 yards rushing and 15 more scores.

HOW TO WATCH

Kickoff for the Marion-Con-

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way game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday evening, and you can watch the broadcast for free on MarionPatriots.com, on the MPAN YouTube channel, or on the MPAN mobile app.

RANKINGS RUNDOWN

Marion earned its first appearance in the Arkansas Democrat- Gazette’s Overall Top 10 rankings this week, checking in at No. 10. The Patriots are ranked No. 4 in this week’s ADG Class 6A Super Six rankings, and MHS is ranked fifth in this week’s Hootens.com Class 6A rankings.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Marion linebacker Jaron Davis earned the Crittenden County Farm Bureau Player of the Week award for the Harding Academy game after stacking eight tackles, two sacks, and two pass breakups against the Wildcats. Patriot sophomore Max Molloy earned the DTMG Patriot of the Week award. Senior allstate left tackle and Louisiana State commit Carius Curne earned the team’s Offensive Lineman of the Week award.

ROAD DOGS

Marion is 11-6 on the field under Coach Lance Clark, who is in his fourth season, including 1-0 this season following a 34-28 victory over Wynne on August 30.

FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME

For the second week in a row, Marion will play a football game for the first time. Marion topped defending Class 4A state champion Harding Academy last week in the first matchup between those schools.

SPOOKY SEASON

For the second year in a row, Marion will play a football game on Friday the 13th. The Patriots bested West Memphis 20-14 last season on Friday, October 13 at West Memphis.

WEEK 3 6A EAST GAMES

Rogers at Sheridan Marion at Conway Sylvan Hills at Russellville North LR at Benton Jonesboro at DeSoto Central El Dorado at Texarkana Valley View at W. Memphis LR Catholic vs. Nolan Catholic (Texas)