Bryant may have won the Salt Bowl against Saline County rival Benton, but Coach Buck James knows the Hornets have plenty of work to do.
The Hornets defeated Benton 49-42 on Saturday at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock despite being outgained 461-450 in total yards.
"Our defense didn't play well," James said. "My hat's off to Benton on that. I thought they played extremely well. We never got them stopped on first and second down enough to get them off the field."
The Hornets allowed 255 rushing yards. Benton junior running back Zak Wallace rushed for 175 yards and 5 touchdowns on 23 carries.
Wallace's outing was concerning for James, whose team is scheduled to face some of the state's top running backs this season, including Little Rock Catholic junior Samy Johnson on Sept. 29.
"Everybody we play in this conference is going to have a big running back," James said. "They're going to have a good quarterback who can run and throw. I don't know if their offensive lines will be as big [as Benton's], but they're going to be pretty good. So, there's definitely some things we've got to get worked out and fixed. I expect our defensive coaches will do a heck of a job. I expect a lot of improvement between Week 1 and Week 2."
Bryant (1-0) travels to defending Class 7A state champion Fayetteville on Friday. The Bulldogs (1-0), led by first-year coach Billy Dawson, defeated Blue Springs, Mo., 22-17, on Friday.
"Fayetteville is a different-type of team," James said. "They're not going to do exactly what these guys did. They're very good at what they do. It will be a tough challenge.
"But we're not going to get better if we don't play great teams. I want to play great football teams and I want to be in big football games."
LR CENTRAL
Offense on point
Little Rock Central's offense enjoyed a solid first game against Rogers Heritage thanks to three seniors.
Quarterback Jacob Howard, running back Jacorien Whitaker and wide receiver Donald Richardson were instrumental in the Tigers' 30-12 victory over the War Eagles on Friday at Little Rock Christian.
Howard completed 16 of 25 passes for 150 yards and 2 touchdowns. Both touchdown passes went to Richardson, who had 7 receptions for 96 yards.
"He had good touch on the ball," Central Coach Ellis "Scooter" Register said of Howard. "Our receivers ran good routes. [Howard] found the open guys and made some real good throws.
Whitaker, making his first varsity start at running back, rushed for 95 yards and 2 touchdowns on 14 carries.
"I tell you, hat's off to Jacorien Whitaker for stepping up," Register said.
Central (1-0) travels to Bentonville West (1-0) on Friday.
JACKSONVILLE
Hampton remembers Reed
One of Bill Reed's most accomplished football players paid tribute to him this week.
Former defensive lineman Dan Hampton, who played for Bill Reed at Jacksonville in 1972-1974 before playing at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville (1975-1978) and the NFL's Chicago Bears (1979-1990), told the Little Rock Touchdown Club crowd Tuesday in a taped statement that he loved playing for Reed.
Reed, who led Jacksonville to three state championships (1976, 1978, 1981), died Aug. 29 at 79.
"No superlatives are adequate to express my gratitude for him being my coach as well as hundreds of other players across the state of Arkansas," Hampton said. "He was a man of integrity, character. He was a huge presence in my life. I loved Bill Reed. I thank him not only for what he's done for me, but for other high school football players over the past 50 years."
Hampton was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002.
EXTRA POINTS
Alma Coach Doug Loughridge earned his 100th victory last week, leading the Airedales to a 21-14 victory over Van Buren. Loughridge has been a head coach since 2007, coaching at Charleston until 2012. He became Alma's head coach in 2013. Loughridge led Charleston to Class 3A state championships in 2008 and 2011. ... Helena-West Helena will induct its second class into its school district's athletic hall of fame at halftime of the Cougars' nonconference game against Marianna. Former University of Arkansas, Fayetteville football player and coach Ken Hatfield, a 1961 graduate of Central High in 1961 when the school's mascot was the Indians, leads the class of eight. Former football players Gerald Fonzie (Class of 2004), Lennie Johnson (Class of 1995), Greg Williams (Class of 1982), Wally Cox (Class of 1973), as well as former basketball players Howard Eaton (Class of 1989), Melvin Washington (Class of 1965 at Miller High School in Helena) and girls' basketball coach Mattie Belfoure. Central and Miller high schools merged in 1970 and the Indians' mascot was dropped in 1971 in favor of the Cougars, which is the current mascot of Helena-West Helena. ... Searcy senior quarterback Mason Schucker completed 21 of 30 passes for 310 yards and 7 touchdowns in the Lions' 63-41 victory Friday at Valley View. Schucker threw scoring passes of 14 and 55 yards to senior Alonzo Tripp, 30 and 40 yards to Eli Nevels, 11 yards to senior Trenton Turner, and 18 and 25 yards to junior Tim Williams. Searcy (1-0), the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's No. 4 team in Class 6A, will host Batesville (0-1) on Friday. ... Rose Bud, with new head coach Chris Norton, played its first game since September 2016, and won at Quitman 42-26 on Friday. The Ramblers, who forfeited their final six games in 2016 because of low numbers, were led by junior running back Dalton Hall. Hall accounted for four touchdowns, including three receiving. He rushed for 136 yards on 22 carries and caught 2 passes for 49 yards. Norton was hired as the Ramblers' coach after coaching the 2016 season at Lake Village. Rose Bud (1-0) hosts Marshall (0-1) on Friday. The Ramblers' last victory before Friday's game at Quitman was against Marshall on Sept. 11, 2015, 38-37 in overtime.
Sports on 09/07/2017