Thomas’ 170 yards help North Little Rock knock off Bryant

BRYANT — It was Brandon Thomas’ turn to shine for North Little Rock.

The sophomore running back rushed for a season-high 170 yards and one touchdown on 25 carries in the No. 2 Charging Wildcats’ 25-14 victory over the No. 1 Bryant Hornets on Friday night at Hornet Stadium in a matchup of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s top two teams in the state.

North Little Rock (9-0, 6-0), which outgained Bryant 353-294, clinched its second consecutive 7A-Central Conference championship and will have a first-round bye in the Class 7A playoffs. Bryant (81, 5-1) travels to Conway on Friday, with the winner earning the No. 2 seed and the loser getting the No. 3 seed.

With junior Oscar Adaway missing Friday’s game because of an injured right ankle and junior fullback Tyler Day suffering a shoulder injury in last week’s game against Fort Smith Northside, North Little Rock Coach Jamie Mitchell told Thomas earlier in the week that he was the Charging Wildcats’ top option in the backfield.

“I told him, ‘You can’t look behind you because there’s nobody behind you. There’s nobody else,’ ” Mitchell said. “He’s not a bad one to be down to. It’s his show right now. We’re in pretty good hands.”

North Little Rock trailed 14-13 at halftime, but took a 19-14 lead as senior quarterback David Chapple threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to classmate Erion Cooney with 4 minutes, 48 seconds left in the third quarter. Chapple’s two-point conversion pass was no good.

Thomas’ 36-yard run on the first play of North Little Rock’s next offensive possession helped set up his team’s game-sealing touchdown.

On North Little Rock’s first play of the fourth quarter, Chapple threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Deontae Montgomery, who grabbed the ball between two Bryant defenders to extend the Charging Wildcats’ lead to 25-14 with 11:53 to play.

“We knew he could make plays,” Bryant coach Buck James said. “Eventually, that was going to catch up with you. You have to be disciplined. They went out and made the play, and we didn’t.”

Bryant attempted to pull closer, but junior Martin Ramirez’ 34-yard field goal attempt was wide left, leaving the score 25-15 with 9:24 remaining.

Chapple was 7-of-19 passing for 130 yards with 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.

Montgomery caught 4 passes for 92 yards and 2 touchdowns.

North Little Rock has won 25 consecutive regular-season games and 19 conference games in a row since 2015. It’s the second conference championship in three seasons under Mitchell.

“You can’t beat that,” Mitchell said. “Our program is so established. Our kids just continue to step in and do a

great job.”

Bryant was led by junior quarterback Jake Meaders, who completed 14 of 35 passes for 196 yards and 2 touchdowns. Senior running back Latavion Scott rushed for 95 yards on 22 carries. Brandon Murray, a senior, caught a 45-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter and Luke Curtis, also a senior, hauled in a 8-yard scoring pass in the second quarter.