The Benton Panthers couldn’t quite stop a streak last week when they fell in an excellent rivalry game with a 49-42 loss to the Bryant Hornets in Salt Bowl XVIII, but this week they will try to break another streak, which goes back to the last time the Panthers won in War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, which was in 2005 against their Saline County rival.
Tonight, the Panthers head back to War Memorial, but they won’t take on the Hornets. Benton will attempt to notch its first win of the year when they go to Little Rock to take on the Parkview Patriots, which edged the Star City Bulldogs 17-13 in their season-opener in Star City
“We have Parkview right back here at War Memorial,” Benton Coach Brad Harris said after the Salt Bowl loss. “Hopefully we can win a ballgame at War Memorial. I think Jim Gardner and I were talking the other day and he said we haven’t won a trip to War Memorial in 15, 16 tries, something like that, so hopefully we can win a ballgame here.”
Other than going 0-11-1 vs. Bryant the past 12 years at War Memorial, the Panthers have lost to Arkadelphia, Catholic and to Pine Bluff in the 6A State Championship game in 2014.
The good news for Benton last week is that the offense shined with the offensive line opening up holes for junior running back Zak Wallace to explode for 177 yards on the ground and five touchdowns against a good Bryant defense, leading the Panthers to 250 rushing yards in the game. Junior quarterback Colen Morrow also had a solid game completing 18 of 27 passes for 215 yards for a pretty balanced attack.
Benton and Parkview will kick off at 7 p.m. today at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. The game will be on 106.7 FM “The Ride” for those who cannot attend.