Defense improving
Benton has pitched shutouts in its two nonconference victories, both on the road, beating Jacksonville 42-0 on Sept. 11 and blanking Greenbrier 38-0 last Friday. Coach Scott Neathery credits second-year defensive coordinator Brad Harris for his game planning and getting the Panthers’ defensive unit to play better.
Defense has led the way for Benton over the past two weeks.
The Panthers have pitched shutouts in their two nonconference victories, both on the road, beating Jacksonville 42-0 on Sept. 11 and blanking Greenbrier 38-0 last Friday.
Coach Scott Neathery credits second-year defensive coordinator Brad Harris for his game planning and getting the Panthers defensive unit to play better than it did in a 37-13 loss to Bryant on Sept. 4 in the Salt Bowl in Little Rock.
“It’s confidence,” Neathery said. “Any time you have a good game, you have confidence. Confidence is a good thing as long as you don’t get too overconfident.”
Benton held Jacksonville to 38 yards of total offense, and one week later it limited Greenbrier to 152 yards.
Senior linebacker Dylan Murphy had 11 tackles to lead Benton last week. Linebacker Ben Brasuell, another junior, finished with 8 tackles and 21/2 sacks, while senior defensive end Jeremiah Bowling had 41/2 sacks and 6 tackles.
Murphy and Brasuell started for Benton’s 6A-South Conference championship team last season that lost in the state championship game to Pine Bluff. Benton returns six defensive starters from last season’s team.
“We lost some good players from last year’s team that were huge to our success,” Neathery said. “But these guys have played their tails off.”
Benton hosts Little Rock Parkview in a matchup of teams included among the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Class 6A Super Six ranking. The Patriots, No. 3 in the Class 6A, are led by junior quarterback Koilan Jackson, who has completed 36 of 61 passes for 597 yards with 12 touchdowns and no interceptions.
Parkview’s athleticism will be a challenge for No. 5 Benton, Neathery said.
“They’re going to have a lot more speed than we’ve got, that’s for sure,” Neathery said. “We have to make sure we’re sure tacklers. When somebody doesn’t make the tackle, they take it to the house. They’ve got enough weapons. That’s always scary for a defense.”