Little Rock Christian holds off Benton: Arkansas high school football playoff updates

The Warriors advance to the 6A state championship game

Little Rock Christian makes a return to the Class 6A state championship game for the first time since 2020. They last won a state championship in 2018. 

LRCA earned a bid to the title game by edging Benton 42-35 Friday night at Panther Field. 

Benton held the first lead of the game and led again in the second quarter but after trailing 21-14 at halftime, never led again although they tied the game three times in the second half. 

LRCA took the lead for good with 2;29 to play. Benton mounted a drive that took them down to the 30-yard line on a long pass but fumbled, and LRCA ran out the clock. 

Scroll down to see highlights. 

LRCA 42, Benton 35 FINAL 

FOURTH QUARTER 

-- Benton receiver Will Carter catches long pass to Warriors' 30 but fumbles and LRCA recovers I LRCA 42, Benton 35 I 1:29

-- The Warriors' Smith sprints 29 yards for the score. Hoover adds the PAT I LRCA 42, Benton 35 I 2:29 

-- Russell jumps high in the air an lands in the end zone on a 4th-and-goal from the 1 play. Honeycutt adds the PAT. I Tied 35 I 5:24

-- White plunges in from three yards out. Hoover adds the PAT. I  LRCA 35, Benton 28 11:55

THIRD QUARTER

-- Benton receiver Elias Payne makes a leaping, acrobatic catch on a 29-yard TD strike. I Tied 28 I 2:09

-- White runs 13 yards up the middle for the TD. Hoover adds the PAT. I LRCA 28, Benton 21 I 4:22

--Russell rolls 72 yards around the end for the touchdown. Honeycutt adds the PAT I Tied at 21 I 11:02

HALFTIME 

LRCA 21, Benton 14 

SECOND QUARTER 

--Hoover misses a 29-yard field goal. I LRCA 21, Benton 14 I 47.8

-- White connects on a 35-yard TD pass in the corner of the end zone to Cade Bowman. Hoover adds the PAT. I LRCA 21, Benton 14 I 4:47

-- White zips a TD pass 13 yards to  Trey Howard. Hoover's PAT is good. (Tied 14-14 I 7:47) 

-- Benton running back Braylen Russell busts two tackles up the middle and rumbles 41 yards for the touchdown. Honeycutt adds the PAT. (Benton, 14-7 I 11:50)

FIRST QUARTER

-- Warriors quarterback Walker White hits running back Connor Smith on a 13-yard swing pass for a TD. Greyson Hoover's PAT is good. (Tied 7-7, 2:55)

--Honeycutt misses a 43-yard field goal (Benton, 7-0 | 5:13)

-- Benton strikes first,  quarterback Drew Davis goes 21 yards for a touchdown. Garrett Honeycutt hits the extra point to make it a 7-0 game early in the first. (Benton, 7-0 | 9:01)

Photos by Jimmy Jones 

--Nate Olson I nate@scorebooklive.com I @ndosports