By MATT PIKE
The Benton boys basketball team, on a mission to get back to the Final Four after their first trip in several seasons last year, took control in the first quarter and never looked back on way to a second straight Class 4 District 16 title in a 68-34 victory over Maryville.
After the first quarter, the Cardinals led the Spoofhounds 20-7, using senior Mach Mayom to dominate the paint for eight points in the opening frame and Xavier Warner adding five more points. By halftime, that lead was extended even more as Benton led 32-18. While Mayom added no more points in the second quarter, Lincoln Goodwin stepped in and scored four points.
Defense ruled the second half for the the Cardinals, outscoring Maryville 21-8 in the third quarter, again led by Mayom with six points in the quarter along with another four points from Goodwin and four points from Jamarion Warner to push the lead to 53-26. In the final quarter, the Spoofhounds were held to just one basket also hitting five free throws, as the Cardinals turned to their bench to move to the 68-34 victory.
It's the second district title in a row for Benton. Both Goodwin and Mayom saying that to achieve two in a row with this team feels good.
"Obviously it feels really good, it hasn't been done in a long time, so do it with these guys it means a lot," Goodwin tells reporters after the game.
"To do it again, I mean twice in a row obviously feels great, so to do it with this team again feels good," Mayom says.
It's been quite the run for Benton since head coach Jared Boone returned to his alma mater to coach the Cardinals in 2021. Boone has, thus far, led Benton to a record of 106-36 in his five years at the helm for the Cardinals. Last season, for the first time since 1992, Boone led Benton back to the Final Four, and the Cardinals finished second place.
This season has been even better so far, after finishing last year 28-4, Benton is currently 27-1 as they head into the Class 4 sectional round on Tuesday. Their last, and only loss, same on January 6th, since then they've been riding a 17 game win streak into the playoffs, looking like a team on a mission who, if they make the championship game again, will more than likely face the team they fell to last year, Vashon with hopes of beating them.
The focus though is staying focused one game at a time. Boone says it's a one game season at this point of the season, so it's about taking it one game at a time.
"And just get to 1-0 each game, that's just kind of the mindset that we're in and we just approach each day and each game like that with our best effort, best foot forward, and that's just the approach we take," Boone says.
Both Goodwin and Mayom led Benton with 14 points. Xavier Warner had nine points for the Cardinals. For Maryville, Miles Poynter led with 11 points while Luke Allen scored eight points.
The Benton boys will face the same opponent as the girls, taking on Smithville on Tuesday. Tipoff will be at 6pm from Staley High School. The Cardinal girls will take on Smithville on Monday at Kearney High School, tipping off also at 6pm.
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