MARION --- Jonesboro scored four touchdowns in the first six minutes of the second half to build a 22-point lead en route to a 56-41 victory in a 7A/6A East game against Marion.
Jonesboro will get a first-round bye followed by a home game in the playoffs as the 6A-East's No. 1 seed. Marion will be the No. 3 seed and hit the road to open the playoffs next week.
The Golden Hurricane trailed 27-21 at halftime as Marion took advantage of two Jonesboro turnovers.
"I think turnovers are a big part of the game," Jonesboro Coach Randy Coleman said. "Going into halftime, Marion had every bit of momentum, but fortunately we made some plays early and got after it."
The Patriots scored the final two touchdowns of the first half for that 27-21 lead and preserved that advantage when senior linebacker J.R. Ross intercepted a pass in the end zone.
It took Jonesboro 8 plays, spanning 173 yards, to score 4 times for that big second-half lead.
The four scores came from four different Jonesboro players. Kylan Tate scored from 32 yards out and Princeton Pitts scored on a 50-yard run. AJ Aycock threw touchdown passes of 31 yards to Jonathan Adams and 23 yards to Courtney Orsby for a 49-27 advantage with 6:36 left in the third quarter.
Marion (4-6 overall, 1-6 7A/6A-East) hit two big plays in the fourth quarter to stay in the game. Tyler Holmes teamed up with Tom Young for an 85-yard screen pass to move the Patriots within 49-34. Holmes hit Darius Lathon with a 50-yard touchdown play with 2:01 left to get within a score at 49-41.
Jonesboro clinched the victory with a final score from Pitts.
Sports on 11/06/2015