BHS teams sweep HS Lakeside
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 continue posting 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).
The Bryant Lady Hornets extended their shutout string to six consecutive games while the Hornets survived a late flurry as the teams swept their matches against the rival Hot Springs Lakeside Rams Tuesday at Bryant Stadium.
The Lady Hornets improved to 8-1 overall and 4-0 in conference play with their 2-0 victory while the Hornets, with a thrilling 5-3 win, advanced to 5-3 overall and 3-1 in league games.
The two teams were set to host Camden Fairview Friday with the girls finishing out the pre-Spring Break schedule on Monday at home against El Dorado while the boys travel to Little Rock Fair on Friday, March 24.
Just a minute and a half into the game, the Lady Hornets had all the scoring it would need on a goal by Laura Bunten.
With 13:40 left in the half, Ashlee Mantooth added the second goal.
Amy Teeter had three saves including one near the end of the half on a direct kick by Rachel Taylor.
The Hornets, on the other hand, appeared to be cruising with a 4-0 lead going into the 68th minute of the game. But the last 12 minutes proved to anything but dull. After a few late line-up changes by Bryant and, what head coach Bob Williams called, a “mental relaxation” by the Hornets, Lakeside rallied for three goals in six minutes.
“It was a great effort by Lakeside,” Williams commented. “We quickly reset the lineup, settled down and Josh Ault scored again in the 78th minute to provide a bit of comfort.
“We allowed the game to get close in the final minutes despite great overall play by the defense,” added the coach. “Matt Thornton had a great game in the goal and really helped settle the team when we went back in with six minutes remaining.
“We had Thomas Yun back playing in the midfield about 15 minutes before he got tripped from behind re-injuring his ankle,” noted Williams. “Hopefully, it is not too serious. He adds another dimension to our team’s play.
“Josh Williams, playing as a defensive midfielder, neutralized the Rams’ playmaker Alex Aleverez,” he continued. “Mike Conedy, Dustin McCauley and Josh Toopes kept it tight and stayed focused despite the stress at the end. The defenders don’t get much attention unless the other team scores, then it’s all negative. But defense wins games and sets up the attack.”
The Hornets built their 4-0 lead on goals by Nick Harbert, Ault and Jesse Jones.
“Nick scored off a great cross from Peter Lehmann,” Coach Williams reported. “Ault, who won the ball on the right side of the Rams’ defense beat one defender and scored with a low shot to the keeper’s left. Jones scored with a diving header on a cross from the left side by Lehmann. The keeper did not have a chance.”
The fourth goal, another by Harbert, came on a penalty kick after Ault had been taken down in the box. Harbert drilled the kick into the left end of the net.
“Overall, I was pleased with the way we maintained our composure and finished the game,” Williams commented.
