HORNETS JUMP ON GRIZZLIES

FORT SMITH -- Bryant shifted into cruise control after building a three-touchdown lead in the first 17 minutes on Friday, not that it really mattered. The Hornets' defense never really allowed Fort Smith Northside to get too close. Northside scored a big-play touchdown late, but Bryant was too much for Northside, opening 7A-Central play with a 31-12 victory Friday at Mayo-Thompson Stadium. "Anytime you open a conference with a road win, that is huge," Bryant Coach Buck James said. "Northside has a great tradition and play great football. They came to our place last year and beat us. This is a special win for us" Latavion Scott rushed for 179 yards while quarterback Ren Hefley tosses three touchdown passes, including two to Brandon Murray, to pace the offense for the Hornets (4-0, 1-0). Bryant's defense limited the Grizzlies (1-3, 0-1) to 184 yards, sacking quarterback Derrick Wise five times and forcing a fumble on a keeper. "I thought the defense played great tonight," James said. "We gave up a couple of big plays and there were times we did not get off the field on third down. That was really it. (Wise) is a great athlete and we knew that going in." The Hornets offense lost its momentum early in the second half, but Bryant got a field goal and touchdown in the fourth quarter to put the game away. "I thought we played really well offensively in the first half," James said. "We probably got caught up trying to run the clock in the second half and shorten the game. We don't care how we do it, as long as the job gets done." Hornets running backs combined for 205 rushing yards. "Our offensive line pushed them around and wore them down," James said. "We've been doing that all year. Our line is the strength of our football team." Bryant capitalized on three scoring opportunities on its first five possessions, and the two nonscoring possessions both ended inside the Northside 50, one of which was a missed 26-yard field goal. The first Hornets drive was 52 yards in 5 plays, ending with a 22-yard touchdown pass from Hefley to Randy Thomas for a 7-0 lead three minutes into the game. Bryant made it 14-0 early in the second quarter when Helfey hit a wide-open Murray in the middle of the field for a 45-yard touchdown pass with 10:43 to play in the half. On its next possession, Scott rushed 6 times for 34 yards, finishing the drive with a 12-yard touchdown run.

HORNETS JUMP ON GRIZZLIES

WALTER WOODIE

Arkansas Online | 9/23/2017

PHOTO CREDIT: Northside Athletics