Hornets’ defense, Boone’s burst fuel Bryant’s championship win at War Memorial

Bryant 27, Bentonville 7

Bentonville’s bid unraveled early when quarterback Cole Slepecki left after a first-quarter sack, and Bryant pounced. After Samuel Nelson dropped Slepecki on a blitz that forced a punt, the Hornets took over and struck when quarterback Jeremiah Motes found tight end Keenan Latin in the seam for a 29-yard touchdown. Minutes later, Jakobe Boone flipped the field again, fielding a punt at midfield, reversing course and sprinting 55 yards for a score as Bryant raced ahead 14-0.

Bryant’s front, led by ends Mathew and Samuel Nelson and tackle Malachi McDonald, bottled up a Bentonville run game hampered by Chris Ficklin’s ankle, leaving the Tigers chasing long-yardage situations. Sophomore Evan Canode steadied the offense with several completions to Blair Irvin III and Conrad Schmitz, but Bryant still added to the margin when TJ Hodges cut through traffic for a 5-yard touchdown run to make it 21-0 at halftime.

Bentonville’s defense kept fighting, picking off Motes and ripping the ball free on Aiden McCarthy’s strip to create short fields. The Wildcat package, powered by Kameran Thornton-Mead, finally produced points with a 4-yard touchdown to open the second half, trimming it to 21-7.

Any comeback hopes ended when Bryant capitalized on another turnover. Motes lofted a 32-yard post to Boone for the final touchdown, sealing a 27-7 win and Bryant’s unbeaten championship run. Bryant totaled 489 yards and had plays erased by flags, but its defense never loosened. Kylee Sallee converted the Tigers’ extra point, and Canode showed poise in relief despite pressure.

Scoring Summary

1st Quarter

• Bryant – Keenan Latin 29-yard TD reception from Jeremiah Motes (PAT good), Bryant 7, Bentonville 0

• Bryant – Jakobe Boone 55-yard punt return TD (PAT good), Bryant 14, Bentonville 0

2nd Quarter

• Bryant – TJ Hodges 5-yard TD run (PAT good), Bryant 21, Bentonville 0

3rd Quarter

• Bentonville – Kameran Thornton-Mead 4-yard TD run (PAT good), Bryant 21, Bentonville 7

4th Quarter

• Bryant – Jakobe Boone 32-yard TD reception from Jeremiah Motes (PAT failed), Bryant 27, Bentonville 7

Players Who Stood Out

• Jeremiah Motes (Bryant, QB) – Named MVP; threw TD passes to Latin (29 yards) and Boone (32 yards).

• Jakobe Boone (Bryant, WR/Returner) – 55-yard punt return TD and a 32-yard TD catch.

• TJ Hodges (Bryant, RB) – Scored on a 5-yard TD run and stayed dangerous on the edge.

• Evan Canode (Bentonville, QB, sophomore) – Thrown into action early; showed poise and kept Bentonville competing.

• Kameran Thornton-Mead (Bentonville, RB/Wildcat) – Powered the Wildcat package and scored the Tigers’ lone TD.