Danny Czerwinski
Section618.com
ANNA — The final week of the regular season provided two very different storylines for Benton and Anna-Jonesboro. The Rangers had a chance for a perfect regular season for the first time since 2001, while the Wildcats had to win to become playoff eligible.
Benton got off to a quick start and never looked back, winning at the Pit 42-14.
On the opening possession of the game, the Rangers marched 61 yards on just 4 plays in less than a minute for the first touchdown of the game. Keegan Glover’s 1-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Ward capped the drive to give Benton a 7-0 56 seconds into the game.
The Rangers were just getting started, as they recovered an onside kick to lead to a second touchdown, a 22-yard scoring pass from Glover to Chase Thomas. Benton led 14-0 less than two minutes into the game before A-J ever touched the ball.
A fumble ended the Wildcats’ first possession, and the Rangers made them pay. Glover connected with Thomas for a second TD pass, this time a 29-yarder on 4th and goal to put Benton up 21-0 less than 5 minutes into the game.
After a defensive stop, Benton extended the lead to 28-0 on Glover’s third touchdown pass of the night, a 25-yard connection with Reid Baumgarte for for a 28-0 lead. Glover was 10-10 passing in the opening quarter.
The frustration continued in the second quarter for the Wildcats. A-J ate up more than half of the quarter with a 13-play drive, but ended on downs without any points.
The Rangers didn’t take long to score again on their fifth straight drive. A 4 play, 67 yard drive that took 1:14 ended with a 55-yard touchdown pass from Glover to Baumgarte for the second time gave Benton a 35-0 lead 35-0 with 5:21 to go in the first half.
An exclamation point of a drive ended the first half for the Rangers. After a defensive stop, Benton went 66 yards on six plays in 1:26, hitting paydirt on Glover’s sixth TD pass of the half, a 15-yarder to Zachary Howell to put the Rangers up 42-0 at the half. Glover finished the night 14-17 for 293 yards and those six touchdowns.
A-J scored twice in the second half with the clock running for the final 42-14 tally.
The Rangers finish the regular season 9-0 and will now look forward to Saturday night when they will find out whom they will host in the first round of the IHSA State Football Playoffs.
The Wildcats’ season ends at 4-5.