As the clock in last week's massive 6A East tilt at West Memphis's Hamilton-Shultz Field ticked lower with every second, there was a sense of calm on the Marion sideline as the Patriot defense tried to close out the victory. And why not? Following West Memphis's second touchdown drive on the initial possession of the third quarter, the Marion defense put the clamps on the Blue Devil offense, forcing two punts, two turnovers on downs, coming up with one very important interception by senior safety Kendal Brister, and the clock ran out, ending the final West Memphis possession of the night at the Marion 24-yard line. Finally. Mercifully, Marion enjoyed a 20-14 victory, its third straight in the series on the field, and one that sets the Pats up for an October to remember. At the epicenter of the defensive effort were senior linebackers, Javen Griffin, Victor Turner, and Dewayne Williams, who entered the year as one of the team's more seasoned units, and have left their impact on the 2023 Pats. “Three very important guys for us with it being three seniors and that really matters,” said Marion coach Lance Clark. “They've played a lot of football for us, they've played a lot together, so they're comfortable with each other. In a lot of ways, we go as they go. They started the West Memphis game poorly, but when they got it going, it affected the rest of us in a positive way.” A quick glance at the final stat sheet backs the impact. Turner finished with a team-high 10 tackles at West Memphis, while Williams stacked seven stops, and Griffin recorded five. Senior Deangelo Foreman and Juniors Carter Moore and Jaron Davis also recorded tackles against the Blue Devils, helping the Pats round out a balanced night in south Crittenden County. “We love and need all of those guys if we want to win,” said Clark. “Dwill can kinda do everything at 'backer, plays the run and the pass equally well. Griff is a great run player, not just a good one, but he's excellent. Victor is a little finesse, he's improved his tackling, but he lets us cover 'backs out of the backfield and tight ends down the middle of the field.” Marion's three senior 'backers arrived at their final varsity season through different avenues. Williams started his sophomore year as a defensive end who “loved doing spin moves and stuff like that,” said Clark. Clark's staff moved Williams to linebacker prior to the 2021 season, and he earned more and more reps throughout his sophomore season, capping Marion's 37-25 victory over Searcy that season with an interception, and finishing with 17 tackles. Williams locked a starting role as a junior, finishing second on the team with 66 tackles, five for losses, with another key interception, this time against El Dorado that helped Marion down the Wildcats for the first time in school history. This year, Williams, who also plays baseball, has emerged as a team leader, a college prospect, and a respected teammate. Williams currently leads Marion in tackles (56) and tackles for loss (five). “It's extremely rare for a kid to be six foot, 200 pounds, but still be coordinated and skilled and do all the things that Dwill can do,” said Clark. “I attribute that to being a baseball guy. I think he's still got a very high ceiling as a college player. I don't know who will sign him, but whoever does is getting a gem because I don't think he's done growing, he's a high-character kid, and he's young for his grade, and he's playing like this. We have only seen the beginning so far of Dewayne Williams, the football player.” Griffin moved to Marion in January 2022 after growing up in Wynne, and more specifically in his football journey, mostly playing defensive end through his sophomore year. The hard-working senior inside 'backer shifted to linebacker during the off-season and he started five games in 2022 and produced one of the better off-seasons for a Marion football player leading into 2023. For his efforts and attention, Griffin was selected as a permanent Team Captain this year, when he's ranked fifth on the Marion tackle chart with 35 stops, one sack, and one interception. “Griff is a really serious kid, and that plays in any room,” said Clark. “He never misses any football activity. It is so impressive that way. He doesn't complain about anything. He's consistent. The biggest thing is being a good player. Kids don't tend to follow guys who can't play, and Griff can certainly do that. So his work ethic, his production, and his demeanor have been crucial for us.” Turner joined the football program as a junior and all he did in 2022 was lead Marion in tackles with 77 stops, starting six times at linebacker and standing out on special teams. As a senior, Turner started the season at star 'backer (hybrid defensive back/linebacker) before shifting back to a traditional 'backer role following Marion's only loss this season at Benton. Turner has stacked 49 tackles this fall with two interceptions, good for second in each category. “Victor really just has a knack,” said Clark. “His football journey has not been easy at all. But he's very athletic, he's a plus tackler, he's a good cover guy. He may not be elite at any one thing, but he can do it all and be pretty good at it. I'm really proud of Victor every day. He's just a football player. We need a little more consistency from him, but if he can achieve that then we will be better off as a team. But you never worry about him playing hard.” Foreman, Moore, and Davis have all carved out key roles on special teams as the season has drawn on, and they continue to earn more reps as the calendar flips into fall. “We really like all those guys,” said Clark. “They've bought in and done their job, and that's so important. Dlo, Carter, and Jaron are all gritty, smart, tough players who can help anybody, and they've already shown a lot of that this year.” Marion's linebacker room will be on high alert this Friday night when Sheridan visits Southern Bancorp Stadium for a 7 p.m. kickoff. The Yellowjackets enter play this week on the cusp of the 6A East playoff picture following a dramatic 32-29 loss one week ago against El Dorado. Sheridan led El Dorado until the game's final minute when the Wildcats scored the game's final touchdown. Sheridan started the season 0-3 before topping Jacksonville and Sylvan Hills in successive weeks, giving first-year head coach Tyler Turner his first two victories in Grant County. The Yellowjackets then led defending 6A East champion Little Rock Catholic 7-0 for most of the first half before surrendering 28 unanswered points in a 28-14 defeat two weeks ago. “They're a gamey, well-schooled team and program,” said Clark. “Tyler Turner is a great coach who is going to find a big win at some point, and it does not need to be against us. They're coming off an emotional loss, knowing they need one big win to get into the playoffs. We are coming off an emotional win, so some of this will be about which team has the most maturity and can turn the page. They're in all of these games, and I think their depth just may not be where Coach Turner would like it to be, but they're a very capable team.” Sheridan moved up freshman tailback Isaiah Stephens to the varsity and he scored a long TD against El Dorado, and a handful of members of the Yellowjacket secondary ran for the 100-meter state championship team in the spring. SHERIDAN ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD Marion has won all three meetings with Sheridan in a series that began in 2020 with a 37-7 Patriot victory. The Pats took to the road for victories in 2021 (42-12), and 2022 (43-7). HOW TO WATCH The Marion-Sheridan football game on Friday night will be broadcast live on MarionPatriots.com and on the Marion Patriots Activities Network YouTube channel. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. PLAYERS OF THE WEEK Crittenden County Farm Bureau named Marion senior safety Kendal Brister as their Player of the Week after he stacked seven tackles and came up with a crucial interception that set up Marion's eventual game-winning touchdown at West Memphis. Junior center Charlie Cantrell earned the team's Offensive Lineman of the Week, while Chris Byrd earned Patriot of the Week. RANKINGS RUNDOWN Popular Arkansas high school football website hootens.com ranks Marion No. 5 in their Week 8 rankings, while the Pats check in at No. 6 in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's weekly poll. HISTORIC START Marion's 6-1 start in 2023 is its best since opening 7-1 in 2011. Should Marion win out, 9-1 would be the best regular-season record in school history, and the nine victories would tie the 1989 and 2005 teams for the most wins in a single season. CLARK UP THE CHARTS Marion's 20-14 victory last Friday night at West Memphis was Clark's 21st victory on the field at MHS, tying him for third place on the school's all-time coaching victories. Bill Cook won 56 games between 1982-1995, while Marion Uhiren earned 64 wins between 2002-2013. HOME SWEET HOME Marion is 3-0 this season inside the friendly confines of Southern Bancorp Stadium, and the Pats are 12-3 at home under Lance Clark. Marion has not finished unbeaten at home since 2010. 6A EAST STANDINGS Benton 6-0 Marion 5-1* W. Memphis 5-1* Little Rock Catholic 4-2& Searcy 4-2& Sheridan 2-4 El Dorado 2-4 Jacksonville 2-4 Greene Co. Tech 0-6 Sylvan Hills 0-6 *Marion owns head-to-head tiebreaker &LR Catholic owns head-to-head tiebreaker 6A EAST GAMES ON 10/20 Sheridan at Marion Searcy at Benton Sylvan Hills at El Dorado W. Memphis at Greene Co. Tech Jacksonville at LR Catholic