FORT SMITH -- A critical stop early in the second half by Bryant's defense gave its offense all the momentum it needed to pull away from Fort Smith Southside.
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The Hornets stopped the Mavericks on fourth down inside the Bryant 35, and the Hornets scored on four of their next five possessions en route to a 43-19 7A-Central victory Friday night at Rowland Stadium.
Bryant (5-2, 3-1) has won three consecutive conference games after being shutout by Northside Sept. 23.
Bryant has a tough two-week stretch coming up -- hosting Cabot next week then playing at North Little Rock Oct. 28.
"We are starting to turn into a pretty good football team," Hornets Coach Buck James said. "We started the year as a young and inexperienced team. But I keep saying they are getting better each week. I am proud that they keep working hard and try to do what we ask them to do."
Southside (2-5, 1-3) travels to War Memorial Stadium next week to play Little Rock Catholic, then hosts Little Rock Central Oct. 28 in a two-week stretch that will likely determine the Mavericks' playoff fate.
"It just seems like everything is real hard for us," Southside Coach Jeff Williams said.
The Hornets led 19-11 at halftime, but a short possession followed by a 17-yard punt gave the Mavericks the ball at the Bryant 41.
Southside faced a fourth-and-2 situation at the Hornets 33, but a handoff to Kobe Rogers went nowhere and Bryant regained possession.
"We had an opportunity there, but we couldn't make a yard when we needed to make that," Williams said. "You have to give Bryant credit because they are playing good football right now. We continue to hurt ourselves in critical situations. That is bottom line."
The Hornets covered the 67 yards in 8 plays, capped by Reece Coates taking a direct snap and scoring from 3 yards out. Reece added the two-point conversion run and Bryant led 25-11.
"I thought this was the pivotal point of the game," James said. "We seemed to make a play on one side of the ball and the other side capitalized on it."
Southside answered with a 55-yard run by Taye Gatewood and Rogers scored on the next play, a 16-yard run. Gatewood made a two-point conversion run and the Mavericks were back in it at 25-19 with 4:51 left in the third quarter.
But Bryant pulled away.
The Hornets rebuilt the lead to 33-19 when Ren Hefley hit Coates for a 20-yard touchdown pass with 56 seconds left in the third period.
Bryant got a 42-yard field goal by Hayden Ray and a 12-yard touchdown run by reserve running back Kris King in the fourth quarter to set the final score. Ray's field goal was his second of the game.
"I believe he [Ray] is the best kicker in the state," James said of his senior kicker/punter. "Whether it is kickoff, punts, extra points and field goal, he always seems to get it done for us."
Sports on 10/15/2016