BENTON — For the first time since 2002, the Benton Rangers are headed to the state quarterfinals after dominating Monticello 42-12 in the second round of the 3A playoffs at Tabor Field Saturday.

Keegan Glover rang up 415 yards of total offense and was responsible for six touchdowns, while the Rangers’ defense was shutting down the Sages’ high-powered offense.

On the second play of the game, Reid Baumgarte intercepted Sages’ quarterback Joey Sprinkle’s pass, and the Rangers were off. Eight plays later, Glover ran in from six yards out to give Benton a 7-0 lead.

The teams exchanged punts, with the Rangers pinning the Sages back on their own two-yard line. Sprinkle then found Peyton Scott for a 98-yard touchdown pass. The extra point was wide left, so the Rangers still led 7-6.

Benton answered with another Glover touchdown run, this one a 5-yard score, putting the Rangers up 14-6. Glover then turned defense into offense, first intercepting Sprinkle, then connecting on a 73-yard TD pass to Baumgarte. Benton led 21-6 at the end of the first quarter.

The turnover bug continued for the Sages. Early in the second, the Rangers forced and recovered a fumble, and once again Glover made Monticello pay, finding Baumgarte again behind the defense for a 52-yard touchdown pass to put Benton up 28-6 with 8:24 left in the first half.

Wyatt Upton then provided the Rangers’ third interception of the first half which led to Glover’s third touchdown pass of the day. This time Zachary Howell was the target. The 28-yard TD pass gave Benton a 35-6 lead at the half as the Rangers turned four Sages turnovers into 28 points.

Glover and Baumgarte combined for a third touchdown pass in the third quarter, this one a 9-yard scoring strike to cap the Rangers’ scoring for the day and adding to the school records for both. Baumgarte caught six passes for 157 yards and three touchdowns on the day. He passed Ayden Newcomb for the school’s career touchdown record with 21. Baumgarte now has 929 receiving yards this season, passing Cade Thomas for Benton’s single-season record.

Glover finished 18-24 passing for 291 yards and four touchdowns. He now has 2153 yards this season, breaking Hamilton Page’s record of 1906 set in 2017. Glover now owns every quarterback record at Benton and is now 20th on the IHSA’s career touchdown passes list with 77.

The Rangers improve to 11-0 and will play at 11-0 Mt. Carmel Saturday at 2:00. Monticello ends the season 8-3.