A sly smile crept across Lance Clark's face during Monday's Week 7 wrap-up meeting following Marion's 16-12 victory last Friday night against West Memphis. The subject was the team's weekly Offensive Lineman of the Week award, and Clark was tasked with naming the winner. Eventually, Marion's second-year head coach named all five starters, left tackle Carius Curne, left guard Jermaine Davis, center Charlie Cantrell, right guard Carter Benton, and right tackle Aqeelo Allen, as the top linemen. And why not? The starting Marion front helped the Pats ground out 303 balanced yards (176 rushing and 127 passing) in a game where the hosts needed every last one of them. “The offensive line against West Memphis had the best night that we've had there since I've been here given the importance of the game, the quality of the front, and all that,” explained Clark. “It seems like those guys are rounding into shape.” The Marion offensive line did not allow a sack to West Memphis and excellent junior defensive end Marquaze Parker, who owns offers from Arkansas State and Memphis with many other schools evaluating him. The state of the Marion offensive line was not known entering the season following the graduation of four starters from last season's 8-5 team that sprinted to the state semifinals. Offensive line coach Odell Brown had his work cut out for him with just Benton returning for 2022, and after some early-season tinkering and poor injury luck, Marion started its ideal offensive line combination for just the second time all year against West Memphis. “Continuity matters a lot up front,” said Clark. “To that point, having the same guys in position two weeks in a row absolutely helps. We don't do just a ton of stuff up front, but what we do isn't easy. Our combos aren't easy, but those are all things that you can scheme and gameplan. Continuity matters because you have to trust and work together.” Benton started 13 games a season ago at right tackle, where he opened the 2022 season at Wynne before he bumped inside to center. Curne has started every game but one this season at left tackle, and the sophomore “played his best game by far against West Memphis,” said Clark. Davis and Cantrell locked guard slots exiting fall camp before Cantrell and Benton switched positions following Marion's 49-18 victory over Jacksonville in mid-September. With four starters in place, the offensive line added the final piece following Marion's 21-10 season-opening loss at Wynne. Allen rotated some that evening on the defensive line but shifted to right tackle before Marion hosted El Dorado on September 9. All the junior has done since then has consistently earned the team's top blocking grade, capped by a dominant 15-pancake block performance last week against West Memphis. Marion's offensive line looks to continue its good play this week when the Patriots travel to Sheridan for a second straight season. Marion is 2-0 all-time against Sheridan, beating the Yellowjackets 37-7 in 2020 and 42-12 a year ago. The Sheridan game will be broadcast live on MarionPatriots.com/broadcasts and on the Marion Patriots Activities Network mobile app. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. A Marion (5-2 overall, 5-1 6A East) victory at Sheridan (2-5, 2-4) would keep the Pats very much alive for at least a share of the conference title. Following Friday's game at Sheridan, Marion hosts Sylvan Hills (2-5, 2-4) for Senior Night before traveling to league-leading Little Rock Catholic (7-0, 6-0) to end the regular season. A Marion victory at Sheridan would clinch the Pats' 18th consecutive playoff appearance. Marion last missed the playoffs in 2004. “My challenge this week to our team has been to handle our business and don't overlook Sheridan,” said Clark. “I know we had a big win last week, and everyone is happy right now, but this game will tell if we are a true championship contender or just another team. The great teams and programs wouldn't allow a letdown, and we want to be a great program.” Sheridan coach Larry McBroom is in his 50th straight season as a football coach and he was inducted into the Oklahoma Coaches Hall of Fame in July. The Yellowjackets have already matched their win total from the previous two seasons with victories so far over Searcy and Jacksonville, but Sheridan likely needs to win out to make this year's playoff field. Sheridan entered 2022 with 13 projected returning starters, including Jarrett Atchley at quarterback, C.J. Dollarhide at tailback, Izaiah Owens at receiver, and three starters up front. Senior Conner Anderson anchors the Sheridan defense as a three-year starter at defensive end. Junior Jake Smith and senior Owen Myers are returning starters at linebacker. “Sheridan has been in every game that it's played except for maybe one,” said Clark. “They're well coached and well schooled, and they're extremely disciplined. Their coach has won a million games, so you know he knows the game. We have to take this game very seriously.” PLAYERS OF THE WEEK In addition to the starting offensive line earning Offensive Lineman of the Week for their performance against West Memphis, senior defensive lineman Jerrimiah Nichols earned the Crittenden County Farm Bureau Player of the Week award after stacking 11 tackles against the Blue Devils. Senior receiver Donnie Cheers earned Patriot of the Week after catching two touchdown passes and playing most of the game at cornerback. Bryan Glaspie earned Scout Player of the Week. RANKINGS RUNDOWN Marion moved up to No. 7 in the hootens.com weekly rankings following the Pats' 16-12 victory over West Memphis, which tumbled from No. 6 in the rankings to No. 8. Sheridan is ranked No. 14 entering this week. CHEERS CHASING HISTORY With eight touchdown receptions over the past four games, Cheers continues to climb Marion's all-time receiving leaderboard. The senior has caught 21 TD passes in his career at Marion, good for second on the school's all-time list. Collin Chambers caught 24 TD passes from 2014-2016. Chambers owns the school record in receptions (127) and receiving yardage (2,165). Cheers currently boasts a career receiving line of 79 receptions for 1,651 yards with those 21 TD catches. CONFERENCE RECORD A Marion victory on Friday would clinch a playoff spot for the Pats, but it would also establish the school record for conference victories in a season with six. The Pats have won five conference games four times in school history, sharing the conference title twice (1984 and 2006). SMITH RUNS TOUGH Tailback Jalen Smith's sophomore season has a chance to be one of the better rookie years for any Marion rusher in school history. Smith has rushed for 735 yards and seven touchdowns so far this season, eclipsing the century mark in every game except Wynne and Benton. He rushed for 68 yards and a touchdown early in the third period when he left with an injury and never returned against Wynne. He did not play against Benton. TEAM LEADERS PASSING: Ashton Gray, 816 passing yards with 10 touchdowns RUSHING: Jalen Smith, 735 rushing yards with 7 touchdowns RECEIVING: Donne Cheers, 26 receptions for 547 yards, and eight touchdowns Mitrell Lewis, 14 receptions for 187 yards and three touchdowns TACKLES: Brian Weatherspoon, 68 tackles with 10 for loss including three sacks Dewayne Williams 50 tackles with four for loss Victor Turner 50 tackles with two for loss Martaveon Banks 41 tackles with two interceptions Jerrimiah Nichols 38 tackles WEEK 7 6A EAST RESULTS Marion 16, West Memphis 12 Benton 68, Jacksonville 18 El Dorado 38, Sheridan 7 Searcy 58, Greene County Tech 19 LR Catholic 24, Sylvan Hills 14 WEEK 7A 6A EAST STANDINGS SCHOOL CONF. RECORD TIEBREAKER POINTS LR Catholic 6-0 75 Benton 5-1 65 Marion 5-1 47 West Memphis 4-2 40 El Dorado 3-3 39 Searcy 2-4 19 Sheridan 2-4 17 Sylvan Hills 2-4 6 Greene County Tech 1-5 13 Jacksonville 0-6 0 WEEK 8 6A EAST SCHEDULE Marion at Sheridan Benton at Searcy LR Catholic at Jacksonville El Dorado at Sylvan Hills Greene County Tech at West Memphis