By Rob Patrick
CABOT — When the opening kickoff went out of bounds, Donaven Sims, the head coach of the Bryant Blue Hornets eighth grade team of Bethel Middle School, could’ve had his team take over at its 35. Normally, that’s pretty good field position. But with speedy Brushawn Hunter back to return the kick, Sims took the chance that another kick might produce a big return and had the Cabot North eighth grade Panthers boot it again from its 35.
As it turned out, Hunter had to fall on a loose ball at the 14 so the net result was a loss of 21 yards.
No matter.
On the first play from scrimmage, Hunter took a pitch from quarterback Brandon Warner and sprinted 86 yards for a touchdown.[more]
Hunter wound up running for another score and throwing for a touchdown as the Hornets rolled to a 23-0 halftime lead that wound up a 23-8 victory on Thursday night at Panthers Stadium.
It was a nice response to the team’s first loss of the season against the rival (and future teammates) from Bryant White a week before. The win improved Bryant Blue to 6-1 on the season going into their finale against North Little Rock Ridge Road on Thursday, Oct. 28.
The Blue Hornets’ defense limited Cabot North to just one first down in the first half and it came on a fourth-down conversion on the Panthers’ first offensive series of the game. They drove to the Bryant 30 where Drew Allen led the way as the defense stuffed Jack Whisker for no gain.
The Hornets’ offense took it from there and, in nine plays, they found the end zone again. The drive started with a 14-yard run by Brendan Young and a 13-yard slash by Hunter. Warner followed with a 20-yard strike to Ryan Hall.
Bryant got to the 12 but a holding penalty negated Hunters’ touchdown run. From the 19, Warner kept to the 11 and, from there, Hunter got another shot and took it in.
Young had run in a two-point conversion after the first Hunter TD. This time, a high snap sabotaged Alex Denker’s extra point kick. But holder Jason Hastings jumped up, rolled left and winged a toss to teammate Trey Breeding for two, making it 16-0.
Cabot’s subsequent possession lasted three plays. On third-and-7, Kyle Lovelace knifed through to make a tackle for a loss, forcing a punt.
Hunter’s 18-yard return had a personal foul penalty added on and the Hornets were just 42 yards from more points. Warner found Breeding for 11 yards then kept for 15 to the 16. Though he was sacked by Christian Vaughn on the next play then had a pass down the middle almost intercepted, Warner’s swing pass to Hunter appeared to produce a 23-yard touchdown play. But a holding penalty negated the score.
Pushed back to the 31, facing third down and 25, the Hornets utilized the halfback pass. Hastings got behind the defense and Hunter got him the ball for the touchdown.
Denker added the extra point with :57 left in the half.
The Hornets only ran seven plays on offense in the second half and three of those were in the victory formation. Cabot North used up much of the third quarter on a drive that stalled at the Bryant 40.
After the Hornets punted it back, the Panthers drove for their lone score. It was set up by their lone pass completion of the game which broke for 57 yards before Brice Harden saved, for the time being, a touchdown. But the Panthers scored a play later from the 4.
After that good start, Hunter finished with 117 yards rushing on just five carries. The defense held the vaunted Cabot ground game to a net of 68 yards.
