BENTON 60, EL DORADO 36

The Benton Panthers traveled to El Dorado on Friday night and came home with a big 60-36 win over the Wildcats in an important 6-A East matchup. Benton (5-2, 3-1) surpassed 50 points and 500 yards of total offense for the third time in four conference games.

The Panther offense separated from El Dorado in the second half, thanks to a strong effort led by the offensive line. With a 29-21 halftime lead but just 31 first half rush yards, the Panthers exploded for 219 yards on the ground behind excellent work on the offensive line from Jonathan Bianchi, Jaren Ginther, Madison Heard, Sam Harris, Barrett Petet, and Garrett Pilkington. In fact, Pilkington pounced on a loose ball in the end zone midway through the third quarter to score the first touchdown by a Panther offensive lineman in recent memory.

The Panthers got on the board first thanks to an El Dorado snap over punter Justin Hammett’s head and out of the end zone for a safety and a 2-0 lead. It was a lead the Panthers never surrendered the entire night.

Gabe Wilbur kicked the first of his three field goals (now 9 of 10 on the season) at the 5:32 mark of the first quarter to extend the lead to 5-0.

After Trey Stewart recovered a Wildcat fumble forced by Antonio Shelton, it took the Panthers just two plays to go up 12-0. Drew Davis threw to Will Carter for 29 yards before connecting again on a 9-yard touchdown pass.

From that point on in the first half, the teams traded scores with Benton’s points coming on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Davis to Brenden Murdock, a five-yard Davis touchdown jaunt, and a 24-yard field goal from Wilbur on the final play of the first half.

Benton received the second half kickoff and with a renewed commitment to the run game, marched into the end zone in five plays covering 56 yards, all on the ground. Gunner Deaton punched it in the end zone for the Panthers on a 21-yard run to give Benton a two-score lead, 36-21.

Following an El Dorado score and two-point conversion to trim the lead to 36-29, the Panthers mounted a four-play, 66-yard drive. Murdock had a 27-yard run on the drive and it appeared as if Davis would score on a 20-yard run. However, the Wildcats punched the ball out before he crossed the goal line, but Pilkington was Johnny-on-the-spot to fall on the fumble in the end zone to push the lead to 43-29.

Davis and Carter connected again with 3:17 remaining in the third quarter on a spectacular 55-yard touchdown pass for a 50-29 lead .

After a Jeremy Samuel 10 yard run to make it 50-36, it was all Panthers in the final period. Wilbur booted a 21 yard field goal to cap a 13-play, 67-yard drive and Davis finished the scoring on a 23-yard scamper with 4:36 remaining to set the final score at 60-36.

Offensively, the Panthers piled up 534 yards on 64 snaps. Davis (11-78), Deaton (10-78) and Murdock (7-75) were responsible for the bulk of Benton’s yards on the ground.

Davis completed 19 of 26 passes for 284 yards and three touchdowns. Davis, the career touchdown passing leader in Benton High School history, now sits at 99 and has an opportunity to reach 100 touchdown passes next week. He also now has 7,760 career passing yards, putting him just 224 yards behind Garrett Brown as the all-time passing yardage leader.

Carter led the Panther receivers with 10 catches for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Collatt (5-70), Murdock (2-24, TD), Jon Curtis Barger (1-18) and Corey Anderson (1-7) had receptions for Benton.

Defensively, junior strongside linebacker Weston Monson led the unofficial tackle chart with 15. Senior free safety Cordell Payne had an interception, and Logan Hipskind and Shelton forced fumbles that were recovered by Dakota Manchack and Stewart. The Panther offense turned the three gifts into 17 points.

Friday’s win also gave Panther Head Coach Brad Harris 83 wins at the helm of Benton football, tying him with the legendary Dwight Fite atop the all-time wins list among Benton head coaches. He can become the all-time leader Friday when Benton hosts LR Catholic at the Palace at 7:00 p.m. The game will also be Benton’s annual Military Appreciation Night.