LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Bryant Hornets captured their fourth straight state championship title on Saturday night with a 42-38 victory over the Fayetteville Purple Dogs. It was an absolute fight until the end.
The Hornets started out with a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Bryant running back Chris Gannaway added a 16-yard run to put Bryant up 7-0. Then Bryant's Drake Fowler picked off Fayetteville Quarterback Bladen Fike and returned it for a pick-six.
However, the Purple Dogs would get closer in the second quarter, with Fike finding Jalen Blackburn to make it 14-13. That score would stand at the half.
In the third quarter, Bryant would extend their lead even further. Fayetteville attempted a field goal, but it was blocked and returned 68 yards by Malachi Graham and the Hornets would lead 28-16 with about four minutes in the third quarter.
Then, in the final quarter, things started to get even crazier.
With about two minutes in, Fike finds Jalen Blackburn, a 72 yard TD pass to make this one close, 35-30 Bryant.
However, with less than two minutes left in the game, Burnett would send a 36-yard pass to Mytorian Singleton to cap it to put the Hornets up 41-38.
With about a minute left in the game, Fike would fumble the ball and Will Diggins would recover it for Bryant.
The Hornets would hold on in the final seconds to capture their fourth straight state title., and pick up win 200 for head coach Buck James. The 2A, 3A, and 4A title games come to War Memorial next weekend!