The Bryant Hornets now have not been able to finish two games this season. With the season-opening Salt Bowl at War Memorial Stadium in which the game was canceled shortly after halftime due to a perceived gun threat which sparked mass chaos, and again last week against the Northside Grizzlies when lightning delays cut the game short before halftime, the Hornets return to War Memorial to take on the Catholic Rockets in 7A Central Conference play.
The Hornets (3-1, 1-0) won both shortened games, 28-14 over Benton and 16-7 over Northside, as they go into their second Central matchup vs. the 4-0, 1-0 Rockets.
The Rockets upended the Cabot Panthers 15-13 in their Central opener last week in which senior back Samy Johnson ran 42 times for 212 yards and a touchdown. Johnson, a starter since his sophomore season, is most definitely the focal point for the Catholic offense as he has run for 661 yards and seven TDs on 113 carries for an average of 28.3 carries and 165.3 yards per game.
“He’s a great back,” Bryant Coach Buck James said. “He makes them go. He’s the head of their monster and we’re going to have to do a great job of trying to contain him and not let him run rampant on us. The quarterback (senior Cooper Monroe) is a good athlete, throws the ball well and does a good job of getting the ball downfield to their tight ends and receivers. They’ll lull you to sleep with their running back and hit you over the top with those guys. Our defense has a big challenge.”
James said the Hornets are “healthy as a horse” when Bryant and Catholic kick off at 7 p.m. at War Memorial Stadium. Listen on Fox Sports Arkansas 99.3 FM/690 AM.
Read the rest in Friday's The Saline Courier.