After an 8-2 finish, the Benton Jr. High Panthers freshmen football team picked up some hardware recently. Thirteen players were named Central Arkansas Junior High Conference All-Conference selections, with five players being inducted into the Benton Junior High Hall of Fame at the 9th Grade Sports Banquet.
Those inducted into the Hall are Dylan Ferguson, Colen Morrow, Zak Wallace, Michael Allison and Joshua George. That quintet also made All-Conference, as did Bradyn Hendrix, Jenson White, Jesse Barker, Ty Neathery, Robert Langford, Henry Hicks, Caleb Easterling and Logan Easterling. Freddie Rhinehart Panther Pride Award winners are Peyton Pallete and Raymond Murray.
The Junior Panthers had a great season led by quarterback Morrow, who passed for 1,700 yards, completing 106 of 157 passes for a 67.5-percent clip. He threw 16 touchdowns vs. six interceptions. Morrow was also second on the team in rushing with 435 yards and eight TDs. Morrow also served as punter, kicking 10 away for a 37.1 yard average.
Running back Wallace led the team in scoring, raking in 12 TDs, 11 rushing, on the season. Wallace ran for a team-leading 574 yards and caught 7 passes for 86 yards and a TD.
Wide receiver Michael Allison led the Jr. Panthers with 36 catches for 616 yards and four TDS, while averaging 17.1 yards per reception. On defense, Allison led the team with three interceptions and added 20 tackles.
Playing on the defensive line, George (also OL) had 40 tackles, six for losses, forcing two fumbles and picking up two fumbles. Ferguson (OL) had 20 tackles on the defensive line, three for losses, and a sack. On offense, Ferguson’s only two catches went for TDs.
As for the rest of Benton’s All-Conference selections, Hendrix was second on the team with 33 receptions for 497 yards and four TDs, while tackling 22 on defense. White, Hicks and Barker, were part of an offensive line which helped the Jr. Panthers run for 1,343 yards and 26 TDs, and pass for 1,700 for over 3,000 yards of total offense.
Linebacker Caleb Easterling led the team with 51 tackles, nine for losses, 4.5 sacks and added an interception. Easterling also forced two fumbles and recovered two. On defense, linebacker Ty Neathery was second on the team with 48 tackles and three sacks, Langford had 31 tackles, eight for loss, and added 1.5 sacks on the defensive line.
On offense, Logan Easterling ran for 276 yards and five TDs, while picking up 21 tackles on defense. Pallette had 11 catches for 105 yards and a TD on offense, while finishing with 11 tackles and two interceptions on defense. Murry had 11 tackles as well and added two fumble recoveries.