Bryant Beatdown
Hornets declaw Panthers, win 24th straight
BRYANT 42, CABOT 14
BRYANT — The No. 1 Bryant Hornets (7-0, 4-0) made things look easy once again Friday, winning their 24th straight with a 42-14 victory over No. 5 Cabot at home in front of a minimized homecoming crowd.
The win now sets the Hornets up with a chance at a third straight 7A Central crown when they take on North Little Rock in Week 9.
Bryant’s offense exploded with 404 yards on 44 plays Friday, resulting in another mercy-rule win and a happy Buck James following the game.
Quarterback Austin Ledbetter found wide-open receivers and Xavier Foote complemented well with his ability to run the football in the win.
Ledbetter finished 8 for 12 for 183 yards and four touchdowns, while Foote rushed 13 times for 147 yards and a score. Running back Jamarien Bracey followed with 13 carries, 73 yards and a score as well.
“I have said all along that we have three of the best running backs in the state,” James said. “I have confidence in Xavier just like I do Tanner (Anderson) and just like I do Jamarien. “(Foote) does a great job of running between the tackles and he has a lot of patience. He has been a big plus for us, especially while Tanner has been out. We get them all back next week and I think we have a chance to be successful, no matter who is in the game.”
James could not say enough good things about his receivers, and Ledbetter as well.
“I thought (Jordan Knox) and Cory Nichols both did a good job,” James said. “But that Austin Ledbetter stays in there and throws the ball last minute to a spot and Jordan is there. Same thing with Cory earlier in the game and same thing with Blake Everett.
“I thought we did some things at the quarterback position that was pretty special. He is a special player.”
Bryant’s defense forced a punt on Cabot’s opening drive before its offense used only two plays and 39 seconds to go 51 yards for the game’s first score as Ledbetter found Nichols for a 41-yard TD strike with 8:42 left in the first quarter.
A fumbled snap on a punt attempt set Bryant up at the Cabot 37 a drive later before Ledbetter found Nichols again from 37 yards on the third play of the series.
Bryant would lead 14-0 with 3:15 to go in the first.
Cabot, however, would find its footing on its third series, using two plays to go 80 yards as quarterback Tyler Gee found receiver Braden Jay for the 79-yard score to cut the Hornets lead in half, 14-7, with 2:23 on the first-quarter clock.
Bryant, though, would answer quickly with its third score as Foote rushed in from 3 yards to make it 21-7 only 5 seconds into the second frame.
Cabot would have no answer the rest of the half as the Hornets continued to score quickly each series.
With the ball at their own 48, the Hornets would need under two minutes to get back into the end zone as Bracey trucked in from 8 yards, making it 28-7 Bryant.
Ledbetter would get back into action a drive later, hitting a wide-open Knox from 24 yards with 1:53 remaining in the half, putting Bryant ahead 35-7 at the break.
Beginning the second half with the ball, Bryant was forced to punt for the first time, but quickly got the ball back on a turnover-on-downs by the Panthers.
Bryant would make it a mercy-rule contest a series later as Ledbetter, once again, found Knox from 24 yards for the score, putting the Hornets ahead 42-7 with 5:36 to go.
The Hornets would add insult to injury on Cabot’s next possession as standout linebacker Hart Penfield intercepted the quarterback pitch and returned it to Cabot’s 2 after a 73-yard run.
However, the Hornets could not add on as they were stuffed three straight runs before fumbling the snap on an attempted field goal.
Cabot would use the miscue, scoring from the 7 on a reverse pitch to Ethan Kemp for the score.
Bryant’s defense would allow a number of big plays as the Panthers gained 328 yards on 58 plays.
“We just didn’t tackle well, but you have to give (Cabot) credit too, because they did a good job running after their catches,” James said. “And they caught us in a couple bad defenses on the run, too. We were diving a people’s feet. That’s just not a good look. You have to learn to play defense. Wrap up and tackle. We did a bit better in the second half.
But we have to tackle better, and if we can do that we have a really good football team.”
Gee completed 14 of 26 attempts for 278 yards and a score.
Jay would finish with five catches for 171 yards and a TD in the loss.
For Bryant, Nichols’ two catches went for 78 yards and a pair of scores, while Knox followed with a pair of receptions for 48 yards and two TDS.
Bryant heads to North Little Rock in Week 9 for a chance at the Central crown and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
“It is a big game. It is for the conference championship,” James said. “That’s what it has been the last three or four years. We’ve got to go out there and be able to play well and hold our own with them. I don’t think we have won there, ever. I think that is something that we have to go there and knock that chip off our shoulder and play like we are capable of and compete with those guys.”
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.