Jackrabbits run past Bison, 42-6

Lonoke receiver Braidon Bryant hauls in a touchdown pass over Carlisle's Jasean Harper in the first quarter of the Jackrabbits' win over the Bison. (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

CARLISLE — The official Taggart Moore era of Lonoke Jackrabbits football started off with a rousing opening act.

The Jackrabbits scored early and often in beating the Carlisle Bison 42-6 at Fred C. Hardke Field on Friday night.

Moore, who was 1-5 as the interim coach following the resignation of Doug Bost following Week 4 of the 2016 season, was hired earlier this spring to be the permanent replacement.

The Jackrabbits were ready for this showdown with their Highway 70 rival.

Carlisle won the opening coin toss but deferred to the second half. The Jackrabbits then drove 65 yards in seven plays with Daniel Seigrist throwing a 25-yard touchdown pass to Braidon Bryant on a fourth-down play with 9:12 left in the first quarter. Nick Tate kicked the first of six extra points.

Carlisle was forced to punt on its first possession. Lonoke’s Xavier Hodge then ran for 38 yards to the Bison 15. Two plays later, Hodge scored on a 5-yard run with 7:11 left. 

After another Bison punt, Lonoke pushed the lead to 21-0 on a 51-yard scoring strike from Seigrist to Bryant with 3:38 left in the first quarter. 

The Bison finally got something going on its next possession following a 10-yard run by Ian Seidenschwarz but the Bison turned the ball over on downs. That led to Hodge scoring on a 45-yard run with 7:10 left in the first half to make the score 28-0. 

Lonoke’s final score of the half came on a fade rout from Seigrist to De’Angelo Noid in the back right corner of the end zone with 7:10 left in the first half.

Seigrist got in the on the act, scoring on a 25-yard run with 6:42 left in the third quarter. 

Carlisle’s lone score came on a 1-yard run by Davarius Allen with 11:56 left in the game. 

Allen led the Bison with 42 yards rushing on 13 carries. Seidenschwarz had 33 yards on nine carries. 

Hodge led the Jackrabbits with 147 yards rushing on 12 carries. Seigrist completed 6 of 9 passes for 109 yards. Bryant caught three passes for 86 yards. 

Michael Hodges led Lonoke with eight tackles. 

Lonoke will host Beebe next Friday at James B. Abraham Stadium while Carlisle will travel to DeWitt. 

Merle Dickerson is new Lonoke School superintendent

New Lonoke Superintendent Merle Dickerson

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — The Lonoke School District has a new superintendent following a special school board meeting Wednesday night.

Dr. Merle Dickerson was hired by a unanimous vote to replace Dr. Suzanne Bailey, who submitted her resignation May 29. 

Board members in attendance were Darrell Park, Angela Sumner, Anne Swint, Ross Moore and Mike Brown. Tony Kelleybrew and Charles Hunter were absent.

The meeting convened at 5:34 p.m. and a motion was made to go into executive session.

The meeting reconvened at 5:52 p.m.

At that time, the board accepted the retirements of Julius Woolfolk and Billie Jean Armstrong. They also accepted the resignations of the following staff members: Suzanne Bailey, Tracy Samples, Chris Bailey, Jacob Clanton, Lesley Daver, David Landers, Jennifer Powers, Kelly Rogers, Andrea Westmoreland, Brittney Ellis, Rhina Odom and Lauren Landers.

The board then voted to hire Dickerson as superintendent.

Park said no terms of Dickerson’s contract as superintendent have been reached yet but he did agree to come to Lonoke.

Dickerson was previously the superintendent of the Van Buren School District for 13 years, retiring after the 2013-14 school year. 

According to the Van Buren Press Argus-Courier, Dickerson graduated from Russellville High School in 1968. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Arkansas Tech University in Russellville and his doctorate from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2000.

During his 43-year education career, Dickerson has served as a band director, school counselor, middle school principal, high school assistant principal and high school principal. 

According to the Lonoke Democrat, Suzanne Bailey has accepted a job at Arkansas State University-Beebe. 

The Lonoke School Board voted at a special school board meeting April 28 to keep Bailey’s contract as is, meaning it would expire at the end of the 2017-18 school year. A year ago, the board rolled Bailey’s contract over to the 2017-18 school year during the 2015-16 year. The vote on April 28 was 4-2 with Sumner, Swint, Brown and Moore voting to keep her contract as it; Kelleybrew and Park voted against that motion. 

According to the Lonoke School District website, Bailey’s annual contract was worth $107,100. Her resignation takes affect June 30. 

Sharkrockets swimmers qualify for MOC in opening meet

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

SHERWOOD — Seventeen swimmers from the Lonoke Sharkrockets participated in the season-opening meet Saturday at the Bill Harmon Recreation Center. The meet was the first of the 2017 Central Arkansas Swim League season. 

Swimming for Lonoke were: Annabella Addison, Tristan Bennett, Matthew Boyles, Tanner Edwards, Jimmy Evans, Kenner Gooney, James Hackney, Blaine Henderson, Lauren Hill, Luke Hill, Noah Johnson, Jackson Mason, Case Morgan, Jake Rochelle, Jacob Whittenburg, Katie Beth Whittenburg and Kannon Williams. 

Several swimmers have already qualified for the Meet of Champs, which is July 22 at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. 

Bennett is qualified in the gold freestyle, backstroke, individual medley and the silver breaststroke.

Boyles is qualified in the silver breastroke.

Edwards is qualified in the gold butterfly; silver free style, backstroke and individual medley. 

Evans is qualified in the gold freestyle, backstroke, butterfly and silver breaststroke.

Hackney is qualified int he gold freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly.

Mason is qualified in the silver freestyle.

Swimmers scoring points for the Sharkrockets were:

• Tristan Bennett (15-18 girls). She won the backstroke with a time of 36.56 seconds and the breaststroke with a time of 41.90 seconds. She was second in the freestyle with a time of 30.31 seconds and the individual medley with a time of 1 minute, 16.79 seconds. 

• Matthew Boyles (9-10 boys). He was second in the breaststroke with a time of 51.34 seconds. 

• Tanner Edwards (15-18 boys). He won the individual medley with a time of 1:15.85. He was second in the freestyle with a time of 28.08 seconds and backstroke with a time of 38.06 seconds. Edwards was third in the butterfly with a time of 32.09 seconds. 

• Jimmy Evans (15-18 boys). He won the freestyle with a time of 26.50 seconds. He was second in the backstroke with a time of 34.40 seconds, breaststroke with a time of 39.85 seconds and butterfly with a time of 30.53 seconds. 

• James Hackney (9-10 boys). He was second i the backstroke with a time of 41.62 seconds and the breaststroke with a time of 49.28 seconds. He was third in the freestyle with a time of 33.72 seconds. 

• Blaine Henderson (15-18 boys). He was second in the backstroke with at time of 42.19 seconds and third in the freestyle with a time of 32.32 seconds. 

• Jackson Mason (13-14 boys). He won the backstroke with a time of 51.10 seconds. 

UAM's Halbert named to all-tournament team

UAM baseball player Guy Halbert is pictured with his mother Dena during senior day festivities last month. Halbert was named to the Great American Conference all-tournament team.. (Courtesy of UAM Sports Information)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@mark buffalo

ARKADELPHIA — Former Lonoke Jackrabbits baseball player and current Arkansas-Monticello Boll Weevil Guy Halbert was named to the Great American Conference All-Tournament team following his team’s sweep of the conference Final Four tournament Sunday at Henderson State. 

Halbert, who graduated from Lonoke High School in 2013, played two years at Arkansas Baptist College in Little Rock before transferring to UAM, an NCAA Division II school. 

Halbert hit two home runs in the tournament, including a grand slam in the opener against Arkansas Tech. He was 5 for 12 in the three-game set. 

Halbert, who is the designated hitter, is tied for the team lead in home runs with seven. He also has 34 runs batted in this season.

UAM will find out their NCAA Division II Tournament destination Monday. 

Jackrabbits outhit Scrappers but season ends with 4-2 loss

Lonoke's Keith Lingo makes contact on an RBI single in the fifth inning against Nashville on Saturday. (Photos by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — The Lonoke Jackrabbits couldn’t get a timely hit when they needed it and it cost them in the quarterfinals of the Class 4A state tournament Saturday at the Lonoke Ball Park.

Nashville scored two runs late to beat Lonoke 4-2, ending the Jackrabbits season at 21-13.

Lonoke led 10 runners on base, including the bases loaded in the fourth. The Jackrabbits also outhit the Scrappers 8-4 but Nashville earned four walks and had two batters hit by pitches. 

“I don’t really feel like they earned a lot, as far as driving in runs,” said first-year Lonoke coach Chris Foor. “We helped them with walks and untimely errors. And we allowed innings to continue.” 

Lonoke also had several more base runners thrown out at second and third bases. 

“We’re aggressive on the base paths,” Foor said. “But we made some errors on the base paths that were just not fundamentally sound. We had a couple of missed signals.”

Despite all that, Foor was proud of the way his team fought against Nashville. 

“We showed them that we belong right there with them,” he said. “We just couldn’t get that one hit to put us over the edge.”

Lonoke scored the game’s first run in the top of the first. Dalton Smith reached on a fielder’s choice and scored when Tallon Swint reached on an error. 

Nashville scored twice in the bottom of the frame to take a 2-1 lead. Zach Jamison walked and reached second on a error, which allowed Trace Beene on first base. They scored later in the frame.

Lonoke had a chance to do some damage in the second inning, loading the bases with one out. But a double play ended the threat.

The Jackrabbits loaded the bases again in the fourth. With two outs, Christian Cooper and Kameron Cole were on third and second respectively when Nashville intentionally walked Casey Martin to load the bases. However, the threat ended on a called third strike. 

Nashville loaded the bases in the fourth but Lonoke pitcher Haven Hunter worked out of the jam.

Lonoke finally tied the game in the top of the fifth. Hunter reached on an error and scored on a two-out single by Keith Lingo.

The tie was short lived. With two outs in the fifth, Nashville’s Austin Bowman doubled to center field. Martin relieved Hunter on the mound and got an infield ground ball but an error allowed the go-ahead run to score. 

The Scrappers added a run in the sixth Jamison tripled with two outs and scored on a single by Chris Willard.

Lonoke had a chance in the top of the seventh. Hunter led off with a single and Kade Stuart walked. Swint then hit into a double play, leaving Hunter at third base. Lingo popped out for the final out of the game. 

Cole led Lonoke at the plate, going 2 for 3. Hunter was 2 for 4. Also getting hits were Stuart, Lingo and Caleb Horton. 

Hunter got the loss, despite giving up only two hits in 4 2/3 innings of work. He struck out six.

Foor said he enjoyed his first year of coaching at Lonoke. 

“I love the people here,” Foor said. “People say that to be politically correct but those that have gotten to know me in this town know that it is not who I am. I’m a truthful person and I love the people of Lonoke. If you are up front and honest, I truly believe the people here would give you the shirt off their backs if you asked them.”

Foor said that it starts with the kids. 

“The kids at the high school are fun and energetic,” he said. “When you get onto the ball field, they’ve got fire to them. They want to succeed. They want to learn. It makes it enjoyable to be around and it’s fun to watch them grow when they have that kind of attitude.”

Lonoke pitcher Haven Hunter makes a delivery against Nashville. 

Jackrabbits win first state tourney game since 2012

Lonoke first baseman Keith Lingo awaits a throw during the regional tournament at Trumann. (Photo courtesy of Nathan McGowan)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — For the first time since the 2012 season, the Lonoke Jackrabbits have won a state tournament game.

On Thursday, the Jackrabbits overcame a 1-0 deficit to beat Pottsville 5-1 in the first round of the Class 4A state tournament, which is being played at the Lonoke Ball Park. Lonoke will play Nashville on Friday at 10 a.m. 

Lonoke’s last victory in state tournament action was an 8-7 win over Pulaski Academy in 12 innings in the state semifinals at Harrison. The Jackrabbits then lost to Shiloh Christian 4-0 in the state championship game at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.

In Thursday’s victory, Pottsville led 1-0 after the top of the second. Lonoke tied it at 1-1 in the bottom of the frame when Keith Lingo singled and scored. 

The Jackrabbits took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third. Haven Hunter doubled and scored on a single by Talon Swint. 

The score remained the same until the fifth inning when Kade Stuart doubled and scored when Lingo reached on an error.

Lonoke’s final two runs came courtesy of Casey Martin’s 10th home run of the year. Kameron Cole led off the sixth with a walk and scored when Martin went deep to make the score 5-1. 

If the Jackrabbits beat Nashville, they will play in the state semifinals Saturday at noon against the winner of Booneville and Monticello.

Other first-round scores include: 

Monticello 7, Heber Springs 0

Shiloh Christian 3, Arkadelphia 0

Pea Ridge 5, Jonesboro Westside 2

Jackrabbits finish as district-tourney runners-up

The Lonoke Jackrabbits baseball team fell to CAC 6-5 in the 4A-2 District Tournament to finish as the runners-up. (Photo by Jennifer Martin)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

BATESVILLE — Lonoke and Central Arkansas Christian played a classic high school baseball game in the finals of the 4A-2 District Tournament on Friday at Southside High School. 

For Jackrabbits fans, the ending was not one they wanted.

CAC’s Braden Quesinberry hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to give the Mustangs a 6-5 win.

The score was tied 3-3 heading into the top of the seventh. Lonoke’s Casey Martin, a University of Arkansas signee, hit a two-run shot to give the Jackrabbits a 5-3 lead. The homer was his seventh of the season. Kameron Cole started the inning with a single and scored on Martin’s shot.

CAC’s game-winning home run came with one out off reliever Kade Stuart. 

Lonoke took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third. Haven Hunter hit a three-run shot. Scoring on the play were Cole and Dalton Smith.

CAC scored twice in the bottom of the third and once in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game at 3-3.

“I thought the kids did really well on both teams,” said first-year Lonoke coach Chris Foor. “Everyone tried hard. It was a true slugfest going back and forth.”

Foor said Quesinberry made a great swing on a good pitch from Stuart.

“Instead of trying to pull the ball like he did every single at-bat, he takes a different approach and goes to right center and it leaves the ball park,” Foor said. “You look back and we had opportunities. We let them get in with walks and errors. I truly believe if we see them in the regional that we have a good shot to win the next time.

“I think our boys want them. We’re 1-2 against them. All three have been great baseball games. It’s developed into a true rivalry.”

Lonoke will play Brookland in the first round of the Class 4A East Region Tournament on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Trumann.

The Jackrabbits beat the Bearcats 5-4 in the first round of the regional tournament last year at the Lonoke Ball Park. 

Foor said he has some former colleagues he coached with who work in northeast Arkansas and has gotten some information about Brookland. 

“They are a solid hitting team,” Foor said. “They play good defense. They are going to throw a soft-throwing lefty out there that is a true pitcher. He’s going to be crafty and he’s going to change speeds. He doesn’t have great velocity but he’s a pitcher.”

Foor said the Jackrabbits would work on hitting lefties similar to what they did in getting ready for Baptist Prep in the first round of the district tournament. Foor had several former Sylvan Hills players come in to throw during practice, as well as using the only left-handed pitcher he has, Bradley Aycock.

“We’ll worry more about making us better as opposed to chasing them,” he said. “We’ll take a lot of ground balls and get back to who we are. If we take care of us, it’s hard for anybody in the state to beat us.”

Foor, who was an assistant at Sylvan Hills before coming to Lonoke this year, said his team has been a “family” this season, similar to what he experienced at the Sherwood school.

“That probably gives you more pride as a coach than anything,” he said. “It’s definitely there in this group. It is a very tight-knit group. That is why they are being successful in what they do.

Lonoke's Casey Martin delivers a pitch against EStem earlier this season. Martin pitched a one-hitter against Heber Springs in the semifinals of the district tournament. (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

The Jackrabbits advanced to the title game with a 9-0 win over Heber Springs.

Martin pitched a complete-game shutout, allowing only one hit while striking out six in seven innings of work. His only hit allowed came in the fourth inning. 

Lonoke scored three runs in the top of the first. Martin reached on an error and scored on a single by Hunter. He eventually scored on a single by Tallon Swint. 

Kade Stuart singled and scored on a passed ball.

Lonoke added to its lead in the third. Hunter reached on an error and scored on a sacrifice fly by Keith Lingo. Stuart singled and scored on a single by Caleb Horton. 

The Jackrabbits scored a single run in the fourth. Cole walked and scored on a single by Hunter. 

The Jackrabbits plated three runs in the sixth. Martin hit a home run in the inning. Also scoring were Christian Cooper and Cole. 

Lonoke beat Baptist Prep 18-1 in the first round of the district tournament. The big play of the game was a home run by Stuart.

The six Lonoke Jackrabbits seniors are, from left, Keith Lingo, Haven Hunter, Casey Martin, Kameron Cole, Caleb Horton and Ryan Truelove (Photo by Jennifer Martin)