Patriots thrash Hurricane to seize top spot in 5A East

Marion volleyball posts impressive sweep of powerhouse Jonesboro team

Marion School District JONESBORO — On the far side of Jonesboro's Don Riggs Hurricane Gymnasium three large words are scrawled on the padding separating the floor from the seats.

'Believe the warning.'

The Marion Patriots took control of the 5A East race in September with a threeset victory at Fidelity Bank Arena.

If that was a warning shot, Marion's three-set victory (25-18, 25-20 and 25-15) Thursday night in Jonesboro could prove to be a finishing blow.

Marion improved to 22-1 overall and 12-0 in the 5A East with its victory over Jonesboro. The victory gave the Patriots the No. 1 seed from the conference in the state tournament, as well as no worse than a share of the 5A East conference title. Should Marion win at West Memphis on Tuesday, the Patriots would clinch their first league title since 2016, which was also the last time Marion won in Jonesboro.

Marion's 22-1 start is the school's best start in program history (launched in 1996).

'I am just over the top happy about how we've played the last few weeks,' said Marion coach Lisa Beasley. 'Everyone on our team played well tonight.

Everyone has stepped up when we've called on them. Every girl has accepted their role and put we over me. It's just really gratifying to be part of.'

Anna Caroline Fesmire paced Marion at Jonesboro in assists (19), tallied nine kills and blocked two shots for points. Daedrianna Cail led the Pats in kills (15) and blocks (eight). Kora Wilson logged two kills and served a team-high two assists. Kiah Rucker logged four kills and blocked three shots. Madison Keith paced the Patriots with 21 digs and three aces served, while Emerson Miller logged 13 digs. Madison Allison recorded three kills and blocks. Lauryn Keith returned to the lineup for the first time in two and a half weeks by dishing three assists with a kill. Maggie Miller dished eight assists.

The Patriots wasted little time jumping Jonesboro in set No. 1. Marion scored the first three points of the set, highlighted by an ace from Madison Keith, a Cail block and a Cail kill. A Wilson ace directly preceded a Fesmire assist to Cail as Marion pushed ahead to a 7-1 advantage.

But Jonesboro worked back within 14-13 in the middle stages of the set before Marion hit the Golden Hurricane with a run of four straight points, including a Fesmire kill and a Fesmire assist to Cail for an 18-13 Marion lead, which forced a Jonesboro timeout.

Jonesboro worked within 22-18 before Marion hit the jets when Maggie Miller

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Photo by Londa Hamrick PATRIOTS (cont.)

dealt an assist to Fesmire before Fesmire blocked a Jonesboro kill attempt at the net. Fesmire set Wilson for a kill and a Rucker kill gave Marion a 25-18 victory in the first set.

The second stanza was a see-saw battle until a run of four straight Jonesboro points gave the hosts an 117 lead to force a Marion timeout. The Pats struck back with five straight points of their own, including a kill by Allison, who teamed with Fesmire for a blocked kill and a pair of hitting errors that knotted the score at 12.

Marion took advantage of three Jonesboro hitting errors to claim a 19-16 lead, which forced a Golden Hurricane timeout.

Leading 23-20, Fesmire set Cail for the last two points of the second set as Marion sprinted to a 25-20 win for a 2-0 match lead.

Cail was on a mission to open the third set, depositing a Fesmire assist inbounds for the first point before recording a pair of blocks to earn a 4-0 lead.

Fesmire found Allison for a kill for a 6-0 Marion advantage to force a Jonesboro timeout.

As Jonesboro's student section peppered her with 'overrated' chants, Cail tallied blocks on consecutive Marion points for a 10-1 lead.

But Jonesboro scored four straights points to get within 10-5. That's when Cail cashed in assists from Fesmire and Lauryn Keith to push back ahead 12-6.

When Allison converted a Maggie Miller assist into a kill, Marion led 18-11 as Jonesboro burned its last timeout.

A Madison Keith ace set up kills by Cail and Fesmire before Lauryn Keith's kill gave the Pats a 25-15 conquest in the third set, as well as the No. 1 seed in the state tournament.

Marion finishes conference play next week with a game Tuesday night at West Memphis and a home date with Batesville on Thursday. Both games will be streamed on MarionPatriots.com and on the Marion Patriots Activities Network mobile app.

Photo by Londa Hamrick