By Ryan Richter

Sports writer

  Marion High football travels to Uniontown Friday with the fresh momentum of a decisive victory under their belts.

The Warrior’s games have spiraled out of their control several times during this hectic season.

  Marion got one last chance to show they are still a great team in the regular-season finale Friday night, hosting the Bluestem Lions.

The Warriors did just that, exploding for a season-high 46 points, including 30 in the first half, to make short work of the Lions in a 46-6 beating.

The victory, which pushed Marion to 2-6 on the season, secured third place in the district race at 1-2. 

The Warriors will travel Friday to Uniontown, which finished runner-up to stalwart Pittsburg-Colgan, a Class 1A semifinalist a year ago. 

Marion rolled up a season-high 355 total yards, pounding out 311 yards on the ground, while its defense held Bluestem to a rugged 114 total yards and a paltry 6 first downs.

The Warriors wasted little time pouncing on the Lions, racing to a 16-0 lead in the first 5:30 of action, leaving Bluestem in a hole it never got out of. 

Braedon Mercer was a one-man wrecking crew, single-handedly outdoing the Lions’ entire offensive output carrying the ball 15 times for a game-high 159 yards and four touchdowns. 

But it was Calib Mallory that sparked the 30-point first half eruption, scoring one of his two touchdowns on Marion’s opening drive. 

Mallory carried 10 times for 84 yards, and he ripped off a 35-yard gain to set Marion up with a first-and goal at the Bluestem 9. Mallory struck again on Marion’s next drive, pushing the lead to a commanding 16-0 with a two-yard plunge with 6:34 still left in the first quarter. 

Mercer took over from there, scoring on runs of 8, 20, and 2, to widen the gap to 38-0 with 9:26 left in the third quarter, to start the running clock. 

Senior Jaxton Tracy got in on the beat-down in his final home appearance, capping Marion’s fireworks with a 6-yard touchdown with 11:26 to go in the game for a 46-0 lead. 

Bluestem broke up the shutout with 2:34 left with Luke Simon scoring on a 4-yard run. The Warriors denied the two-point conversion for the final. 

Friday’s kickoff is set for 7 p.m.