MARION -- Marion senior Carter Waldo returned a fumble 18 yards for a touchdown to help the Patriots earn a 27-23 victory over Sylvan Hills in a 6A-East Conference game Friday night at Premier Bank Stadium.
Sophomore tailback Jalen Smith ran 25 times for 163 yards and Marion (7-2, 7-1) pulled away after the Bears tied the game late in the third quarter. Marion receiver Donnie Cheers caught two touchdown passes tying him for the school record for TD receptions with 24.
Sylvan Hills quarterback Gavin Tiner scored on runs of 19 and 1 yards to pace the Bears (2-7, 2-6).
With Sylvan Hills on its 30-yard line, Marion defensive lineman Garrett Dickerson stripped the ball from quarterback Gavin Tiner on a play-action pass. Waldo recovered and ran into the end zone for what would become the game-winning score.
Sylvan Hills drew to within 27-23 on a 34-yard field goal by Bryan Gonzalez with 4:28 remaining, but the Bears never got the ball back. Patriots quarterback Ashton Gray secured the victory with his 18-yard gain on a third-and-2 play from the Sylvan Hills 38.
Smith scored on a 3-yard run with 7:33 left in the first quarter to give Marion a 6-0 advantage.
Tiner tied the game with a 19-yard scoring run.
The Bears claimed their first lead of the game with 8:55 left in the second quarter when Tiner ran in from a yard out.
Marion used two plays to regain a lead. Gray hooked up with Donnie Cheers for a 79-yard touchdown. Ben Cherry added the extra point and Marion led 13-12 with 8:08 remaining before halftime.
Gray and Cheers connected again with 4:44 left in the third quarter, this time for a 19-yard scoring pass that pushed the Patriots' advantage to 20-12.
Sylvan Hills' halfback Dylan Harris racked up 65 yards on four carries on the ensuing drive, highlighted by a 50-yard run to the end zone that got the Bears to within 20-18. Tiner ran in the two-point conversion to tie the game at 20.
Sylvan Hills ran Harris twice for 10 yards on its first drive of the fourth quarter before Dickerson made his game-altering strip.