From Tiny Acorn To Might Oak

“Mighty oaks from tiny acorns grow.” This familiar phrase teaches us all that something great can come from modest beginnings. Such is the case for the annual Salt Bowl. This coming season marks the 50th anniversary of the first football game between the Benton Panthers and the Bryant Hornets. It also marks the 25th anniversary of the beginning of the Salt Bowl era. 

The Salt Bowl holds the record for the largest attendance of a high school football game in Arkansas, set in 2018 at 38,215. That number surpasses what most college teams draw. Bryant has dominated Benton in Salt Bowl victories, with a winning streak dating back to the Panthers’ last victory in 2005.

Mighty accomplishments indeed.

But how did the tiny acorn set seed in fertile ground?

It all began way back in 1974. For those who were alive at the time, it is merely a snap of a finger to relive the experiences of their younger selves. Nostalgia is a wonderful thing.

Legendary Saline County high school football coach Dwight Fite remembers it well.

“I was head coach at Bryant from 1970-1974,” he recalls. “We were a very small school at the time. I grew up in Benton and remembered the excitement of Benton vs Bauxite in my childhood. I thought it would benefit our team at Bryant to play Benton, even though they were quite a bit larger. I made a call to Max Graham, the Benton coach. We agreed to play the first game in the season of 1974.”

In the first game between the two teams, Bill Revis coached the Hornets and Max Graham coached the Panthers. Both have since passed away, but their sons, Danny and Doug, respectively, remember the time.

Danny says his father’s background with football was ever-present. 

“He played football and graduated from Benton in 1962. Dad went on to play at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia. After graduation he was an assistant coach at Perryville, Missouri, head coach at Strong, Arkansas, and then assistant to Coach Fite at Bryant before taking over as head coach in Bryant after Fite went to Benton as an assistant coach. Dad finished his career at North Pulaski before retiring in 1994. Coach Fite and Dad were childhood friends, playing in high school and Henderson State University together.”

Doug Graham has similar memories of his father during that time.

“We came to Benton in the fall of ’72. Mom and Dad worked for the Benton School District for nine years. Before coming to Benton, they’d worked for the Stuttgart School District from 1968-1972. Dad’s Ricebirds won the first-ever AA State Championship in football in 1970. Until 1970, state champions were named by the associated press. That year, Stuttgart defeated Arkadelphia 22-20 for the AA State Championship.”

In regard to the first Benton/Bryant game, Doug says, “I barely remember the discussions of starting the game, but I do know that there were concerns and issues addressed with each school’s administration. Rivalries can get ugly. It is my opinion that no travel and a great gate won out in the end.”

Danny also remembers why the game was originally set for C.W. Lewis Stadium in Benton. “Dad said they agreed to play the game in Benton due to the small size of Bryant’s stadium at the old Ashley ballpark.”

In the beginning of the series, Benton had the advantage as a team from a larger school district. 

Doug remembers, “At the time, Dad thought Class AAAA Benton had a whole lot more to lose than Class AAA Bryant. Early in the series, it worked out, except for 1978. That one hurt! I had heard Dad say many times that the mark of a good coach was not to lose to a lesser opponent. 

“He always felt like we let that one slip away. As I look back, we had been blessed with several years of great athletes who had a knack for making big plays, and on that night, I think we all got caught up in waiting on someone to make a play. As the game went on and momentum was on the Hornet sideline, an upset was in the making.”

Coach Fite remembers the 1978 game as well. “I will never forget being on Benton’s sideline in 1978 when Bryant won for the first time. We were able to win our last conference game and go on to the playoffs, as in those years we were in the same conference in the highest classification playing the last game of the year. I’ve been told those kids saw that as a special time, too. I know I did!”

Danny says, “A vivid memory I have is when I was entering fourth grade, I attended school at Howard Perrin Elementary in Benton. On the Benton/Bryant game day in 1977, I remember wearing my Bryant Hornet T-shirt to school. I had to support my dad. My buddies sure gave me a hard time come Monday morning!”

Rick Spivey played quarterback for the Panthers, leading them to a state championship in 1977. He recalls, “Our coaches kept us grounded and focused and made sure we were prepared for each opponent. Coach Graham was well respected by all the players on the team. He demanded a lot from us, but we knew if we performed on Friday nights the way we prepared during the week, we would be successful.”

As the years progressed near the end of the 1990s, a shift began in the rivalry. The population of Bryant boomed, resulting in growth of schools and the rise of the Hornet football team’s classification. Attendance at the annual game grew as well. After a dangerously large crowd attended a game at Benton and the fire marshals shut it down, something had to be done. The teams took to playing at War Memorial Stadium because it was the only local venue large enough to hold all the fans.

Former Bryant player, T.J. Sivewright, approached then Bryant Athletic Director Tom Farmer with the idea that the Benton/Bryant game could be made bigger with more than just bragging rights for the winning team. The idea took hold, and once a trophy was introduced, the Salt Bowl was born.

Team success began to shift as well.

Coach Fite says, “The City of Bryant and the school district have grown at an amazing rate. Now it has become a completely different animal. The statewide attention brings great benefits to both schools, and player exposure is remarkable. Tom Farmer was there from the beginning of the Salt Bowl effort, and the work Tom and Shane Broadway have done for the game and charities is nothing less than wonderful.”

Doug thinks, “As the years have gone by and the enrollment has flipped in Bryant’s favor, I have thought what would have been my dad’s opinion of the rivalry. Deep down, I know he loved being the underdog, so I will always think he would enjoy the challenge.”

Rick says, “We were fortunate for the success we had during our games with Bryant. My wife (also a Benton alum and cheerleader) and I continue to support all Benton athletics and attend most Benton football games and the Salt Bowl. I am proud of our success against Bryant, but I also admire the recent success they’ve enjoyed. I hope the games continue to be as intense and competitive in the future.”

The mighty oak is firmly planted on solid ground. The caretakers make sure it is nourished and healthy each fall so future generations may look back with nostalgia, just like we do now. For all those involved from the beginning to present day, the County expresses deep respect and gratitude.