Wells, Hill keys for Warriors

JASPER, Tenn. -- The sun had set behind the mountains and a chilly November wind blew across the field at Bill Baxter Stadium late Wednesday evening. But long after most of his teammates began making their way home from practice, Nick Wells remained on the field, catching punts.

Marion County's versatile senior was looking for another way to help extend the season another week.

"I was kind of shaky catching punts during practice," Wells said. "I actually dropped one I shouldn't have, so I wanted some extra work. I like getting my hands on the ball and making something happen. I just want to help my team any way I can."

Despite partially torn ligaments in his right ankle, the 5-foot-8, 155-pound Wells continues finding ways to set the tone for the Warriors. His toughness and the progression of first-year starting quarterback Trey Hill have made Marion a dangerous playoff opponent again. Wells has 788 offensive yards and has made 58 tackles, six for loss, and two interceptions, while Hill has rushed and thrown for a combined 1,290 yards and 15 touchdowns.

"Trey has been playing with a lot more confidence the last few games, and that's made a big difference for us," Warriors coach Troy Boeck said. "He got shook up a little bit with some fumbles and misreads earlier this year, but everything is clicking for him right now. If you have a kid who can make the right reads, this offense can really gash a defense.

"Nick is just a really good football player. I wish we had more kids with his mojo. He's aggressive and confident, and we feed off him on both sides of the ball. They're a pretty good combination for us."

Marion has essentially faced elimination each of the last three weeks. First the Warriors had to beat Lookout Valley in the final game of the regular season to secure a postseason berth. Wells and Hill combined for 328 yards of total offense and four touchdowns to win that game, and then last week in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs, the Warriors rallied from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit for a three-point win at Forrest. Wells' punt returns and Hill's two TDs paced that comeback.

Tonight, Marion visits second-ranked Boyd-Buchanan with a berth in the Class 2A quarterfinals at stake. The Buccaneers took advantage of five Marion turnovers in the regular season for a 14-point win, but last year Marion lost to the Bucs in the regular season and then rallied for a playoff upset.

"The difference in the game the last two times we've played them was turnovers," Boeck said. "They fumbled it six times last year in the playoffs, including once at the 1-yard line, and a couple of weeks ago we had five turnovers. It will likely come down to who protects the ball again this time around."