Byrd jumps out fast, has answers late to down Benton

Byrd outlasted Benton, 46-31, on Friday night at Lee Hedges Stadium.

The excitement really began in the second half.

Thompson’s second touchdown of the night, a 12 yard run seemed to signal a rout for Byrd but Benton refused to go quietly despite a 25-3 deficit.

Caleb Cassidy’s 18 yard touchdown pass to Malik Antwine at 3:43 to go in the third make it 25-10. Byrd again had an answer, this time through the air on a 28 yard pass from Cameron Felt to Kellum Humphrey.

Benton and Byrd continued trading touchdowns in the fourth quarter. A 23 yard pass from Cassidy to Artis Cole with 10:39 left drew the Tigers within 15 at 32-17 but Byrd replied back with a 27 yard pass from Felt to Mitchell Ramsey to push the cushion back out at 39-17.

Cassidy-to-Antwine struck again for Benton, this time on a seven yard touchdown but a 35 yard run from Logan Pons again stifled the Tigers.

A 23 yard touchdown toss by Cassidy to Shaw Malley was too little and too late.

“I liked our effort and execution on offense,” said Byrd head coach Mike Suggs. “We had way too many penalties on defense.”

The victorious Yellow Jackets started the scoring with a five-yard touchdown run by Venzell Thompson at the 4:22 marks in the first quarter. Benton cut the deficit in half early in the second quarter with a 35 yard field goal from RJ Moore.

A two-yard touchdown run by Cameron Felt followed by a 14 yard scoring run by William Berry helped the Yellow Jackets to a 18-3 halftime lead.

Byrd will play a solid Airline team next week while Benton faces Southwood at home Friday.