Marion – Expectations are high around the Marion High School football program, and why shouldn’t they be. The Swamp Foxes have won three straight region titles and possess three Football Bowl Subdivision-caliber athletes on their roster.
Marion, a AA school, has won its first two games. It defeated Class A Lake View 28-18 in the season opener on August 18. The Swamp Foxes followed it with a 34-26 triumph over AAA Wilson on August 25.
Marion head coach Brian Hennecy has no complaints with how his team has performed to date.
“I'm pleased with the effort they’re giving me,” Hennecy said. “They’re working hard to get better each day. They’re taking what we’re giving them and we’re having the players implement game plan. We kind of feel like it’s coming to fruition right now with what we’re doing.”
In the win over Lake View, the Swamp Foxes got out of their spread offense and went to running the football, mainly with senior quarterback Gabriel Cusack. An FBS prospect, Cusack ran for 178 yards and four touchdowns on 18 carries while completing 6 of 14 passes for 68 yards.
In the win over Wilson, it was Quay’Sheed Scott’s turn to shine in the offense. The Kentucky commitment carried the football three times for 109 yards and two touchdowns, had a 61-yard touchdown catch and returned a kickoff 99 yards for a score. He had 403 yards of total offense.
“Last night I think he just wanted to prove something,” Hennecy said of Scott, who also ran for a 2-point conversion and had an interception on defense. “He was focused. We scored on the opening kickoff, returning it 99 yards, to set the tone. In the third quarter he broke the game open with a 95-yard TD run. It was like he’s in a competition with Gabe for total touchdowns.”
Cusack completed 4 of 6 passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns against Wilson.
Starting at wide receiver with Scott is Ronqarius Jamison while the tight end is Jamorius Wilson. The running backs are Isaiah Reaves, who rushed for 97 yards on 11 carries, and Richard Eaddy.
Marion also operates out of what Hennecy likes to call the “Wild Fox” offense. He will have Cusack, Scott, Reaves and Eaddy take direct snaps out of the formation.
“We’ll go with whoever has the hot hand from game to game,” Hennecy said.
The Swamp Foxes return three starters on the offensive line in left tackle Jhamorious Rollins (6-feet-2-inches, 270 pounds), right tackle Jabari Swinney (6-3, 230) and left guard Maurice Hughes (5-10, 210). The newcomers to the O line are right guard Jamerson Davis (5-10, 210) and center Amari Green (6-1, 185).
Because Marion has so many players going both ways, it is limited in what it can do offensively.
“I wish we could do some more things,” he said. “The line is a work in progress. We’ve got people trying to go both ways. Hopefully we’re going to get more depth where we will be able to do some more things.”
Marion returns nine starters on defense, including Wilson, Rollins, Swinney and Hughes across the front. The entire secondary is back as well in Appalachian State commit Tyshawn Sanders, Scott, Cusack and Jamison.
Dramere Pearson is a returning starter at linebacker. He is joined there by Eaddy and Jahmere Tart.
“I thought our defense played way better last night,” Hennecy said. “We made the plays we needed to make. We only gave up 10 points in the second half. We’ve got guys playing both ways and the head is affecting them.”
Cameron Felder handles the kicking and punting duties.
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