Bost resigns as Jackrabbits football coach; Taggart Moore is interim head coach

Lonoke assistant coach Taggart Moore talks to his players during a practice in 2015. Moore was named interim head coach following the resignation of Doug Bost. (Photos by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — Longtime Lonoke Jackrabbits football coach Doug Bost resigned Tuesday after his team started the season 1-3. 

Bost, who complied a 46-39 record in seven-plus seasons, is being replaced in the interim by fourth-year assistant Taggart Moore. 

In a statement released by Lonoke Schools superintendent Suzanne Bailey, Bost requested to “relinquish his Lonoke High School head football coaching responsibilities.”

“Coach Bost feels too much negative attention is being generated in the community towards the football program, and he does not want to be a distraction to the players, parents, fans or school,” Bailey said in the statement. “We are appreciative of Coach Bost’s contributions and know he will continue to be a valuable member of the Lonoke School District.”

Bost will remain in the district as a teacher.

Moore, who has been the defensive coordinator the last two seasons, came to Lonoke after a one-year stint as an assistant at Marion following his graduation from the University of Central Arkansas at Conway. 

“The big thing is that this is a good opportunity,” Moore said. “But, I’m putting the emphasis back on these kids. I’m wanting to make sure that the kids are having a good time, having fun and doing what’s right and becoming good young men, maturing under my leadership.”

Moore said he hates the way he’s gotten this opportunity with the resignation of Bost. 

“Coach Bost has been a good mentor to me and a good friend,” Moore said. “I just want to do what is right by the kids and get this thing back on track. The number one thing for me is the kids and them maturing into good young men.”

Moore was also complimentary of the his coaching staff.

"They came ready to work hard today," he said. "I couldn't have done it without them. We had a great practice."

Moore and his wife Anna, also a teacher at Lonoke High School, have been married for three years.

The Jackrabbits will play their first game with Moore as head coach Friday night when they take on the Baptist Prep Eagles in Little Rock. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Doug Bost

Jackrabbits can't keep up with Heber Springs

Lonoke's Dalton Smith intercepted a pass in the end zone against Heber Springs (Photos by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — The Lonoke Jackrabbits could not keep up with the Heber Springs Panthers in the 4A-2 conference opener Friday night. 

The Panthers jumped out to a 14-0 lead then pulled away from the Jackrabbits for a 48-21 win.

The loss was Lonoke’s third consecutive after beating Carlisle in the season opener. During that stretch, the Jackrabbits have been outscored 144-28.

In Friday’s loss, Lonoke trailed 14-0 with 4:53 left in the first quarter. Brandon Loethen scored on a 1-yard run with 9:12 left; Caleb Lanclos scored on a 34-yard run. 

Following Heber Springs’ second score, the Jackrabbits pulled to within seven at 14-7 on a eight-play, 57-yard drive. Michael Hodges scored on a 22-yard run with 2:03 left in the first quarter. Kameron Cole kicked the extra point. 

Heber Springs responded with another touchdown. Lanclos scored on a 2-yard run with 1:17 left in the first quarter to make the score 21-7.

Lonoke tried to keep up, cutting the the deficit to 21-13 on a 20-yard run by quarterback Logan Dozier, who was making his first appearance of the season. The score came with 5:24 left in the first half. 

Heber Springs scored two more times in the first half to lead 34-13 at halftime. 

The Panthers scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to go up 48-13 with 3:17 left in the third quarter. At that point, the game was played with a running clock. 

Lonoke’s final touchdown came on a 10-yard run by Xavier Hodge. Will Miller, Lonoke’s fifth quarterback in four games, scored the two-point conversion to set the final score.

Dozier led Lonoke with 74 yards rushing on 12 carries. Hodge had 70 yards rushing on 11 carries. Hodges rushed for 43 yards on 14 carries. 

Dozier completed 8 of 19 passes for 67 yards. Miller completed 3 of 5 passes for 13 yards.

Ethan Mulligan caught 5 passes for 33 yards. Isaac Toney had four catches for 33 yards. Hodges caught two balls for 14 yards.

Dylan Smith led Lonoke with nine tackles. Dalton Smith had six tackles and intercepted a pass in the end zone. Toney had four tackles.

Lonoke plays Baptist Prep (formerly Arkansas Baptist) this Friday in Little Rock. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Lonoke's Michael Hodges returns a kickoff. 

Late TD lifts Eagles past Bison

Carlisle's Gray Amaden [51] heads into the end zone for a touchdown after the Bison blocked a Des Arc punt. Also pictured for Carlisle is Jasean Harper [1]. (Photos by David Sanders)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer 

@markbuffalo

DES ARC — In a classic battle of traditional heavyweights in Class 2A, Carlisle’s game with Des Arc didn’t disappoint — with the exception of the final score.

Des Arc scored two late touchdowns, including one with 15 seconds left, to knock off the Bison 32-28 on Friday night at Rollins Hinson Stadium. 

The Bison led 28-20 following a 49-yard run by Ty Golleher with 8:11 left in the third quarter. Devon Kendrick added the two-point conversion.

Carlisle had a chance to score again early in the fourth quarter, getting inside the Des Arc 20 but turned the ball over on downs. That led to Des Arc pulling to within two at 28-26 following a 24-yard run by Ontario Conway with 4:21 left in the game. The two-point conversion failed.

Des Arc recovered the ensuing squib kick at the Bison 42. The Eagles then got the ball inside the Bison 20 but they fumbled with Carlisle’s Jaseaon Harper recovering the ball at the Carlisle 13. 

However, the Bison were forced into a three and out and forced to punt. Kendrick booted a 40-yard punt but the Eagles returned the ball to the Carlisle 48 with 1:12 left.

A few plays later, Des Arc quarterback Garrett Goodman threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Dillon Conway with 15 seconds left in the game.

The Bison then threw three incomplete passes to end the game.

Carlisle, which is now 1-3 overall and 0-2 in 2A-6 play, led 6-0 on an 11-yard run by Kendrick with 2:21 left in the first quarter. 

Des Arc took an 8-6 lead when Ontario Conway scored on a 34-yard run with 1:46 left in the first quarter. He also scored the two-point conversion. 

Des Arc pushed its lead to 14-6 when Dillon Conway scored on a 70-yard run with 9:09 left in the first half. Carlisle cut the deficit to 14-12 when Ian Seidenschwarz scored on a 5-yard run with 4:23 left. 

Des Arc led 20-12 at halftime following a 27-yard pass from Goodman to Isaiah Williams with 2:27 left in the half.

The Bison tied the game at 20-20 when Seidenschwarz blocked a punt and Carlisle’s Gray Amaden returned it for a touchdown with 9:45 left in the third quarter. Kendrick added the two-point conversion.

Golleher, playing in his first game since suffering a concussion against Lonoke in Week 1, rushed for 128 yards on 22 carries. Kendrick had 69 yards on 17 carries.
Ontario Conway led Des Arc with 97 yards rushing on 17 carries. He also had 14 tackles. Dillon Conway had 92 yards rushing on 10 carries. Williams had 46 yards on three carries. He caught four passes for 66 yards. On defense, he had 20 tackles. 

The Bison host winless Marvell in a conference game this Friday at Fred C. Hardke Field. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Carlisle's Devon Kendrick takes a handoff from quarterback Carson Cunningham. 

Second quarter dooms Jackrabbits against Newport

Lonoke coach Doug Bost talks to his team during their game with Beebe on Sept. 9. (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

NEWPORT — After a scoreless first quarter, the Lonoke Jackrabbits looked to be in good shape against the Newport Greyhounds in the final non-conference game Friday night. However, things went south in the second.

Newport scored 20 points in the second 12-minute period en route to a 47-6 win over Lonoke. The Jackrabbits are now 1-2 on the season.

The Greyhounds pushed their lead to 27-0 with 3:49 left in the third quarter.

Lonoke’s only score came when Michael Hodges, playing quarterback, scored on a 15-yard run with 11:09 left in the game. The extra point attempt was no good.

Newport then scored three more touchdowns to put the game away.

Hodges replaced Daniel Seigrist as the signal caller. Hodges is the fourth player to play quarterback for the Jackrabbits this season. 

Seigrist completed 7 of 13 attempts for 93 yards. Hodges completed 3 of 9 passes for 43 yards.

Hodges led Lonoke with 109 yards rushing on 25 carries. Steven Barrett had 66 yards on 11 carries. Xavier Hodge had 56 yards on nine carries.

Isaac Toney and Ethan Mulligan each caught five passes. 

Dylan Smith, Jared Moore and Hodges had five tackles each to lead the Jackrabbits. Zack Murray had four. 

Lonoke will host the Heber Springs Panthers in the 4A-2 conference opener Friday night at James B. Abraham Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Red Devils hold off late Bison rally

The Carlisle Bison enter the field against Lonoke in Week 1. (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

AUGUSTA — It was not a good night for the Carlisle Bison football team.

The Bison (1-2) dropped their 2A-6 conference opener 50-32 to the Augusta Red Devils on Friday night. 

Augusta (2-1, 2-0) jumped out to a 36-0 lead in the first half before the Bison made a late run to pull to within 10 at 42-32 in the fourth quarter.

Augusta took an 8-0 lead with 9:12 left in the first quarter when Devin Taylor scored on a 2-yard run. McKale Rodgers scored the two-point conversion.

Alonzo Tripp then returned an interception 57 yards with 5:42 left in the first quarter. Taylor scored the two-point conversion to push the lead to 16-0.

The Red Devils pushed the lead to 22-0 when Elijah Nevals threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to DeMarcus Neal with 3:56 left in the first quarter.

Augusta scored its fourth touchdown on an another interception return. Nevals returned an interception 55 yards for a score, pushing the lead to 28-0 with 10:04 left in the first half

Augusta’s final second-quarter score came on a 45-yard run by Taylor with 4:02 left. Rodgers scored the two-point conversion to make the score 36-0.

The Bison finally got on the board when Devon Kendrick scored on a 16-yard run with 3:33 left to make the score 36-6.

The Bison scored 18 third-quarter points to trail 36-24 heading into the final 12 minutes. 

Kendrick scored on a 49-yard run with 9:51 left. The Bison scored a safety and Jasean Harper scored on a 15-yard run. Kendrick added the two-point conversion.

Augusta pushed its lead to 42-32 with 9:42 left in the game. Taylor scored on a 55-yard.

The Bison came right back on a 7-yard run by Kendrick with 8:29 left in the game. Harper added the two-point conversion to make the score 42-32.

Augusta put the game away on a 4-yard run by Nevals with 2:50 left. Rodgers added the two-point conversion to account for the final score. 

Kendrick led the Bison with 166 yards rushing on 24 carries. Harper had 59 yards on 10 carries. Brent Bowlan had 60 yards on seven carries.

Taylor led Augusta with 321 yards rushing on 33 carries. Navels had 134 yards rushing on 16 carries.

The Bison will play at Des Arc this Friday. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Beebe runs past Jackrabbits

Lonoke quarterback Daniel Seigrist heads down the sideline for the Jackrabbits' only touchdown against Beebe. (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

BEEBE — It was not a good night for the Lonoke Jackrabbits football team.

Already playing without their starting quarterback Logan Dozier, who was injured in a scrimmage game at Maumelle a few weeks back, second-team QB Braidon Bryant was injured on the opening kickoff as the Jackrabbits lost to Beebe 49-7 in the Battle of Highway 31 on Friday night.

Bryant suffered a shoulder injury and could not play in the game. Third-team quarterback Daniel Seigrist was forced into duty for the entire game.

The Class 5A Badgers scored early and often in jumping out to a 27-0 lead. 

Beebe took a 7-0 lead with 8:51 left in the first quarter on a 7-yard run by Taylor Boyce. That was following a Lonoke fumble. Daniel Martinez kicked the extra point. 

Lonoke punted on its next possession. That led to a 9-play, 88-yard scoring drive by the Badgers. Boyce scored his second touchdown on a 37-yard run with 31 seconds left in the first quarter.

The Jackrabbits then turned the ball over again on a bad snap with Beebe recovering at the Lonoke 17. Three plays later, Beebe’s Khalil Anthony scored on a 6-yard run with 10:01 left to give the Badgers a 20-0 lead.

Beebe then recovered an onside kick at the Lonoke 47. Ten plays later, Anthony scored again to give his team a 27-0 lead.

Lonoke’s only highlight of the game came on the next play from scrimmage. Seigrist ran 62 yards for the Jackrabbits’ only touchdown of the game. Mario Reyes kicked the extra point to make the score 27-7 with 4:07 left in the first half.

Beebe scored two more first-half touchdowns and added a two-point conversion to lead 42-7 at halftime. The game clock ran the entire second half. 

Anthony scored on a 3-yard run and C.J. Cauldwell threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Boyce. Cauldwell scored the two-point conversion.

Beebe’s final touchdown of the night came on a 7-yard run by Nathan Burnett with six minutes left in the third quarter.

The Jackrabbits had only 114 yards in total offense. Seigrist had 90 yards rushing on nine carries. Michael Hodges had 14 yards on six carries. Xavier Hodge had five yards on two carries.

Seigrist completed 1 of 5 passes for five yards. Isaac Toney had the only reception. 

Dylan Smith led Lonoke with eight tackles. Hodges had seven. 

Lonoke will travel to Newport this Friday to take on the Greyhounds. 

Bison rally past Dragons for first non-conference win in three seasons

The Carlisle Bison offensive line head to the line of scrimmage during its game with Lonoke in Week 1. The Bison beat DeWitt 30-26 on Friday night. (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

CARLISLE — The Carlisle Bison won their first non-conference game in three years as they rallied to beat the Class 4A DeWitt Dragons 30-26 on Friday night at Fred C. Hardke Field.

The Bison (1-1) trailed 20-18 heading into the fourth quarter.

Carlisle took a 24-18 lead with 8:09 left in the game on a 9-yard run by Devon Kendrick. The two-point conversion was no good.

DeWitt responded with another go-ahead score with 4:54 left when Dee Dee Bradford scored on a 15-yard run. The two-point conversion was no good, leaving the score at 26-24.

The Bison got the ball at their own 42. Brent Bowlan then ran 17 yards on two carries to move the ball to the DeWitt 42. 

Kendrick then ran 15 yards. Bowlan set up the winning touchdown with a 12-yard run to the DeWitt 17. From there, Kendrick finished off the drive with a 17-yard touchdown run with 2:20 left. The two-point conversion was no good, leaving the Bison ahead 30-26.

DeWitt got the ball at its own 38. They gained two first downs before turning the ball over on downs at the Carlisle 48 with 13 seconds left. The Bison then kneeled out the clock to get the victory.

Kendrick led the Bison with 191 yards rushing on 30 carries. Bowman had 38 yards on 10 carries. Tristan Seidenschwarz had 21 yards on six carries. 

DeWitt got on the board first as quarterback Jamari Gamble scored on a 19-yard run with 3:27 left in the first quarter. Layne Ballew scored the two-point conversion. 

Carlisle got to within two at 8-6 when Kendrick scored on a 2-yard run on the first play of the second quarter.

The Bison then took a 12-9 lead on a 4-yard run by Bowlan with 4:23 left in the first half.

That lead didn’t last long as Ballew returned the ensuing kickoff 78 yards for a touchdown to give the Dragons a 14-12 lead.

Carlisle led 18-12 at halftime when Jasean Harper returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown with 1:56 left in the second quarter.

The Bison open 2A-6 conference play this Friday at Augusta. The Red Devils are 1-1 after beating Marvell 44-14 in their conference opener Friday night. 

4A Jackrabbits rally, pull away from 2A Bison

Lonoke Public School athletic director Marc Sherrell presents the Central Lonoke County Showdown trophy, sponsored by the Lonoke County Co-op to Jackrabbits coach Doug Bost. (Photos by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — For a half, the Central Lonoke County Showdown was a dogfight.

The Lonoke Jackrabbits rallied from a 12-7 deficit to beat the Carlisle Bison 41-28 in the first meeting between the two teams since 1990. 

“I didn’t like the three turnovers in the first half,” Lonoke coach Doug Bost said. “You can’t put points on the board if you don’t have it.”

Bost said the Bison played well in the first half.

“In the first half, they came out and they executed,” he said. “They hit us in the mouth. They are a very physical team. 

“At halftime, I thought coach [Taggart] Moore did a great job with his defense, making some adjustments. They were going overload on us. That was something we didn’t see in their scrimmage. We got that ironed out. That group [starting defense] didn’t give up any points in the second half.”

Lonoke got the ball to start the game. The Jackrabbits drove 52 yards in seven plays. Michael Hodges scored on an 8-yard run with 8:23 left in the first quarter. Mario Reyes kicked the extra point to give the Jackrabbits a 7-0 lead.

From there, the Bison responded with an 84-yard, 16-play scoring drive, which took more than 8 minutes off the clock. Ty Golleher scored on a 1-yard run with 14 seconds left in the first quarter. The extra point was no good, leaving the score at 7-6. Carlisle overcame three false start penalties on the drive. 

The Bison took a 12-7 lead following Lonoke’s second turnover of the half. Devon Kendrick scored on a 4-yard run with 2:47 left in the first half. 

Lonoke reclaimed the lead on the final play of the half. Braidon Bryant scored on a quarterback sneak. Reyes kicked the extra point to give the Jackrabbits a 14-12 lead.

Carlisle got the ball to start the second half and drove from the 50 to the Lonoke 17 but turned the ball over on downs. On the next play from scrimmage, Lonoke’s Steven Barrett ran 83 yards for a touchdown with 7:45 left in the third quarter. Reyes’ PAT made the score 21-12.

“Steven Barrett really kickstarted the offense with his long touchdown run,” Bost said. “It seemed like, after that, we had the momentum. That was a big run for us.”

The Jackrabbits defense came up big on the next Bison possession as Xavier Hodge intercepted a Bison pass and returned it for a touchdown with 5:45 left in the third quarter. 

Another Bison turnover led to a 20-yard scoring run by Bryant with 4:13 left, making the score 34-12.

Lonoke’s final score came on a 1-yard run by Bryant with 15 seconds left in the third quarter.

Carlisle scored two late TDs in the fourth quarter. Kendrick scored on a  23-yard run with 2:13 left. Jasean Harper added the two-point conversion. 

Carlisle coach Mark Uhiren said depth issues caused his team problems. 

“We had 22 available tonight,” he said. “I’m not going to make excuses but it’s a reason. They’ve got a fresh bunch coming in. They rotate some people around. They don’t have to milk them dry.”

Uhiren said he told his team after the game that he couldn’t fault them for their first-half effort.

“It was fantastic, I though,” he said. “We had too many mental breakdowns, and we’re going to work on that. They are still not into the rhythm yet of what we’re doing. But they’ve accepted it and are pretty successful at doing it at times.”

Uhiren was proud of his team’s effort.

“That’s a 4A football team [Lonoke] out there and they are no slouch,” he said. “My little 2A bunch went out there and gave them all they wanted for the first half. And if they hadn’t made some mistakes in the first part of the second half, we would have been even closer.”

Harper scored on a 1-yard run with 52.9 seconds left. Braiden Jenkins passed to Kendrick for the two-point conversion. 

Bryant completed all five of his pass attempts for 93 yards. 

Barrett had 83 yards rushing on one carry. Hodge had 81 yards on 5 carries. Bryant had 47 yards on 11 carries. Hodges had 25 yards on 5 carries. 

Kameron Cole, Isaac Toney, Daniel Seigrist, E’Shaun Brown and Hodge each caught one pass. 

Kendrick led the Bison with 97 yards rushing on 17 carries. Brent Bowlan had 83 yards on 9 carries. Golleher had 62 yards on 14 carries. Carson Cunningham completed 4 of 16 passes for 75 yards. Harper had 20 yards rushing and 37 yards receiving. 

The Bison host DeWitt in the final non-conference game this Friday at Fred C. Hardke Field. Lonoke plays at Beebe. 

Carlisle running back Devon Kendrick follows his blocking during the Bison's game with Lonoke. Also pictured for Carlisle are Gray Amaden (51) and Carson Cunningham (7)

Lonoke DB Kameron Cole looks for daylight after intercepting at Carlisle pass.