Freshman Hornets trail early but not for long
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).
For more photos from this event by Kevin Nagle, go here
Jalun Davis (11) breaks into the open as he gets past Conway Blue’s Andrew Churches (54), picking up a block from Josh Mellor (60) with Jacob Attorney (56) as an escort. (Photo by Kevin Nagle)
CONWAY — “You don’t tug on Superman’s cape; You don’t spit into the wind; You don’t pull the mask off of no Lone Ranger; and the you don’t . . . “ take an early lead on the Bryant Hornets freshman football team.
With apologies to the ghost of the late, great Jim Croce (1943-1973) (You Don’t Mess Around With Jim, 1972), the Conway Blue Wampus Cats freshman team made the mistake of taking a 6-0 lead over the undefeated Bryant Hornets Thursday night at Centennial Bank Field in John McConnell Stadium.
It was the first time this season that the Hornets had trailed in a game.
It got their attention.
Myles Aldridge steps into the end zone for one of his three touchdowns. (Photo by Kevin Nagle)
What the Hornets may have lacked in focus and intensity to start the game, after a season-highlight drubbing of North Little Rock the week before, got turned around. Bryant dominated the Wampus Cats after that for a 45-6 victory as they improved to 5-0 overall and 4-0 in the Central Arkansas Junior High Conference.
It was the third week in a row in which the Hornets amassed 45 points.
Myles Aldridge scored three times and Austin Ledbetter passed for three touchdowns in the victory. The Hornets’ defense added to the scoring with a safety and, after giving up 76 yards on the opening drive, held Conway Blue to 52 yards of total offense the rest of the game.
Most of the yardage on that opening march came on two passes plays, a 51-yard completion from quarterback Michael Hardaway to massive receiver Jayden Williams and a 22-yard connection with Dylan Silverman.
Both plays were simple go routes. Hardaway put the ball up high and long and let his receivers run under them.
The throw to Silverman set up Hardaway’s 2-yard touchdown run.
Xavier Foote (1) runs past Conway Blue’s Detravion Banks (55). (Photo by Rick Nation)
A high snap on the extra-point try resulted in Bryant’s Hart Penfield blocking it.
Moments later, Ledbetter flipped a pass to Hayden Schrader for 43 yards and the Hornets were quickly threatening to tie or take the lead. Two plays later, Ledbetter appeared to be end-zone bound but was stopped at the goal line and fumbled. Conway Blue recovered in the end zone for a touchback, giving the Cats possession at their own 20.
It was just the second turnover for Bryant this season.
The Hornets, aided by a holding penalty, forced a three-and-out. A short kick was fielded by Xavier Foote and returned 15 yards to the Conway Blue 28.
Jimyle Harris (68) leads the defensive charge toward Conway Blue running back Michael Dunagan. (Photo by Kevin Nagle)
Aldridge sliced through the defense for 26 yards on first down then scored on the next snap to make it 6-6. Bryant’s extra-point try was sabotaged by a high snap and it remained tied for the moment.
Hardaway and Williams connected for a 13-yard pickup. Running back Michael Dunagan powered for 8 yards but, on second down, Connor Coleman stopped Dunagan for a loss.
It looked like Hardaway might hit another long pass on third down. Tyler Garlington got behind the defense but dropped the pass and the Cats were forced to punt.
This time, the Hornets took the long way home, driving 55 yards in eight plays. They had to overcome three false start penalties along the way but Ledbetter completed an 18-yard pass to River Gregory early in the drive then found Schrader for 17. Aldridge capped the drive with a 10-yard touchdown run.
Ledbetter ran in the two-point conversion and the Hornets led 14-6 with 5:31 left in the half.
Quarterback Austin Ledbetter (5) loses the ball as he approaches the goal line past Nic Orr (19). (Photo by Kevin Nagle)
Before the half was over, Bryant’s Noah Davis intercepted a Conway Blue pass, setting up Ledbetter’s 43-yard strike to Aldridge. Funk kicked it to 21-6.
With renewed enthusiasm, the Hornets’ defense stuck the Wampus Cats. A swing pass to Williams was sniffed out by LaQuav Brumfield and Omari Coats for a loss. Brumfield followed with a sack.
Conway tried to go deep again and had Jerry Coleman open but he too dropped it.
The Cats punted again and Bryant had the ball back with 2:24 still to play in the half. From their own 44, it took three plays to increase their advantage. Ledbetter scrambled for 9 yards then found Schrader again for 35. The next play, the Bryant signal-caller rolled left as he was flushed from the pocket. He pulled up just before reaching the line of scrimmage and toss to Aiden Adams in the end zone for another touchdown.
Another bad snap undermined the extra point but Hart Penfield, the holder, snagged the ball, rolled out and found Gregory for a two-point conversion and a 29-6 lead, which held at the half.
Bryant got the ball to start the second half and quickly added to that advantage. Aldridge got loose for a 36-yard run then Foote sliced 12 more to the 8. Ledbetter found Gregory for the touchdown and, with Funk’s kick, it was 36-6.
The rest of the game, Bryant head coach Kenny Horn worked in reserves. Foote had a few more runs including a 21-yard scamper. The Hornets drove to the 6 but came up short on a fourth-and-goal.
Blue gained possession at its own 2. Hardaway barely got out of the end zone on first down. On second down, running back Isaiah Duncan was buried five-yards deep by Connor Coleman for the safety.
Bryant would finish off the rout when Jalun Davis broke a 64-yard run that came up just short of paydirt. Khylon Rawls scored from the 6 on the next snap and the final score was on the board with the ‘mercy rule’ in effect.
Bryant freshman teams have now won 22 games in a row and 38 of the last 40 games dating back to 2013.
They’ll try to make it 23 in a row next Thursday when they visit the Catholic Rockets in Little Rock.
