Conway hampered by Bryant

BRYANT -- Bryant returned an interception for a touchdown, had a goal-line stand and limited Conway to 58 rushing yards in a 21-7 victory Friday night at Hornet Stadium. Bryant (7-3, 5-2 7A-Central) secured the conference's No. 3 playoff seed and will host Springdale, 7A-West's No. 6 seed, in a first-round game next week. Conway (3-7, 3-4), a No. 4 seed, will host Rogers, 7A-West's No. 5 seed, in a first-round game. Bryant led 7-0 at halftime and 21-0 on the strength of a 30-yard interception return for a touchdown by junior outside linebacker Antonio Todd with 1:23 remaining in the third quarter. Trailing 21-7, Conway's last hope ended when sophomore quarterback JoVoni Johnson was sacked for an 8-yard loss on fourth and 11 from the Bryant 39 with 1:55 remaining. Johnson was sacked by Kajuan Robinson, a 6-2, 290-pound sophomore tackle who is playing football for the first time this fall, Hornets Coach Buck James said. Robinson also sacked Johnson for a 4-yard loss three plays earlier and recorded a tackle for a 4-yard loss and batted down a pass on Conway's second possession of the game. "He's a big, strong kid," James said. "He showed what he's capable of doing tonight. He could be special. He's just still learning the game. Never played a down of football in his life. He's been playing basketball." Bryant finished with a 294-226 advantage in total yardage. The Hornets were penalized 14 times for 121 yards. Sophomore quarterback Ren Hefley threw a 60-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Brandon Murray on Bryant's second play from scrimmage. Senior quarterback Beaux Bonvillain directed the Hornets to their second touchdown -- a 1-yard run by senior tailback Cameron Coleman with 2:09 remaining in the third quarter. Johnson replaced injured starter Parker Teague (shoulder) on Conway's next possession, but his first pass was returned for a touchdown by Todd. Conway's only touchdown came on a 24-yard pass from Johnson to senior tailback McCall Dail with 10:22 remaining in the game. In the second quarter, Conway senior place-kicker Cameron Tilley missed a 33-yard field-goal attempt, Teague was intercepted at the Bryant 21 and, in the closing seconds, stopped at the 1 on a fourth-and-goal sneak from the 2. "We could have kicked a field goal there," Wampus Cats Coach Clint Ashcraft said. "At the same time, you've got the ball on the 2-yard line with a chance to punch it in and go in at halftime tied. Hindsight is 20/20."

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Conway High School Athletics

CONWAY HAMPERED BY BRYANT

ROBERT YATES

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette | 11/5/2016