O’s up: Bryant leads Overhills to Farm Bureau Invitational title

When in doubt, Jordan Bryant.

Such was the case on Wednesday for the Overhills varsity football team, which leaned on the quarterback’s 7-on-7 savvy to claim the Farm Bureau Invitational.

“Jordan, to me, is a Power-5 kid,” Jaguar head coach Bernard Bacon said of the senior, who was tabbed the event’s MVP after a 22-12 title-game conquest of Havelock. “He can make every throw on the field — strong arm, great leader, really good kid.”

And in step with the midweek heat, sizzling.

Time and again, Bryant — who threw for 2,339 yards and 18 scores a season ago — operated in bother-me-not fashion, connecting on simple tosses underneath coverage while dazzling on go-routes to a host of receivers.

In total, the Jaguars amassed 77 pool-play points — 14 more than tradition-rich Wake Forest — before chalking up a staggering 89 in single-elimination bracket play.

“We have a pretty good passing attack,” Bacon said of his scheme, which also recorded a first-place finish on June 18 at Duke University’s pass-happy party. “All we’re gonna do is just try to find open areas, create open space so we can move the ball down the field.”

Which the light-blue troupe did, of course, capped with calls for an “O’s Up” celebration after claiming its second Farm Bureau crown in three years.

LOCAL ROOTING INTERESTS

Host Southern Nash was the event’s top-performing local outfit, accumulating a 1-2 pool play mark before bowing out in the bracket session to Overhills.

Wilson Preparatory Academy, which competes on the N.C. High School Athletic Association 1-A level as a member of the Tar-Roanoke Athletic Conference, failed to bag a win, as did 4-A Corinth Holders, despite a spirited showing.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

Farm Bureau representative Ronnie Sutton, who chaired the fun with help from Herring-Sutton & Associates, was pleased following the bash, conducted in searing temperatures without mass physical setbacks.

“Southern Nash did a really good job of making sure that there’s enough trainers here,” Sutton said of the hosts, who ensured players were properly attended throughout. “We made sure all the teams had tents, we made sure they were aware of the conditions … luckily, we had no heat-related injuries or anything like that — just a couple of cramps and that’s it.”

Sutton also spoke with excitement about the 2025 spectacle, which aims to feature more teams, officials and corporate partners.

“We’ll have a lot more monetary help next year, “ Sutton said. “More people will help … kind of quality control, the better. ”

Results

Pool A

Wake Forest 17, Panther Creek 13

D.H. Conley 19, Wilson Prep 11

Wake Forest 19, D.H. Conley 17

Panther Creek 13, Wilson Prep 4

Wake Forest 27, Wilson Prep 8

Panther Creek 22, D.H. Conley 13

Pool B

Overhills 32, Havelock 12

Southern Nash 35, Corinth Holders 9

Overhills 24, Corinth Holders 18

Havelock 22, Southern Nash 7

Overhills 22, Southern Nash 11

Havelock 23, Corinth Holders 9

Bracket play – first round

Wake Forest 19, Corinth Holders 17

Havelock 42, D.H. Conley 2

Overhills 42, Wilson Prep 0

Southern Nash 28, Panther Creek 0

Semifinals

Havelock 30, Wake Forest 6

Overhills 25, Southern Nash 17

Championship

Overhills 22, Havelock 12

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