By Rob Patrick

CABOT — To start their weather-delayed contest on Saturday, the Bryant Hornets freshman team did the Bryant thing and the Cabot South Panthers freshman team did the Cabot thing.

Bryant, after covering Cabot’s onside kick, set up in its spread formation and scored on the very first play as Hayden Lessenberry fired a pass to Hayden Daniel for a 49-yard touchdown.

By Rob Patrick

CABOT — With seven starters out for one reason or another, the Bryant White Hornets eighth grade team limped to season's end on Saturday afternoon. 

A big, physical group of Cabot South Panthers eighth graders bulled their way to a 29-6 win in the game which was postponed due to storms on Thursday, Oct. 29, and played as part of five consecutive games on the turf at Cabot Panther Stadium.

The typical Cabot dead-T was in full display in the game. The Panthers attempted just one pass in 37 offensive snaps. Featuring a fullback that was as big as any of the linemen on the field, they racked up 217 yards rushing.

By Rob Patrick

 NORTH LITTLE ROCK — Perhaps the sleeping giant is finally waking up.

Since the merging of North Little Rock Northeast and North Little Rock Ole Main back in 1990, it has been one of the largest high schools in the state.

Though the talent has been impressive ever since, for one reason or another, North Little Rock never has become the football power one might expect it to be.

That may finally be changing, however.

This year, the North Little Rock Charging Wildcats are probably the most physically gifted team in the state and if they play to that ability, there’s little doubt they could (and should?) win the Class 7A State championship.

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PEARCY — While the freshman team and Bryant White were waiting out a storm that eventually led to the postponement of their games at Cabot, the Bryant Blue Hornets eighth grade team went to Lake Hamilton and won 12-6.

The game, played in a driving rain, marked the first time in four years that the Bryant Bethel team has beaten Lake Hamilton, according to head coach Donaven Sims.

By Rob Patrick

Both the Bryant Hornets and the North Little Rock Charging Wildcats will host a game in the Class 7A playoffs. The question is, which one will host a first-round game on Friday, Nov. 13, and which will have a bye that weekend and open at home on Friday, Nov. 20.

Oh, and the winner of their game tonight at North Little Rock will probably finish the regular season with at least a share of the 7A-Central Conference championship too.

Six teams from the Central (and the 7A-West) advance to the playoffs but the top two teams from both leagues earn byes in the first round while seeds three and four host seeds six and five, respectively, to get the playoffs started.

The Hornets and the Charging Wildcats are two of four teams going into tonight’s play, tied for the lead in the Central at 4-1.

Cabot and Russellville, the other two teams, take on second-division teams this week but finish against each other next Thursday when Bryant and North Little Rock finish against two teams at or near the bottom of the league.

So, it figures that the winner of tonight’s Bryant-North Little Rock game and Thursday’s Cabot-Russellville game will share the title and earn the byes.

CABOT — Artificial surface or not, when it comes to football games in stadiums with metal light poles and metal bleachers, there will be no football when the downpour includes lightning in the area.

So, the Bryant Hornets freshman team and the Bryant White eighth grade team will travel to Cabot on Saturday, Oct. 31, to play their counterparts from Cabot South. The games between the teams that were supposed to be contested at Panther Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 29, were postponed.

On Saturday, the two freshman squads will play at 11 a.m. with the game between the eighth grade teams immediately following.

The Hornets, 6-2 on the season, will wrap up the 2009 campaign on Tuesday, Nov. 3, at home against the Benton Junior Panthers.  

By LANA CLIFTON

Bryant Police Department Emergency Response Team (ERT) members assisted Citizen’s Police Academy students in a SWAT house simulation during the class’s “SWAT Night” on Tuesday, Oct. 29. The group loaded into two vehicles and traveled to North Little Rock. They arrived at the Direct Action Resource Center (DARCy), a facility with various training and firearms ranges where many law enforcement agencies in Central Arkansas, including the Bryant Police Department ERT, receive weapons and tactical training.

Before the students strapped on their gear and began their simulation, Lt. J.W. Plouch, ERT commander, gave them some information about the ERT.

In recognition of National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week, Nov. 1–7, The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is asking the citizens of Bryant to take a closer look at the role their animal shelter plays in enhancing the quality of life in their community.

“Bryant Animal Control and Adoption Center is proud to serve Bryant by providing our many services and programs,” said Tricia Power, Director of the Bryant facility. “But we can’t do it without the support of our community’s residents.”

Congratulations, Cliff Lee!

The Philadelphia Phillies' left-hander from Benton pitched a complete game to beat the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the 2009 World Series.

Got memories of Cliff at Benton or at the University of Arkansas? Leave them in the comments below.