FORT SMITH -- Top-ranked Bryant looked the part of a dominant football team Friday night in its 7A-Central opener as the Hornets easily defeated Fort Smith Northside 42-7 at Mayo-Thompson Stadium.
"I think this team plays hard and physical," Bryant Coach Buck James said. "They are not flashy and do not try to draw attention to themselves. They have a blue-collar type of mentality."
Bryant's varsity defense played only a half, but held Northside to 15 yards and one first down, which was a 14-yard pass on the Grizzlies' first play from scrimmage.
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"We have a lot of confidence in our defense, and that is a luxury," James said. "Our defense was not fooled by anything Northside was trying to do. Our defense has played great all year long and does not always get the credit they deserve."
Bryant (4-0, 1-0 7A-Central) led 42-0 at halftime as its offense racked up 383 yards. Quarterback Austin Ledbetter paced the unit with 288 passing yards, 4 touchdown passes and a 29-yard touchdown run. Ledbetter threw to six different receivers in the half.
Northside (2-2, 0-1) caught the game's first break when Bryant fell short on a fourth down at its 36. After the first-down pass moved the Grizzlies to the Hornets' 22, the Bryant defense forced 8 yards in losses. A fourth-down pass was incomplete to end the Northside threat.
"It was like we had a defender there to make the play every time," James said. "The kids studied the film, studied [Northside's] tendencies and read their keys. It is a testament to what our defensive coaches teach and how well the kids respond to their coaching."
The Hornets dominated the rest of the first half, scoring on six of its next seven possessions.
Joseph Young turned a short Ledbetter pass into a 68-yard play to the Grizzlies' 2. Three plays later, Ledbetter hit Hayden Schrader for a 1-yard touchdown pass with 6:57 left in the first quarter for a 7-0 Bryant lead.
Two big pass plays got Bryant on the board late in the first quarter. Ledbetter hit Jake Meadors for 34 yards, then on the next play hit Young for a 40-yard touchdown pass with 56 second left in the opening quarter for a 14-0 advantage.
"I don't think [Young] had caught a ball [in a varsity game] until tonight," James said. "He had a big night. Jake Meadors played like we expect Jake Meadors to play."
We were able to run the ball better as the game went on, though it may not have looked like it."
The Hornets blew the game open with a 28-point second quarter. Ledbetter threw touchdown passes to Meadors (30 yards) and Schrader (21 yards), and also ran for a 29-yard score on a keeper. Reserve running back Preston Garrett added a 2-yard touchdown run with eight seconds left in the first half.
Northside's lone score came with 7:58 left in the fourth quarter on a 93-yard run by Tyheen Prosise.
Sports on 09/28/2019