White Hornets win eighth-grade battle of Bryant

By Rob Patrick

Greyson Giles and Drew Martin came up with interceptions in the fourth quarter, the latter to set up a game-clinching touchdown, as the Bryant White Hornets from Bryant Middle School captured the annual duel with the Bryant Blue Hornets from Bethel Middle School, 14-0, in eighth-grade football action on Tuesday, Sept. 8. 

In the seventh grade game, Bryant Blue, behind a pair of long touchdown runs by Brushawn Hunter, rolled to a 30-12 victory.

It was the season debut for both seventh grade teams and the Bryant White squad. Bryant Blue had opened the season with a 15-14 win over Searcy on Thursday, Sept. 3.[more]

The eighth grade game was tight all the way. White got the only score of the first three quarters with 3:26 left in the half on an 11-yard run by Jason Browning. It capped a 68-yard drive that came after Bryant Blue came up just a little bit short on a fourth-down play in White territory. The Blue team had reached the White 41 thanks in large part to a 15-yard run by Bryce Denker. But they faced a fourth-and-11. On the final play of the first quarter, Trevor Ezell got a handoff on a reverse and got 10, just short of a new set of downs.

In turn, Browning, who finished with 61 yards on 15 carries to lead all rushers, picked up 10 yards on two totes. Three plays later, however, White faced a fourth-and-3 from its own 49. Quarterback Wesley Akers, who completed his first seven passes in the contest, fired deep down the left sideline to Luke Howard for a 26-yard game and a first down.

From the 25, Giles powered to the 11 to set up Browning's scoring run.

A try for two failed.

Blue got good field position on the ensuing kickoff at its own 49. Two plays later, Denker crashed for 15 yards to convert a third down but, on the next play, quarterback Chase Christy was sacked by White's Austin May and the Blue Hornets couldn't make up the lost ground. A punt sent Giles back to the 8 but he returned it all the way to the 42. Though a chunk of that was negated by penalty.

With time running out in the half, Blue had a chance to get great field position in the closing seconds. But, on a fourth-and-15 at their own 21, the White Hornets got another big completion from Akers to Howard to get out to the 45. The duo connected again on the last play of the half for 26 yards with Ezell and Spencer Kilgore making a touchdown-saving tackle.

To start the second half, Blue got the ball at the 50 after covering an onside kick. They drove to the 37 but, on a fourth-and-8 from there, a pass fell incomplete and White took over on downs.

The White team drove to the Blue 13 but a procedure penalty turned a fourth-and-2 there into a fourth-and-7. Akers' fourth down pass became his first incomplete attempt of the night. He would finish 7 of 10 for 95 yards.

A penalty set Blue back from its own 18 to the 10 but Christy completed a bomb to Ezell for 38 yards to get them out of the hole. Two plays later, however, Christy was pressured and had his deep deep throw picked off by Giles, who returned to midfield only to have blocking penalty push White back to its 35.

The Bluf defense, aided by a pair of White penalties, stepped up and forced a punt and, with 3:38 left in the game, Blue had one more chance to tie it or take the lead. On first down at their own 32, the Blue Hornets, however, were pushed back when Brian Reed sacked Christy. On the next play, with Reed again bearing down on him, Christy got his pass away only to have Martin intercept at the 13 with 2:56 left to play.

The Blue defense made a bid to hold the White team out of the end zone. But, on a fourth-and-6 from the 9, Giles powered into the end zone for the clincher.

Scott Mead brought down Akers on a keeper, spoiling the chance for a 2-point conversion but White had a 12-0 lead with :47 left.

Good kick coverage by the White Hornets kept Blue deep in its own end. Then a penalty pushed the Blue Hornets back to their own 6. On the next play, Christy, trying to scramble to get a pass away, was sacked by Tyler Jeans for a safety that set the final score with :05.4 showing.

Bryant White is scheduled to host Rose City on Tuesday, Sept. 15. Blue returns to action at Conway White on Thursday, Sept. 17.

In the seventh grade game between Blue and White, Hunter had second-half touchdown runs of 70 and 60 yards to offset touchdown sprints of 41 and 48 yards by White's Mar'Kevius Nelson.

Blue had taken a 16-0 lead in the first half, however. Brandon Warner threw for one and ran for the other. His pass covered 4 yards to Brenden Young. After Drew Allen recovered a White fumble, Warner, on a busted play, scampered 37 yards for a second touchdown. After both scores, Young had run in the two-point conversions.

The seventh grade teams are scheduled to play again in a jamboree in Conway on Sept. 26.