The Benton Tigers defeated the Natchitoches Central Chiefs 41-35 in overtime Friday night at Newman-Mason Field at Tiger Stadium.
Benton improved to 4-4 overall and 2-2 in District 1-5A. Natchitoches Central dropped to 0-8 and 0-4.
The game went into overtime tied at 35. Natchitoches Central went on offense first at the 10. On the first play, Ryder Dodson intercepted a pass.
The Tigers won it on the next play. Quarterback Malachi Zeigler scored from the 10.
Benton took a 35-21 lead on Madden Raymond’s 2-yard run and Jake Wroten’s third extra-point kick early in the fourth quarter.
But Natchitoches Central answered with touchdown drives of 65 and 61 yards to tie it with 3:03 left to play.
The Tigers drove to the Chiefs 37 but were forced to punt. Natchitoches Central got in position for a 47-yard field goal attempt on the last play of regulation.
It was well short and Cordaro Gray broke free on the return down the Benton sideline. But the Chiefs knocked him out of bounds around their 30 and the game went into overtime.
Natchitoches Central took the opening kickoff and scored on a 16-yard run by David Newton.
Benton tied it on a 41-yard pass from Zeigler to Raymond early in the second quarter:
A 12-yard touchdown run by Newton gave the Chiefs a 14-7 lead.
The Tigers drove 67 yards for a touchdown. Zeigler scored from 7 yards out with 37 seconds left in the half. A fake on the conversion failed and Benton trailed 14-13.
The Tigers took their first lead on a 64-yard touchdown pass from Zeigler to Nick Randall. Randall caught a short pass at the 35 and sprinted to the end zone. Wroten’s PAT put Benton up 20-14.
After the teams exchanged fumbles, the Tigers drove 55 yards for a touchdown. Raymond scored from 2 yards out. He then added the conversion and Benton led 28-14.
The Tigers had to kick off from the 10 because of penalties. Natchitoches Central converted a fourth-and-14 and scored with 3:05 left in the third.
Benton then drove 56 yards for a touchdown to take the 35-21 lead.
Benton hosts Huntington Friday night. The Raiders (2-6, 2-2) defeated Captain Shreve 28-21 Thursday night.