For more pictures of this event by Kevin Nagle, go here
Jaysean Robinson rushed for 141 yards and a touch-down and J.T. Allen scored twice as the Bryant Blue Hornets seventh-grade team of Bethel Middle School overcame early struggles to forge a 30-28 win over their counterparts for the Benton Panthers on Monday night.
“We were hampered by early turnovers,” noted Hornets coach Colton Bond. “However, we were able to overcome and prevail.
“The turnovers were huge,” he added. “We always preach ‘take care of the football’ but made some mental mistakes on a pick-six and a fumbled snap.
Quarterback Jordan Walker helped fuel the rally by completing 8 of 11 passes for 146 yards including a touchdown throw to Karter Ratliff, who had four receptions for 125 yards. Matthew Glover had two receptions. Mason Muldrow and Allen each caught a pass. Allen finished with 58 yards rushing on nine attempts plus the 10-yard reception.
“I was proud with how our quarterback Jordan Walker responded after the early mistakes,” Bond said. “He had every opportunity to lay it down as well as the team. But we fought and fought and fought.
“Coach (Joe) Cook and I both agreed, blood-pressure-wise, these two ball games have been something,” the coach continued. “But we’re happy with our young men for never giving up. The defense played lights out, led by efforts from E.J. Keith, Jonathan Frost and Ryan Reynolds.
Keith had six tackles and forced a fumble. Frost had five tackles and a forced fumble while Reynolds recovered one of those fumbles, had three stops and broke up a pass.
“Offensively, Karter had a breakout game,” Bond said. “Jordan, J.T. and Jaysean all had a good game as well. I was pleased with our offensive line and receivers blocking, which led to some big gainers.”
Benton went three-and-out to start the game. Reynolds and Robinson each made stops for losses. In turn, the Hornets were moving the ball. They converted a third down with a pass to Muldrow. Moments later, however, Benton’s Maddox Davis intercepted a Walker pass and returned 46 yards for a touchdown. A try for two was good and the Panthers led 8-0.
Benton made it 14-0 after a fumbled snap on the second play of Blue’s next possession. Davis scooped and scored from 44 yards out. A two-point try failed.
The Hornets marched to the Benton 21 on the subsequent possession. A 31-yard pass completion to Ratliff and a 17-yard burst by Allen helped got them there. On a fourth-down play at the 21, however, Walker’s pass to Ratliff fell incomplete in the end zone though.
Benton took over on downs and drove to the Blue 35 where Keith forced a fumble and Reynolds recovered at the 39.
On the very next play, Walker found Ratliff on a play that went 61 yards for a touchdown.
“Ratliff broke following a big downfield block by Reynolds,” Bond mentioned.
Walker’s pass to Allen converted the two-pointer to make it 14-8.
But Benton came right back to score just before the half. An 89-yard TD jaunt by Elias Payne made it 20-8.
Bethel got the ball to start the second half and Robinson pounded out runs of 15, 13 and 9 yards to set up Allen’s 33-yard touchdown burst. Walker threw to Ratliff for the conversion and it was 20-16.
Benton, in turn, drove to midfield and Davis threw to Quinton Goodley for a touchdown. A two-point pass from Davis to Payne made it 28-16.
The Hornets responded with a 10-play, 70-yard touchdown drive capped by Robinson’s 4-yar run. He contributed runs of 22 and 16 yards on the march. Glover caught an 11-yard pass.
Walker’s pass to Ratliff on the conversion closed the gap to 28-24.
Thanks to a big third-down stop by Keith, Benton went three-and-out and had to punt, giving the Hornets a chance to take the lead.
A 45-yard gallop by Robinson set the stage. Ratliff hauled in passes for 20 and 13 yards. Allen then punched in the game-winner from a yard out with seven seconds left in the game.
On the last play of the game, Benton tried a hook-and-lateral play, but Payne was swarmed under by the Hornet defense as time expired.
“Overall, a very good team win,” Bond stated. “We just have to eliminate some mental errors as we head into a final with Pine Bluff on Oct. 29.”
The Hornets will be trying to close out an undefeated season.
