It’s somehow appropriate that the one thing that brings together so many in Bryant and Benton — 26,000 strong last year — winds up with all the Bryant folks on one side and all the Benton folks on the other as the football teams do battle in between.

Of course, much of the “coming together” part is in preparation, for planning all the different aspects of what has become an event that almost overshadows the actual football game.

It has, in fact, become so much more than the game. It is a celebration of the two towns, individually and collectively. But also, since it has been moved to the beginning of the season, it has developed into an actual celebration — a big party — to mark the start of football season.

Saline County does love football.

By Rob Patrick

Photos by Rick Nation 

“I think, by the first game, you really want to have an identity established,” John Wells was saying as he discussed the secondary for the 2010 Bryant Hornets. “When I talk about identity, I mean: Are we headhunters? Are we man (coverage) guys? Are we good at finesse?”

But such is not the case at this point, Wells said.

“I think we’ve got an eclectic group of guys,” he explained. “I think they all have something different to offer. We have a lot of choices and that’s good. It’s not that they’re all so close together and they’re not doing well. They’re all improving and they all have something to offer.”

In fact, Wells said, the opponent of the week and that team’s offensive style or emphasis may determine which guys play. It may even come down to in-game situations.

“There’s a couple of guys that are really good man-to-man cover guys but I might not want them out there one-on-one tackling an open-field guy,” the coach continued. “There’s some guys that can track the ball and I think that’s an ability. I mean, we can throw all the deep balls we want but I really believe that’s an ability that some guys have and some guys just don’t. You can line up the same guys in the outfield and hit them flyballs and some of them can read it off the bat and go get it and I think the same guys can read the ball off the quarterback’s hands, read that front shoulder and go get it.

Be sure to stop by the BryantDaily booth at the Salt Bowl Tailgate Party outside War Memorial Stadium on Friday and register for a chance to win iTunes gift cards, BryantDaily shirts and pullovers and maybe a surprise or two.

The largest Tailgate Party in Arkansas will be held on the grounds around War Memorial Stadium beginning at 5 p.m. The tailgate party is sponsored by all of the Saline County area banks and will offer fans free hot dogs, chips and Coca Cola products. There will also be a Kid Zone that is sponsored by Midtown Church in Bryant that will have blow-ups for the kids on grassy area below the parking lot, carnival rides will be offered for all.

By Martin Couch

A brief summary of each of the previous games in the series:

By Rob Patrick

There’s a lot still up in the air for the Bryant Hornets freshman football team. Injuries had head coach Kenny Horn comparing his locker room to a MASH unit and with a group of players that figure to contribute just back from a week at the Babe Ruth World Series, few things are certain.

So, Thursday’s season-opener at Lake Hamilton will not only determine a winner, it may determine who’s going to be playing most for the Hornets in weeks to come.

Quarterback Brandon Warner tossed a pair of touchdown passes as the Bryant Blue Hornets eighth grade football team of Bethel Middle School forged a season-opening victory over Little Rock Henderson Hawks eighth grade team, 14-12, at Bryant Stadium.

The Hornets scored late in the first half and early in the second. A two-point run by Brendan Young after the first touchdown provided the difference, though they were about to take it in again late in the game before losing a fumble at the Henderson 1.

By Rob Patrick

Photos by Rick Nation 

At the time, someone that came out onto the football field at Sheridan High School admitted, it was one of the worst breaks they’d ever seen.

Not that they’d seen a lot of them occur at a high school football game, particularly a broken leg.

Still, it wasn’t pretty.

The Bryant Hornets junior varsity football team got a jump on the varsity as they opened their 2010 schedule with a 35-0 romp over the Pine Bluff Zebras JV on Monday night at Bryant Stadium.

Tickets are still available for the first Salt Bowl banquet to be held Thursday, Sept. 2, at the new Bishop Park Community Center in Bryant. Available at the offices of the Bryant athletic director Tom Farmer or Benton athletic director Steve Quinn, the tickets are $15 per person.

Big Red Valero will be getting another shipment of Salt Bowl “Show Your Colors” t-shirts on Wednesday, Sept. 1.

Anyone that has not picked up a ticket and a shirt for the special price of $10 can do so at all Big Red locations.