Benton falls against Chillicothe

Ross Martin
Prep-Sports Reporter

(Courtesy St. Joseph News Press)

Derek Wilson doesn't claim to have all the answers just yet, but he is sure of one thing.

Benton's coach believes his offense can turn it around.

"If I didn't, I'd turn in my resignation papers," he said following Friday night's 39-19 loss to Chillicothe at Sparks Field.

For a second straight week, Benton's newly installed spread offense sputtered, and Chillicothe (1-1, 1-1 MEC) used 33 unanswered points to rebound from last week's 20-18 loss to Maryville. Benton quarterback John Warner threw three interceptions, and the Cardinals offense managed only two of the three touchdowns.

The Cardinals earned 267 yards of total offense, 74 of which came on two second-half touchdown passes that came after Chillicothe opened a 33-6 lead.

Benton showed some of the resiliency it used in last week's Wendy's City Jamboree to earn two overtime victories. Wide receiver Trynon Bigham hauled in a 43-yard touchdown pass with 1 minute, 53 seconds left in the third quarter when a Chillicothe player fell in coverage to bring the Cardinals within 33-13.

Chillicothe still appeared ready to salt away an easy victory before Benton forced and recovered fumbles on the first plays of the Hornets' first two drives of the final quarter. The Cardinals only managed one score off the Hornets' late miscues when Warner found Terell Gray in the end zone on a fourth-down play uncovered behind the Hornets' defense. The extra point failed but brought Benton back to within two touchdowns.

Benton held on the next possession but went three-and-out and were forced to punt. Chillicothe took over at its own 41 with 5:58 left and proceeded to take the next 5 1/2 minutes off the clock before Brett Stephens scored from 17 yards out on a fourth-down play to put it away.

"We finally got to where we took care of the football, and thank heavens for that," Chillicothe coach Phil Willard said.

Chillicothe took control during the second quarter with three straight touchdowns covering more than 50 yards.

Benton held a 6-0 lead after Tyson Stewart returned a punt 51 yards untouched with 6:30 left in the first. Chillicothe failed to advance the ball into Benton territory and coughed up a fumble for the first 8 minutes, but the Cardinals couldn't take advantage.

In the second quarter, it all fell apart for Benton.

Chillicothe running back Clint Singleton, who finished with a game-high 102 yards, finally broke through with a 56-yard touchdown on a sweep right just 37 seconds into the second quarter to tie it 6-6. Benton responded by moving into Hornets' territory before an untimely chop block on a second-and-inches play eventually led to a punt.

On the first play of the next possession, Chillicothe quarterback Tyler Trammell found Singleton streaking down the seam on a play-action fake. He raced in untouched with Benton's safeties caught out of position to give Chillicothe a 13-7 lead.

"The way the ball was thrown, I knew I was going to have it," Singleton said. "But I figured I might have got drilled when I caught it, but it didn't happen."

The next two Chillicothe possessions ended with a 55-yard touchdown pass to Bryce Young and an 11-yard Dysart TD run. Young hauled in his pass as he and Benton's Jake Kretzer and Daiven Ruddock converged on Trammell's underthrown pass. Both Benton defenders failed to get a hand on it and slid to the ground, while Young grabbed it and scored untouched down the right sideline.