The Benton Tigers rallied from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat the Byrd Yellow Jackets 31-28 Friday night at Newman-Mason Field at Tiger Stadium.
Benton improved to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in District 1-5A. It’s the first time since 2021 the Tigers have been over .500 at the halfway point of the regular season. Byrd dropped to 0-5 and 0-1.
Madden Raymond scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 13-yard pass from Malachi Zeigler with 31 seconds left. Zeigler’s two-point conversion run gave the Tigers the three-point lead.
Cordero Gray’s interception on the second play after the kickoff sealed the victory.
Benton converted two fourth-down situations on the 51-yard drive. On fourth-and-18 from the Tigers 43, Raymond got open down the middle. Zeigler hit him with a strike at the Byrd 39 and Raymond was tackled at the 33.
The Tigers then had a scare. The Jackets thought they recovered a fumble after a short pass but it was ruled incomplete.
On fourth-and-8 from the 31, Zeigler ran 18 yards around the right end. One play later Raymond made the touchdown grab.
Benton trailed 28-14 with 11:12 left in the game and Byrd had a first down at its 20.
Penalties and the Tigers defense pushed the Yellow Jackets back and forced a punt from the 6. Ethan Finley blocked it out of the end zone and the Tigers trailed 28-16 with 8:39 left.
Benton started at its 31 after the free kick. Drake Perkins ran 28 yards to the Jackets 41.
From the 30, Zeigler completed a 22-yard pass to Raymond, giving the Tigers a first-and-goal at the 8.
A penalty moved the ball back to the 13. After an incomplete pass on first down, Zeigler hit Hunter Crosby for 4 yards. Raymond then ran to the 2 and pushed his way into the end zone on fourth down. Jake Wroten’s PAT cut the deficit to 28-23 with 5:21 left to play.
Byrd started at Its 20 after the kickoff. The Tigers held the Jackets to 5 yards on three running plays.
After a 5-yard penalty, Byrd punted from the 20 and Benton took over at its 49, setting up the dramatic finish.
The first half didn’t have quite as much excitement.
Zeigler scored on a 20-yard run on the Tigers’ first possession and Benton led 7-6.
Byrd took the lead with a touchdown on its first possession of the third quarter,
A botched punt attempt set the Jackets up at the Benton 25. But the Tigers recovered a fumble one play later.
Byrd forced a punt and went up 21-7 on a 42-yard run by Collin Deere.
Benton then drove 80 yards for a touchdown. Raymond went 35 yards on a screen pass and a penalty moved the ball to the Byrd 30. Another major penalty on a Benton loss put the ball at the 18. Zeigler ran 13 yards and Raymond scored from 4 yards out with 3:18 left in the third quarter
It didn’t take long for the Jackets to extend their lead back to 14. A 59-yard touchdown drive put Byrd on top 28-14.
Benton visits Airline Friday. The Vikings (4-1, 1-0) defeated Natchitoches Central 32-29 Friday night.