Benbrook puts up fight early in playoff opener, but Bobcats eliminated by Stephenville
Perennial powerhouse Stephenville cruised to a 56-14 win over Benbrook Friday night in a Class 4A Division 1 bi-district playoff game at Farrington Field.
The Yellowjackets (6-5) scored touchdowns on all but one of their first nine possessions. At halftime, they led, 42-14.
Benbrook (5-5) could not contain Kason Philips, who rushed 18 times for 172 yards and four touchdowns.
Nevertheless, Benbrook did threaten to make a game of it early in the second quarter in what may have been a defining moment. The Bobcats pulled to within 21-7 late in the first quarter off an unlikely play when QB William Green threw a short screen up the middle to Caleb Henley near the line of scrimmage.
Henley carefully followed his interference, turned to the sidelines where he got another key block, and then took it the distance for a 72-yard touchdown.
The Bobcats had a chance to narrow the lead more moments later early in the second quarter, but squandered the scoring opportunity off a rare miscue by Stephenville. On fourth-and-three at the Benbrook 35, the ball was hiked over quarterback Gavin Rountree in shotgun formation. He recovered but lost 23 yards back to his 42.
Benbrook took over from there, but an apparent touchdown pass was nullified by a procedure penalty. Momentum then backfired on the next play when Green’s backward pass for a lateral was errant and Stephenville’s Ryder Lambert scooped up the loose ball and returned it down the sidelines 41 yards the other way for a touchdown and a 28-7 lead.
Stephenville first got on the scoreboard after forcing Benbrook to punt after the opening kickoff. The Yellowjackets drove 53 yards in six plays with Philips getting the final yard. Less than a minute later, Stephenville made it 14-0 after Benbrook muffed the ensuing kickoff.
The Yellowjackets took over at the Bobcat 11 and took three plays to reach the end zone when Philips again scored this time from 4 yards out.
After forcing another punt, Rountree found Reece Elston open deep down the right side for a 65-yard scoring toss and a 21-0 lead with 3:07 left in the first quarter.
Benbrook did manage to engineer a long scoring drive for its other touchdown down 35-7. The Bobcats drove 79 yards in 11 plays. Henley again scored on fourth-and-5 from the 14 on a play similar to his other touchdown. The senior came back to make a catch near the line of scrimmage, then turned and scrambled into the end zone before defenders had a chance to react.
It came with 3:49 left, but Stephenville scored again before intermission to all but put the game away.
Henley had four receptions for 77 yards and Dontre Sinegal had 71 yards on four catches as most of Benbrook’s yardage came through the air. Green threw for 184 yards on 10 of 28 passing. The Bobcats managed only 52 yards on the ground on 24 carries. On offense, Stephenville out-gained Benbrook 403-226 in total yards. Rountree completed 8 of 10 passes for 170 yards and two TDs.
Stephenville advances to face top-ranked Argyle Thursday at Globe Life Park in Arlington.
After starting out 0-3, Benbrook won five of its last six games all in District 6-4A D1. All of its regular season losses were by a touchdown or less with the exception of their opener to China Spring.
This story was originally published November 13, 2020 at 11:32 PM.