Panthers fall to Wildcats
Martin Couch Sports editor

MISTY PLATT PHOTO MCCAULEY Benton Panthers quarterback Zac McCauley runs the ball.

The Benton Panthers' football season came to an end on Friday night at Watson Chapel.

The Panthers, who lost a chance at the 6A-State playoffs to El Dorado, played the Wildcats in Pine Bluff for pride. Despite leadig after the first period, the Panthers fell to Watson Chapel 38-28.

Watson Chapel's quarterback Gordon Johnson threw for 291 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 115 yardsand another score in the victory at Wildcat Stadium.

Johnson threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Johnson to put the Wildcats up 6-0 with 8:32 left in the first period. Benton, though, came back with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Zac McCauley to Mark Adkins and Jorge Couto added the extra point kick to put the Panthers up 7-6.

The Wildcats regained the lead in the second period when Cedric Reed caught a 64-yard pass from Gordon Johnson. The 2-point conversion put Watson Chapel up 14-7. Benton came back when McCauley carried in from 1-yard out to cap a sevenplay 67-yard drive. Couto's extra point tied the game 14-14 at the 4:03 mark of the second quarter.

Watson Chapel's Quinton Marks' 22-yard touchdown catch from Johnson with 1:03 to play in the first half swung the momentum to Chapel for good, as the Wildcats added a Johnson touchdown run midway through the third quarter and a 19-yard scoring grab from Marks early in the fourth in scoring 24 consecutive points to take a commanding 38-14 lead they would not relinquish.

The win was the first for Chapel (3-7 2-5 6A-South) since Sept. 28 and ended a streak of four straight losses. The Wildcats

finish the season in sixth place in Class 6A-South. Benton

finishes in fifth place in the conference with a 2-8 overall record.

After Watson Chapela built a 38-14 lead, Garrett Parker caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from McCauleyto make it 38-20 with 7:02 left to play. Benton scored again on the last play of the game when Tyler Wilson caught a 12-yard pass from McCauley. McCauley threw to Derek Adams for the 2- point conversion to account for the Panthers' 28 points.

McCauley finished the night 24-of-44 for 360 yards and three touchdowns.

Score by quarters
Panthers	7	7	0	14	- 28
Wildcats	6	16	8	8	- 38

Scoring Summary 1st 8:32 Chapel - Kevin Johnson 8 pass from Gordon Johnson (pass failed) 1st 7:13 Benton - Atkins 24 pass from McCauley (Cuto kick) 2nd 11:17 Chapel - Reed 64 pass from G. Johnson (G. Johnson rush) 2nd 4:08 Benton - McCauley 1 run (Cuto kick) 2nd 1:03 Chapel - Marks 22 pass from G. Johnson (G. Johnson rush) 3rd 7:54 Chapel - G. Johnson 2 run (G. Johnson rush) 4th 8:28 Chapel - Marks 19 pass from G. Johnson (Emerson pass from G. Johnson) 4th 7:02 Benton - Parker 10 pass from McCauley (pass failed) 4th :03 Benton - Wilson 12 pass from McCauley (Adams pass from McCauley)