The battle of the state's two best teams came down to who was better in the second half Friday night in Bryant as the North Little Rock Charging Wildcats rolled away with a 25-14 victory.
The win all but seals a No. 1 seed in the 7A State Playoffs following next week's final regular season game for the Wildcats.
Bryant looks to be a strong 2 seed as it prepares for Conway on the road in Week 10.
The Hornets hung tough in the first half, playing to a 14-13 lead at the break, but couldn't get anything going on offense coming out of the locker room.
North Little Rock's Brandon Thomas performed well, rushing for a game high 170 yards on 25 carries and a touchdown in the win.
Latavion Scott led Bryant once again, going for 94 yards on the ground.
The loss moves Bryant to 8-1 overall on the year and 5-1 in 7A Central play. It also is sure to knock the Hornets from the top ranking as North Little Rock likely takes over the helm.
See the full story in Saturday's issue of The Saline Courier.