The Benton Panthers are on a roll since suffering two straight defeats late in the season to get saddled with the West No. 4 seed, but took care of business in the first round of the 6A State Playoffs with a 42-21 win over the East No. 5 seed Mountain Home Bombers at Panthers Stadium last week.
The Panthers (7-4) outgained the Bombers (4-7) 408 - 294 in total yardage with all of Mountain Home's coming on the ground. Senior Brandon Hunter was his usual self rushing for 169 yards on 19 carries, including an 81-yard TD to help the Panthers to a 28-7 lead. But it was senior linebacker Brayden Harris who got offensive in last week's win. Harris, The Saline Courier Athlete of the Week, rushed six times for 61 yards and a career-high four TDs, including a 37-yard scamper to put Benton up 14-7. Harris also made 13 tackles, three for loss, and picked up his first sack of the year.
The Bombers were the third straight option team the Panthers had faced, but that all changes this Friday when the Panthers travel to Jonesboro to take on the East No. 1 seed Hurricane (9-1).
Jonesboro runs the Spread offense and is led by junior quarterback Tyson Williams, who has thrown for 2,427 yards (72 percent) and 33 TDs vs. just seven interceptions. Williams' favorite receiver is 6-4 senior Jonathan Adams, who has 66 catches for 1,236 yards and 23 TDs.
The Hurricane are no slouches on the ground, either, as they have run for almost 2,000 yards with junior backs Daishon Fountain (570 yards, nine TDs) and Ji'Marcus Bibbs (587, eight TDs) leading the way.
But as prolific as Jonesboro is on offense, the Hurricane have proven to be just about as bad on defense. Scoring 51.7 per game, Jonesboro gives up 31.4 to opposing offenses so Friday's game may be the team that scores last. Benton averages 41.7 points per game and gives up 18.5 this season. Though, some of those points haven't come at the expense of the Benton defense as offensive turnovers have bitten Benton, especially with field position. The Panthers average 419.2 yards per game and give up 212.1 in a very tough 6A West Conference.
Kickoff for the Round 2 game vs. the Hurricane will be at 7 p.m. at Cooksey-Johns Stadium in Jonesboro for the two teams' first-ever meeting.