In recent seasons, when the Bryant Hornets and Benton Panthers freshman teams met at the end of the season, it was the Panthers trying to spoil things (like division championships, unbeaten seasons and, when they still had one, berths in the conference championship games) for the Hornets.
But this season, the two teams will meet at Bryant Stadium tonight with the cleats on the other feets, so to speak.
The Panthers, with an upset win over North Little Rock during the stormy weather on Thursday, Oct. 30, put themselves in position to earn at least a share of the South Division title in the Central Arkansas Conference.
The loss was the first in league play for North Little Rock and placed the conference lead in a three-way deadlock involving the Panthers and the Lake Hamilton Junior Wolves at 5-1. Bryant, 4-2, can actually make it a four-way tie for the title with a win over Benton and losses (as unlikely as they are) by Lake Hamilton at home against Cabot South and North Little Rock at home against Sheridan.[more]
So, for all intents, the Hornets, this year, are hoping the play the spoiler. And they hope to be better at it than the Panthers have been, at least over the last five seasons, all won by the Hornets.
Bryant comes in on a three-game winning streak and actually has a better overall record than Benton. The Hornets are 7-2. The Panthers, at 6-3, have more wins than in any season since 2003 when the team won seven games.
Because they got their game in on Thursday, however, the Panthers have had more time to prepare for the annual showdown. Bryant’s game at Cabot South was stormed out on Thursday and was made up on Saturday, leaving the Hornets just Monday to prepare for their archrivals.
An eighth grade game between Benton and Bryant Blue at 5:30 p.m., will precede the freshman contest.
Bryant Junior Hornets vs. Benton Junior Panthers
SITE: Bryant Stadium
RECORDS: Bryant is 7-2, Benton is 6-3
LAST WEEK: Bryant defeated Cabot South 29-14; Benton defeated North Little Rock 12-8
SERIES: Benton leads 17-9-1 since 1986
PREVIOUS MEETINGS:
2008, Bryant 26, Benton 16
2007, Bryant 36, Benton 0
2006, Bryant 35, Benton 22
2005, Bryant 33, Benton 0
2004, Bryant 28, Benton 14
2003, Benton 27, Bryant 6
2002, Benton 14, Bryant 6
2001, Bryant 45, Benton 14
2000, Bryant 36, Benton 6
1999, Benton 16, Bryant 0
1998, Benton 22, Bryant 12
1997, Benton 44, Bryant 38
1996, Benton 34, Bryant 8
1995, Benton 46, Bryant 0
1994, Benton 20, Bryant 14
1993, Benton 46, Bryant 2
1992, Benton 38, Bryant 0
1991, Benton 30, Bryant 0
1990, Benton 8, Bryant 6
1990, Bryant 12, Benton 0
1989, Bryant 14, Benton 14
1989, Benton 16, Bryant 7
1988, Benton 20, Bryant 8
1988, Benton 7, Bryant 0
1987, Benton 12, Bryant 0
1987, Bryant 6, Benton 0
1986, Benton 7, Bryant 6
