Jackrabbits rout Russellville for second win

Lonoke's Tony Bryant scored 25 points in the Jackrabbits' win over Russellville. (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — The Lonoke Jackrabbits improved to 2-0 on the season with an 83-65 victory over the Russellville Cyclones on Nov. 19 at the Gina Cox Center.

Russellville is a former Class 6A school, now 5A with the restructuring of the Arkansas Activities Association. 

“We got great production from our seniors tonight,” said 10th-year Lonoke coach Dean Campbell. “We shot it really well early and did a great job on defense.

“Russellville plays extremely hard and makes you play every defensive position.”

Lonoke outscored Russellville 25-14 in the first quarter. Tony Bryant scored 11 points in the first eight minutes, including hitting three 3-pointers. Tyriqe Jackson added nine. Nick Tate hit a 3-poiner and Isaiah Thomas hit two free throws.

Lonoke led 41-30 at halftime. 

Jackson led Lonoke with 28 points. Bryant added 25. Thomas had 15. Tate scored nine. Tim Hunter had four. Chase Bryant had one. 

“There are some things we have to fix on the defensive end but our overall effort tonight is what I’m probably most proud of,” Campbell said.

Lady Cyclones 62, Lady Jackrabbits 42

The Lonoke Lady Jackrabbits fell to 0-2 with a 62-42 loss to Russellville.

Russellville led 21-11 after one quarter and 32-18 at halftime. 

Kaleigh Thompson led Lonoke with 14 points. Kaley Woodruff added 13.  Hannah Moseley had 10. Dreya McClain and Josie Roark had two points each. 

Big second quarter propels Jackrabbits past Bison

Lonoke's Tony Bryant is fouled by Carlisle's Will Carter in the first quarter of the Jackrabbits' win over the Bison. (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — Lonoke senior guard/forward Tyriqe Jackson scored 23 points, including 16 in the second quarter as the Jackrabbits opened the 2018-19 season with a 64-48 win over the Carlisle Bison on Thursday at the Gina Cox  Center.

The game was Carlisle’s second of the year, having beat Glen Rose earlier in the week. 

The Jackrabbits were playing without several key players because the Jackrabbits football team were playing in the Class 4A state playoffs Friday night. 

It gave some of the younger players some key minutes in the victory, which Coach Dean Campell said was beneficial.

“We needed a game even though we’re only a half strength, numbers wise,” he said. “There were guys sitting on the bench who are going to help us during the season.”

The first quarter was close as Carlisle tied it at 17-17 following two free throws by Baylor Craign with 37.6 seconds left. Lonoke’s Tony Bryant scored the final four points to give the Jackrabbits a 10-17 lead.

Lonoke outscored the Bison 29-15 in the second quarter to lead 49-32 at halftime. 

The Bison only scored nine points in the third quarter while Lonoke scored only eight. Each team scored seven points in the fourth quarter to account for the final score. 

In addition to Jackson’s 23 points, Bryant had 18. Ja’Coree Womack and Isaiah Thomas had eight points each. Jace Wicker had three. Cause Bryant scored two. I.J. Williams and Tim Hunter had one point each.

Braiden Jenkins led the Bison with nine points. Jalen Burton had eight. Scoring seven each were Everett Williams and Will Carter. Craig had six. Jasean Harper had four. Creed Carter added two. 

Lady Bison rally past Lady Rabbits, improve to 3-0

Lonoke's Mia Brown and Carlisle's DeShaye Ricks battle for a loose ball. (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — Early on, it looked like Carlisle would not be able to get things going against Lonoke. However, it was not a sign of things to come.

The Lady Bison improved to 3-0 by overcoming a 7-0 and 19-12 deficit to beat the Lady Jackrabbits 46-36 on Thursday at the Gina Cox Center.

Carlisle did not score until the 2:27 mark of the first quarter when Shelby Hancock hit 1 of 2 free throws. Carlisle’s Leigh Ann Wolfe followed with five in a row, and Carlisle trailed 11-6 after the first quarter. 

Lonoke (0-1) pushed its lead to 19-12 with 4:14 left in the first half following consecutive three-pointers by Dreya McClain and Olivia Dollinger. 

The Lady Bison scored the next seven points to tie the game at 19-19 at halftime. Josie Fortner started the run with two free throws. Wolfe then hit a three-pointer. Fortner and Heather Bowlan each hit a free throw to account for the first-half run.

Carlisle scored the first four points of the second half — two each by DeShaye Ricks and Hancock, to take a 23-19 lead, a lead they would never surrender.

Lonoke broke the 11-0 run when Kaley Woodruff scored with 5:51 left in the third quarter.

Carlisle then went on a 14-4 run to lead 35-25 with 3:32 left in the quarter.

Lonoke could not get any closer than six points the remainder of the game. Woodruff hit a three-pointer with 7:19 left to make the score 37-31. Carlisle then scored four in a row to lead 41-31. 

Carlisle coach Jonathan Buffalo was proud of his team’s ability to come back twice. 

“I told them in the lockerroom before the game that it going to be whoever has the most heart out there, are you going to play harder than them, are you doing to show more tenacity and more passion,” he said. ““I thought that in second half, once we got the lead, of protecting it, playing smart with the basketball, doing the little things that we needed to do.”

Both teams struggled at the free throw line. Carlisle made 14 of 29 attempts; Lonoke made 6 of 19 attempts. 

“Any time you go out on the road against a bigger school, a good basketball team, and you come out with a win, you can’t be anything but happy,” Buffalo said.

Lonoke coach Heath Swiney was proud of the way his team started the game. 

“In the first quarter, we did a really good job of executing of what we had seen on film in the past,” he said. “In any defense, there are some holes. We were getting some easy shots because we were going inside first then outside. 

“After that, we just settled on those outside shots. We probably shot just as many threes from the second quarter on as we did shots in the paint. In basketball, that normally doesn’t work out for you real well, most nights.”

Swiney also gave credit to the Lady Bison for being able to rally.

“They just chipped away at it,” he said. “Both teams got in foul trouble. I thought Carlisle’s kids off the bench did a good job of doing thing well when they came in and had to. 

“They didn’t lose the lead.”

Hancock led all scorers with 12 points. Wolfe and Ricks had 10 points each. Fortner had seven. Bowlan added five. Kiara Miller scored two. Ricks and Taylor Cullum had eight rebounds each. 

Woodruff and Kaleigh Thompson led Lonoke with eight points each. Hannah Moseley had seven points and seven rebounds. Dollinger had six points. McClain had five. Eva Richardson had two points.

Jackrabbits win first playoff game in 5 years, beat Prairie Grove 35-26

Lonoke senior defensive back Braidon Bryant intercepts a pass intended for Prairie Grove's Jacob Watson late in the fourth quarter of the Jackrabbits' first-round playoff win. Also pictured for Lonoke is Dalton Smith. (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — When Taggart Moore took over as Lonoke head football coach five games into the 2016 season, he knew it would be a building process. He got the chance when he had the interim tag removed prior to the 2017 season. His efforts, along with his staff and players were rewarded Friday night.

For the first time since since 2013, Lonoke won a playoff game. The Jackrabbits rallied from a 20-14 halftime deficit to beat Prairie Grove 35-26 at James B. Abraham Stadium in the first round of the Class 4A state playoffs. Coincidentally, the last playoff game the Jackrabbits won was also the last time they hosted a playoff game — 49-7 win over Pocahontas on Nov. 15, 2013. 

“We just feel like we have so many doubters,” Moore said after the win. “These kids poor their heart out for this football team. I just love it when we prove doubters wrong.”

Lonoke (6-5) gave away 13 points in the first half. Prairie Grove (5-6) blocked a punt and eventually scored a touchdown, and, on the last play of the first half, Lonoke attempted a trick play but a pass was ruled a fumble and Prairie Grove scored a touchdown to lead 20-14 at halftime. 

“It shouldn’t have been that close,” Moore said. “I made a stupid call on the throwback. We didn’t come here to lose. So, you’ve got to take some chances.”

Moore gave credit to his team for coming out in the second half ready to play.

“They are special," he said.  "I’m so proud of them. We’ve taken some bad breaks along the way. We were a couple of scores away from being 9-1 or 8-2 in the regular season. Nobody knows what to think of us. I’m proud of them, coaches included. Coach Nick Smith did a heck of a job calling the offense, and Coach Jack Keith, his defense bowed its neck there. We put them in bad spots, and they’ve been good all year.”

Lonoke senior quarterback Braidon Bryant had his best game of his career. He rushed for 212 yards on 28 carries. He also completed 4 of 7 passes for 54 yards. On defense, he intercepted a Prairie Grove pass to seal the victory with with 1:13 to play.

“He is a stud,” Moore said of Bryant. “Every college in the state should be recruiting him. I don’t know why they are not. Maybe they will be now.”

The Tigers took a 7-0 lead with 10:40 left in the first quarter on a 21-yard run by Garrett Heltemes. Cade Walker kicked the extra point.

Lonoke tied it at 7-7 on a 4-yard run by Bryant with 7:38 left in the first quarter. Nick Tate hacked the first of five extra points. 

The Jackrabbits took a 14-7 lead on a 3-yard run by Anthony Parks with 2:17 left in the first quarter.

Prairie Grove tied it at 14-14 on a 9-yard run by Ethan Guenther. The Tigers took a 20-14 lead when Heltemes scored on a fumble return on the final play of the first half.

Lonoke regained the lead on the first possession of the second half. The Jackrabbits drove 59 yards in nine plays with Bryant scoring on a 1-yard run with 8:28 left in the third quarter.

After trading possessions, Lonoke was forced to punt, but the Tigers muffed the ball on a fair catch with Spencer Pepper recovering the ball at the Prairie Grove 8. Two plays later, Bryant scored on a 3-yard run with 44 seconds left in the third quarter to make the score 28-20. 

After another Prairie Grove punt, the Jackrabbits went up 35-20 when Parks broke away from Tiger defenders for a 36-yard touchdown with 7:21 left in the game.

Heltemes scored on a 46-yard run with 6:15 left. Instead of kicking the extra point to make it a one-possession game at 8 points, the Tigers attempted the two-point conversion but the Jackrabbits defense stopped them, leaving Lonoke ahead by 9 points at 35-26. 

Prairie Grove had one final possession, which ended with Bryant’s interception. 

In addition to Bryant’s 212 rushing yards, Parks had 123 yards on 21 carries. Davonta Adams had 46 yards on 10 carries. 

Parks caught two passes for 10 yards. Dalton Smith caught one pass for 10 yards. Shawn Lake caught one pass for 34 yards and a key first down in the fourth quarter.

The Jackrabbits defense held Prairie Grove to 269 yards of total offense. Heltemes led Prairie Grove with 96 yards rushing on nine carries.

Lonoke turns its attention to Ozark for the second round of the Class 4A state playoffs. The Hillbillies had a bye Friday night after winning the 4A-4 conference with a 7-0 mark. They are 8-2 overall. 

Teammates celebrate with Anthony Parks after Parks scored a fourth-quarter touchdown against Prairie Grove (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

Bison fall to Bulldogs, eye first-round playoff game

Carlisle's Kaden Bray heads toward the end zone for a touchdown against Earle on Friday night. (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

CARLISLE — The Carlisle Bison will be the fourth seed from the 2A-6 and travel to Magazine for a first-round Class 2A state playoff game with the Rattlers this Friday. 

The Bison ended the regular season with a  36-20 loss to Earle on Friday night at Fred C. Hardke Field. Despite the loss, Carlisle is on an upswing after winning four consecutive games prior to the loss to Earle to earn a post in the playoffs after missing for just the second time in 29 years. 

“I heard one of the players — it was Braiden Jenkins — say ‘Monday starts a whole new season. It’s win or go home,’” first-year coach Caleb Shock said. “That’s exciting. It’s a fresh start. It’s one that these guys have been really hungry for. I know Carlisle missed the playoffs last year.I know they were there two years ago with Coach [Mark] Uhiren in his first year. 

“We’re excited to be back in it and get going with a fresh start.”

In the loss to Earle, the Bison jumped out to a 14-0 lead, taking advantage of a few Earle miscues. 

Carlisle’s Kaleb Boyle recovered a fumble at the Earle 49 with 5:01 left in the first half. That led to Davarius Allen scoring on a 1-yard run with 53 seconds left in the first quarter. Kamryn Taylor added the two-point conversion to give the Bison an 8-0 lead. 

The Bison defense forced a punt on the next Earle possession but a bad snap gave Carlisle the ball at the Earle 40. Seven plays later, Taylor scored on a 2-yard run with 6:15 left in the first half to give the Bison a 14-0 lead. 

Earle then scored 36 consecutive points to lead 36-14 with 8:39 left in the game.

The Bison put together a final scoring drive that culminated in a 9-yard touchdown run by Kaden Bray with 2:30 left in the game. 

“It was awesome … it is something that I wanted them to understand,” Shock said. “A lot of teams, you get down those scores and we had three, four or five starters knocked out. We’ve got back ups in right and left. We just kept going. We were playing offense and our job is to go down and punch it in and they did it.”

Allen led the Bison with 92 yards rushing on 16 carries. Taylor had 70 yards on 20 carries. Jasean Harper had 40 yards on 10 carries. Bray had 41 yards on 4 carries. 

Carlisle ends the regular season at 4-5-1 and 4-3 in 2A-6 play. 

Carlisle 26, Brinkley 12

The Carlisle Bison won their fourth consecutive game by beating Brinkley 26-12 on Oct. 26. 

Davarius Allen led the Bison with 97 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 16 carries. Jasean Haper had 44 yards rushing and a touchdown on eight carries. 

Braiden Jenkins completed 5 of 10 passes for 39 yards and a touchdown. Will Carter caught three passes for 20 yards and a touchdown. He also scored a two-point conversion. 

Jackrabbits rout Riverview, earn home playoff game for first time in five years

Lonoke's Dalton Smith runs with the ball after getting an interception in the third quarter against Riverview. He is following the blocking of his brother Dayton [10]. Also pictured is Anthony Parks. (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — For the first time in five years, the Lonoke Jackrabbits will host a home playoff football game.

Lonoke, which beat Riverview 33-8 in the regular season finale Thursday at James B. Abraham Stadium, finished the regular season 5-5 and 4-3 in the 4A-2 conference, earning the third seed and a home playoff game with the Prairie Grove Tigers this Friday.

“It’s exciting,” said Lonoke coach Taggart Moore, whose team hasn’t played in the postseason since 2015. “It’s exciting for our community. We’re really ready for Friday night. We think the environment is going to be electric. I’m glad that this group of seniors is the ones who got to bring a playoff game back home to Lonoke.”

Moore said this season has gone beyond expectations. 

“We knew we wanted to be a playoff team,” he said. “We beat some teams that we weren’t picked to beat. That put us in this position to get this home playoff game. The seniors are a huge part of that but also the juniors and sophomores have been really good for us all year.

“We’ve got a good, bright future.”

Prairie Grove finished fourth in the 4A-1 conference. The Tigers are 5-5 overall and 4-3 in league play. 

“i was there last night, watching them and Lincoln,” Moore said. “They are tough. They run the Wing T and a 3-4 defense. Traditionally, they are in the playoffs every year. They know how to play in the postseason. They know how to play when it’s 30 degrees outside. They are going to be physical and grind it out. They do some things that we’ve got to be ready for. I think the heart of our team is our defensive line and linebackers. i think that plays into our hands.”

Lonoke led 20-0 after one quarter. The Jackrabbits then scored seven points in the second and six in the third to lead 33-0.

Riverview scored it’s lone touchdown in the fourth quarter. 

Lonoke quarterback Braidon Bryant completed 5 of 8 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown. Spencer Pepper, playing his first high school game, caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from Bryant. Dalton Smith caught three passes for 80 yards. 

Davonta Adams led Lonoke with 89 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 8 carries. Anthony Parks had 80 yards and a touchdown on 8 carries. 

Dalton Smith also returned an interception for a touchdown. 

Dayton Smith led Lonoke with eight tackles. Jackson Ward had six. Deon Campbell and Chris Lucas had five tackles each. 

Nick Tate kicked three extra points.