Marion, Ark-You win to keep playing, the playoffs are as simple as that.
Arkansas High (6-5, 4-4) defeated host Marion (5-6, 4-4) Friday night at Patriot Stadium, 23-14.
The Patriots won the toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff.
Arkansas High's defensive pressure was too much for Marion on the opening possession. The Hogs kept Marion quarterback Jacob Green under duress on his opening drive.
After a third and out, Arkansas High's offense started to mesh in its opening drive, led by sophomore quarterback Sean Foreback.
Foreback connected with junior Irijah Price on a 31-yard dart to put AHS in scoring position.
After a few miscues, Patriot defender Peyton Walker came up with an interception to flip possession for Marion in the red zone.
The Hog defense continued to keep their foot on the pedal against the Marion offensive front, forcing another three-and-out.
Junior speedster Irijah Price scored the game's first touchdown, out jumping the Marion defenders on the 26-yard bomb from Foreback.
Price ended (torched)the night with eight snags for 163 yards and two touchdowns.
The following possession, Green and the Patriots tried to a schematic change, switching to the no-huddle offense.
The first quarter ended with the Hogs leading Marion, 7-0.
After coming out in a passing spread attack, the Patriots conformed to more of a ground game.
Green started to use his legs, converting third downs when the Marion plays broke down.
Green put the Patriots on the board with his 1-yard score with 8:07 remaining in the second quarter.
After a short return, AHS started on their own 43-yard line.
Drake Browning booted a 42-yard punt to flip the field for the Hog defense after an AHS three-and-out.
Taylor Brown electrified the home crowd with his 53-yard snag from Green with 5:14 left in the second quarter.
Marion led the Hogs, 14-7 at intermission.
Marion sophomore Anthony Price started attacking AHS' second level on defense in the latter of the second quarter.
The Razorbacks opened the second half on their own 42-yard line. The Hogs were unable to capitalize off the favorable field position. Browning boomed a 56-yard punt, to give the AHS defenders breathing room.
After forcing a Marion three-and-out, Patrick Cook booted a 25-yard field goal, to cut into the Patriot lead, 14-10, with 2:31 remaining in the third quarter.
Marion sophomore Anthony Price proved to be the workhorse for the Patriots offensively. Price toted the rock 22 times for 46 yards.
Browning threw a 64-yard dart to Irijah Price on a wide receiver pass to give the Hogs the lead at the end of the third, 17-14.
Browning rushed for 30 yards on five totes and snagged one pass for four yards. Browning also threw one pass for 64 yards and a touchdown.
DeJordan Mask collected his seventh interception of the season for the AHS defense. Mask also caught four passes for 39 yards.
After a Marion personal foul, the Razorbacks gained favorable field position and was able to put the ball in the hands of juniors Jordan Hall and Tyrie Black.
Hall finished with 17 carries for 53 yards with a score and Black collected 13 yards on four carries.
The first score of the fourth quarter came from a 5-yard dive from Hall for AHS.
Green was stripped by the Hog defensive front with 1:57 remaining in the game to give AHS possession on their own 20-yard line.
The Hogs will travel to Greenwood Friday, for a rematch with the top-ranked Bulldogs in the second round of the Conference 6A playoffs.
Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
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Arkansas High 7 0 10 6- 23
Marion 0 14 0 0- 14
First Quarter
AHS-Irijah Price 26 pass from Sean Foreback (Patrick Cook kick), 2:48
Second Quarter
MHS-Jacob Green 1 run (Parker Holland kick), 8:07
MHS-Taylor Brown 52 pass from Green (Holland kick), 5:14
Third Quarter
AHS-Patrick Cook 25 field goal, 2:31
AHS-Price 64 pass from Drake Browning (Cook kick), 1:01
Fourth Quarter
AHS-Jordan Hall 5 run (kick failed), 3:37
=AHS=MHS
First Downs=13
Yards Rushing=101=50
Yards Passing=248=199
Passes A-C-I=24-16-1=33-20-1
Fumbles-Lost=1-0=0-0
Penalties=7-50=6-55
Punts-Avg.=3-47.6=149
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING-Arkansas High, Browning 5-30, Jordan Hall 17-53, Foreback 3-(minus-1), Tyrie Black 4-13, Price 1-6.
Marion, Green 12-4, Price 22-46, Jones 1-0.
PASSING--Arkansas High, Foreback 15-23-1-184, Browning 1-1-0-64.
Marion, Green 20-33-1-199.
RECEIVING-Arkansas High, Price 8-163, DeJordan Mask 2-39, Browning 1-4, Javarious Bullock 1-7, Jadas Ross 1-13, Black 1-14.
Marion, Price 1-4, Ryan Robbins 5-38, Joyrion Chase 6-44, Slade Webb 4-40, Taylor Brown 2-53, Cayden Hunt 2-11.