Panthers topple Titans 70-0 in Jacksonville
The Benton Panthers were dominant rolling past the Jacksonville Titans for a 70-0 road victory Friday.
According to the Benton
High athletics history book, the 70-point triumph is Benton’s second largest in the program’s history. In the 1930 season, the Panthers earned a 79-0 win over Beebe which is its biggest margin of victory.
Coach Brad Harris’ team improved to 6-1 overall and 6-0 against 6A East opposition.
The offense was once again efficient. Meanwhile, the Panther defense was dominant as it forced six turnovers in the first half. The Titan miscues set the stage for Benton to easily take control of the game.
Early in the first, the Panthers needed only 3 plays to grab a lead they would not relinquish.
After Jacksonville punted on its first series, Benton got the ball in great field position and quickly made its way down the field.
Benton’s 3-play drive was highlighted by running back Braylen Russell who ran for seven yards, caught a 25-yard pass and capped the drive with a touchdown run of 18 yards. Garrett Honeycutt, made the first of his 8 extra points, to give Benton a 7-0 lead.
With its second possession, Jacksonville drove inside the Benton 20.
However, the Titans’ surge came to an end when Panther defensive lineman Ian Alvarez stripped the ball from the grasp of a running back.
The Panthers needed only two plays to capitalize on the Jacksonville turnover when Drew Davis completed an 80-yard touchdown pass to receiver Karson Collatt.
Now holding a 14-0 lead, Benton’s defense would again create a turnover.
This time Gary Rideout intercepted a pass and returned it to the Titan 33.
Soon after, the Panther offense found the end zone when Davis once again connected with Collatt. This time it was for a TD of 30 yards to make the score 21-0.
Later in the quarter, Jacksonville’s struggles with turnovers continued when Panther defensive back Isaac Hill picked off a pass and returned it to the Titan 17.
Benton used only one play to score, thanks to a 17-yard touchdown run by Russell as the Panthers would increase their lead to 28-0.
With its next possession, Jacksonville again turned the ball over. And again – it was Hill who managed to intercept a pass which he returned to the 50.
The Panthers then needed only 4 plays to increase their lead when Collatt caught an 8-yard touchdown pass. Following Honeycutt’s extra point, the score was now 35-0.
Early in the second period, the Panthers added to their lead when Maddox Davis hauled in a 14-yard touchdown pass from Drew Davis to push the advantage to 42-0.
Later in the half, the Panthers went up 49-0 after Maddox Davis caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from Drew Davis.
With its next possession, the Titans once again turned the ball over when Chris Barnard got an interception and returned it to the Jacksonville 19. Four plays later, Benton scored when Russell plowed his way into the end zone from 1-yard out. With under 2 minutes left until the half, Benton led 56-0.
In what was the theme of the first half, the Benton defense forced Jacksonville to commit a turnover. The Panther defensive backs swarmed toward a pass and the ball was tipped.
Eventually, Hill caught the ball for an interception with 1:26 on the clock.
When the intermission arrived, the Panthers led 56-0.
In the second half, with the mercy rule in play, Benton’s reserve players received lots of time on the field. The Panthers added to their lead when Cline Hooten scored on a 1-yard quarterback keeper. Chris Hernandez made the kick to boost the Panther advantage to 63-0.
Moments later, Panthers running back Quentin Godley ran 34 yards for a touchdown. Following the kick by Hernandez, the score was 70-0 with less than 2 minutes left to play.
Benton finished with just under 480 yards of offense.
Russell compiled 107 yards rushing. Collatt had three receptions, all touchdowns, for 119 yards. Drew Davis had 234 yards passing.
The Panthers return home next week to take on the Searcy Lions.