KQ2 Pigskin Preview: Benton High School looking for big rebound in 2026
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) - The Benton High School football team is coming off of 3 straight 2-8 seasons in the Midland Empire Conference and still don't have a winning record since 2010.
Head coach Mark Cole has a strong history of turning around struggling programs. Heading into year 2 on the south side, Cole believes this Benton squad is finally ready to take that next step.
"Demand more of yourself. If you want to get to where you've never gone, you got to do something, you've never done. Let's work a little harder. Let's hold yourself a little bit more accountable. Let's be a little bit more disciplined. Let's focus on some things," said Cole. "Take pride in everything that you do. If our expectations are just to survive, that's all you're gonna do. So now let's raise our level of expectations. Let's get there where we can be more than just say...we showed up and just played."
With the reclassification of the school zones in Saint Joseph, Benton now has players on this team that were once on former rivals like Kamden Buckley coming over from Lafayette and Dominick Hapner coming over from Central.
"At first it was a little little iffy, but I've really got to know the coaches and my teammates and now I love it here. It's great," said Buckley. "The south side mentality is a real thing. I learned that real quick."
"We've just been fired up, man. We've been working really hard out here, we've been doing great things out here," said Hapner. "I've seen a lot of new faces, obviously I come from Central so I'm new here and I've really been excited working with these guys. I've been hyped up for the start of practice all week and I'm ready to continue working."
Benton is also moving up to Class 5 for post season play this fall, senior players like quarterback Boston Cook and lineman Tiger Bartlow will look to keep this team composed under pressure throughout the season dealing not only with tough MEC opponents but tougher teams to face come playoff time as well.
"We've worked hard on bringing more fire and more intensity every day throughout the building whether if its practice, a workout, even the little things," said Bartlow. "Just bringing that intensity to everything."
"We have a lot of expectations coming into this year so I'm excited, I'm pumped up," said Cook. "The reclassification of the schools gave us a lot more new athletes. I think it's going to work good with our program. We're just going to compete at our best."
The Cardinals will play in the City Jamboree on MoWest's field on August 21st, and then a week later on August 28th, we'll host Van Horn at Sparks Field on the south side to kick off the regular season.
