Smith promoted to Junior Jackrabbits head football coach

Nick Smith, helping with Jackrabbits spring football practice, was hired as the new Junior Jackrabbits football coach this week. (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — Nick Smith is the new Lonoke Junior Jackrabbits football coach.

Smith, 25, was hired by the Lonoke School Board on Wednesday night to replace Darrick Lowery, who resigned in the spring. Smith was coming off his first year at Lonoke as an assistant coach for the Junior Jackrabbits squad.

"It's an amazing opportunity," Smith said Thursday night. "Under the circumstances that the job came open, I wasn't expecting that.  But once I saw that opportunity, I felt it was the Lord's Will telling me that I needed to jump on that. With my aspirations to be a head football coach, I know this will give me some really good experience."

Smith already has some head-coaching experience. Following Lowery's resignation as both junior high football and head baseball coach, Smith took over the reigns as baseball coach and led them to an appearance in the Class 4A state tournament. 

Smith said he's bonded with the eighth graders this year after running the offseason program during the spring. 

"I made a really good connection with them," he said. "The seventh graders went undefeated last season. I think they had seven or eight games. They are a good group that is moving up. The potential is there. We're looking to have a really good year in Jackrabbits football from seventh grade through senior high."

Smith will be assisted by Tyler Shaw, Chris Foor and Chris Bailey. Shaw and Bailey return this fall. Foor was hired as an assistant coach and head baseball coach Wednesday night.

"We're just looking to get these guys ready, to motivate them, get them in shape," Smith said, referring to his staff working with the players. "I know these guys [coaches] are going to work hard. We're really going to push those junior high kids."

Smith said he and his staff will do whatever the high school staff, including head coach Doug Bost and assistants Taggart Moore, Jack Keith and Tyler Tarrant, needs them to do. 

"Whether is be water boy, taping ankles, up in the booth — we're going to do whatever we can to ensure that the senior high program has success. But we're going to attack that junior high season to go undefeated and win the conference championship."

Lonoke opens the season Sept. 1 at home against Beebe. 

Smith is a 2009 graduate of Prescott High School. He earned a football scholarship to Arkansas Tech University in Russellville but decided to play at NCAA Division III East Texas Baptist University  in Marshall, Texas. After one year of playing football, he transferred to Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, where he received his bachelor's degree. Smith also did an internship at Fountain Lake High School under coach Tommy Gilleran. Lonoke is his first full-time job. 

Smith and his wife Trisha live in Lonoke. 

Swiney returns to Lonoke as Lady Jackrabbits basketball coach

New Lonoke girls coach Heath Swiney, right, congratulates Lonoke's Haven Hunter during a boys' game during the 2014-15 season. (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — Lonoke's new Lady Jackrabbits basketball coach is familiar one to the program.

Former Junior Jackrabbits coach and current Newport boys basketball coach Heath Swiney was hired to replace Nathan Morris during Monday night's Lonoke School Board meeting. Swiney was the Lonoke junior boys coach for five years before spending one season at Newport. Morris was hired as the superintendent of the Two Rivers School District. 

"This is a great opportunity," Swiney said during an interview Tuesday night. "The tradition has been there in both girls and basketball. You don't get an opportunity to get a job like that every day.

"I can go back to Coach [Mark] Hobson, Coach [Daryl] Fimple and Coach Morris."

Swiney coached four years at Bradford before coming to Lonoke for the 2010-11 school year.

This is Swiney's first girls head-coaching job. He does have experience as an assistant for both boys and girls at Bradford during his first season. He also was an assistant coach Lady Jackrabbits softball team.

"I have coached girls basketball," Swiney said. 

Swiney said there will be some things he wants to do different from the previous coach. 

"Every coach does things differently," he said. "Coach Morris has done a great job of getting kids to work. It doesn't matter what kind of offense or defense we run, if the kids don't work, nothing else is going to pan out for you. The kids here are already used to working. I just want to get over there and continue that."

Swiney said Morris had already set up June activities for the team. 

"I'm working on July's schedule," he said. "I want to meet with the kids and talk to them to see what they've got planned. I don't want to play something for a week if I've got 15 kids that are going to be gone that week."

Swiney said he planned to meet the players today. However, unlike most new coaches, he knows most of the players through basketball or having taught them physical education at the middle school. 

"It's basically getting reacquainted with them and see what is going to go on," he said. "With the relationship, I think it's easier to get things going with the girls and Coach [Angela Watson]."

Watson is the girls assistant coach and Junior Lady Jackrabbits head coach. 

"Even though I wasn't on the girls staff, we were both junior high coaches," Swiney said. "We worked together a lot."

Swiney and his wife Courtney, who previous taught at Lonoke Middle School, have two children. Sophie will be in the third grade next year; Anna will be in the first grade. 

Lonoke's Martin hits for cycle as Jackrabbits win third-place game

Lonoke's Casey Martin, batting against Gosnell, hit for the cycle in the Jackrabbits' win over Jonesboro Westside in the third-place game of the regional tournament Saturday. (Photos by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — The Lonoke Jackrabbits rallied from a 7-3 deficit to beat Jonesboro Westside 11-9 in the third-place game of the Class 4A East Region Tournament on Saturday at the Lonoke Ball Park.

With the win, Lonoke will play Hamburg, the third seed from the South region in the first round of the Class 4A state tournament Thursday at 10 a.m. 

If Lonoke beats Hamburg on Thursday, it will play Shiloh Christian in the second round Friday at 10 a.m.

In the win over Westside, Lonoke's Casey Martin, who has verbally committed to play for the Arkansas Razorbacks, hit for the cycle. His three-run homer in the top of the sixth tied the game at 7-7. Also scoring on the play were Caleb Horton and Haven Hunter, who both singled to start the rally. 

Martin had a triple in the first inning, a double in the third and a single in the fourth. He was 4 for 5 at the plate with three runs scored and four RBIs. 

Lonoke broke the 7-7 tie with four runs in the top of the seventh. Scoring were Gabe Rooney, Keith Lingo, Brayden Hardy and Kameron Cole. 

Hunter went 3 for 4 at the plate with three runs scored. Savonte Rountree and Lingo both had two hits. Also getting hits were Horton and Kade Stuart. 

Lonoke lost to Gosnell 3-0 in the semifinals of the regional Friday. 

The game was scoreless until the bottom of the sixth when the Pirates plated three runs — two unearned — off starter Rountree, who gave up only five hits in 5 1/3 innings. 

Lonoke had only two hits in the game, both by Rountree. 

Lonoke first baseman Keith Lingo tags out a Gosnell runner. Backing up the play is Savonte Rountree.

Jackrabbits rally, beat Brookland in regional tourney

Lonoke's Talon Swint slides across home plate to score the winning run against Brookland on Thursday night. (Photos by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — The Lonoke Jackrabbits baseball team is headed back to the state tournament.

Lonoke rallied twice to beat Brookland 5-4 in the first round of the Class 4A East Region tournament Thursday night at the Lonoke Ball Park. With the win, the Jackrabbits will play Gosnell in the semifinals Friday at 2:30 p.m. Lonoke will also play in the Class 4A state tournament next week at Ashdown.

With the score tied 4-4 in the bottom of the ninth, Lonoke's Talon Swint walked to start the inning. He went to second on a single by Kameron Cole. Caleb Horton then laid down a sacrifice bunt. When the Brookland field threw the ball to first base in an attempt to get Horton out, Swint scored from second base to give the Jackrabbits the win.

The game was tied 2-2 after seven innings. The Bearcats scored twice in the top of the eighth to take a 4-2 lead. Lonoke tied the game at 4-4 with two in the bottom of the frame. Haven Hunter and Casey Martin led off the inning with consecutive singles. Two batters later, they scored on a single by Savonte Rountree.

The game was scoreless until the top of the fourth when Brookland plated one run. Lonoke scored twice in the bottom of the fifth to take a 2-1 lead. Keith Lingo and Cole each scored.

Brookland tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the sixth.

Hunter was 3 for 4 to lead the Jackrabbits. Also getting hits were Martin, Kade Stuart, Rountree, Lingo and Cole.

Martin got the win, pitching the last three innings. He struck out six while giving up two runs. Hunter pitched five innings. He struck out six. 

Lonoke's Casey Martin delivers a pitch in the sixth inning.

Bison get third in White County tourney

Bison catcher Tyler Sanders talks to pitcher Zach Caviness during their team's win over Pangburn (Photos courtesy of David and Stephanie Sanders)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

PANGBURN — The Carlisle Bison baseball team got two big wins Saturday in the White County Classic. 

The Bison beat host Pangburn 9-8 in a four-inning contest then routed Bradford 21-0 to finish third in the tournament. The wins were the Bison's first two of the season. 

"I'm awfully proud of my boys," first-year Bison coach Shawn Woods said. "they came together and won a hard-fought game against Pangburn — one of the better teams in Class 2A. [Pangburn] Coach [Cody] Whitworth does a great job. They will be in the state tournament come May."

Against Pangburn, the Bison scored four runs in the top of the first. Conner Wiles, Tyler Sanders and Houston Garrich all walked to load the bases to start the game. They all scored runs. Mitch Lewis singled and scored as well. 

The Tigers scored four runs in the bottom of the frame to tie the game at 4-4. 

After holding the Bison scoreless in the top of the second, Pangburn scored twice in the bottom of the second to lead 6-4. 

Carlisle scored three times in the top of the third to lead 7-6. Scoring were Lewis, Clay Parker and Zac VanHouten. 

The Tigers scored twice in the bottom of the third to lead 8-7. Carlisle reclaimed the lead in the top of the fourth. With one out, Garrich singled. He scored on a triple by Austin Wolfe, who scored the go-ahead run.

In the top of the fourth, VanHouten retired the Tigers in order to end the game.

The Bison had five hits in the victory. Sanders, Garrich, Wolfe, VanHouten and Lewis had one hit each.

VanHouten got the win, pitching two innings.

"It was a hard-fought game went back and forth all day long," Woods said. "We had good approaches at the plate and ran the bases aggressively and smartly."

Woods said VanHouten and Caviness were "outstanding on the mound."

"Tyler Sanders, Conner Wiles, Austin Wolfe and Houston Garrich all made huge defensive plays in the final in nine to secure the victory," he said. "After that, we had a game break before we played Bradford again."

Woods said he was worried about the break because of his team's intensity and focus after the first game. 

"The boys maintained the same approach and focus in Game 1," he said. 

In the win over Bradford, VanHouten and Paxton Hitchings combined to throw a three-inning no-hitter. VanHouten pitched the first two innings. He struck out three, walking one. Hitchings pitched the third. He struck out two and walked one. 

The Bison scored eight runs in the bottom of the first and 13 in the bottom of the second. 

Clay Parker, VanHouten and Zach Caviness scored three runs each. Scoring twice were Wiles, Sanders, Garrich and Lewis. Also scoring runs were Caleb Parker, Mason Carter and Dylan Nichols.

The Bison had 12 hits in the victory. Wiles, Sanders, Lewis and Caviness had two hits each. Garrich, Wolfe, Carter and Nichols had one hit each.

"VanHouten and Hitchings had good performances on the mound," Woods said. "Severla guys had great days at the plate, including Sanders, Wiles, Leis and Caviness. I'm awfully proud of their effort and attitudes."

Woods said he hopes his team can build off the performance Saturday.

"We are hoping to maintain that approach going into next week against Mountain Pine and Mills before facing Clarendon in a conference doubleheader on April 1," he said. 

Carlisle's Mitch Lewis follows through on his swing against Bradford. 

Lonoke's Meadows signs with UCA for football

Lonoke coach Doug Bost, right. speaks during the signing ceremony for football player Justin Meadows, who is going to UCA this fall. (Submitted photo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — Lonoke Jackrabbits football player Justin Meadows is taking his game to the collegiate level.

Meadows recently signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the University of Central Arkansas in Conway next season. The Bears are members of NCAA Division I-FCS and the Southland Conference

Meadows said he was offered a spot to play college football by only UCA and Harding University in Searcy, which is a Division II school.

"I'm very excited because everybody dreams of going to play for a Division I school so when it happens it's just like 'wow and I sleep dreaming or this is actually reality,'" Meadows said, adding that UCA was an academically-good school. 

Meadows has played football since the second grade. 

UCA signed him as a wide receiver.

"It is a dream come true because basally every person that plays sports wants to make it to the next level with it paid for," said Meadows, who plans to major in biology at UCA.

During his career at Lonoke, Meadows caught 40 passes for 918 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,594 yards on 129 carries. He scored 17 touchdowns. He also returned kicks for 462 yards and three scores.

Lonoke's Justin Meadows [8] carries the ball against Beebe during the 2014 season. (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

Lady Bison win district tournament championship

The Carlisle Lady Bison celebrate after beating Clarendon to win the 2A-6 district tournament Saturday night at Palestine-Wheatley High School. (Photos by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

PALESTINE — Once again, the Carlisle Lady Bison are the queens of the 2A-6 district tournament.

Carlisle rallied from a 12-4 deficit to beat Clarendon 53-39 in the finals of the district tournament Saturday night at Palestine-Wheatley High School. It's the Lady Bison's first district tournament championship since 2012.
With the win, Carlisle is now 20-7, it's most wins since the 2013 season when the Lady Bison went 20-10, playing in the Class 2A state tournament at Marmaduke.

In the win over Clarendon, Carlisle led 4-2 before the Lady Lions went on a 10-0 run to lead 12-4 with 2:40 left in the first quarter. 

The Lady Bison went scoreless for over six minutes until Carlisle's Nikita Harper drained a three-pointer with 52 seconds left to make the score 12-7 after one quarter. 

Carlisle scored the first 11 points of the second quarter to lead 18-12 with 3:25 left. Arius McClain scored six points during the run. Kayla Golleher had a three-point play after getting a steal and Kylie Warren hit two free throws. The Lady Bison led 29-15 at halftime.

Carlisle's largest lead was 16 points at 37-21 following six consecutive points by McClain. After a Clarendon basket made the score 37-23, Warren scored on a putback to push the lead back to 16 points. Clarendon then scored five in a row to cut the deficit to 39-28 entering the fourth quarter. 

The Lady Lions made a run and pulled to within seven at 44-37 with 4:22 left in the game. Warren then started a 6-0 run with a layup. Elex McClain then scored off an assist by Golleher and Golleher scored a layup to make the score 50-37 with 1:39 left.

Arius McClain led Carlisle with 17 points. Elex McClain had 10. Warren scored nine. Golleher had eight. Harper and Peyton Hitchings had four points each. NicQuira Burnett added one.

The Lady Bison will play Magnet Cove in the first round of the Class 2A East Region tournament Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Hazen High School. If the Lady Bison win, they will be guaranteed at least three more games, including a spot in the Class 2A state tournament at Marmaduke High School.

Senior Peyton Hitchings accepts the championship hardware for the Lady Bison.