Benton rolls over Sparta 37-12
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Benton racked up 491 yards of total offense Friday night, improving to 1-1 on the season with a 37-12 mastery of Sparta at Tabor Field.
Rangers quarterback Tyler Leffler had his second stellar effort of the season in the win. The junior was 16 of 30 passing for 251 yards, hitting six different targets in the game.
Leffler also put his feet to good work, rushing the ball six times for 64 yards as well.
Benton needed just a little over four minutes to take control of the game. With 8:35 left in the first period, Leffler hit halfback Colby Allen on a 4-yard TD strike. Tyler Arnett's extra point had Benton on top 7-0.
After Arnett boomed the ensuing kickoff - pinning Sparta on its own 3 yard line - Hunter Rone poked the football away from a Sparta runner and Jake Harris recovered it in the end zone for a 13-0 lead with 7:49 left in the opening stanza.
Arnett's second PAT gave Benton a 14-0 lead.
Sparta signal caller Darius Jackson scored on a 75-yard gallop early in the second quarter, but Benton added a 27-yard field goal from Arnett, and a 1-yard TD run from Trey Garrett to lead 24-6 at the half and put the game away.
Dylan DeForest led the Rangers in rushing with 84 yards on eight carries. Cody Smith led the stable of receivers with 68 yards on three catches, Jalen Heil and Landon LaBuwi both piling up 64 receiving yards.
Benton, now 1-1 on the season, will play at Pinckneyville Friday night.