There’s going to be a bit of a different feel in this year’s Salt Bowl tonight when rivals Benton Panthers and Bryant Hornets go toe-to-toe at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. Salt Bowl XVII features two new head coaches, the first time that has happened since the two schools began that rivalry in 1974.
Former Panther defensive coordinator Brad Harris takes over for Scott Neathery, who is now Benton’s athletic director, and Buck James, a state title-winning coach at Camden Fairview in 2012, is the Hornet new head man after Paul Calley went to Harmony Grove.
“What a great, great environment,” Harris said of the Salt Bowl. “Coming off of two great years, we’ve won 20 ballgames so we have some big shoes to fill with this senior class. The senior class has been a part of those 20 wins, though, and that’s what a lot of people overlook.”
The Panthers, which haven’t won the Salt Bowl since 2005, did lose some record-breaking players along with many talented seniors while Benton went 21-4-1 the past two seasons, but this year’s Panther squad has some experienced skill players returning and the defense looks to be even better than the ones who held its opponents under 15 points per game the past two years after giving up over 30 per game the previous seven.
Kickoff for tonight’s game is 7:30 p.m. at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. It will be broadcast on 93.7 FM.
Read the rest in today's The Saline Courier