Bryant youth football team celebrates back-to-back unbeaten seasons, titles
EDITOR’S NOTE: Because the look back at each day in Bryant athletic history has been so favorably received during the time when there was no sports during the COVID-19 shutdown, BryantDaily.com will continueposting past stories of Bryant athletics either posted on BryantDaily.com (from 2009 to the present) or published in the Bryant Times (from 1998 to 2008).
Photos by Kevin Nagle
On Monday evening, a football of fifth and sixth graders from Saline County based in Bryant celebrated its second consecutive unbeaten season including winning the Central Arkansas Football League state championship and super bowl. The players were awarded championship rings at a dinner held at U.S. Pizza.
Over the two years the team went 24-0 and out-scored its competition 861-34. In their 12-0 2014 campaign, they out-scored opponents 439-28.
“(The team) finished the season as No. 1-ranked team in Arkansas and No. 3-ranked 12-and-under team in Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana,” noted Tim Adams, who coached the team with assistance from Brian Godwin, Lee Ledbetter, R.C. Penfield and Greg Riggs.
“They played anyone that would play them and, over two years, scheduled teams from Reggie Swinton’s AAU team to Lake Hamilton’s all-star team,” he added. “They took on any and all comers and prevailed every time.”
Players include Aiden Adams, Ty Banks, Gavin Burton, Connor Coleman, Gavin Davis, Noah Davis, Zac Feimster, Brayden Godwin, Will Hanson, Austin Ledbetter, Hart Penfield, Logan Pritchard, Hayden Purdy, Ryan Riggs, Braden Robinson, Taylor Seelinger, Kory Shelnut, and Joseph Young.
In the league championship game, the team defeated Searcy 38-0. In the “super bowl” they drubbed Sherwood 53-0. On the way to the state title, the Junior Hornets ousted Greenwood, 34-6, Sheridan 38-8, and Mountain Home, 34-0.
