Oliver and Heard ignite Jonesboro’s 42-point unanswered run against Marion

Jonesboro 49, Marion 14

October 16, 2026 | Hooten’s Arkansas Football

JONESBORO — Tevin Oliver scored twice before halftime, Jaylen Heard turned a short completion into a 47-yard touchdown and Jonesboro scored the final 42 points to beat Marion 49-14 Friday at Jonesboro.

The Hurricane ended a four-game losing streak and earned its first 6A East victory. Jonesboro improved to 3-4 overall and 1-3 in conference play. A game Marion led 14-7 in the first quarter became a running-clock finish after PJ Williams returned an interception 20 yards for Jonesboro’s final touchdown.

Marion initially controlled field position. The Patriots drove 70 yards for the opening touchdown, then Drace McGee returned a short kickoff into Jonesboro territory to start another scoring possession. Ben Bateman completed a pass to Kendrick Walker at the 1, and McGee took a direct snap into the end zone for a 14-7 lead.

Oliver’s 3-yard run had answered Marion’s first score. Jonesboro missed another chance to draw even when a high snap pushed a second-quarter possession away from the goal line and a field-goal attempt went wide right. But Will Marlin had helped stabilize the defense with a third-down sack, and the Hurricane received another short field before halftime.

A snap over Marion’s punter left Jonesboro with the ball at the Patriots’ 35. Quarterback CJ Lovelace moved the offense inside the 5 with two keepers. After a failed sneak and a timeout, Oliver took a handoff from the 2 and scored with 12 seconds remaining. Alex Glomski’s extra point tied it at 14.

Both teams punted on their first second-half possessions. Jonesboro then kept its next drive moving with a third-down completion to Kameron Davis before Heard caught Lovelace’s pass, broke free of a tackle and finished the 47-yard scoring play. That gave the Hurricane its first lead, 21-14.

Marion reached Jonesboro’s 27 on its next drive, but Bateman’s fourth-down pass went incomplete near the sideline. Lovelace later scored on a keeper with 19 seconds left in the third quarter, stretching the lead to 28-14.

The fourth-quarter separation came through offense, special teams and defense. O’Jay Cullins scored on a 5-yard run with 8:53 remaining. Brandon Davis recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff at Marion’s 10. Jamarius Jackson took a short flip to the edge and was ruled out just shy of the goal line; Aiden Grimes finished the possession with a quarterback keeper at 8:26.

Williams then intercepted Bateman and returned it for the seventh Jonesboro touchdown. Glomski converted all seven extra points, and the Hurricane defense kept Marion scoreless after its first two possessions.

Scoring summary

First quarter Tevin Oliver 3-yard run; Alex Glomski kick. Tied 7-7.

First quarter Drace McGee 1-yard run; Brody Wasion kick. Marion 14-7.

Second quarter • 0:12 Tevin Oliver 2-yard run; Alex Glomski kick. Tied 14-14.

Third quarter Jaylen Heard 47-yard pass from CJ Lovelace; Alex Glomski kick. Jonesboro 21-14.

Third quarter • 0:19 CJ Lovelace touchdown run; Alex Glomski kick. Jonesboro 28-14.

Fourth quarter • 8:53 O’Jay Cullins 5-yard run; Alex Glomski kick. Jonesboro 35-14.

Fourth quarter • 8:26 Aiden Grimes quarterback keeper; Alex Glomski kick. Jonesboro 42-14.

Fourth quarter PJ Williams 20-yard interception return; Alex Glomski kick. Jonesboro 49-14.

Players who stood out

Tevin Oliver, Jonesboro: Two rushing touchdowns, from 3 and 2 yards; the second tied the game with 12 seconds left in the first half.

CJ Lovelace, Jonesboro: A 47-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Heard and a third-quarter touchdown run.

Jaylen Heard, Jonesboro: A 47-yard touchdown reception that gave Jonesboro its first lead.

O’Jay Cullins, Jonesboro: A 5-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run.

Aiden Grimes, Jonesboro: A fourth-quarter quarterback-keeper touchdown after a kickoff turnover.

PJ Williams, Jonesboro: A 20-yard interception-return touchdown.

Brandon Davis, Jonesboro: Recovered a fumble on a kickoff at Marion’s 10, setting up Grimes’ touchdown.

Will Marlin, Jonesboro: A third-down sack that forced Marion to punt after its first two scoring drives.

Alex Glomski, Jonesboro: Seven successful extra points.

Drace McGee, Marion: A 1-yard rushing touchdown and a kickoff return into Jonesboro territory that set up that scoring possession.

Kendrick Walker, Marion: Caught Bateman’s pass at the Jonesboro 1 immediately before McGee’s touchdown.