Lady Bison rout England, improve to 21-3

Carlisle's Kayla Golleher splits two England defenders on her way to the basket. Golleher had 12 points in the Lady Bison's win over the Lady Lions. (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

CARLISLE — The Carlisle Lady Bison completed the season sweep of England by beating the Lady Lions 56-40 on Tuesday at Bison Arena.

With the win, Carlisle, ranked third in Class 2A by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, improves to 21-3 on the season, their most victories during Jonathan Buffalo’s six years as coach. 

“Any win is a good win,” Buffalo said. “I thought we played really well in the first half. To get to 21 wins is huge for our program. It’s the most wins we’ve had in my six years as coach. It’s a reflection of how hard these girls are working on a daily basis.”

Early on, it looked like it might be a slugfest between the two Lonoke County Schools.

England led 3-0 on a three-pointer by Tatayana Penister. Carlisle tied it on a three-point play by Heather Bowlan. 

England reclaimed the lead at 5-3 on a basket by Penister. Carlisle tied it at 5-5 on a drive to the basket by Kayla Golleher.

Penister then hit her second three-pointer to give the Lady Lions an 8-5 lead with 5:44 left in the first quarter. 

From there, Carlisle scored 19 consecutive points to lead 24-8 with 5:46 left in the first half. Carlisle’s Kylie Warren scored 11 of the 19 points during the run, which ended when Shavnta Blanks scored on a short jumper with 5:25 left in the first half. 

The Lady Bison led 33-14 at halftime.

“We did what we were supposed to do on defense,” Buffalo said. “It was a battle under the boards, and I thought my kids rose to the occasion and they did a great job of matching the intensity that England brought. England is a physically and mentally-tough basketball team. We had to match their intensity and I thought we did that.”

Carlisle scored the first five points of the second half to lead 38-14. Golleher hit a three-pointer and DeShaye Ricks hit a short jumper. England scored seven in a row to pull to within 17 at 38-31 but Carlisle stemmed the tied and led 46-27 after three quarters.

Carlisle’s lead ballooned to 56-31 following a basket by Bowlan with 2:02 left. England scored the game’s final nine points to account for the final score. 

Warren led Carlisle with 18 points. Golleher had 12. Bowlan finished with eight. Ricks scored seven. Ashby Terry had six. Blakely Ellis had five. 

Penister led England with 12.

The Lady Bison will host Hazen on Thursday. They have already clinched the top seed in the 2A-3 district tournament, which starts in two weeks at McCrory. The Lady Bison will also be in postseason play as they have qualified for the Class 2A Region 3 tournament, which will be held at Bison Arena.

CAC pulls away from Lady Jackrabbits

Lonoke's Gracie Hyde looks to drive on CAC's Madyson Bowman during first-half action Friday. (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — The Lonoke Lady Jackrabbits went scoreless for almost the first four minutes of the third quarter and that was the difference in a 69-54 loss to Central Arkansas Christian on Friday night at the Gina Cox Center.

Lonoke led 31-29 late in the first half following fourth three-pointer of the quarter by Kaley Woodruff with 21 seconds left. CAC’s Kristyn Williams converted a three-point play to give the Lady Mustangs a 32-31 halftime lead. 

CAC scored the first 13 points of the second half to lead 45-31 with 4:29 left in the third quarter. Lonoke broke the streak with Keiunna Walker nailed a three-pointer with 4:04 left in the third. Lonoke trailed 51-38 heading into the fourth quarter. 

The Lady Jackrabbits cut the deficit to seven points at 53-46 and 55-48.

Lonoke tried to keep it close but CAC pushed it’s lead to 61-49 following two Williams free throws after a technical foul on Lonoke coach Heath Swiney. 

Lonoke got to within nine at 61-52 following two free throws by Walker and one by Woodruff. Williams then scored six in a row to give her team a 67-52 lead.

Williams led CAC with 41 points. 

Walker led Lonoke with 21 points. Woodruff had 15. Gracie Hyde had 11. Mickenzie Williams had seven.

Lonoke still looking for football coach; 'team' will meet to discus interview process soon

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — The Lonoke Jackrabbits are one step closer to having a new football coach.

Per an email from Lonoke Superintendent Suzanne Bailey, the ball will get rolling in the next week or two.

“We are putting a team in place and hope to meet within the next week or so to discuss the interview process,” Bailey said in an email Friday afternoon.

Former Lonoke Jackrabbits football coach Doug Bost resigned Sept. 27, four games into the season. He had an overall record of 46-39 in seven-plus seasons, including 2009 when the Jackrabbits finished as the Class 4A state runners-up.

Defensive coordinator Taggart Moore was promoted to interim coach following Bost’s resignation. Bost is currently the boys soccer coach for it’s inaugural season this spring.

Moore, along with assistants Jack Keith and Tyler Tarrant, are directing the offseason program, which has more than 50 players participating.

Lonoke finished the 2016 season with a roster numbering in the 30s. 

The Jackrabbits open the 2017 season at Carlisle in Week 1.

Jackrabbits come up short against CAC

Lonoke's Tyler Spencer goes up for a layup in the first quarter while being guarded by CAC's Hunter Corbell. (Photo by Mark Buffalo) 

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — It was a homecoming of sorts Friday night when the Lonoke Jackrabbits hosted the Central Arkansas Christian Mustangs at the Gina Cox Center.

CAC is coached by Bradley Spencer, who is a 2008 graduate of LHS. He was the most valuable player of the 2008 Class 4A state tournament when the Jackrabbits beat Hughes to win the school’s fifth state championship.

No championship was on the line Friday but Spencer’s Mustangs beat his alma mater 52-47.

On the other side of the court from Coach Spencer was his first cousin Tyler Spencer, who is a senior guard for the Jackrabbits.

Tyler Spencer gave the Jackrabbits a 2-0 lead early in the first quarter. From there, CAC outscored the Jackrabbits 21-3 the remainder of the first quarter to lead 21-5.

Lonoke started playing catchup in the second quarter and outscored the Mustangs 20-10 to trail 31-25 at halftime.

CAC pushed its lead to 42-30 following a basket by Kam Vick with 4:13 left in the third quarter.

Lonoke then went on an 11-0 run to pull to within three at 42-41 with 6:03 left. The last basket in the run was a steal and layup by Tyriqe Jackson. 

Vick scored on a drive to the basket to put the Mustangs up 44-41 with 4:59 left. Lonoke’s Isaac Toney was then fouled shooting a three-pointer with 4:43 left. He sank all three free throws to tie the game at 44-44.

Lonoke took it’s first lead since 2-0 on a drive to the basket by Braidon Bryant with 2:25 left. CAC’s Grant Wood tied the game at 46-46 with 2:07 left.

Lonoke reclaimed the lead at 47-46 when Toney hit 1 of 2 free throws with 1:50 left. That would be Lonoke’s last points of the game.

CAC reclaimed the lead at 48-47 with 1:25 left on a putback by Tanner Webster. 

Lonoke had a chance to reclaim the lead but it missed a jump shot. 

CAC then missed the front end of the one-and-one but Lonoke turned the ball over on a traveling call. Vick then hit two free throws with 29 seconds left to make the score 50-47.

Lonoke had a chance to tie but missed a three-pointer with 10 seconds left. After a Lonoke foul, CAC hit two free throws to ice the game with 7.5 seconds left.

Jackson led Lonoke with 11 points. Bryant and Haven Hunter had seven points each. Kylan Branscomb and Tyler Spencer had six points each. Scoring five each were TaMarrea Moore and Toney.

Vick led CAC with 16 points. Wood added 10.

Bison beat Lisa Academy North, fall to Clarendon

Carlisle's Devon Kendrick scored 17 points in the Bison's loss to Clarendon on Tuesday night. (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

The Carlisle Bison played two of their best games of the season in their last two games. They beat Lisa Academy North on Friday at the North Little Rock Boys and Girls Club then played Class 2A power Clarendon tough before falling to the Lions on Tuesday at Bison Arena. 

The Bison beat Lisa Academy 63-36 for their fifth win of the season. 

Carlisle led 18-10 after one quarter. Tayvion Metcalfe and Zach Caviness each scored four points in the first eight minutes. Devon Kendrick had three while Jamarious Harper, Gray Amaden and Garnell Harris had two points each. 

The Bison outscored Lisa 26-9 in the second quarter to lead 44-19 at halftime. Kendrick and Harper each scored five points in the second quarter. 

Braiden Jenkins led the Bison with 13 points. Harper had 11. Kendrick and Caviness had eight points each. Metcalf scored six. Amaden had four. Harris and Baylor Craig scored two apiece. Darian Brown added a free throw.

In Tuesday’s game against Clarendon, the Bison lost 73-59.

Clarendon led 23-17 after one quarter but the Bison kept it close in the second quarter, trailing 33-31 at halftime. 

Kendrick led the Bison with 17 points. Caviness had 13. Harper and Amaden had seven points each. Harris had six. Brown scored five. Jenkins and Metcalf had two points each. 

Lady Bison get 19th win by beating Clarendon

Carlisle's Kayla Golleher attempts a three-pointer during the second quarter against Clarendon on Tuesday. (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

CARLISLE — The Carlisle Lady Bison, ranked third in Class 2A by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette,  overcame a slow start to beat Clarendon 63-44 on Tuesday at Bison Arena. 

With the win, Carlisle improves to 19-3 on the season. The Lady Bison have now won eight consecutive games since since the start of 2017.

Carlisle led 9-6 after one quarter but pushed the lead to 15-8 following consecutive three-pointers by Kayla Golleher and Kylie Warren. 

Clarendon’s best player, J’Tyia Thomas went down with an apparent right leg injury with 4:54 left in the first half. The Lady Lions cut the deficit to 15-12 on a basket by Trinity Scaife with 3:19 left.

Carlisle responded with a 10-0 run to lead 25-12 with 1:04 left in the half. The Lady Bison led 27-15 at halftime.

Clarendon scored the first four points of the half to make the score 27-19. Carlisle then outscored the Lady Lions 23-8 the remainder of the quarter to lead 50-27 heading into the fourth quarter.

Carlisle’s lead ballooned to 27 points at 54-27 following two free throws from DeShaye Ricks and a short jumper by Heather Bowlan. The Lady Lions outscored the Lady Bison 17-13 in the fourth quarter but it wasn’t enough to come back. 

Warren led all scorers with 21 points. Ricks added 11. Bowlan and Golleher each scored nine points. Ashley Harbison had five. Blakely Ellis scored four. Madeleine Brown scored three. Ashby Terry added a free throw.

Carlisle will have a chance to get it’s 20th victory Friday night at Marvell. 

Lions rally past Jackrabbits in OT to win Goldfish Classic

Lonoke's Tyler Spencer defends against England's Brayden Brazeal during the first half of the championship game of the Goldfish Classic. (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — Lonoke held a five-point lead late in the fourth quarter but couldn’t stop England’s B.J. Thompson as the Lions rallied to beat the Jackrabbits 67-62 in overtime in the finals of the Goldfish Classic on Thursday at the Gina Cox Center. 

The Jackrabbits led 55-50 following a three-pointer by Tony Jackson with 2:12 left in the game. That followed a putback by Kylan Branscomb. 

England scored five in a row. Corey Hunter scored on a putback and Thompson hit three in a row to tie game at 55-55 with 57.9 seconds left.

Lonoke reclaimed the lead when Branscomb scored over Thompson with 42 second left. However, Branscomb fouled out with 35.1 seconds left, sending Thompson to the free throw line, where he made two shots to tie the game at 57-57.

Lonoke had a chance to win it late but could not get off a good shot.

The two teams traded leads in overtime with Lonoke leading 62-60 following a free throw by Tyriqe Jackson with 45.2 seconds left.

England’s Brayden Brazeal hit two free throws with 34.7 seconds left to tie the game at 62-62. A Lonoke turnover led to two free throws by Thompson with 10.5 seconds left to give the Lions a 64-62 lead. 

Hunter then stole the inbounds pass and converted a three-point play with 8.4 seconds left to set the final score at 67-62.

Thompson led England with 22 points. Hunter had 21. Brazeal finished with 13.

Jackson led Lonoke with 15 points. Branscomb had 14. Jackson scored 12. Haven Hunter had 11. Isaac Toney scored six. Tyler Spencer had four.

The Jackrabbits beat Hazen 76-38 in the first round of the tournament.

Hunter led Lonoke with 16 points. Branscomb had 10. Jackson and TaMarrea Moore had seven points each. Scoring six each were Tony Bryant, Jayden Johnson and Nick Tate. Tyler Washington, Toney and Spencer had four points each. Braidon Bryant had three.

Lonoke advanced to the finals with a 66-62 win over Stuttgart.

Branscomb led Lonoke with 18 points. Toney and Jackson scored 15 points apiece. Hunter had seven. Braidon Bryant had six. Scoring two each were Moore and Spencer.