LITTLE ROCK — With the game exactly three weeks away, Salt Bowl officials outlined plans for the events Friday afternoon leading up to the annual backyard rivalry between Benton and Bryant played at War Memorial Stadium.

What used to be a game has turned into a series of events and vehicle for fans from both schools to help charitable causes.

This year, Panthers and Hornets fans lend aid to the Rice Depot, American Cancer Society and American Red Cross.

Fans can help the Rice Depot with monetary donations as well as jars of peanut butter. Officials hope to raise $6,000 and collect 5,000 pounds of peanut butter. Auto Body of America plans to donate a vehicle to the Rice Depot during pre-game ceremonies.

Officials will ask fans attending the game to donate money via text message to the American Cancer society. The goal is to raise $2,500.

The Red Cross plans blood drives at Benton High School on Tuesday Aug. 29 from 8 a.m to 6 p.m. and at Bryant High School on Wednesday, Aug. 31 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. All blood donors receive a rally rag of the team of their choice. Officials hope to collect 500 units of blood.

There are also plenty of other plenty of events leading up to the game and spilling into game day. At 5:30 p.m. Monday Everett Buick GMC plays host to a Benton Pep Rally.

At 5:30 Tuesday, the Saline County Car Dealer plays host to a Bryant pep rally. The Cajun Eatery provides hot dogs for both events.

Game day festivities kick off with “Arkansas’ Largest Tailgate Party.” Fans can enjoy free hot dogs and sodas, complements of Saline County banks and credit unions and Coca-Cola. The party begins at 5 p.m. and continues until 7. The stadium gates open at 6.

Just prior to kickoff, the youth football teams from Benton and Bryant are introduced and cheerleaders from each school perform. The coin flip precedes the game and the coin used is provided by Everett’s. Each senior football player, cheerleader and band member will receive a gold commemorative coin with a Salt Bowl logo and Everett logo.

At halftime both dance teams perform and two different contests are held. One lucky Chick-fil-A customer, who signs up at the Bryant location prior to the game, will kick a field goal for a chance to win a year’s supply of chicken.

Everett holds its annual “Toss for a Truck” contest.

Three contestants will be picked from those who entered at the tailgate party and will try to throw three passes into a truck. Female contestants must throw balls in the tuck bed from the 10-yard left hash, the 15-yard middle and 10-yard right has in 24 seconds. Male contestants must land passes form the 15-yard left hash, 20-yard middle and 15-yard right hash with the same time limit.

For $10 fans can buy tickets, with an official T-shirt included, at Central Arkansas Big Red locations. Children 5-and-under are free. Officials suggest buying tickets prior to game day to avoid lines. Tickets at the gate sell for $8 and T-shirts sell for $15.

If you are an avid sports fan and love writing about Benton or Bryant sports (school sports and city sports) and want to gain recognition as a writer, this is your opportunity to shine.

If you are an avid fan of Benton and Bryant politics and want a platform to share your opinions and report on political events in Benton and Bryant, this is your opportunity to shine.

If you are a writer and need a platform to publish your stories about Benton and /or Bryant, this is your opportunity to shine.

If you attend Bryant High School or Benton High School and write for your school paper and want another platform to publish your stories, this is your opportunity to shine.

If you are a photographer (amateur or professional) and want to contribute to the Benton Vs. Bryant website, this is your opportunity to show off your creative photography skills on a popular platform.

Please click here and send your information via the contact form on this Benton Vs. Bryant website.

Tickets are now on sale for the 10th Salt Bowl football game pitting Saline County rivals Bryant and Benton at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock on Friday, Sept. 3, at 7:30 p.m.

TICKET OUTLETS

Big Red Valero Stores

Bryant Schools Athletic Director’s Office

Benton Schools Athletic Director’s Office

Tickets are $5 for all ages and available at all Big Red Valero locations across central Arkansas as well as the athletic directors’ offices at both schools. Tickets will be available at the gate.

This will be the 38th gridiron meeting between the two schools. Benton leads the series 24-12-1 but Bryant, with last-year’s win, has won ten of the last 12 meetings.

SERIES: Benton leads 24-12-1 since 1974

2009, Bryant 38, Benton 7 – Salt Bowl 10

2008, Bryant 36, Benton 12 – Salt Bowl 9

2007, Bryant 25, Benton 7 – Salt Bowl 8

2006, Bryant 20, Benton 7 – Salt Bowl 7

2005, Benton 35, Bryant 28 – playoffs

2005, Benton 14, Bryant 7 – Salt Bowl 6

2004, Bryant 10, Benton 2 – Salt Bowl 5

2003, Bryant 34, Benton 34 – Salt Bowl 4

2002, Bryant 16, Benton 13 – Salt Bowl 3

2001, Bryant 28, Benton 23 – Salt Bowl 2

2000, Bryant 44, Benton 17 – Salt Bowl 1

1999, Bryant 42, Benton 7

1998, Benton 17, Bryant 14

1997, Benton 14, Bryant 10

1996, Benton 14, Bryant 0

1995, Benton 12, Bryant 7

1994, Benton 35, Bryant 12

1993, Benton 48, Bryant 14

1992, Benton 32, Bryant 7

1991, Benton 10, Bryant 0

1990, Benton 36, Bryant 0

1989, Benton 21, Bryant 0

1988, Benton 21, Bryant 7

1987, Benton 35, Bryant 7

1986, Benton 12, Bryant 0

1985, Bryant 14, Benton 7

1984, Bryant 32, Benton 17

1983, Benton 29, Bryant 20

1982, Benton 30, Bryant 10

1981, Benton 17, Bryant 0

1980, Benton 28, Bryant 7

1979, Benton 21, Bryant 0

1978, Bryant 3, Benton 0

1977, Benton 42, Bryant 0

1976, Benton 28, Bryant 7

1975, Benton 10, Bryant 0

1974, Benton 28, Bryant 0

Saline County, AR — Thursday night, Sept. 3rd from 5pm-7pm at Everett Buick Pontiac GMC in Bryant, there will be a county-wide Salt Bowl Pep Rally where members of the media will compete to “Throw the Football in the Truck” for the media bragging rights.

Coaches, players, cheer, drill teams and bands from Benton and Bryant will be on hand for a pep rally leading up to Friday’s Salt Bowl.

The media will be given a chance to land the football in the truck.  If more than one is successful, we will have a “throw off” to decide the winner.  So come on out to see if you can take the trophy back to the office!!

There will also be a drawing for the participants for Friday night’s “Throw for a Truck” and “Kick for Chicken” contests that will take place during half time of the Salt Bowl game.  Plus, the local banks and credit unions will bring in their tally’s from collecting for the Arkansas Rice Depot and the winning branch gets to sit in “Hog Heaven” on Friday night!

There will also be Salt Bowl tshirts available for sale.  This may be your last opportunity to get your Official Salt Bowl tshirt before the game.

For the Salt Bowl game, there will be space near the NE side of the War Memorial Stadium for media outlets to set up. Coach Tom Farmer, Gary James and Jasen Kelly will be out at the stadium beginning at 10am on Friday.

Each school will hold their campus pep rally’s on Friday morning. The Panthers at Benton Arena around 9:30am and Bryant at the Hornet’s Nest Gym around 11:30am.  Shane Broadway will be at both with Salt Bowl trophy in tow.

Attention businesses, schools, churches, organizations…

Download this Salt-Bowl-TShirt-Order-Form to place orders for multiple shirts in your business, school, church or any other organization.  Gather orders and payment, fax the order form to the number on the form, shirts will be delivered in plenty of time to wear on Salt Bowl Day.

Fax all orders by August 27th!  Thanks for your support!  Proceeds from Official Salt Bowl tshirt sales benefit Benton and Bryant Schools.

Proceeds from the shirts sales benefit the athletic programs at both Benton Schools and Bryant Schools.

Salt Bowl T-Shirts are $12 each.

Bryant Fans get your blue shirts.

Benton Fans get your maroon shirts.

Let’s paint War Memorial Stadium Blue on one side and Maroon on the other side!!

HOW TO GET YOUR 2009 SALT BOWL SHIRT:

1) order from the store on this site (local orders are hand delivered by our sales team; not-so-local orders are sent U.S. Mail)

2) check the calendar of events (view all of the events where the tshirts will be sold)

If you work locally (Benton / Bryant area), we will gladly deliver your shirts to your workplace.

SECOND ANNUAL SALT BOWL GOLF TOURNAMENT

The second annual Salt Bowl Golf Tournament, a four-person scramble, will be held on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7. There will be a shotgun start at 1:30 p.m. at Longhills Golf Club in Benton.

Sign up to play!  Call Longhills at 316-3000.

Proceeds from the tournament will go to benefit scholarship programs at each school.

Download the entry form and sponsorship information here:  Salt-Bowl-Golf-Tournament

Thanks to our major sponsors for your commitment and dedication to helping take Saline County sports to a level that we have only dreamed about in the past.

You can thank our sponsors by being loyal to them and the services they provide.

Buy a car at Everett Buick Pontiac GMC…  drive over to Big Red Stores to get gas…  buy a Coca-Cola product while you’re there… when you get home, call Jones Heating and Air to get comfortable as you watch the Salt Bowl on DVD.