LITTLE ROCK — North Little Rock Coach Brad Bolding said in August that he believed the Charging Wildcats could put defenses in a bind this fall.
That’s been the case the past three weeks.
Fueled by the running and passing of senior quarterback Kaylon Cooper, North Little Rock has scored 116 points and amassed more than 1,600 total yards in victories over Cabot and Little Rock Central, a late-season surge that has the Charging Wildcats back in the 7A/6A-Central race.
“Kaylon gives us so many options,” Bolding said. “To me as an old defensive coordinator, the hardest thing to stop is the running and throwing quarterback, because you’ve kind of got to pick your poison.”
North Little Rock (6-2, 4-1 7A/6ACentral) can pull into a tie for the conference lead with a victory tonight at home over league-leading Bryant (7-1, 5-0).
Bryant shared the 7A/6A-Central championship last season with Conway and Cabot, and a victory tonight would clinch at least a piece of its fourth conference title since Paul Calley became coach in 2003.
Despite losing 35 seniors to graduation, Bryant is a contender - again - because of stellar special teams and a new-look passing scheme.
“If you would have told me this eight months ago, I would have told you that you were crazy,” Calley said. “We’ve been fortunate. We’ve got some kids that think they’re supposed to win and have just enough skill people to keep us one step ahead.”
Those skill people include junior quarterback Hayden Lessenberry, who has completed 144 of 210 passes for 1,876 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Senior wide receivers Sawyer Nichols (40 receptions for 558 yards and 5 touchdowns) and Dillon Winfrey (38-535-8) and junior wide receiver Hayden Daniel (31-400-1) have flourished in a more vertical passing attack.
Senior tailback Karon Dismuke has rushed 112 times for 712 yards and 7 touchdowns.
The special teams are led by senior Jace Denker, who has made9 of 11 field-goal attempts, including game-winning kicks in the closing seconds the past two weeks to beat Conway and Cabot.
Junior Aaron Bell is averaging 36.3 yards on kickoff returns, highlighted by a 95-yard touchdown for the go-ahead score against Little Rock Catholic on Sept. 23.
“You’ve got to be able to contain those skill kids,” Bolding said. “They’ve got several of them. Can’t really just pinpoint one. You’ve got to play solid defense.”
North Little Rock will have a size advantage, especially in the interior defensive line.
North Little Rock limited Central to 117 total yards in last week’s 35-14 victory.
Cooper, meanwhile, completed 16 of 30 passes for 249 yards and 3 touchdowns and ran 16 times for 70 yards and another score.
Senior wide receiver Johnathan Parks, a transfer from Subiaco Academy, caught 7 passes for 181 yards and 3 touchdowns.
“Oh my gosh,” Calley said. “Their skill people are good.”
Bryant won last year’s meeting 28-21 at Hornet Stadium.
Sports, Pages 24 on 10/28/2011