When No. 6 Marion takes the field on Friday night in the Class 6A Game of the Week at third-ranked Benton, the Patriots' veteran secondary may feel right at home. After all, senior safeties Kendal Brister and Martaveon Banks, senior cornerback Amari Lee, and senior star linebacker Victor Turner were all on the field in the 2021 state quarterfinals when Marion notched its first victory over a No. 1-ranked team in school history as the Patriots advanced to their second straight semifinal with a 59-37 victory. Flash forward a little less than two years later, and Banks, Brister, Lee, Turner, and junior cornerback Taheem Frost will be counted on more than ever this week if the Pats (4-0 overall, 3-0 6A East) are to best Benton and remain unbeaten in 6A East play. “Those guys have all played really well all year,” said Marion coach Lance Clark. “That group is going to have the most to say about how successful we are or are not on Friday this week. But they're guys that we feel good about having back there.” The Marion football program was in transition entering the 2021 season as former coach Keith Houston exited that June to return to coach in Texas. The school hired Clark less than two weeks later, and the Pats rode the roller coaster over the season's first six weeks, getting off to a 3-3 start following a loss at eventual state champion El Dorado. But that's around the time that Banks, Brister, and Lee started earning more reps in the secondary, while Turner cracked the linebacker rotation and stood out on special teams. As Marion's sophomores emerged, the Patriot defense gelled and Marion won its final three regular-season games, including a conquest of 6A East conference champion Jonesboro on Senior Night. The roll continued into the postseason as the Pats mercy-ruled Russellville at home in the opening round before the big Benton victory. El Dorado eliminated Marion in the semifinals, but Marion coaches knew they had something in the defensive backfield. The secondary continued to grow in 2022, as Banks earned all-conference honors while emerging as a team leader and the de facto quarterback of the defense. Turner finished second on Marion's tackle chart that season, while Brister started most of the games opposite Banks at safety. While those three surged through their junior seasons, Lee missed the year with a knee injury that he worked tirelessly to recover from, but he's more than returned to form in 2023. Frost joined the program last winter and has started three games already this fall. The results have been obvious this year. Marion boasts Class 6A's top scoring defense through four games, surrendering only 33 points in 2023 across four games, an average of 8.25 points per week. “Taheem and Amari haven't given up a thing so far,” said Clark. “Then you have Victor who's forcing a turnover every week it seems like. Then Banks and Brister are rock solid back there directing traffic. It's a good mix for us because they can all play, and they're all smart.” While Marion's defense has sent opposing offenses back to the Stone Age so far in 2023, this week's ballgame at Panther Stadium at Everett Complex will be the Patriots' biggest test so far. Benton averages almost 40 points a week this season and almost 400 yards per outing. The Panthers have scored 48, 49, and 56 points in their last three outings. “This is a fun game because it's strength on strength,” said Clark. “They stuff the run exceptionally well and like to run it. We try to make it tough on teams to throw it, and we know they can do that, and we'll have to continue to play well in that area if we want to win.” Two-time all-state senior tailback Braylen Russell powers the Panther offense after rushing last year for almost 1,700 yards and 26 touchdowns. Russell committed during the off-season to Arkansas. Benton has started two quarterbacks this season, senior Cline Hooten and sophomore Drew Davis, but many expect Davis to start this week. Receivers Elias Payne, Maddox Davis, and Will Carter play receiver, while Bronson Coolis lines up at sniffer 'back. Junior Parker Glaze anchors the offensive line at right tackle. “Their offensive line is very big and very well-schooled,” said Clark. “They create holes when there aren't some there a lot of times.” Look for Benton to limit Marion's superb running game on defense. The Patriots average more than 258 yards rushing this season, led by junior all-state tailback Jalen Smith's team-high 650 yards and 10 touchdowns this season. Senior QB Ashton Gray has rushed for 315 yards and six scores. Benton likely starts Owen Seals, Ian Alvarez, and Peyton McNeely in the defensive line, with Walker Hicks, Chase Harding, and Jake Herbner at linebacker. “They have a really stout box and they stuff the run extremely well,” said Clark. HOW TO WATCH Friday night's game at Benton will be broadcast live on the Marion Patriots Activities Network YouTube channel and on MarionPatriots.com. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. RANKINGS RUNDOWN Benton checked in at No. 3 in both the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's weekly Super Six rankings, as well as the hootens.com Class 6A rankings. Marion took down the No. 6 spot in both sets of rankings. PLAYERS OF THE WEEK Victor Turner earned Crittenden County Farm Bureau's Player of the Week award after Marion's 37-0 homecoming victory over Greene County Tech last Friday night. Tayshon Lowery earned the team's Patriot of the Week award, while Carius Curne took home the Offensive Lineman of the Week. BENTON SERIES HISTORY Marion is 3-1 all time against Benton, and the Pats won the first three meetings, which all came in the playoffs. Marion bested Benton 42-33 at home in the first round of the 2011 playoffs. The Pats accepted a COVID-19 forfeiture during the opening round of the 2020 playoffs in a game that was scheduled to be played at Benton. The Pats picked up their only victory ever over a No. 1-ranked team in the 2021 quarterfinals, beating Benton 59-37. Benton mauled Marion 55-13 a season ago in Marion in the first-ever conference game between the schools. MERCY ME Marion picked up its third straight mercy-rule victory on Friday night against Tech, the second straight year that the Pats have earned three victories under the running clock. The Tech victory is Marion's eighth mercy-rule victory under Coach Lance Clark. CLARK IN RARE AIR Last Friday night's homecoming victory was Lance Clark's 19th win at Marion (19-9 overall) since taking over in time for the 2021 season. That win total pushes the Alabama native into fourth place in Marion school history for victories. James Hendricks won 21 games in his five seasons at the school, while Bill Cook earned 56 victories between 1982 and 1996. Mark Uhiren is Marion's all-time wins leader with 64 wins from 2002-2013. 6A EAST STANDINGS ON 9/25 Marion 3-0 Benton 3-0 W. Memphis 3-0 LR Catholic 2-1 Searcy 2-1 El Dorado 1-2 Sheridan 1-2 Jacksonville 1-2 Sylvan Hills 1-2 6A EAST GAMES ON 9/29 Marion at Benton Greene Co. Tech at Jacksonville LR Catholic at W. Memphis El Dorado at Searcy Sylvan Hills at Sheridan