Bentonville 45, Lee’s Summit North 21

BENTONVILLE — Bentonville turned special teams and explosive passing into a 45–21 win over Lee’s Summit North on Friday at Tiger Stadium. Braxton Rupert scooped a blocked punt for the opening touchdown, setting the tone for the Tigers. Special teams set the early margin.

QB Cole Slepecki spread the field with four scoring throws, three to WR Conrad Schmitz and another to WR DeQuane Prevo. Schmitz struck late in the second quarter and twice in the third, including an 82-yard catch-and-run that blew the game open; Prevo’s play-action score with 3:30 left in the half gave Bentonville the lead for good. Early in the fourth, Kameran Thornton-Mead bulled in from the 1 on fourth-and-goal, and Gio Puga later tacked on a 36-yard field goal.

Lee’s Summit North matched the pace in spurts. Senior QB Stephen Thomas Jr. tossed three touchdowns—one to William Ray to tie it 7-7 in the second quarter, then third-quarter strikes to Micah Neal and again to Ray. RB Bryce Thompson kept the chains moving with hard inside runs, and TE Brady Sibbing provided steady targets underneath.

Bentonville’s defense supplied takeaways to blunt rallies. Evan Moll and Connor Davis intercepted deep shots, while Mason Meyer added a tackle for loss and another interception to spark field position; the Tigers’ front compressed the pocket and limited explosive runs after halftime.

Scoring Summary
1st Quarter Bentonville – Braxton Rupert blocked punt return (Kylee Sallee kick), Bentonville 7–0.
2nd Quarter Lee’s Summit North – William Ray pass from Stephen Thomas Jr. (Silas Sebolt kick), 7–7.
2nd Quarter Bentonville – DeQuane Prevo pass from Cole Slepecki (Kylee Sallee kick), Bentonville 14–7.
2nd Quarter Bentonville – Conrad Schmitz pass from Cole Slepecki (Kylee Sallee kick), Bentonville 21–7.
3rd Quarter Bentonville – Conrad Schmitz 82-yard pass from Cole Slepecki (Kylee Sallee kick), Bentonville 28–7.
3rd Quarter Lee’s Summit North – Micah Neal pass from Stephen Thomas Jr. (Silas Sebolt kick), Bentonville 28–14.
3rd Quarter Bentonville – Conrad Schmitz 28-yard pass from Cole Slepecki (Kylee Sallee kick), Bentonville 35–14.
3rd Quarter Lee’s Summit North – William Ray pass from Stephen Thomas Jr. (Silas Sebolt kick), Bentonville 35–21.
4th Quarter Bentonville – Kameran Thornton-Mead 1-yard run (Kylee Sallee kick), Bentonville 42–21.
4th Quarter Bentonville – Gio Puga 36-yard field goal, Bentonville 45–21.

Players who stood out

• Conrad Schmitz, WR (Bentonville) — 3 TD receptions (82 yards, 28 yards, late-2Q).

• Cole Slepecki, QB (Bentonville) — 4 TD passes, efficient command of the offense.

• Braxton Rupert (Bentonville) — blocked-punt touchdown to open the scoring.

• Stephen Thomas Jr., QB (Lee’s Summit North) — 3 TD passes.

• William Ray, WR/TE (Lee’s Summit North) — 2 TD catches.