Broken Record
Ledbetter sets TD mark; Hornets perfect in Central
CONWAY — The Bryant Hornets (10-0, 7-0) completed its historic regular-season run Friday, defeating Conway 42-7 to stay perfect in the 7A Central — claiming the conference crown outright and also earning the No. 1 seed throughout the 7A playoffs.
The conference championship is the first for Big Blue since 2013.
“We have played well on the road this year — every time,” said Head Coach Buck James. “When our defense started playing well, then our offense got some momentum and put some points on the board in consecutive series. We started clicking. When we do that we are pretty special.
To add icing on the cake, junior quarterback Austin Ledbetter rewrote the record books himself, throwing six touchdown passes to set a new single-game mark for the program.
Ledbetter finished his night completing 31 of 40 attempts for 396 yards and the six scores — all season highs for the Arkansas Razorbacks baseball commit.
On the year, Ledbetter has now thrown 36 touchdowns and eclipsed the 300-yard mark four times.
The gunslinger found five different receivers — four for TDS — including team leader Hayden Schrader eight times. The lanky junior would finish with 89 yards receiving and a score.
Senior receiver Jake Meaders put
together a career night, hauling in 14 catches for 158 yards and three scores, by far his best showing this season. It also brings his season TD total to 14.
Senior Tre’vun Herron continued his stellar play, catching six balls for 111 yards and a score.
“I think Austin is a great quarterback, but our receivers did a really great job of catching the ball in some really tight spaces,” James said. “Our offensive line gave him time to be able to do some of that stuff. When we start rolling like that and are able to run the football a little bit and are still able to throw like that then we are tough to stop.
“We have to keep getting better and we have to do better at our run-blocking game. Defensively, we keep playing well and that is the key to winning in November.”
Rushing the ball was lax compared to most of the season for Bryant as Tanner Anderson led with 42 yards on 11 touches.
Senior Ahmad Adams followed with 41 yards on six carries, but missed most of the second quarter after being removed with an ankle injury. He would return in the second half.
“He has been battling and ankle sprain,” James said. “Really, he was back to about 85 or 90 percent tonight and was really bad last week. He is trying to fight through it. We go as he goes so we have to get him well. The week (off) is going to help us a lot.”
Though Bryant finished with its ninth mercy-rule game of the season, Conway actually opened the contest with a touchdown as speedy sophomore Manny Smith sprinted 47 yards for the score and a
7-0 lead with 10:27 to roll in the opening quarter.
The Hornets, though, would answer, going 76 yards on 11 plays as Ledbetter and Meaders hooked up from 7 yards to tie things at 7-7 with 6:01 to go in the first.
At one point in the first half, Ledbetter completed 14 straight passes.
Bryant would take the lead a series later, turning a blocked punt in to points as Ledbetter and Meaders teamed up again, this time from 20 to put the Hornets ahead 14-7 with 2:37 left in the quarter.
A missed 49-yard field goal from Conway would give Bryant the ball back in the second quarter as Ledbetter and Meaders continued to torch the Wampus Cats, this time from 6 yards out. Bryant would lead 21-7 with 9:34 left in the half.
Anderson looked to be on his way to the end zone later in the quarter, but coughed up the ball in the end zone for a touchback.
However, Bryant would hold on defense before Ledbetter found Schrader from 4 yards away. The Hornets led 28-7 at the break.
The second half did not start as hot as the first ended for Bryant as the Hornets turned the ball over on downs its first series before giving the ball back to Conway via Ledbetter interception on their second showing.
Nonetheless, the scoring would continue with 2:50 left in the third as Ledbetter found Herron from 29 yards to put the Hornets in front 35-7.
Ledbetter’s 19-yard TD toss to Xavier Foote on a welldesigned screen to start the fourth would be the end of night for the starters as Bryant led 42-7 and the continuous clock began.
With the loss and a win by North Little Rock, Conway will have the No. 3 seed and will play next Friday in Round 1. NLR defeated Cabot 37-36 with an 8-yard TD pass with under 20 seconds to play Friday night.
Bryant and North Little Rock will enjoy bye weeks, something James said he is happy to have for his team.
“We are going to get a week off and don’t even know who we are going to play,” James said. “We have to polish up on some things and we have to get some things better, but I think this bye week comes at the right time, we just have to make sure we come out rolling down hill. That is the key to anybody — when you take a week off, what happens that next week? We have to do a really great job of focusing in on that.”
Bryant will be at home throughout the playoffs when action resumes following Round 1.