Down 12 points late in the third quarter, Benton scored two touchdowns – including a time-consuming drive late in the fourth quarter – to come away with a 28-28 homecoming victory Saturday over county rival West Frankfort.
West Frankfort had taken a 28-16 lead with 1:42 left in the third quarter after driving 70 yards in 13 plays with Madison Allen scoring on a 6-yard run. The Redbirds were able to sustain the drive after a fake punt resulted in a first down at Benton’s 43. Perhaps the biggest play of the drive came after the TD, when the Redbirds were flagged for having an ineligible receiver downfield. The extra point run failed, which would’ve given the ‘Birds a 14-point advantage.
A 30-yard pass play from Benton quarterback Hamilton Page to Grante Hungate set up a late third-quarter touchdown. The Rangers also benefitted from a pass interference call on the Redbirds. Oliver Davis’ extra point kick sliced the deficit to 28-23.
West Frankfort was driving again on its next drive – getting down to the Benton 16 – when another penalty killed the drive. Frankfort was called for holding following a 19-yard run by Logan Tomanovich.
With 7:13 left on the clock, Benton put together a 76-yard, 15-play drive, resulting in the winning touchdown with 1:35 showing on the clock. Page was outstanding during the game-winning drive. Page carried the ball 10 times for 50 yards and completed a couple of passes to Tony Tillman and Tyson Houghland. Blane Pankey finished the drive off with a 5-yard run.
“We got of dinked and dumped our way down the field and got down there on a couple of nice runs by (Hamilton) Page, who just makes things happen,” Benton coach Bob Pankey said. “I didn’t want too much time left on the clock after we scored.”
West Frankfort quarterback Brandon Beery completed three passes on the Redbirds’ next possession. However, another key penalty – an ineligible receiver downfield – left Frankfort with a fourth-and-eight with 7.7 seconds remaining.
Page intercepted a Beery pass at the 3 with 1.5 seconds left, essentially sealing the victory for Benton, now 3-2. With the loss, the Redbirds are also 3-2.
