Lady Bison rout Des Arc for 13th conference win

Carlisle's Nicquira Burnett battles for a loose ball with Des Arc's Jade Bell. (Photos by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

CARLISLE — The Carlisle Lady Bison bounced back from a tough week to beat the Des Arc Lady Eagles 53-36 on Friday night at Bison Arena.

With the win, Carlisle improves to 14-8 overall and 13-1 in 2A-6 play. 

Carlisle played three games this week. The Lady Bison dropped a 58-44 decision at Clarendon on Tuesday then held on a for a 58-55 win at Augusta on Thursday.

In Friday's win over Des Arc, Carlisle jumped out to a 12-0 lead with 4:56 left in the first quarter. Arius McClain scored all 12 points. 

Des Arc broke the run on a free throw by Jade Bell with 3:48 left. Carlisle led 19-4 after one quarter.

Des Arc's Shelby Evants hit a short jumper to start the second quarter. Carlisle then scored nine in a row, including a four-point play by Kylie Warren, to lead 28-6 with 4:08 left in the first half. 

The Lady Bison led 32-11 at halftime.

Carlisle put an exclamation point on the win by outscoring Des Arc 19-7 in the third quarter to lead 51-18, forcing the running clock in the fourth quarter.

The Lady Eagles tried to get back into the game by pressing in the fourth quarter, and they outscored the Lady Bison 18-2 but the deficit was too great.

"It's always great to get back in our gym," Carlisle coach Jonathan Buffalo said. "I really think this place is a home-court advantage. We had a big crowd.

"It was good to finally play well. We didn't really play well this week."

Carlisle has four conference games left. They include Hazen, KIPP-Delta, Marvell and McCrory.

"We've got to win out and make sure we're the one or two seed," Buffalo said. "Our goals do not change — win the district tournament and go to the state tournament. All those goals are still in front of us."

In the win over Des Arc, Arius McClain and Warren led the Lady Bison with 16 points each. NIcquira Burnett and Elex McClain had six points each. Nikita Harper had five. Kayla Golleher had two.

Cierra Fisher led Des Arc with 15 points. 

Carlisle's Arius McClain makes a move to the basket against Des Arc. 

Bison push Eagles but fall by 10

A depleted Carlisle Bison basketball team gave Des Arc fits but came up short, losing 50-40 Friday night at Bison Arena.

Carlisle, which had to forfeit its four wins from the first semester, is playing without three starters. One is ineligible, one moved and one — Dominic Castleberry — is out because of a concussion.

With all that said, the Bison did not go away.

Carlisle scored the first four points — all by Zach Caviness — but trailed 12-9 after one quarter and 26-20 at halftime.

The Bison trailed 40-29 with 4:34 left in the game. The made run, cutting the deficit to 42-35 with 2:43 left in the game following two free throws by Jamarious Harper. The teams traded baskets but Des Arc pushed the lead to 50-37 with 1:24 left.

Brynden Weems led Carlisle with 14 points. Harper had nine. Garnell Harris scored seven. Caviness had six. Gray Amaden and Ty Golleher had three points each.

Garnell Harris eyes the basket against Des Arc.

Bison forfeit four football wins, four basketball wins from first semester

The Carlisle Bison football team, pictured in a game against Hazen in 2015, is forfeiting four wins from that season. The basketball team must also forfeit four wins. (File photo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

CARLISLE — The Carlisle Bison football team and basketball team have voluntarily forfeited games from the first semester of the 2015-16 school year because of use of an ineligible player.

According to a press release from the Arkansas Activities Association, Carlisle self-reported the violations. 

"The AAA accepted Carlisle's decision to fortieth all senior boys' football games and basketball during the 2015 fall semester," the press release stated. It also said the teams will be placed on warning for 365 days.

Carlisle's football victories came over conference teams Clarendon, Palestine-Wheatley, Marvell and Augusta. Carlisle's basketball wins came over Poyen, Palestine-Wheatley and Hazen twice. 

Junior Jackrabbits beat Harding in 2OT to win Bradford tourney

The Lonoke Junior Jackrabbits are the 2016 Bradford Junior High Invitational Tournament champions. (Photo courtesy of Blain Brewington)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

BRADFORD — It took six extra minutes but the Lonoke Junior Jackrabbits are champions of the Bradford Junior High Inviational.

Lonoke beat Harding Academy 47-42 in double overtime in the championship game Saturday night.

"The kids played well, played so hard and were extremely resilient and found a way to win in double overtime," Lonoke coach Blain Brewington said. 

Lonoke trailed by as many as six three times throughout the game but came back each time. 

"This is a fun group to coach that gets better every single day," Brewington said. 

The score was tied 5-5 after one quarter and Harding led 12-11 at halftime.

Harding outscored Lonoke 19-14 in the third quarter to lead 31-25. The Junior Jackrabbits sent the game into overtime by outscoring the Junior Wildcats 12-6 in the fourth quarter. Lonoke's Tyriqe Jackson scored four points in the fourth quarter. Tony Bryan and Nick Tate both hit three-pointers while Braidon Bryant scored two. 

The score was tied 37-37 at the end of regulation. 

Lonoke outscored Harding 10-5 in the two overtime periods. The score was tied 41-41 at the end of the first overtime. 

Jackson led Lonoke with 27 points. He scored eight of Lonoke's 10 points in overtime. 

Tony Bryant added 10. Braidon Bryant and Nick Tate had five points each. 

Lonoke's next game is Tuesday against Southside Batesville at the Gina Cox Center. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m.

Lady Bison rout Marvell; Bison fall to Mustangs

Carlisle's Blakely Ellis guards an in-bounds pass against Marvell (Photos by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

CARLISLE — The Carlisle Lady Bison improved to 10-8 overall and 8-0 in 2A-6 play with a 69-13 win over the Marvell Fillies on Friday night at Bison Arena.

Marvell scored the first two points of the game but Carlisle scored the next 33 points in the first quarter to lead 33-2 heading into the second quarter. Nicquira Burnett and Kylie Warren scored eight points each during the first quarter. Nikita Harper had seven. Blakely Ellis scored four. Peyton Hitchings and Madeleine Brown had two points each. Arius McClain and Elex McClain had one point each.

Carlisle outscored Marvell 22-6 in the second quarter to lead 55-8 at halftime.

Burnett led Carlisle with 12 points. Warren scored 10. Arius McClain had nine. Harper finished with seven. Kayla Golleher and Ellis had six points each. Elex McClain had five. Ashley Harbison and Brown had four points each. Scoring two each were Hitchings, Lauren Lea and Mattie Staggs.

Dominic Castleberry brings the ball up the floor against Marvell

Marvell 64, Bison 57

The Marvell Mustangs held off the Carlisle Bison for a 64-57 win Friday night.

Marvell led 18-12 after one quarter and 33-26 at halftime. Both teams scored 31 points in the second half.

Demarcus Houston and Brynden Weems led Carlisle with 16 points each. Zach Caviness had nine. Ty Golleher scored seven. Jamarious Harper had four. Dominic Castleberry scored three while Garnell Harris added two free throws.

Lady Rabbits knock off CAC; Jackrabbits come up 1 point short

Lonoke girls coach Nathan Morris talks to his team during the Goldfish Classic two weeks ago. (Photos by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — The Lonoke Lady Jackrabbits played probably their best game of the season in beating Central Arkansas Christian 40-33 on Friday at the Gina Cox Center.

Lonoke held highly-touted sophomore Christyn Williams to only 19 points. 

Lonoke 14-8 after one quarter and 25-10 at halftime.

Keiunna Walker scored 10 points in the first half. Jarrelyn McCall had eight.

CAC outscored Lonoke 23-15 in the second half but it wasn't enough to complete the rally.

Walker and McCall led Lonoke with 13 points each. Ashlyn Allen had seven. Kennedy White had four. Mickenzie Williams had three.

With the win, Lonoke is now 12-4 overall and 5-2 in the 4A-2 conference.

Lonoke also beat Newport 57-21 last week.

Allen led Lonoke with 18 points. McCall and Walker had 17 points each. Kaley Woodruff and Williams had 3 points each. Jayla Van Buren had one.

Lonoke's Haven Hunter looks to shoot a layup against CAC.

Jackrabbits split 2 games

The Lonoke Jackrabbits split two conference games last week.

They beat the Newport Greyhounds 39-32 on Tuesday but lost a close game to CAC, 60-59.

Against CAC, Lonoke had several chances to tie or take the lead in the fourth quarter but turnovers and missed shots doomed them. The Jackrabbits pulled to within one at 60-59 on a three-pointer by Haven Hunter with 0.5 seconds left. CAC inbounded the ball and touched it start the clock and end the game.

Lonoke struggled at the free throw line. The Jackrabbits made only 24 of 42 attempts in the one-point loss.

Hunter led Lonoke with 11 points. Bryson Jackson and Isaac Toney had nine points each. Jawaun Bryant and Kylan Branscomb had seven points each. Tyler Spencer scored six. Michael Kelly had five. Justin Meadows scored three. Yancy Cooney had two.

Jackson and Branscomb had 11 points each to lead Lonoke. Toney had eight. Bryant had six. Hunter scored four. Scoring three each were Spencer, Kelly and TaMarrea Moore. Scoring two each were Tyler Washington, Cooney and Jayden Johnson.

Lady Jackrabbits get second in Goldfish Classic; roundups on Bison, Lady Bison, Jackrabbits

The Lonoke Lady Jackrabbits are the runners-up in the 2015 Goldfish Classic. (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — The Lonoke Lady Jackrabbits gave the England Lady Lions all they could handle but came up short, losing 64-61 in the finals of the Goldfish Classic on Wednesday at the Gina Cox Center.

Lonoke fell behind 16-2 and trailed 18-8 after one quarter but Lonoke rallied to trail 30-25 at halftime. 

England outscored Lonoke 21-17 in the third quarter but the Lady Jackrabbits made it close in the final minutes, outscoring England 19-13 in the fourth quarter.

Keiunna Walker led Lonoke with 26 points. Jarrelyn McCall had 12. Mickenzie Williams added 11. Kaley Woodruff had six. Ashlyn Allen scored four. 

Lonoke advanced to the the finals of the tournament with a 59-37 win over Malvern

Walker led Lonoke with 24 points. McCall had 23. Williams scored six. Allen had five and Woodruff had one.

Lonoke's Jawaun Bryant drives to the basket against Stuttgart. (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

Jackrabbits

The Lonoke Jackrabbits finished third in the Goldfish Classic, beating Stuttgart 67-58.

Jawaun Bryant led Lonoke with 31 points. Kylan Branscomb had 12. Haven Hunter scored eight. Yancy Cooney and Justin Meadows had six points each. Bryson Jackson had two.

Lonoke lost to Malvern 67-51 in the semifinals of the tournament. 

Bryant led Lonoke with 20 points. Meadows had 11. Branscomb scored eight. Jackson scored six. Tyler Spencer had four. Hunter scored three.

Carlisle's Nicquira Burnett reaches for the ball against Malvern. (Photo by Kym Warren)

Lady Bison

The Carlisle Lady Bison lost their last two games of the Goldfish Classic, falling to England in the semifinals and Malvern in the third-place game.

England beat Carlisle 68-46.

The Lady Lions led 26-9 after one quarter and 48-20 at halftime. 

Elex McClain led Carlisle with 11 points. Blakely Ellis and Arius McClain had nine points each. Nicquira Burnett had six. Nikita Harper had four. Kylie Warren scored three.

The Lady Bison then lost to Malvern in the third-place game. 

Malvern led 17-16 after one quarter and 29-23 at halftime.

The Lady Bison made a run in the second half and trailed 39-38 heading into the fourth quarter. 

Warren and Arius McClain had 13 points each. Elex McClain and Ellis had nine points each. Kayla Golleher and Burnett had three points each.

Carlisle's Demarcus Houston shoots for two against Hazen. (Photo by Kym Warren)

Bison

The Carlisle Bison played two close games against Hazen and Bald Knob in the Goldfish Classic. They beat the Hornets 57-52 while dropping a 69-65 decision to the Bulldogs.

In the win over Hazen, Carlisle led 9-5 after one quarter but trailed 26-23 at halftime.

The Bison came out on fire in the third quarter, outscoring the Hornets 20-12.

Devon Kendrick led the Bison with 22 points. Brynden Weems and Demarcus Houston had 10 points each. Jamarious Harper had nine. Scoring two each were Dominic Castleberry, Drake Adams and Gray Amaden.

The Bison played Bald Knob tough but came up short.

Bald Knob led 16-13 after one quarter and 29-27 at halftime.

Weems led the Bison with 24 points. Kendrick had 16. Houston scored 11. Castleberry scored five. Scoring three each were Harper, Garnell Harris and Ty Golleher.