While it can be easy for fans to panic over one loss or get sky high over one win, a head football coach is generally best served by taking a long view of his team's schedule. That's why Marion's second-year coach Lance Clark was measured on Wednesday morning despite his team's 55-13 loss last Friday night to Class 6A power Benton when the Pats played down eight starters. “Before the season we break our season up into three or so segments and set what we hope is a realistic goal at the end of those segments,” explained Clark. “So this year, for example, we wanted to be 3-1 after our first four games, especially with two tough ones right off the bat against Wynne and El Dorado.” Clark's Patriots responded to a 21-10 season-opening loss at Wynne with Marion's first-ever victory over El Dorado 27-23 in the Premier Bank Stadium home opener on September 9. The Pats closed out the initial stretch with convincing victories over Jacksonville and Greene County Tech. The Benton contest kicked off the second segment for Marion this season, and perhaps the most crucial. The Pats travel on Friday night to play Searcy at 7 p.m. in a contest broadcast live on MarionPatriots.com and on the Marion Patriots Activities Network mobile app. The third and final leg of Marion's second period of the 2022 season concludes October 14 when it hosts West Memphis. “I think it's good for coaches to keep in mind where we are in a given moment,” said Clark. “Beginning of the year, you're figuring out who you are and what works for this year's team, because it's always different, right? In the heart of the season, you want to start solidifying who you are and what this group needs to hang its hat on. And I've always had a strong belief about being at your best when your best is needed, and that's the end of the year and into the playoffs.” Marion continues to figure out its identity despite myriad injuries that have prevented the Pats from starting the same offensive line combination at any point this fall, and three quarterbacks have started games the past three weeks. Those injuries have not just held Marion back in certain ballgames, but also as part of the team's overall search for its identity. “You want to play well while you tinker, you always want to play well,” said the coach. “From week to week you're constantly asking yourself 'who's starting to play better? Who's rising to the occasion?' and that answer constantly changes too. It's all part of the process.” Marion continues that process this week when the Pats invade Lion Stadium for another crucial 6A East contest against Searcy. The all-time series between Marion and Searcy is tied at 8, with the Lions winning eight of the last 10 meetings. Marion has not won at Searcy since 2016. It's been an eventful four years for Searcy Lion football. The Lions won the 2019 Class 6A state title with a sterling 12-1 record, but head coach Mark Kelley departed to become Conway's offensive coordinator the January following the title game. Searcy then tabbed longtime Southside Batesville head coach Kenny Simpson to succeed Kelley, but Simpson lasted just 10 months at Searcy before returning to Southside. Former Arkansas and Central Arkansas quarterback Zak Clark succeeded Simpson at Searcy, but last year's Lions finished just 4-7 as opponents outscored them by a combined 85-13 in the last two games a year ago. Searcy sits at 1-4 overall and 1-3 in the 6A East so far in 2022. League heavyweights Little Rock Catholic and El Dorado have beaten the Lions by a combined 98-56 the past two weeks. “We know they will be supremely motivated on Friday night,” said Clark. “They're a talented team, and they're a proud team. We have to get off the mat and fight. We have to stop feeling sorry for ourselves because we have everything left to play for.” Searcy returns 10 starters this year, including all-everything tailback DeDe Johnson, who rushed last season for 1,974 yards and 21 touchdowns to earn all-state honors. “If you even want to think about beating Searcy you have to stop DeDe and you have to stop the big receiver,” said Clark. “They're both excellent players and the coaches know how to get them the ball.” High-flying Searcy averages 31.2 points per game, but the defense surrenders 39.4 points per game. PLAYERS OF THE WEEK Cheers won his second consecutive Crittenden County Farm Bureau Player of the Week award after snagging a pair of TD passes and kicking an extra point against Benton. Antanius Tiggs earned Patriot of the Week after playing most of the snaps on offense and defense. Aqeelo Allen earned his second Offensive Lineman of the Week award of the season after earning the highest blocking grade and recording the most pancake blocks against Benton. B.J. Williams earned Scout Player of the Week. INJURY UPDATES Marion famously played Benton last week missing eight starters to injuries, but the Patriots got good news on that front early this week. Quarterback Ashton Gray, offensive linemen Carter Benton and Carius Curne, tailback Jalen Smith, and linebacker Carter Waldo have all been cleared to return to football activities. Gray, Benton, and Curne are expected to rejoin the starting lineup on Friday at Searcy, while Smith and Waldo will be gametime decisions. Senior kicker/punter Ben Cherry will miss the Searcy contest. BIG PICTURE INTACT Marion still controls its own destiny in the league title hunt despite the loss to Benton. Should the Patriots win out, they would earn at least a share of the 6A East title. Benton has the head-to-head tiebreaker on Marion, but Little Rock Catholic beat Benton three weeks ago. Marion plays at LR Catholic Week 10. Marion has won two conference titles in school history, sharing the 2006 6A East crown and splitting the 1984 3AAA crown with Rivercrest. WEEK 5 6A EAST RESULTS Benton 55, Marion 13 El Dorado 56, Searcy 35 Greene Co. Tech 28, Jacksonville 14 LR Catholic 37, West Memphis 16 Sylvan Hills 28, Sheridan 27 6A EAST STANDINGS SCHOOL RECORD TIEBREAKER POINTS LR Catholic 4-0 52 Benton 3-1 39 Marion 3-1 30 West Memphis 3-1 33 El Dorado 2-2 26 Sheridan 2-2 17 Greene Co. Tech 1-3 13 Searcy 1-3 6 Sylvan Hills 1-3 1 Jacksonville 0-4 WEEK 6 6A EAST SCHEDULE Marion at Searcy Greene Co. Tech at Benton Sylvan Hills at Jacksonville LR Catholic at Sheridan El Dorado at West Memphis