Marion Athletics -

BENTON --- For one half, the Marion Patriots played 6A East kingpin Benton to a draw.
The 2025 regular season finale at Everett Field was knotted at 14 at halftime, and the Patriots had momentum after a blocked field goal ended the first half.
But, the Panthers responded with a knockout blow in the second half, scoring 21 unanswered points to pull away to a 38-21 conference victory.
Benton earned a share of a third straight conference title with the victory, though the Panthers will settle for the No. 2 playoff seed and a first-round playoff bye.
Marion finishes the 2025 season tied for fourth place in the 6A East, and the Patriots will go on the road next week as the No. 5 playoff seed, with an opening round game at Van Buren.
Benton senior quarterback Drew Davis, a two-time all-state performer and the school's all-time leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns, had a hand in 4 of Benton's 5 touchdowns against Marion.
Davis's first score was a 5-yard rushing score that gave the Panthers a 7-0 lead with 4:49 left in the first quarter.
But Marion got even on the ensuing score when senior linebacker Zadean Wilson took a direct snap and scored from a yard out with 2:10 left in the first.
The Panthers pushed back ahead on their next drive when Davis connected with Gunner Deaton for a 37-yard TD toss for a 14-7 lead with 1:21 left in the first quarter, and that score doubled as the tally after the first quarter.
Benton was driving again early in the second period when Marion's Makhi Guyton forced a Davis fumble and returned it inside the Benton 10-yard line, where Jeremiah Dent turned it into a touchdown two plays later to tie the game at 14 with 7:57 left in the first half.
Benton had a chance to take the lead again late in the first half, but Guyton blocked a 35-yard field goal attempt to send the game to halftime knotted at 14 each.
The Panthers took the lead for good on the initial drive of the third quarter, marching 66 yards on 11 plays for a 21-14 lead when Davis covered the final 3 yards with a scoring sprint with 9:36 left in the third.
Benton doubled its lead later on when Davis crossed from 2 yards out for a 28-14 bulge with 4:52 left in the third, and that was the tally to start the fourth quarter.
Benton's Corey Anderson ended the next Marion drive with an interception, and the Panthers cashed in 5 plays later when Deaton scored on a 10-yard TD run for a 35-14 lead with 8:46 left in the ballgame.
Marion got within 14 points when Rico Ward ran 54 yards to paydirt on the Pats' following drive, but Benton got a 34-yard field goal from Gabe Wilbur to cap the scoring with 4;27 left in the fourth quarter.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Marion will play Van Buren in the state playoffs for the third time since 2020 on Friday night in the opening round of the Class 6A state playoffs. Kickoff at Van Buren is scheduled for 7 p.m., and you can watch that game for free on the MPAN YouTube channel.

6A EAST RESULTS FROM 11/7
Benton 38, Marion 21
Jonesboro 56, W. Memphis 25
Sylvan Hills 50, LR Catholic 22
El Dorado 62, Sheridan 23

FINAL 6A EAST STANDINGS
Sylvan Hills 6-1
Benton 6-1
El Dorado 5-2
Jonesboro 4-3
Marion 4-3
Sheridan 2-5
LR Catholic 1-6
W. Memphis 0-7

CLASS 6A FIRST-ROUND PLAYOFF MATCHES
Marion at Van Buren
Lake Hamilton at El Dorado
FS Southside at Jonesboro
Sheridan at Mountain Home