The Benton Academy Raiders wrapped up their football season on Friday after falling 38-6 to Park Place.
Coach Kenny Burton said that both Benton and Park Place needed this win to make it to the playoffs.
"We would have had to win that game to keep going, so it was a do or die kind of thing," he said. "It's pretty tough sitting there and playing a big 5A school like that."
Despite the cold, wet weather on the forecast, the Raiders showed up to play in their final home game of the season.
Burton said that the game went back and forth in the first quarter.
J.B. Middleton had a great catch for the Raiders in the first quarter, running 74 yards toward the end zone before he was stopped at the one yard line. Arion Warren scored Benton's only touchdown in the game from that point.
"It was kind of back and forth in the first quarter," Burton said. "They scored, and then we scored, and then they scored again, but it was the turnovers that kind of hit us."
The turnovers, which included 4 fumbles and 2 interceptions, are some things that Burton prepared the Raiders for before the game ever started.
"When we talked pregame, it was one of those situations where we knew there were going to be a lot of turnovers in the ballgame." he said. "We knew it was going to be a matter of who capitalizes on the ball and who recovers the ball and takes care of it."
Burton continued in saying that the turnovers went back and forth.
"It looked like every time we put the ball on the ground they recovered it, and every time they put the ball on the ground they got it back," he said.
Despite the hard loss in this last game of the season, Burton said that he thought the Raiders did very well on the field.
"Defensively I thought we played well," he said. "Considering who we played, I mean they scored on a fumble return for a touchdown, and they also scored on an interception, so I thought the defense played really well."
Standing out on defense for Benton in this game was Rye Yeates, who had 10 tackles and 3 tackles for loss. Caden Stevens had 10 tackles, while Caden Alexander had 8, and J.T. McDaniel had 7.
Burton said that his five seniors deserved recognition for their work this season: Zac Nesbit, Arion Warren, Slaton Saxton, Josh Dearman, and Buddy Adkinson.
"We talked to the seniors after the ballgame and told them that they really helped us this year with the dedication and turning things around," Burton said.
