Wildcats football team to end regular season at Benton

The Anna-Jonesboro Community High School football team’s regular season ends on the road at Benton this Friday.

“They’re struggling a little bit,” A-J coach Brett Detering said. “It appears on film we’ve got a better team than they are. But we’ll have to get out and take care of business.”

The Rangers are 1-7 overall after a 55-0 loss to Murphysboro last Friday. The Wildcats, on the other hand are on a six-game winning streak after two losses to open the season. 

A-J enters the final regular season game with a 6-2 overall record after a 48-20 victory over Sparta last Friday.

Game time for this week’s game is set for 7 p.m. The game will be aired on WIBH radio in Anna.

Quarterbacking Benton is junior Grant Gordon, 5-8, 140 pounds.

Senior Andrew Dunn, 6-0, 210 pounds, will be his main running threat in the backfield.

Sophomore Peyton Swigonski, 5-9, 145 pounds, adds depth in the backfield.

The receiving corps Gordon will be looking for down field are all juniors in Jaron Picklesimer, 5-11, 180 pounds; Blake Stewart, 5-10, 145 pounds; and Tre Hosick, 5-8, 130 pounds. 

The offensive line is built around senior Carson Sanders, 5-9, 255 pounds, and Austin Crawford, 6-4, 180 pounds, and sophomores Hunter Roberts, 6-1, 265 pounds and Gabe Craig, 5-9, 210 pounds.

Top defensive candidates are juniors Tyler Butler, 5-10, 225 pounds; Tristan Bigham, 5-10, 200 pounds; and Dunn and Craig.

Detering said A-J should be healthy for the final game as the only injury last week was to Kyle McMahan, who suffered a knee injury. His status for the game was still unknown.

The only team the Rangers have beaten this year is winless Massac County, which is 0-8.