Brandon Hunter helped Benton avoid an 0-2 start to the 6A-West Conference season.
Hunter finished with 225 all-purpose yards and 4 touchdowns, including 3 receiving, in the Panthers' 63-0 victory over Siloam Springs on Friday in Benton.
At a glance
Brandon Hunter
SCHOOL Benton
POSITION Running back
CLASS Senior
HT/WT 5-9, 165 pounds
FRIDAY’S STATISTICS Rushed for 123 yards and 1 touchdown on 10 carries and caught 4 passes for 102 yards and 3 touchdowns in Benton’s 63-0 victory over Siloam Springs on Friday night.
The senior running back is this week's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's All-Arkansas Preps Player of the Week. He will be honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club's luncheon Monday at the Embassy Suites. Former Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer is the guest speaker.
Hunter had 4 receptions for 102 yards and 3 touchdowns and rushed for 123 yards and 1 score on 10 carries for Benton (3-2, 1-1 6A-West).
"He turned in a great performance [against Siloam Springs]," Coach Brad Harris said.
Hunter had touchdown catches of 39, 37 and 20 yards and a scoring run of 27 yards, all in the first two quarters, as Benton took a 42-0 halftime lead.
Harris said Hunter's first touchdown came on a swing route from senior quarterback Nate Beck.
"He made the rest happen with his speed and vision," Hunter said. "We try to get it to him as much as possible. For us to be successful, Brandon has to be successful."
Hunter's 27-yard run early in the second quarter and Preston Stone's two-point conversion extended Benton's lead to 16-0.
"It was an inside-zone play," Harris said. "We try to get him matched up on the edge. His vision is really good in the box.
"He doesn't have to have a hole. He just needs to have a little daylight."
This season, Hunter has rushed for 563 yards and 7 touchdowns on 54 carries, averaging 112.6 yards per game and 10.4 yards per carry. He's also caught 25 passes for 336 yards and 6 touchdowns.
Hunter has rushed for at least 100 yards in each of the past three weeks, including a season-high 243 yards against Greenbrier on Sept. 16.
"Brandon for the past three weeks has played well," Harris said. "He's great out of the backfield and receiving."
The victory over Siloam Springs was important because the Panthers did not want to fall two games behind Greenwood, Russellville and Lake Hamilton in the 6A-West race.
"It was a confidence thing," Harris said. "It was good for us to get back at home. We played really well at home. The guys played really well. We quit feeling sorry for ourselves."
Benton's high-powered offense has averaged 42.6 points this season and Hunter has been a key part of the Panthers' success so far, Harris said.
"Brandon is a versatile kid," Harris said. "He can play wide receiver or running back for us. We use him in both roles. We'll try to get him in a one-on-one matchup. He's also dangerous between the tackles.
"He's very explosive. He takes care of the football for us."
Sports on 10/06/2016