Sports

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team After scoring 26 points in the first half, BIC (15-0) only mustered three points in the second half with a game winning three-pointer with eight seconds left to beat Trumann and win the junior high division of the Gerald Jennings Tournament this past Saturday in Marked Tree...

By Joseph Fondren Sports Connection Team ARMOREL— A full day of homecoming festivities didn’t deter Shannon Miller’s Armorel Tigers Friday as they easily defeated the North Pemiscot Mustangs, 54-17.  Armorel jumped out to a 16-2 lead early in the first quarter leading Miller to allow more play from his bench. ...

The Buffalo Island Central School District recognized Dr. Kima Stewart (right) as its first inductee into the Hall of Honor Friday at halftime of the homecoming game against Gosnell. Dr. Stewart, a 1982 graduate of Monette High School, earned her Bachelor of Science in Education from Arkansas State University and also obtained her MSE in 1989 and doctorate in 2004. ...

By STEVE KNOX Sports Connection Team Well, the curtain has come down on another season of our Pigskin Panel. And, for the second straight year, I have the bragging rights until next season as I correctly picked the winner of 143 of the 195 games in our contest this season. That comes out to 73.3% of the games. Not to shabby I’d say...

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team Riverside got off a last second shot that bounced off the rim in a 75-74 loss to EPC in the semi-finals of the Gerald Jennings Tournament in Marked Tree. Jacob Gaines gave EPC an early 3-0 lead before Cash Gillis scored six straight points to give Riverside a 6-2 lead. ...

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team Trumann’s Tony Postell, Jr. and Marked Tree’s Jonah Walker were named all-state performers for their conferences. Postell, Jr. was named in Class 4A and Walker was named in Class 2A. Postell, Jr. rushed for 1,459 yards on 189 carries (7.9 ypc) and 20 touchdowns while adding 95 tackles, seven of those for a loss, from his linebacker position. This is Postell, Jr.’s first all-state selection...

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team Marked Tree had to survive a couple three-point attempts at the end of the game to come away with a 44-41 win to the Gerald Jennings Tournament this past Saturday in Marked Tree. The Indians jumped out at 4-0 lead on back to back baskets in the paint from Jonah Walker before Quincy Perry scored down low for EPC making it 4-2. ...

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team Marcus Anderson scored 22 points and Kerrion Terry added 12 points as Gosnell beat Trumann 59-47 in the Gerald Jennings Tournament opener at Marked Tree. Terry gave the Pirates the early 2-0 led with a basket in the paint only to see Jalen Elrod throw down a two-handed dunk for Trumann to tie the game at 2-2. ...

By STEVE KNOX Sports Connection Team WILSON - The Rivercrest Lady Colts basketball squads won two of three games played at Colt Gymnasium Monday over 3-3A conference foe Hoxie. The senior Lady Colts improved to 5-1 overall and 1-0 in conference with a 67-27 win over the Lady Mustangs. ...

By DAVID PIERCE Sports Connection Team The 2024 Cheer State Championship is scheduled for Dec. 20-21 and five local squads are among the teams competing for state titles in either Performance Competition or Game Day Competition. State competition is being held at the Bank OZK Arena in Hot Springs...

By STEVE KNOX Sports Connection Team WILSON - Rivercrest senior pitcher Dakota Rinderer signed to continue her softball career at Williams Baptist University in a ceremony Friday in the school library. Rinderer, a four-year member of the Lady Colts squad, is being leaned on this season in the circle for the Lady Colts squad which was eliminated in the first round of the Class 3A State tournament last season while compiling a record of 13-8...

By DAVID PIERCE Sports Connection Team MONETTE – Friday it came down to a question of which team’s stamina would hold up in the homecoming matchup between Gosnell and host Buffalo Island Central. Would it be the Pirates, playing their sixth game in eight days? Or the Mustangs, normally with a six-player rotation, but reduced to five when Zander Jackson left the game with an injury in the second quarter?...

By STEVE KNOX Sports Connection Team WILSON - Osceola got off to a bit of a slow start, but when things begin to click it spelled trouble for the Trumann Wildcats as the Seminoles pressure led to a 79-49 victory in the season opener played in the Rivercrest Classic Friday...

By DAVID PIERCE Sports Connection Team The Blytheville Chicks won the game as well as the battle in the paint Friday, defeating Dyersburg (Tenn.), 46-38, to notch their fourth win of the season. Squaring off against Dyersburg’s 6-8, 268 lb. center Breyden Turnage, the Chicks (4-2) held their own inside scoring 40 of their 46 points in the paint. On top of that, they assisted on 13 of the made baskets...

Osceola had 12 players receive post-season honors following the 2024 season. Seniors Jeremiah Jacobs, Harris Manning and Keviss Love along with junior MJ Washington all were named All-State and All-Conference. Eight other Seminoles, Tyler Bell, Carlos Vance, Garryn Cook, Aiden Haymon, Demarius Hackett, Donovan Littleton, Jeriyan Long and Tyrese James, were all named All-Conference...

By STEVE KNOX Sports Connection Team WILSON - The Rivercreet junior boys outscored Gosnell 15-2 in the second quarter and went on to defeat the junior Pirates 53-23 in the opening game of the 2024 Rivercrest Classic (formerly the Luxora Classic). Both teams had trouble holding on to the basketball in the first quarter as sloppy play was the rule with Rivercrest scoring the last six points on the period to take an 11-6 lead to the second period...

By DAVID PIERCE Sports Connection Team WILSON – For a time it looked as if the Osceola Seminoles would win handily over the Gosnell Pirates Saturday. Whoa, not so fast. Apparently the Pirates didn’t get the memo. Gosnell (3-2) rallied from 14 points down in the final six minutes of the game before falling in overtime, 79-74, to Osceola (2-0)...

By STEVE KNOX Sports Connection Team WILSON - The Rivercrest Lady Colts pulled away from visiting Cross County with a decisive second half and went on to defeat the Lady Thunderbirds 50-27 in girls basketball action Thursday at Rivercrest. The Lady Colts led 12-3 after one period and the visitors outscored Rivercrest 10-7 in the second quarter to get within six points (19-13) at the break. ...

The Blytheville Junior High girls team defeated Paragould Friday at Chickasaw Arena. The Jr. Lady Chicks eeked out a 33-31 victory by preventing the Jr. Lady Rams from generating any offense over the final few minutes of the game. (Photo By David Pierce)...

By DAVID PIERCE Sports Connection Team BLYTHEVILLE – The Blytheville Lady Chicks doubled up Paragould Friday with a 58-29 win. The Lady Chicks, leading 14-9 after one period of play, outscored Paragould 30-6 over the next 8:42 to virtually seal the outcome...

By STEVE KNOX Sports Connection Team WILSON - Rivercrest would use a decisive fourth quarter run to push past the Gosnell Pirates 74-65 in the final game Friday of the Rivercrest Classic. The Pirates had a 55-52 lead heading into the final quarter but Colts junior Jayden Young and Buddah Harris would propel their team into the lead and the Rivercrest defense would hold Gosnell to 10 fourth quarter points to gain the victory...

By STEVE KNOX Sports Connection Team WILSON - Eight members of the 2024 Rivercrest football team, which posted a record of 11-2 this season and a runnerup finish in the tough 3-3A Conference, have been named to post-season honors lists. Receiving both all-state and all-conference honors were senior quarterback Cavonta Washington, junior receiver/defensive back Buddah Harris and junior receiver/defensive back Jayden Young...

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team For the second straight year EPC finished as the runners-up in Class 2A football as the Warriors lost to Conway Christian 18-8 in the state championship game played in War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. The Eagles won the coin toss and got the ball to start the game. ...

zBy Joseph Fondren Sports Connection Team Armorel Lady Tigers 65, Southland Lady Rebels 14 HAYTI, MO. — The fifth-seed Armorel Lady Tigers were victorious in their opening-round matchup in the fifth annual Al Jackson Classic in Hayti, Mo. Monday night against the home team on the scoreboard with the fourth seed, the Southland Lady Rebels, 65-14...

By Joseph Fondren Sports Connection Team Gosnell Pirates 74, Armorel Tigers 41 GOSNELL— The gymnasium located in the center of the Gosnell School District was loud and crazy Tuesday night as two Mississippi County schools matched up for a non-conference matchup between the Gosnell Pirates and the Armorel Tigers, where the Pirates came away victorious, 74-41...

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team BIC fell behind early and couldn’t recover as the Mustangs lost 61-41 to Mammoth Spring last Monday (Nov. 25) in high school basketball action in Monette. The Bears jumped out to an early 5-0 lead before Braxton Matheny canned a three-pointer and Zander Jackson hit a jumper to tie the game at 5-5 with 2:47 left. ...

By DAVID PIERCE Sports Connection Team SALEM – The Salem Greyhounds flipped the script on the Rivercrest Colts in Friday’s 3A quarterfinal playoff game. Normally, it’s the Colts who post eye raising offensive numbers while lighting up the scoreboard. Not this week as the Greyhounds racked up a whole bunch of yards on their way to a 50-18 win over Rivercrest (11-2)...

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team Riley Parker scored 17 points to help lead BIC (4-5) to a 56-35 win over Mammoth Spring last Monday (Nov. 25) at the MAC in Monette. The Lady Bears jumped out a 4-0 lead before Jaylyn Cagle scored in the paint and Chandler Gathright converted an old-school three-point play to make the score 5-4 BIC. ...

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team EPC (10-3) will go to battle with Conway Christian (13-0) this coming Friday in the Class 2A state football championship game at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. The teams met in the second round of the playoffs last year with EPC getting the 34-20 win. This will be the Warriors second straight trip to the season’s final game...

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team EPC (10-3) got over 200 yards rushing and two touchdowns each from Dee Buchanan and Jacob and Jacob Gaines as the Warriors beat Mount Ida 54-33 in Class 2A state semi-final playoff action to punch their ticket to the state championship game on December 6 in Little Rock. This will be the Warriors second straight trip the finals after losing 28-14 to Bigelow last year...

By STEVE KNOX Sports Connection Team OSCEOLA - Much like the victory over CenterPoint in the opening round, Osceola was dominant from the opening moments in rolling over the visiting Charleston Tigers 50-28 Friday night at Seminole Stadium. The Seminoles (10-1) jumped out to a commanding 34-0 lead less than two minutes into the second quarter, as they rolled to their 10th consecutive victory...

By JOSEPH FONDREN Sports Connection Team GOSNELL— Monday, Nov. 18 will be a day that Gosnell Lady Pirates first year Head Coach Monroe Carr will remember for the rest of his life as he watched on as his sophomore forward Laneishia Lincoln stepped to the line and drained a free throw to give the Lady Pirates a 59-58 victory over the Wynne YellowJackets to give Carr his first professional win in their inaugural game of the 2024-‘25 season...

By Joseph Fondren Sports Connection Team MANILA— Manila Lions senior guard Rex Farmer’s half court shot at the end of regulation sent the Lions into overtime against their county rival, the Gosnell Pirates. However, the Pirates outscored the Lions 11-2 in overtime to escape the Lions Den with a 77-68 victory. The Lions (0-3) edged the Pirates in the first quarter 17-16 and led 31-30 at the half. Gosnell (1-0) tied the game at 53 at the end of the third quarter...

By Joseph Fondren Sports Connection Team GOSNELL— DeAntra Scott’s Gosnell Pirates improved to 2-0 Thursday night after defeating Scott’s former teammate at Gosnell Josh Longino’s Tuckerman Bulldogs 71-57. The Bulldogs (8-5) scored first with a three-pointer from sophomore Zeke Church, but Gosnell’s scoring got hot as they led 26-10 after the first quarter...

By Joseph Fondren Sports Connection Team GOSNELL— Thursday night on the campus of Gosnell High School in the loud basketball gymnasium the clock turned back just slightly as two Pirate alumni took the court coaching their respective teams as Gosnell Pirates head coach and alumnus Deantra Scott was the winning coach over Tuckerman Bulldogs head coach and Pirates alumnus Josh Longino...

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team EPC let a late lead slip away as Westside hit three of four free throws with less than a minute left to hang on for a 60-57 win over the Lady Warriors last Tuesday (Nov. 19) in Lepanto. Westside scored inside and canned a three-ball around an Allison Gaines basket to take an early 5-2 lead before back to back baskets from Gaines gave EPC a 6-5 lead with 5:36 left in the opening quarter. ...

Journi Versie scored 24 points and pulled down 10 rebounds last Tuesday night to lead Marked Tree to a 67-42 victory over Gosnell in senior girls’ basketball at the Judy Watson Classic. Zyonna Anderson added 15 points and seven assists for the Lady Indians. Alyssa McGuire finished with 13 points and five assists with Amya Nesbitt netting 10 points for Marked Tree...

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team Trumann’s Faith Muntz signed her letter of intent to play softball at Crowley’s Ridge College in front of family, friends, coaches, and teachers this past Friday at Wildcat Gym. Muntz was a versatile player for the Lady Wildcats last season seeing time in the circle, at third base and at second base for the Lady Wildcats. Muntz said she wants to try out for second base for the Lady Pioneers but will play wherever she is needed to help the team...

By DAVID PIERCE Sports Connection Team The Rivercrest Colts won’t be home for the holiday break – or least part of it – as they travel to Salem for their 3A quarterfinal matchup against the Salem Greyhounds Friday The trip won’t be quite as far as it could’ve been as Salem’s 6-6 Cole Stemen hauled in a 30-yard touchdown pass while being triple covered in the waning moments of Friday’s game against Prescott. The catch turned a 10-8 deficit into a 16-10 Greyhound win...

By STEVE KNOX Sports Connection Team Sporting second round victories over Atkins and Charleston the undefeated Bismarck Lions (11-0) will host Osceola (10-1) Friday, Nov. 29 at Lion Stadium in Bismarck. The Lions dispatched Atkins 55-14, while the Seminoles knocked off Charleston 50-28. The Lions have scored 520 points (47.4 ppg.) this season while surrendering only 199 (18.1 ppg.)...

Trumann rallied to defeat Pocahontas 50-45 in overtime last Tuesday (Nov. 19) in senior girls’ basketball. The Lady Wildcats (1-2) trailed 22-11 at halftime and 31-23 after three before coming back to tie the game at 39 at the end of regulation. Chelsy Jones scored 19 points and Zacharra Postell added 11 for Trumann. Olivia Matos finished with eight points, including five in overtime...

By STEVE KNOX Sports Connection Team The East Poinsett County Warriors (9-3) will host the Mt. Ida Lions (9-3), the second place team from the 2A-1 Conference in the first of two Class 2A semi-final games Friday night. The winner, of course will advance to the State final at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. EPC is, of course, looking to make its second consecutive trip to the 2A title game...

By DAVID PIERCE Sports Connection Team WILSON – Things couldn’t have gone much better for the Rivercrest Colts in the first 24 minutes of the Friday’s playoff game against Rison, the team’s second round playoff opponent. The offense scored 30 points and the defense limited the high-scoring Wildcats (10-2) to six points and 125 yards of offense, while collecting three turnovers – two fumbles and an interception...

By Joseph Fondren Sports Connection Team ARMOREL— The Hillcrest Screamin’ Eagles jumped out to a fast start on 1A-3 conference foe the Armorel Tigers Friday night as the Screamin’ Eagles cruised to an 81-62 victory. HHS (6-6, 2-0 1A-3) went on 15-0 run to build a 25-8 lead after the first quarter. The Tigers (1-7, 0-2 1A-3) outscored Hillcrest in the second quarter, 16-15, but trailed 40-24 at the half...

By STEVE KNOX Sports Connection Team OSCEOLA - The Osceola Seminoles got off to the best possible start Friday night in their “sportsmanship clock” victory over visiting Centerpoint, scoring 33 first quarter points enroute to a 41-22 win. While happy with the victory, Seminoles head coach Robert Hooks, Jr. ...

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team Harrisburg (1-0) jumped out to a 21 point lead in the opening quarter and never looked back on their way to a 67-15 win over Palestine-Wheatley in girls’ basketball action this past Thursday at the Hornets’ Nest in Harrisburg...

By STEVE KNOX Sports Connection Team Osceola built a 13 point half time lead and went on to defeat visiting Armorel 71-32 Thursday at Seminole Arena. Osceola led 17-7 after one quarter and 28-15 at the half. Osceola’s lead could have been larger but turnovers plagued the Lady Seminoles in the first half as they committed 13 miscues...

By STEVE KNOX Sports Connection Team The Osceola Junior Lady Seminoles defeated Forrest City Tuesday 33-31. Tamaya Lee led the Junior Lady Noles with 16 points, while Nyasia Richmond added 10 points. Osceola won despite shooting only 31% from the floor and committing 23 turnovers. Osceola did share the ball though on offense picking up assists on seven of their field goals, while defending hard picking up six blocked shots, grabbing 36 rebounds and getting 14 steals...