Marion Athletics -

One of the more prosperous track seasons in Marion history culminated Thursday afternoon when the Patriot boys earned the overall 5A East conference track championship at Batesville.

The Marion men earned the league crown on the strength of first-place team finishes in the 4X100 meter, the 4X200 meter, and the 4X400 meter relays, as well as a host of stellar individual finishes.

Senior Rico “Rocket” Ward (10.83) and junior Jeremiah “Jet” Dent (11.10) finished first and third in the individual boys 100-meter dash, and Dent (22.78) and Ward (22.86) took second and third, respectively, in the boys 200-meter dash.

Senior Arkansas-Little Rock signee Chris Hardin again won the boys 400-meter dash by clocking 49.8, and Hardin (1:59.88) earned the gold in the boys 800-meter run, while Kayden Harris (1:59.93) finished second.

Jose Rameriz (10:22.60) and Jude Johnson (10:27.17) finished second and third, respectively, in the boys 3200-meter run, and Chris Byrd (17.06) took third in the boys 110-meter hurdles.

Sophomore Ethan Winders (43.38) finished third in the boys 300-meter hurdles, while junior Aden Wilson (6-2) took second in the boys high jump. Jaylen Neal (21-3.25) and Kole Clay (20-6.75) finished second and third, respectively, in the boys long jump finals, and Clay (42-10) earned the silver medal in the boys triple jump finals.

Marion's girls turned in another strong performance at the conference meet.

Sophomore Aniyah Broyles (2:28.57) finished third in the girls 800-meter run, and Marion's girls finished second in the 4X100-meter relay with a time of 51.44.

The Patriot ladies finished third in the 4X400 meter relay, clocking 4:32.35, and the Lady Pats claimed third in the girls 4X800 meters with a time of 11:21.87.

Junior Summer Morgan (5-2) finished third in the girls high jump, and sophomore Gabriel Ivy (33-5) finished third in the girls triple jump.
The 2026 Class 5A state track meet is scheduled for May 7 at Van Buren.