The Benton Tigers dug themselves a big hole for the second week in a row.
This time, they climbed all the way out of it.
Trailing 28-7 at the half, Benton rallied for a 42-35 victory over the Leesville Wampus Cats Thursday night in Leesville.
The Tigers gave Stephen Dennis his first victory as head coach.
Benton improved to 1-4. Leesville dropped to 1-4.
Dennis was excited for his players.
“Down 28-7 at the half, I challenged them,” he said. “Just been talking to them about, you know, don’t worry about the circumstances around you, just win the next snap.
“And I told them when you look back on tonight you’re not going to regret anything if you try your hardest. They just went in and chipped away and I think there are a lot of life lessons.
“Football is a conduit to teach life in my opinion. I know that it has been for me. And I told them, tonight we didn’t just win a football game, they learned a life lesson of just when life is hard how to fight. Don’t pay attention to the circumstances you just keep fighting.
“I hope that that’s more than the win as good as the win feels my players that’s what they take with them.”
The Tigers got a big boost at the end of the first half. The Wampus Cats had a first-and-goal at the 8.
After three incomplete passes, Benton stopped Leesville at the 6 after a short completion.
“That was one of the key things of the game,” Dennis said. “If we don’t get that stop right there it’s even tougher climbing out of that hole coming out at the half. They can milk the clock more and more. That was huge.”
Benton then forced a three-and-out to start the second half.
The Tigers dominated from there, playing complementary football at its finest. Every time the defense performed well, which was often, the offense came through and vice versa.
Even so, Benton had to come from behind after taking a 34-26 on a 62-yard pass from Malachi Zeigler to Case Austin with 4:28 to play.
The Wampus Cats drove 65 yards capped by a 28-yard touchdown pass. The PAT put them on top 35-34 with 3:24 left.
After a good kickoff return to the Benton 44, the Tigers drove to a first down at the Leesville 32.
Greg Chambers took it from there, scoring his fourth touchdown of the night. His two-point conversion run made it 42-35 with 1:38 left.
Leesville drove in to Tigers territory, reaching the 28. But Jonathan Hollis intercepted a pass in the end zone on the final play.
Case Austin played a big role in the victory.
In addition to his 62-yard TD, he also caught a 45-yard touchdown pass from Zeigler that got Benton within 28-19 with 3:29 left in the third quarter.
He also had a 36-yard catch that set up a 6-yard Chambers touchdown run.
Austin also played on defense the whole game. He intercepted a tipped pass at the Leesville 41 after the Tigers’ lone turnover of the second half.
“I sit there worrying about him playing so many snaps and he’s like, Coach, I’m good,” Dennis said. “Do you need a rest? No, Coach, I’m good. I’m like, OK, keep going. He comes off the field, gets a shot of water and goes.”
On the 62-yard pass, Austin caught a perfectly thrown pass from Zeigler, stretching his arms as he was running down the Benton sideline with a couple of steps on the defender.
“I don’t think Malachi could’ve thrown a better pass,” Dennis said.
Zeigler completed 17-of-31 passes for 324 yards, per stats kept for the Benton Tigers Sports Network broadcast.
Benton rushed for 228 yards on 35 carries with Chambers and Zeigler getting to bulk of that. Chambers also had a 31-yard gain on a screen pass that set up his 1-yard run for a touchdown.
Zeigler got good pass protection but he also made some good yardage on scrambles. He picked up a big first down on a designed run on fourth-and-4 on a scoring drive.
Benton scored on its first drive of the game. The Tigers got into the early hole because of turnovers and big plays by the Wampus Cats.
Leesville scored on passes of 49, 30 and 74 yards by Trel Broom.
“We gave up too many deep balls in the first half but found a way to get some stops in the second,” Dennis said. “Playing defense right now is just hard. The offenses are really good. Right now what matters is can you get just one more stop than they do. That’s what we were able to do tonight.”
Benton returns to District 1-5A play next Thursday at Haughton. The Bucs (1-3) are scheduled to play Natchitoches Central Friday night.