Mustangs win battle of unbeatens
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
MORRILTON — “How good could this team be?”
It was almost an exclamation when Bryant Junior High Mustangs head football coach Scott Neathery uttered that after his team’s 37-24 win over the previously unbeaten Morrilton Devil Pups on Thursday, Sept. 20.
There was also a hint of frustration in his voice because Neathery, no doubt, has a pretty good idea of just how good his team could be and that it isn’t there yet.
That’s plenty to ponder for the rest of the teams in the Central Arkansas Junior High Conference particularly in light of the Mustangs’ impressive 4-0 start to the season.
The Mustangs racked up 350 yards of offense including 314 through the air as quarterback Bryan Griffith completed 18 of 26 passes, including 11 of 13 in the second half, and, for the second time this season, threw for four touchdowns in a game. He has passed for 12 in the team’s four games so far.
“Bryan Griffith had his come-out game,” Neathery said. “He did a great job. Also, Ritchie Wood did a great job. The way (Morrilton) was lining up, they were giving us the pass, so we took it all night long.”
Wood grabbed six of Griffith’s aerials for 108 yards and one of those TDs. Travis Wood, Todd Bryan and Josh Rice each hauled in three passes. Travis Wood had two touchdown grabs, Bryan the other.
But the Mustangs turned the ball over twice and had two or three big plays called back because of penalties. They were flagged eight times in the game for 70 yards.
“That’s what I’m disappointed in, (Morrilton) never stopped us,” Neathery said. “We stopped ourselves. We fumbled, just did dumb stuff. I’m glad we won, but we’ve got a lot to work on. I’m a little disappointed that we’re not getting people into the ball game when they’re supposed to, we’re making mental errors on special teams and committing penalties. If we want to be a championship team, we can’t do that kind of stuff.”
Defensively, the Mustangs forced four turnovers but Morrilton scored on three big plays and on a kickoff return to keep it interesting until late in the fourth quarter.
The Pups accumulated 226 yards of offense but 153 of that came on those three touchdown plays.
The tone for the game was set for Bryant’s offense early on. Hunter Nugent started the game with a scintillating 41-yard kickoff return to set up the Mustangs at the Morrilton 41. But, on the first play, the Mustangs were flagged for a personal foul. After being docked 15 yards, they were unable to get a first down and punted.
Morrilton was backed up to its own 10 and, on first down, quarterback Mark Kelley fumbled as the Mustangs destroyed the mesh between Kelley and his fullback Mat Stane on the option. B.J. Thompson recovered for Bryant and, two plays later, Griffith’s first completion went for a touchdown covering 8 yards to Travis Wood.
A penalty on the extra point sabotaged that effort and it remained 6-0.
Morrilton got two plays in and picked up 6 yards before Bryant forced another turnover. This time, Kelley was trying to execute the third phase of the triple option but he was wrapped up and on the way down as he tried to pitch the ball. It didn’t go very far and Bryant’s Spenser Barksdale recovered at the Morrilton 26.
On the next play, Griffith and Bryan hooked up for the score.
But, a high snap undermined the extra point attempt, and it remained 12-0.
On the subsequent kickoff, Morrilton attempted a bit of trickery as Jeff Hart received the punt deep, ran up to upback Nathan Shumate who was supposed to hand off to another player coming the other way. But the first handoff just barely got executed as the Mustangs descended and tackled both Hart and Shumate in one clump at the Morrilton 14.
With the help of a fine tackle by Blake Zuber in the open field as Hart turned the corner on a third down option pitch, the Mustangs forced a punt. Regaining possession at their own 48, the Mustangs marched to the 3 where a fumble kept them out of the end zone.
Two plays later, what had been a lackluster offensive performance by the Pups, gained some life on an inside trap against the flow. Kelley handed to wingback Jamell Brown and the play broke for 90 yards and a touchdown.
To that point, Morrilton had managed 19 yards of offense.
A try for two was foiled by Bryant. Kelley threw to Brown in the flat but he was met by Travis Wood and Jordan Fulmer at the 1 and driven back.
Bryant led 12-6.
Griffith scrambled for 18 yards to start Bryant’s next possession. Later he completed passes of 12 and 19 yards to Rice and Ritchie Wood, respectively, to set up Bryan’s 30-yard field goal.
The Mustangs forced another fumble with 1:31 left in the half and took advantage immediately. Griffith passed to Ritchie Wood down the right side and Wood, cutting against the grain and breaking tackles, turned it into a 40-yard touchdown play.
Bryan’s PAT made it 22-6 at the half.
In the third quarter, it was Bryant’s turn to set up an opposing score with a turnover. Griffith hit four consecutive passes to move the Mustangs from their 21 to the Morrilton 47. But, on the fourth pass, the ball was tipped at the line throwing off the timing of the Mustangs’ flea-flicker. Rice was still able to make the catch but he was off-balance when he tried to lateral to Bryan who was trailing the play. Bryan couldn’t hold on and Morrilton’s Josh Gaffney claimed it.
The Pups staggered to the Bryant 43 where, on a third-and-10, Kelley let fly with his first pass, a fade to Chris Rogers who had broken loose behind the Bryant secondary which had bitten on a run fake.
The touchdown play was followed by a failed two-point conversion and Bryant’s lead was 22-12.
The Mustangs had an answering touchdown on the very next play from scrimmage, a 58-yard play on a swing pass from Griffith to Bryan. But a clip negated the score and more than half of the gain. Unfazed, Griffith passed to Rice for 32 yards on the next play and the Mustangs drove for the score anyway. Zack Young’s 1-yard plunge on the third play of the fourth quarter made it 29-12.
But Brown returned the ensuing kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown to trim that margin to 10.
Moments later, the charged up Devil Pups had the Mustangs punting. A high snap got over Ritchie Wood’s head and he was fortunate to cover it at the Bryant 20.
Morrilton took advantage, though, as Kelley fired a strike down the hash to Brown, who hauled it in and dashed into the end zone to make it 29-24. A run for two failed.
The Bryant offense cranked it up again, however. Griffith quickly hit Zuber with a 4-yard pass then connected with Ritchie Wood for 17. After a delay penalty moved the Mustangs back to the Pups’ 49, Griffith rolled right and found Travis Wood wide open for a 49-yard touchdown that clinched the win.
Morrilton managed one first down in response but a holding penalty set the Pups back and, on a third-and-17, from their 27, Kelley’s pass was intercepted by Travis Wood.
Wood returned for another touchdown but a clip negated the score and the Mustangs ran out the clock. Zach Hannahs’ 16-yard run on third-and-4 from the Morrilton 21 helped retain possession for the Mustangs who were at the Pups’ 5 when Griffith took a knew on the victory play to end the game.
