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Daizure Hale looks for running room. (Photo by Rick Nation)
Behind a defensive effort that held the Little Rock Forest Heights Eagles to one first down and a net total offense of minus-19 yards, the Bryant White Hornets eighth grade team of Bryant Middle School forged their first victory of the season, 28-0.
Offensively, the Hornets piled up over 300 yards, scoring in each quarter.
It was a welcome result after two rugged contests to open the season.
The defense stopped the Eagles for losses on eight of their 18 offensive snaps including two of the first three plays, setting the tone for the evening.
On the Hornets’ first possession, they drove 50 yards in seven plays, overcoming an illegal block penalty on first downs. Daizure Hale got back the lost yards on his first carry, covering 15 yards. Two plays later, the Hornets faced a third-and-7 at the Forest Heights 36 and Robert Hendrix picked up just enough for a new set of downs.
Quarterback Pierce Kinley’s first pass was a 21-yard play to Hendrix, which set up the first of two touchdown runs by Kinley, this one from 8 yards out.
Cameron Booth (13) turns upfield around Forest Heights’ Tayvion Haney after pulling in a pass. (Photo by Rick Nation)
The Eagles picked up their lone first down on the following possession. Tayvion Haney broke a 12-yard run. But three more plays netted 2 yards and the Eagles punted for a second time.
It looked like the Hornets might be bottled up on the resulting series but, on a third-and-13, Hendrix broke loose for a 66-yard touchdown run to make it 12-0 with 3:53 left in the half.
Chris Elder made a solid stop on Forest Heights’ first pass and moments later the Eagles were punting again.
With just 1:48 left in the half, the Hornets drove from their own 18 to the Forest Heights 18. Kinley had two completions to Cameron Booth that picked up 46 and 19 yards, respectively. But a pair of throws into the end zone in the final seconds of the half, fell incomplete.
Quarterback Pierce Kinley looks for an open receiver. (Photo by Rick Nation)
But the Hornets picked up where they left off as the second half began. After a strong kickoff return by Dylan Haynes, they got the ball at the Eagles’ 47. Three plays got them to the 41 and head coach Josh Fonville decided to go for it on fourth-and-4.
Kinley kept and got more than the first down as he found the left sideline and sprinted 41 yards for his second TD. He then threw to Hendrix for the conversion to make it 20-0.
Zacheus Jones made a tackle behind the line of scrimmage on a run by Haney to start the subsequent Forest Heights possession. Moments later, on a third-and-12, quarterback Sam Collier-Tennison tried to pass but was sacked by Will Diggins.
And when the Eagles went to punt, a high snap messed up the timing. Bryant’s Turner Seelinger got a hand on the kick and it only flutter 12 yards.
With first down just 37 yards from the end zone, the Hornets put the finishing touches on the victory. Roderick Bailey’s 15-yard run got the drive started. He would later convert a third-and-2 at the 14 with an 11-yard bolt. On the next play, he scored from the 3.
Lukas Pacheso (66) and Zacheus Jones (35) combine on a tackle. (Photo by Rick Nation)
And when he added a run for 2, it was 28-0 with 6:36 left in the game.
The Eagles tried to go to the air on their next possession but couldn’t find a connection. On third down, Collier-Tennison was sacked by Tyler Clouts.
After a short punt, the Hornets took over at midfield and, with reserves filtering in the game ran out the clock driving to the Forest Heights 10. Marquavious Brumfield contributed runs of 12 and 15 yards along the way.
The Hornets took a knee on the final play.
Bryant White returns to action on Thursday, Sept. 28 at Conway Blue.
Robert Hendrix breaks a tackle on his way to a 66-yard touchdown run. (Photo by Rick Nation)
