BENTONVILLE -- Jody Grant stressed all week long that Bentonville High's football team was in need of a fast start against Rogers High.
[HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD: Full results + recaps, photos and more]
The Tigers answered the challenge Friday night, particularly Canaan Ross and Kam'ron Mays-Hunt. Ross threw for four touchdowns, including two to Mays-Hunt, as Bentonville celebrated homecoming with a 49-7 victory during 7A-West Conference action at Tiger Stadium.
7A-West Conference
Bentonville High 49, Rogers High 7
Rogers^0^0^0^7^—^7
Bentonville^14^21^14^0^—^49
First quarter
Bent — Mays-Hunt 4 pass from Ross (Moehring kick), 10:25.
Bent — Clark 2 run (Moehring kick), 2:50.
Second quarter
Bent — Barganier 6 pass from Ross (Moehring kick), 11:55.
Bent — Mays-Hunt 75 pass from Ross (Moehring kick), 7:52.
Bent — Mays-Hunt 42 pass from N. Lyons (Moehring kick), 2:50.
Third quarter
Bent — Johnson 54 pass from Ross (Hogue kick), 8:29.
Bent — N. Lyons 1 run (Hogue kick), 0:26.
Fourth quarter
Rog — McWhorter 7 run (Lopez kick), 8:32.
"We talked about it all week," Grant said. "We challenged our kids, and we did some things in practice to put them in position to go out and operate from the kickoff. I'm very pleased with the way they came out and performed."
Jacob Clark's 52-yard run on the opening play was just the beginning for Bentonville (6-2, 4-1), which compiled 398 yards of its 554 yards total offense in the first half. Ross and Mays-Hunt began the scoring with a 4-yard touchdown pass to cap the opening drive, and Clark's 2-yard touchdown run gave the Tigers a 14-0 first-quarter lead.
Ross then hit Clay Barganier with a 6-yard touchdown pass to open the second quarter before he found Mays-Hunt well behind the Rogers secondary for a 75-yard touchdown pass. Mays-Hunt then picked up a third touchdown reception when he caught Nathan Lyons' pass, side-stepped a Rogers defender and bolted 42 yards for the score with 2 minutes, 50 seconds before halftime.
"I just kind of ran past them," said Mays-Hunt, who finished with six receptions for 160 yards. "I knew the corner had squatted, and I knew there wasn't any safety. I was just hoping Canaan would throw the ball.
"On the other one, I knew we were close to the sideline, and I knew the defender wasn't thinking I would go outside. I just jabbed inside, and he fell down, I guess. I just took off."
Ross, who finished the game completing 11 of 13 passes for 244 yards, capped his performance with his only pass attempt of the second half and his fourth passing touchdown despite being hit as he released the ball. Tyler Johnson leaped up and caught the ball between two Mounties, then ran to the end zone after they collided.
"We've been toying around with some teams," Ross said. "We're a good offense. The coaches put us in our places and where we need to be, and we have good players.
"We just need to get that mental edge the coaches have talked about. We all came in as a team and said we're going to zone in this time. The last 48 hours, we took care of ourselves."
Rogers (5-3, 2-3), which was held to 168 yards total offense, avoided a shutout when Colin McWhorter scored from 7 yards out in the fourth quarter. It was set up 34-yard pass from Max Horton to Hunter Loyd, son of Mounties coach Mike Loyd and one of three freshmen brought up earlier this week.
Sports on 10/22/2016