BENTON — Sylvan Hills upset Benton’s homecoming 40-35 Friday night at Everett Field in Benton.
The game was full of back-and-forth action, with both teams fighting hard from start to finish. Benton was stopped on its opening drive of the game, but senior defensive back Cordell Payne came up big with an interception on Sylvan Hills’ first offensive possession. Benton quarterback Drew Davis made them pay, connecting with Easton Snellings for a 19-yard touchdown to put the Panthers up 7-0 in the first quarter.
Sylvan Hills answered late in the quarter with a 24-yard touchdown pass but missed the extra point, trailing 7-6 after one. Within the first two minutes of the second quarter, Gunner Deaton powered in for a 3-yard rushing touchdown to extend Benton’s lead to 14-6.
On a crucial fourth down with eight minutes left in the half, Benton linebacker Noah Roberson sacked the Sylvan Hills quarterback for a loss to end the drive. But with five minutes remaining, Sylvan Hills marched down the field and scored on a quarterback sneak, adding a two-point conversion to tie the game 14-14.
Davis gave Benton the lead again with a 3-yard rushing touchdown at the 2:53 mark, sending the Panthers into halftime ahead 21-14.
Sylvan Hills tied the game early in the third quarter with a 33-yard touchdown pass. A few possessions later, the Bears struck again with a deep 60-plus-yard touchdown to take their first lead of the night at 28-21. Benton responded before the end of the quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run by Deaton to knot the score at 28-28.
Davis found the end zone once more early in the fourth quarter on a 10-yard run, putting Benton back on top 35-28 with 10:47 remaining. The Panthers recovered a fumble with 7:48 left but failed to convert on offense.
With five minutes left, Sylvan Hills scored on a 49-yard rushing touchdown but failed on the two-point attempt, trimming Benton’s lead to 35-34. After stopping Benton again, the Bears struck for a 68-yard touchdown run to go ahead 40-35 with less than a minute remaining.
Benton’s final chance came with 43 seconds left, facing fourth-and-4 from its own 18-yard line. The Panthers were stopped short, sealing the Sylvan Hills victory.
Benton rushed 40 times for 70 yards. Davis went 21 of 35 passing for 247 yards and three total touchdowns — two rushing and one passing. Snellings caught one touchdown, while Deaton finished with two rushing scores.
The Panthers will host Sheridan next Friday at 7 p.m. at The Palace.