Hornets make believers of Zebras, 55-31
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).
By ROB PATRICK
BRYANT TIMES
The Bryant Hornets football team is now plowing new ground … at least as far as Bryant Hornets football teams go.
Their stunning, impressive, attention-grabbing, downright wild 55-31 triumph over the sixth-ranked Pine Bluff Zebras Friday provided a plethora of firsts for the program, celebrating its 50th year this season.
*It’s the first time a Bryant team has started a season 5-0 since the beginning of the program;
*It’s the first time a Bryant team has won as many as five games in a season since 1997 and no Hornets team has won more than five since 1985.
*It’s the first time a Bryant team has beaten a Pine Bluff team since the two schools began playing each other in 1991;
*It’s the first time a Bryant team has ever scored as many as 55 points in a game;
*It’s the first time a Bryant team has opened play in the AAAAA-South (or AAAA-South) Conference with a 2-0 record since joining the league in 1981 and, because of that, not only is their goal of a playoff berth very much alive but, with a trip to play top-ranked El Dorado coming up this Friday, so is their chance of a conference title;
*And, as a result of the win, the Hornets’ No. 6 ranking in the Associated Press and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette polls is the highest a Bryant football team has ever been rated.
Oh, and one other thing:
When was the last time anybody ever lit up a Pine Bluff team for 541 yards of offense or seven turnovers or 55 points?
And, hey, it could’ve been more. The Hornets led 35-0 at the half — as one knowledgeable, long-time observer noted, “Probably the best half of football, I’ve seen a Bryant team play” — and had two golden opportunities to add to that in the final five minutes and came away empty. (An obvious pass-interference penalty that was overlooked foiled the second of those chances.)
They were that dominant, even after their first three possessions of the game resulted in a pair of punts and a lost fumble.
The Bryant defense allowed Pine Bluff only three first downs in the first half and one of those came on the last play. The Zebras managed just 73 yards of offense in the first two quarters, all on the ground. Their longest play from scrimmage was a 12-yard run by quarterback Mark Bradley, on that last play of the half. Bradley and Melvin Thomas combined to go 0-for-14 passing in the half and the Hornets came up with four of their six interceptions in the game by the intermission. In fact, at one point in the second quarter, Bryant came up with interceptions on three consecutive Pine Bluff snaps.
And Bryant scored every which way. The Hornets offense got started with just 4:47 left in the first quarter despite being backed up at their own 11, their worst field position of the game. The breakout play came on second-and-6 at the 15 when quarterback Derek McCoy hit flanker Josh Farmer on a slant pass for 42 yards. It was McCoy’s first completion on his fifth attempt of the contest. He went on to hit 20-of-44 in the game for 343 yards and two touchdowns.
On the next play, sophomore running back Matt White crashed 23 yards to the Pine Bluff 19. White, going all the way at running back because of an injury to junior Luke Brown, and helping out on defense — in a big way, late in the game — rushed for 204 yards on 28 carriers. He also caught a pass from McCoy as well as a big one from Bradley. The latter, when the Hornets’ lead was down to 41-31, he returned 63 yards for a touchdown that defused a furious Zebra comeback in the fourth quarter.
From the 19, McCoy pass to Michael Wallace for the touchdown, the fourth play of the 89-yard drive.
Nick Harbert kicked the extra point to make it 7-0 with 3:51 left in the opening period.
The Hornets had moved the ball successfully last year against Pine Bluff but stalled once they got into scoring position. They wound up getting shut out 23-0. This year, as head coach Daryl Patton said before the game, it would be different in the so-called “red-zone” (inside the opponents’ 20-yard line). And their were five reasons: center Joe Gould, guards Brad Roberts and Josh Workman and tackles Joey Hudman and Mike Gann — all returning starters except Gann, a vastly improved senior. Those guys, with the help of tight ends Patrick Defoe and Michael McClellan and blocking back Aaron Mears, controlled the line of scrimmage all night. Despite blitzes, McCoy was only sacked twice and, in 32 running plays, the Hornets only had two lost-yardage plays for a total of four yards.
The Bryant defense controlled things too. In the first quarter, Pine Bluff punted five times. Another possession ended with an interception by safety Bobby Winn.
After Pine Bluff’s fourth punt, Bryant added to its lead, driving 68 yards in five plays. The big gainer was another McCoy-Farmer hook up for 45 yards to the 2. After Pine Bluff was penalized a yard for being offside, McCoy sneaked in the touchdown and, with Harbert’s kick, it was 14-0.
In the second quarter, the turnover barrage began for Pine Bluff. Bryant defensive tackle Shawn Reynolds recovered a fumble at the Zebra 42 with 9:54 left in the half. Six plays later, White found paydirt on a 6-yard run. McCoy completions of 16 yards to Jonathan Jameson and 17 yards to Matt Brown set up the score.
Down 21-0, the Zebras turned to Thomas, a junior who had started the season at quarterback but had missed action due to a groin strain. His second pass was intercepted by Hornets’ middle linebacker Jake Newell at midfield and returned to the Zebra 30. Three plays later, McCoy found Matt Brown on a 15-yard touchdown strike and, after Harbert’s PAT, Bryant led 28-0 with 6:44 still left in the half.
A 51-yard kickoff return by Bradley put Pine Bluff in Bryant territory but, on the very first play of the subsequent series, Bradley (back in at quarterback) was intercepted by sophomore linebacker Jason Rose.
After McCoy passed 16 yards to Matt Brown, the Hornets tried a little trickery with a reverse to Brown who pulled up to pass deep only to have Pine Bluff’s Andreas Williams intercept and return to the Bryant 28.
On the next play, however, Bryant cornerback Josh Baumbeck made a juggling interception at the sideline, somehow staying inbounds. He whirled and sprinted down the boundary to yet another touchdown.
Harbert kicked it to 35-0.
And to avoid Pine Bluff’s dangerous returns — their best offense of the night to that point — the Hornets dribbled an onside kick and, lo and behold, Baumbeck recovered.
The Hornets drove to the 15 before stalling. A field goal attempt went wide and Pine Bluff took over. The Zebras managed a first down but couldn’t convert a fourth-and-10 from their own 39 — is that desperation with 1:44 left in the first half, or what? — and Bryant took over.
The Hornets took a shot at the end zone on a fourth-and-2. Jameson had position on the defender but was prevented from getting to the pass with :38 left.
Of course, no one expected a Pine Bluff team to quit. And, in the second half, with the Hornets’ intensity drained a bit by their 35-0 lead, the Zebras roared back.
Another interception by Williams set up the Zebras’ first touchdown. They had to converted fourth-and-13 at the Bryant 29 but, after missing on his first 12 attempts of the game, Bradley finally completed a 20-yard pass to Larry Barnes for a first down. A play later, Bradley passed to Williams for the score.
Bryant countered with a drive from their own 25 to the Pine Bluff 4. And when White lost a yard on third-and-goal, Josh Ault came on to boot a 23-yard field goal to make it 38-7.
The Zebras followed with a 57-yard drive for another score. Bradley capped the march with a 1-yard run then added a two-point conversion run to the corner to make it 38-15.
Again, Bryant answered with a strong push, driving from its 21 to the Pine Bluff 14 before Williams intercepted again, this time at the 1, and returned to the Bryant 42. A personal foul penalty for a late hit was tacked on and the Zebras were within 27 yards of another score.
Mears sacked Bradley at the 35 but on the next play Zebra fullback Derek Nelson bowled to the 11. After Winn almost came up with his second interception, Bradley again connected with Williams for the touchdown.
Again, the Zebras added a two-point conversion and the Bryant lead was down to 38-23 with 2:10 left in the third quarter.
Once more, Bryant’s offense stepped up, driving from its own 20 to the Pine Bluff 20. Ault drilled a 37-yard field goal to make it 41-23 on the first play of the fourth period.
Pine Bluff’s rally was not dampened, however. A 38-yard touchdown pass from Bradley, who finished 9-for-35 through the air, to James Iverson, plus another two-point conversion cut the margin to 10, 41-31, with 10:17 left to play.
And, when the Zebras recovered an onside kick after that. It appeared that all the momentum had swung Pine Bluff’s way.
But the Hornets defense stood up. At the Bryant 48, Nelson was chopped down for no gain; Bradley followed with a deep pass that was dropped; and, on third down, Bradley rolled right and overthrew his intended receiver. White, playing center field, intercepted at the Bryant 37 and made perhaps his most splendid run of the night on the return, traipsing up the sideline, sidestepping tacklers, breaking a tackle then, at the last moment, cutting back and into the end zone for a TD that broke the Zebras.
And Bryant followed with another onside kick that Baumbeck, once more, sought out and recovered with 9:19 left to play.
The Hornets ate up four precious minutes driving to the Pine Bluff 47 before McCoy was picked off again by Williams at the 4. Jameson, with a fine open-field tackle, brought Williams down at the 6 and, after a personal foul penalty against the frustrated Zebras, Pine Bluff had to start at its own 2.
The Zebras rooted out to the 42 before running out of downs. Bryant took over and, on the first play, White zipped through a gaping hole off left tackle and went the distance for his third touchdown of the night.
Ault added the extra point to make it 55-31 with 3:02 still to play.
Pine Bluff’s last gasp on the ensuing series lasted two plays before Jameson came up with the Hornets’ sixth interception of the game with 2:40 left.
Bryant kept the ball until just :15 were left.
