Best of Preps 2019

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2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

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A night to remember

BY BUCK RINGGOLD Times Record

A mix of entertainment, amazing stories of fantastic student-athletes, top award winners, special guests and a tremendous crowd enabled the third annual River Valley Best of Preps event to become another success.

Although the event was postponed a couple of weeks due to the flooding which affected the area, the June 11 event at the Fort Smith Convention Center still drew a large crowd, including the area’s best athletes in an event which included a question and answer session with Olympic gold medal gymnast Gabby Douglas.

Douglas answered a series of questions from the evening’s moderator, UAFS women’s basketball coach Tari Cummings. In the Q and A session, Douglas talked about what it took to become an Olympic gold medal gymnast, the first African-American to achieve that feat, as well as her favorite Olympics that she competed in.

There was also a raffle for Gabby Douglas Barbie dolls, with the proceeds being donated to the United Way flooding recovery effort.

But the primary focus for the evening was the fact that more than 500 student-athletes were recognized for their hard work and excellence both on the field and off.

Among the top award winners were Muldrow’s Madison Chambers, who was named the Arvest Community Excellence Award recipient, presented by Beth Presley, marketing director for Arvest Bank for Fort Smith and the River Valley region. Chambers was selected due to her 4.37 grade-point average and being active in her school and the community, along with her performance as a member of Muldrow’s state runner-up girls basketball squad.

The winner of the Comeback Kid Award, presented

by Ron Newby, the general manager of Shoppers Value

[BRIAN D. SANDERFORD/TIMES RECORD]

Gabby Douglas, left, answers a question from moderator Tari Cummings during the Times Record Best of Preps Banquet on June 11.

Foods, went to Hunter Williams of Sallisaw. Williams overcame a near-fatal accident last summer to return to play football and wrestling for the Black Diamonds, and even scored three touchdowns in his final football game for the Black Diamonds.

Lavaca’s Dylan Ellison was named the True Grit Award winner, presented by Melissa Vitale, the owner of True Grit Running. Despite being born with a radical clubhand on his left hand, it didn’t stop Ellison from playing football and baseball for the Golden Arrows. In fact, Ellison batted .300 his senior season with the Golden Arrow baseball team.

The Paris Lady Eagle volleyball team, which captured its

fourth consecutive state championship, was honored as the Taco Bell Team of the Year, presented by Zeb Brown, the market training manager for Taco Bell.

Northside girls basketball coach Rickey Smith, whose Lady Bears won the 6A state championship in March, was named the overall Coach of the Year. The Male Athlete of the Year went to Greenwood’s Peyton Holt, who starred in both baseball and football, helping lead the Bulldog football team to the 6A state title in December. Howe basketball and softball standout Jalei Oglesby, who helped lead the Lady Lions to the 2A state basketball title in March, was named the Female Athlete of the Year.

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PARIS VOLLEYBALL

Taco Bell TEAM OF THE YEAR

Why TheY Won

BY KEVIN TAYLOR Times Record

The Paris Lady Eagles had come close in 2014.

Really close, in fact.

But in 2015, when the Lady Eagles broke through for the first time in school history, winning the Class 3A state volleyball championship, they were just scratching the surface.

Last fall, Paris beat Ashdown in the finals of the 3A state tournament for its fourth straight state title.

Did someone say, Four-peat-sake?

Coach Jordan Devine picked up where former coach Wes Davis left off.

She said as much last August when, following an afternoon practice, told reporters what she expected from her team.

“I don’t feel like our expectations have dropped from what they have been the last six years,” she said. “We’ve been to the finals six years in a row. We’re hoping to make a run and play the way we should, and hopefully we’ll be in the finals again.”

Mission accomplished.

Paced by 5-foot-10 middle blocker Ryleigh Hardwicke, the Lady Eagles ran the table. Again.

Hardwicke finished with 476 kills and fellow senior Joni Inman had a monster season as well for the Lady Eagles, collecting 379

The All-Star Preps banquet is a wonderful banquet celebrating athletes and coaches from the River Valley. It was so awesome to see so many people celebrating all of the hard work that each of those athletes and coaches put in through the year.

— Jordan Devine, Paris Volleyball Coach kills, dishing out 84 assists, and matching Hardwicke with 92 blocks.

“I don’t feel like our expectations have dropped from what they have been the last

six years,” Devine said last year. “Wes got me involved in the program. Now, to be the one in charge? The pressure is there, but I’m happy to be where I’m at.”

Paris (33-2-1) dropped two matches all season, one to Alma and another to Shiloh Christian.

But when it counted most, Paris won its final eight matches without losing a set.

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Arvest Community Excellence Award

BY BUCK RINGGOLD Times Record rom an early age, Madison Chambers valued the importance of getting a good education.

“Academics have definitely been very important to me throughout my entire educational career,” Chambers, a recent graduate of Muldrow High School, said. “My parents have always encouraged me to give my best effort inside and out of the classroom.

“I was always taught that my education comes before my athletics, so that’s what I put first during school.”

Chambers graduated from Muldrow with a gradepoint average of 4.37, and achieved Academic All-State honors. She was a three-sport athlete for the Lady Bulldogs (basketball, track and softball), earning her the Best of Preps ARVEST Academic and Community Excellence Award.

On the basketball team, Chambers was a threeyear starter at guard, and was part of the Lady Bulldogs’ run to the 4A state championship game her senior season.

She especially gave credit to her mother, Tricia Chambers, for her role in helping Madison achieve a good education.

“My mom is a teacher so I was constantly striving to learn more and more because of her,” Madison Chambers said. “She was always the mom that went the extra mile in order to help me to be successful in school.”

Chambers took a number of various classes while at Muldrow. Her senior year, those classes included Advanced Placement Human Geography, United States Government, AP Calculus, AP English, AP Chemistry and English Composition 2.

“Of all of the classes I’ve taken in high school, AP Biology and AP Calculus have definitely were the most challenging,” she said. “Those were the classes that I had to make sure that I took the extra time to study and work harder on because they were the most complex.”

Chambers did admit it was tough at times

F

Madison Chambers Muldrow

[FILE PHOTO/TIMES RECORD]

Muldrow’s Madison Chambers, left, defends against Howe’s Jaylei Oglesby at Sharp Activity Center.

I thought the atmosphere of the event was amazing.

The music and lighting made the event dramatic and just a cool experience altogether. The videos and pictures that were displayed were also very neat. Getting the opportunity to meet and take a photo with Gabby Douglas was incredible. It’s something I’ll never forget.

— Madison Chambers to balance academics with athletics, especially during the midst of basketball season. But she added that she was able to get assistance.

“I had a lot of people who were there to

support and help me along the way,” Chambers said. “Fortunately, my coaches always knew that academics would come first. That meant that if we had to go in and get extra help from a

teacher, they allowed that.

“Also, my teachers were always very supportive during basketball season. They knew that I would have lots of make-up work during tournaments, so they were always there to help when it was needed.”

Chambers was part of several clubs at Muldrow.

“In school I’ve been involved in the Beta Club, Math Club, Science Club, Student Council, READ mentor program and National Honor Society,” she said.

Chambers is also very active outside of school.

“I’m involved in the worship team at my church, along with previously being a member of the Young Actors Guild in Fort Smith,” she said.

“I also have a job at a local movie store and at a venue in Muldrow (Notus Farmhouse).

“I got involved with singing at the church when I was about 12 years old. I began singing for our youth on Wednesday nights, and then a few years later I began singing on Sunday mornings for adult worship.”

Chambers even served as an usher for UAFS home basketball games at the Stubblefield Center.

“My father, Scott Chambers, is a member of the Fort Smith Rotary Club,” Madison Chambers said. “Many of the members are active volunteers at UAFS basketball games, including my dad.

When I was old enough to understand what it meant to volunteer, I began volunteering with my dad at the games.”

This fall, Madison Chambers will be attending Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, where she signed to play basketball. She plans to be heavily involved in the worship team on campus.

Chambers hopes to continue to excel academically once she gets to college.

“I’m a very competitive person, so striving to be the best in my class has always been one of my goals,” she said. “I was always in the top 10 percent of my class, but I wanted to push myself further.

“I just feel that there is always room for growth in anything that you do. If I’m not at the top, then I’m going to push myself to get there.”

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Peyton Holt

MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR GREENWOOD Why he Won

BY LELAND BARCLAY Special to the Times Record

GREENWOOD – Trey Holloway knew long ago that greatness awaited Peyton Holt.

Holloway was the head baseball coach at Greenwood when Holt moved from Russellville to Greenwood. Holloway immediately inserted him into the starting lineup at shortstop as just a freshman.

“You can tell,” Holloway said. “When a guy’s a guy, when a dude’s a dude, you know it. You can see it.

That’s the way he is. When we stepped on the field, I knew as a freshman that he was going to be a Division-I player. People would laugh at me, and ask me how I know. Well, I’ve been around those guys before. I knew at that point.”

Holt moved to quarterback this past season and led the Bulldogs to the state football title this past fall, earning him the Times Record Best of Preps Football Athlete of the Year.

Peyton Holt relished the big moment in the big game.

“That’s what impressed me as much as anything,” Greenwood head football coach Rick Jones said. “He wanted to do it. He wanted the pressure. In our offense, that’s a big deal. He’s a special guy and he embraced it. He’s a big-game

player. That’s what he lives for.”

As a senior, he moved to quarterback and threw for 3,032 yards and 23 touchdowns with just two interceptions, and rushed for 905 yards and 21 scores.

He’s the first Greenwood quarterback to run and pass for at least 20 touchdowns since Daniel Stegall in 2005.

He started the season with 110 passes without an interception before throwing his first at El Dorado. Then he went 211 passes without another one until the 45-14 win over Benton in the state championship game.

“The thing that separated him and the kind of athlete he was, 23 touchdowns and two interceptions,” Jones said. “He took care of the football and made good decisions over and over and over. He understood the offense.”

His legacy is even more, though, than two state titles in football.

“Not to mention win a state championship in baseball between those two,” Jones said. “It was fun to watch him.

He’s a tremendous athlete.”

In his football career, he accounted for 70

touchdowns with 44 his senior season.

In baseball, in the state championship game last year, he was 3-for-4 with a double, drove in a run and scored twice in helping the Bulldogs win the state baseball championship with a 4-0 win over Benton.

“That’s who he is, and he has fun doing it in big-time games, in big-time situations,” Holloway said. “In the state championship game last year, look at his spray charts but in big games he comes up with big hits.”

Last year, he started the season with three hits in four at-bats, and never fell below .500 finishing with a .531 batting average and a 1.044 slugging percentage.

He finished his career with staggering stats, including a career .407 batting average in 381 at-bats with 135 runs scored, 155 hits, 114 runs batted in, 39 doubles, 15 triples, 11 home runs, 57 stolen bases and a slugging percentage of .675.

“He’s a phenomenal player and has a high skill level,” Holloway said. “Most high school players don’t have the tools he’s got; he can run, he can hit for power, he can hit for average, he’s got a really good glove and he’s got an above-average arm. As a high school coach, you don’t get to coach those guys very much. I’ve been blessed to have been able to coach him.”

It all added to a tremendous high school career over two different sports for Holt.

“We’ll miss him,” Jones said. “He was fun to watch. I’m glad I had a good seat.”

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Jalei Oglesby

FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR HOWE Why She Won

BY BUCK RINGGOLD Times Record

Even before playing her final game as a Howe Lady Lion basketball player, Jalei Oglesby had already enjoyed a stellar career.

What Oglesby was able to do in that final game, though, completely cemented her legacy as not only one of the greatest Lady Lion players of all time, but also one of Oklahoma’s greatest girls basketball standouts.

Oglesby nearly set two state tournament records with her performance at the 2A State Tournament. She finished with 106 total points over three games, one point shy of tying the record for most points in a girls state tournament.

Then, Oglesby put the finishing touches on her Lady Lion basketball career by scoring 31 points, including the eventual game-winning basket with 17 seconds left, as Howe claimed the 2A title with a 59-55 win against topranked Dale in Oklahoma City, which earned her the Best of Preps Girls Basketball Athlete of the Year.

“Winning this game meant so much to me,” Oglesby said. “It’s an incredible feeling.

“All of the late nights shooting and just spending time in the gym, it paid off in this game.”

Oglesby began the tournament by scoring 42 points in Howe’s 79-41 win against Luther

in the quarterfinals. That was three points shy of tying the record for most points in a single state tournament game.

Then in the 2A semifinals against Hartshorne, Oglesby had 33 points as the Lady Lions prevailed, 60-49.

After coming up short of a title game appearance in her three previous trips to the state tournament, Oglesby was going to get the chance to end her career playing for the gold ball under the roof of the famed “Big House,” Oklahoma City’s State Fair Arena.

With the score tied at 55 in the 2A title game, Dale had the ball inside the final minute, working on a potential game-winning shot.

However, Howe’s Zoe Nation deflected a pass away, and the ball went right to Oglesby. Oglesby then sprinted down the court before pulling up right in front of the basket, releasing a short jumper that banked in off the glass with 17 seconds left.

On Dale’s next possession, Howe senior Rachel Beames blocked a shot attempt in the lane, and Oglesby came up with the rebound.

The Lady Lions clinched the win with four seconds left on two free throws from Nation, giving Howe its fifth girls basketball state title and the first since 2008.

“Our whole team played great together and they hit big shots when they needed to, and that’s exactly what we had to have (against Dale),” Oglesby said.

Oglesby, who has signed to play at Arkansas Tech, finished as the third all-time

leading scorer in the state of Oklahoma during the 5-on-5 era with 2,982 points. She also grabbed more than a thousand rebounds.

“It’s amazing to look at the impact (Oglesby’s) had on our team beyond the scope of just points and rebounds and all that; she’s got the total package,” Howe coach Chris Brown said. “She’s a dream to coach and makes things easy.”

Basketball wasn’t the only sport Oglesby played at Howe. She was also an All-State softball player, both in fastpitch and in slow pitch.

For the fast-pitch team in the fall, Oglesby batted .474 while driving in 25 runs and scoring 54 more. Then this spring playing slow pitch, Oglesby hit .530 with 22 home runs and 52 RBIs while scoring 75 runs to help the Lady Lions reach the state semifinals.

But on one Saturday in March, Oglesby was able to finish out her memorable basketball career going out on top. As a state champion.

“To win (state) is incredible. ...

It’s definitely a great way to go out,” Oglesby said. “I couldn’t have asked for anything more.”

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RICKEY SMITH COACH OF THE YEAR NORTHSIDE Why he Won

BY BUCK RINGGOLD Times Record

Every state championship that Rickey Smith has won in a quarter-century of guiding Northside’s girls basketball program carries a special meaning.

His latest state title went beyond special. It was the culmination of a season filled with extremely high expectations.

Not to mention literally, Smith rolled a lucky number seven, especially with the way the Lady Bears won their last two ballgames.

Smith guided the Lady Bears to a 28-1 record and won his seventh state championship since 1999, and his first since 2013, earning him the Best of Preps Overall Coach of the Year.

Another reason Smith felt his seventh state title perhaps meant really more this goround went back to his childhood days.

“We raised greyhound dogs as a kid growing up and every dog that we had that was good, (his father) named it ‘Seven,’ so I’ve been chasing it for a long time, I really have and I wish they could be here to see it,” Smith said. “I’m just proud for my kids, they work so hard and we’ve got a lot of rings, I just wanted these kids to get one.”

The Lady Bears also finished No. 11 in the final nationwide girls basketball poll put together by USA Today. It was the highest ranking for Northside since 2002, when the Lady Bears finished third in the nation after winning their fourth consecutive state title.

In Northside’s season opener, Smith began his 25th season with the Lady Bears by achieving a milestone, winning his 600th game at Northside in a 66-45 win at home against Marion. The Lady Bears also won their first 23 ballgames.

But to cap what had been a tremendous season, and for Smith to get that elusive seventh title, he had to go through a roller-coaster of two of the wildest games he’s been involved in.

At the 6A state semifinals, Northside fell behind Fayetteville early on and was down 11 in the second half before coming back to force overtime. But it took three overtimes before the Lady Bears were able to pull out an epic 64-62 win.

“I’ve coached at Northside for a long time and next to those state championships, that’s about as special as it gets right there,” Smith said following that win against Fayetteville.

Less than a week later, Smith and the Lady Bears found a way to top even that improbable game.

In the 6A title game at Hot Springs, Northside found itself trailing Bentonville 3429 with 57 seconds left.

But the Lady Bears proceeded to reel off the next seven points, with Jersey Wolfenbarger’s 15-foot jumper hitting nothing but net as time expired to put the finishing touches on a 36-34 win.

“I’m proud of our kids; they had the mental fortitude to stay in there and I’ll give them credit, in the huddles, they were a lot more positive than I was,” Smith said. “It was just one of those nights that you dream about, so just thankful for these kids.

“Every little possession just bounced our way late. ... They just stepped up big, they’re winners; we could have lost that game so easily, but they just found a way to get it done.”

Even after the season with another state championship in the books, Smith was still winning. Fittingly enough, his next big win came in Las Vegas, Nev. In April, Smith was selected to coach in the Jordan Brand Classic, an all-star game involving several of the top high school senior girls basketball players in the nation.

Those players were going to several of the elite college programs in the country including South Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi State, Baylor and Notre Dame.

Smith’s team prevailed, 87-82.

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

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True Grit Award

BY KEVIN TAYLOR Times Record

T

he 2019 baseball season couldn’t have gone any better for Lavaca’s Dylan Ellison.

The senior not only played for a winning team, but he also contributed with his arm and his bat.

Dylan Ellison isn’t unlike most teenage boys.

He loves fast cars, girls, and probably spends too much time fidgeting with his cellphone.

Dylan Ellison also has one hand.

But baseball? He played. And football? He played that, too.

Ellison, who will celebrate his 19th birthday later this year, was born with radial clubhand, a deficiency along the preaxial, or radial side of the extremity, preventing Ellison from use of his right arm.

Ellison throws left, and then catching the ball with his left hand, he quickly removes his glove for the return throw.

It’s risky; it’s not easy.

But baseball is about reps.

“When I was little I had a left-handed glove and a right-handed glove,” Ellison said. “I would catch it (ball) with my right hand, and throw it back with my left. (But) it was too hard to have two gloves, so my dad said, ‘Use a left-handed glove, take it off, and throw it, and you’ll be fine.’

“Now, I try to throw it and get my glove back on before it’s hit right back at you.”

With a good group of seniors and juniors, Lavaca finished second at the district tournament.

But the Golden Arrows ran the table at the regional tournament, then earned themselves a state tournament victory over Riverside before losing to state runner up Woodlawn.

Ellison appeared in 19 games, batting .227 (10for-44) with seven runs batted in.

“I’ve been watching him for a few years, because I hadn’t gotten a chance to coach him until this year, and he amazes me,” Lavaca coach Mark Headley said. “He works hard and is a great, great kid.”

Dylan Ellison Lavaca

It was exciting. The nerves kind of get to you a little bit, but once you get on stage the nerves melted away. Meeting Gabby Douglas was really neat. When I was getting my (picture) I was sort of thinking how small she was.

— Dylan Ellison “Ball one,” yells the umpire.

Then, in one fluid motion, Ellison smacks a grounder off the tip of the pitcher’s glove. As the pitcher races to retrieve the ball, the speedy Ellison has already crossed first base.

Ellison’s parents, Julie and Patrick, are sitting in lawn chairs not far from the dugout as the kid wearing the No. 10 jersey strides to the plate.

Radial clubhand

Dylan Ellison was born with a significantly smaller right hand, almost toddler-like.

“He’s got more than one deformity, but radial clubhand was the diagnosis,” Julie explained.

“When he was born, it was one per every 100,000 (births).”

“What happens is, when he’s developing in the womb, the tendons grew across the bones,” explains dad Patrick Ellison. “He had his first surgery when he was 6 months old.”

There would other surgeries.

But life as a kid wasn’t any different than it would be for someone next door or down the block.

“We never treated him any different,” says Julie.

“To be honest, growing up was about same as

is now,” Ellison said. “Until I was probably about 3, I had my arm in a cast. My dad thought it was the funniest thing — like I was going to slap it around like I was invincible.”

Lefty hitter

Ellison’s actually one of the lucky ones. The Lavaca senior, who plays first base and occasionally pitches, can actually grip a baseball bat.

He and his dad didn’t let the issue become a handicap.

“I hear it’s sort of common; it’s not as rare as they say it is,” Dylan Ellison said. “Most kids born this way, they don’t have all their fingers. I don’t have two bones in my forearm; I have one. They took one out because it was all the way grown out.”

Last season, Ellison did something far more unusual than swinging a baseball bat with one hand — he had two hits in the same inning of the Golden Arrows’ 16-1 win over Magazine.

Baseball, something he and his dad loved from the time he was a toddler, became a common thread in the Ellisons’ lives. His younger brother Evan, a sophomore, also plays baseball.

To put on the Lavaca uniform means the

world to his parents — just don’t tell them you feel sorry for him.

“Not at all,” Dylan Ellison said. “In little league, when I’d mess up, everybody would say, ‘Aw ...’ and that would just make me mad.”

“I just wanted to be treated like everybody else.”

Adjustments

Ellison has had five official at-bats this season; three singles, a ground-out and a pop-out.

“My dad taught me how to swing differently in little league,” Ellison said. “He told me to hold it with two hands, so that when the ball comes to you, let go and step out so your body will square it (the pitch). You can dip your shoulder, too.”

That wouldn’t be the same as Ellison got older.

“When I got to high school, I couldn’t do it that way,” he said. “I was too slow. So I had to use two hands and kind of whip it.”

“If I could do again, I’d probably teach him to bat right-handed,” Patrick said. “He could follow through further with his weight.”

Wanna pitch?

This year, on a whim, Headley asked Ellison if he could pitch. He wouldn’t be the first one-handed pitcher to ever grace the mound.

Former major leaguer Jim Abbott, a lefty like Ellison, once pitched a no-hitter.

Ellison has appeared in two games this season, one good, one not so much.

“I like his arm,” Headley said. “I said, ‘Let’s pitch him!’ He’s done well; he got a little nervous the other night after he gave up a home run. But what he does, including playing first base, is pretty impressive. Not only is he a good player, he’s a good team player. This kid sits in this dugout cheering on these guys.

“He’s one of those guys you’ve got to have around.”

“Pretty much, it’s about going out there and showing something different,” Ellison said.

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Scenes from the banquet

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Shoppers Value Comeback Kid Award

BY BUCK RINGGOLD Times Record

N

early a year ago, Hunter Williams was finishing off some routine chores when he got on his tractor.

The next few minutes totally changed his life, and it nearly ended his athletic career.

“On June 6 I was raking hay north of Vian,” Williams, a senior at Sallisaw who was on the football and wrestling teams, said. “I had finished raking and was leaving the field, and I had hopped off my tractor to walk 10 yards or so to the gate to go through, when I happened to look in the corner of my eye and see the tractor right there pining my left leg between the tractor and metal gate, breaking my femur and smashing nerves and muscles in my leg.”

HUNTER WILLIAMs SALLISAW

“As my last football game as a high school student and to be out there with all of my teammates for one last time made it unforgettable,” he said.

“The support that has been given to me has been overwhelming knowing that there was so many pulling for me.”

Finally, on Oct. 9, Williams got to hear the good news that all his hard work and rehab had paid off.

Williams was also able rejoin the Sallisaw wrestling team. In his junior season prior to his accident, Williams finished third at the 4A state tournament in the 126-pound weight class.

“When the news was given to me to play football, I knew that I had proven the doctor wrong that I would not be playing this year,” Williams said.

Williams scored three touchdowns as the Black Diamonds ended their season with a

“One thing in my eyes that seemed to work well was running the ball right behind our offensive line and fullbacks Connor Daffin and Jace Nicholson. My favorite touchdown of the night would have to be my third one when I broke loose from about 20 yards or so out.”

But it was quite a way for him to end his Black Diamond football career.

“With everyone telling me I could do anything I set my mind to, it motivated me to work harder each day to get back,” he said. “Rehab was a continuous improvement each and every day as I did different exercises to improve my muscles and bone in my leg.”

He did exactly that.

“It was a blessing to be out on the field to contribute to the team and do my part as a running back,” Williams said.

Those three TDs were actually the only times Williams reached the end zone since returning to the football team.

Williams’ career as a Black Diamond appeared to be over. But Williams had other ideas in the wake of his accident.

Knowing it was going to be the final time he was going to step foot onto the gridiron, Williams was more than determined to make his final football game a memorable one.

53-24 win at Tulsa Central, totally putting the finishing touches on a miraculous comeback from that tractor accident that severely injured Williams’ left leg.

“There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I would be stopped from wrestling in the 201819 season,” he said.

The banquet was very special and one I will never forget, it was very organized and proper. A lot of athletes couldn’t thank y’all enough for the experience of getting to do that.

— HUNTER WILLIAMS

Williams was able to return to the 4A state tournament in February, wrestling in the 132-pound class.

Williams was grateful to get a chance to return to athletics before graduating. He plans to get his welding license as well as being involved in the cattle business.

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

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2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

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Baseball

Softball

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

[TIMES RECORD]

[TIMES RECORD]

TREVOR JOHNSON VAN BUREN

Mariah Hamilton Greenwood

Van Buren’s Trevor Johnson relished pitching against the best the opponent had to offer.

In the 6A-West and it’s two-game home-and-away series, the first game was always an aceversus-ace marquee matchup on the mound.

“I loved that,” Johnson said. “Both teams are trying to get that win that first game. I knew my guys would have my back and come out battling with all they had. I love the competition. It’s fun.”

Johnson was sensational in his seven conference starts, throwing 43-1/3 innings and allowing just 33 hits with a 1.62 earned run average.

In those seven conference starts, Johnson struck out 47 with just five walks.

“He’s so competitive, and he works so hard,” Loyd said. “The No. 1 thing that stands out is how much he loves to play. He loves the game. He’s one of those guys that comes along just every so often.”

Overall, this season, Johnson was 7-4 with an earned run average of 1.52 and 86 strikeouts in 69 innings. In his career, he was 27-7 with six saves and an earned run average of 1.97 in 224-1/3 innings with 226 strikeouts.

After pitching the opening game of the two-day conference series, Johnson played third base in the second game. His defense as well as his bat in the middle of the order also provided another dimension for the Pointers.

He hit .358 this season with a slugging percentage of .531 with two homers.

“He’s such a great kid,” Loyd said. “His personality, he’s a quiet guy. He’s a great teammate.

We’re really going to miss him.”

Mariah Hamilton enjoyed playing all four seasons for Greenwood’s softball team.

She especially had a blast her senior season.

Hamilton, a third baseman for the Lady Bulldogs, led the team in many offensive categories, including batting average (.522), on-base percentage (.560), slugging percentage (1.067), hits (47), home runs (10) and RBIs (56), making her the Best of Preps Softball Athlete of the Year.

“This year was very special to me because I had to keep in mind that it was filled with very many lasts,” Hamilton said. “I played my last high school game and I knew that I had to set an example and be a leader for the future and upcoming Lady Bulldogs.”

As a senior, Hamilton recorded 18 multi-hit games. In a doubleheader in Russellville in April, Hamilton hit two home runs and drove in 11 runs as the Lady Bulldogs swept both games.

Hamilton also had two RBIs, including a home run, in Greenwood’s state semifinal win against Benton, sending the Lady Bulldogs to the 5A title game.

“I felt confident against Benton and I texted my dad early that morning that I felt like I was going to hit a home run,” Hamilton said. “When the ball left the bat, I knew it was gone and it couldn’t have felt better.”

Although Greenwood fell short of the championship, losing by one run to Sheridan, Hamilton hit two doubles, including one for an RBI. Hamilton will now get to continue her softball career as she signed to play at Arkansas Tech.

“I worked very hard the past four years to prepare for college, and I feel as if I’ve pushed myself to rise up and meet my goals,” she said.

Baseball

Softball

Coach OF THE YEAR

Coach OF THE YEAR ANDY PERDUE

JEFF RICHARDSON

It didn’t come as any surprise that Poteau coach Andy Perdue had a team capable of putting together another state tournament appearance.

The Pirates finished their season at 27-9.

That included a perfect record in District 4A-8 play and winning the LeFlore County Baseball Tournament along with making it to state for the fourth consecutive season, all under Perdue, who earned Best of Preps Baseball Coach of the Year.

Hackett’s softball program took a big step in the 2019 season under fourth-year coach Jeff Richardson.

The Lady Hornets won 24 games and won their district tournament. Then, for the first time in school history, they called themselves regional champions, Earning Richardson Best of Preps Softball Coach of the Year.

“We set goals this year that were not easy goals. We had a dozen to 15 practices during the summer.”

POTEAU

HACKETT

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

• 19

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2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

20 •

BOYS basketball

GIRLS basketball

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

[TIMES RECORD]

[TIMES RECORD]

TYLER PERRY SPIRO

SARA BERSHERS NORTHSIDE

After moving away from Spiro following his fifth-grade year, Tylor Perry wanted to finish his high school basketball career there.

“This was home,” Perry, a 5-foot-10 senior point guard for the Bulldogs, said. “I wanted to give my family something to be proud of because Spiro had been down for a few years and so to bring happiness and joy back to sports in Spiro, it’s just something that I always wanted to do.”

Perry, who moved back to Spiro last off-season after having played at Springdale Har-Ber, led the Bulldogs in scoring, averaging 24.8 points per game. He also averaged four rebounds, 3.5 assists and three steals while converting 44 percent of his 3-point attempts and 68 percent of his two-point attempts.

He also helped Spiro reach the 3A semifinals in dramatic fashion, hitting a buzzer-beating 3-pointer in the state quarterfinals against Sequoyah-Tahlequah, a game in which he scored 27 points and made five 3’s. In Spiro’s first postseason game, a district win against Okmulgee, Perry reached the 2,000-point plateau for his career.

During the regular season, Perry recorded 14 games where he scored at least 20 points. He shot 82 3-pointers as well, including eight in a win against Sallisaw and seven in a win against Muldrow.

“He’s an amazing shooter, but then sometimes he has his moments where he’s even more special,” Spiro coach Dustin Gist said. “And then several of those games he had 18 or 19 points and he didn’t even play in the fourth quarter at all, so who knows what he can have.”

Northside 6-foot senior forward Sara Bershers began her high school career playing at Lake Hamilton outside of Hot Springs.

She returned to the “Spa City” to help the Lady Bears capture the 6A state title.

Bershers, who transferred to Northside prior to her junior season, was a big reason why Northside won state. She averaged 11.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. In addition, Bershers averaged 1.3 steals and 1.9 blocks per game.

Of Northside’s 29 games, Bershers was in double figures 19 times.

Perhaps her most memorable game as a Lady Bear came in the 6A semifinals, when Bershers scored a season-high 20 points in Northside’s epic 64-62 double-overtime win against Fayetteville.

She hit three 3-pointers in the second half to help the Lady Bears rally from an 11-point deficit, including a 3 inside the final minute of regulation which tied the score at 45-all, eventually sending the game into overtime.

“There’s not a whole lot you can say or do,” Northside coach Rickey Smith said. “Sara has proven time and again that she’s a clutch player.

“Sara’s played a lot more consistent this season, just competing at this level and being in the program and understanding the expectations. She’s made everyone around her a little bit better, as they do for her also.”

It’s also translated to the next level as Bershers, a 4.0 student, has signed to play basketball at Division I University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley.

BOYS basketball

Girls basketball

Coach OF THE YEAR

Coach OF THE YEAR

RONNIE DENTON

RICKEy SMITH

As heart-breaking as Booneville’s state tournament loss was to Drew Central, a bitter 45-44 loss in the 3A quarterfinals, coach Ronnie Denton can’t stop singing the praises of a team no one saw coming.

“This was a once in a lifetime team.” A team that helped Denton earn the Times Record Best of Preps Basketball Coach of the Year.

“They played hard for each other, their coaches, and their school and community,” he said.

All season long, Northside girls basketball coach Rickey Smith had to contend with the high expectations from his Lady Bears.

The Lady Bears also received attention nationwide, being ranked in the top 10 in one nationwide poll at one point in the season.

Thanks to a pair of dramatic comebacks in each of their last two games, Northside was able to finish the job, winning the 6A championship. It was the seventh state title since 1999, all under the tutelage of Smith.

BOONEVILLE

NORTHSIDE

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

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2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

22 •

Boys Soccer

Girls Soccer

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

[TIMES RECORD]

[TIMES RECORD]

Isaac Delafuente VAN BUREN

KAITLYN GILKEY NORTHSIDE

Isaac Delafuente insists winning is far more fun than scoring goals.

In 2019, he and the Van Buren Pointers did a little of both.

Delafuente shattered the school’s all-time single-season goals record with 40, including six in the Pointers’ two post-season games, earning him Best of Preps Soccer Athlete of the Year.

“I was more focused on the team,” Delafuente said. “I was focusing on getting victories. It feels good having individual success, but it feels much better having team accomplishments.

We were working really hard in the off-season to achieve our goal.

“Once we stepped onto the field we felt like we were going to have a good year.”

After finishing a combined 19-44-3 the previous seasons, including an 8-14-2 mark in 2018, Van Buren opened 6A-West play with four wins in its first five games, setting the pace for what was to come.

“Next year we’ll have most of our players coming back,” Delafuente said. “The new people coming in, we’ll have to push them and make sure they’re ready to go. That’s primarily what we did this year.”

The 2019 Pointers’ squad included a number of seniors who didn’t get much playing time.

But that didn’t prevent them contributing.

“They were there to cheer us on; I feel really happy for them,” Delafuente said. “A lot of kids who may not have played much might not have cared, but they were just the opposite. They really supported us and cheered us on.”

Delafuente was center midfielder before earning his stripes as a big-time scorer. He scored seven goals as a center-mid his ninth grade year. He added 20 goals in 2018 and 40 this season.

Northside senior Kaitlyn Gilkey had a bittersweet ending to her high school soccer career.

While the Lady Bears came up short in a loss to Fayetteville in the opening round of the 6A state tournament, the game was held on the field where Gilkey will get to continue playing soccer at the next level.

That game took place at Hendrix College, where Gilkey signed to play soccer next season.

Gilkey, named best of Preps Girls Soccer Athlete of the Year, is a three-year starter who primarily plays forward but has also played center-mid, led the Lady Bears with a career-high 16 goals to go along with five assists. She scored four of those goals in one game, against Van Buren.

“In years past, I really haven’t shot from outside the box or separated myself to get a good shot from far away, and so this year I’ve really worked on that,” Gilkey said. “That’s how a lot of my goals came, from shooting from like the 20 (yard line) or the 15 outside and when the keeper’s not ready.”

And as a senior, Gilkey definitely made it a point to be more vocal with her Lady Bear teammates.

“I really have stepped up as a leader,” she said. “The past couple of years, I really wasn’t the most talkative, like I didn’t really tell people what to do but this year I’m a captain, and I’ve kind of had to step up and show the freshmen what they need to do and the returning players how to lead by example.”

SOCCER

Coach OF THE YEAR NATHAN ALMOND VAN BUREN

Van Buren coach Nathan Almond, the Best of Preps Soccer Coach of the Year, had a good feeling about the 2019 soccer season.

“This team was an exciting team to watch,” Almond said. “They consistently played with energy and effort, and they competed with a lot of heart. Our offense was never shut out; we were able to score 61 goals this season, and Isaac Delafuente

had 40 of those.”

The Pointers lost to Bryant, 2-1, in the quarterfinals of the 6A state tournament.

“Defensively, we surrendered too many goals, but we were able to find stops in key games throughout the season,” he said.

“Chris Mendoza played really well for us in the goal. He had some spectacular saves to keep us in some conference games this year.”

Delafuente and Mendoza are among eight returning starters coming back in 2020.

“It is difficult to not be excited about next year,” Almond said. “We relied heavily on freshmen and sophomores this year and I look forward to seeing them play with another year of practice and development.

“They are good kids that train hard and are fun to coach.”

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

Volleyball

• 23

Football

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

[TIMES RECORD]

[TIMES RECORD]

Ryleigh Hardwicke Paris

Carson Ray Booneville

Every time Ryleigh Hardwicke stepped on the volleyball court, opposing teams didn’t necessarily wither like a flower melting in the hot sun.

But it sure felt like it.

Hardwicke capped a brilliant high school career by leading the school’s volleyball team to its fourth state championship in as many seasons.

Hardwicke was a one-player wrecking crew with 476 kills while leading Paris to a 33-2-1 record. The team’s 25-16, 25-19, 25-23 win over Ashdown in the 3A finals capped a run of 15 straight games without a defeat.

In fact, Paris didn’t lose a single set following a 25-15, 23-25 standoff with Ashdown during an Oct. 6 tournament match.

Hardwicke took over after the tie, and had 132 kills over her final eight matches, culminating with an 18-kill performance in the Lady Eagles’ championship sweep of the Lady Panthers.

In all, Hardwicke finished her illustrious Paris career with 1,061 kills, including 878 during her junior and senior seasons.

She, too, helped the Lady Eagles compile a 119-9-2 overall record during her four seasons.

Carson Ray wasn’t the first in his family to score touchdowns, intercept passes, or help lead Booneville to football victories.

And he won’t be the last, either. Younger brother Randon will be a sophomore next season when the Cats try and duplicate their 2018 magic by doing what they’ve done for generations: win football games.

But Ray has something his dad, Allen “Gator” Ray and grandpa Bruce Ray, don’t have some bling.

Ray rumbled for 1,760 yards and 32 touchdowns last season while helping lead Booneville to the school’s fourth state football championship, a 35-0 beat-down of Osceola.

Ray clinched Player of the Year honors by gashing the Seminoles for 165 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Last October, Ray became the 45th player in school history. Following in the footsteps of grandfather Bruce (1973) and day Allen (1998-99), Carson Ray became the first third generation 1,000-yard rusher.

And in Booneville, with four state championship banners, that’s saying something.

Volleyball

Football

Coach OF THE YEAR

Coach OF THE YEAR JORDAN DEVINE

SCOTT HYATT

Jordan Devine wasn’t a fish out of water when she was suddenly thrust into the spotlight as the head coach of the Paris Lady Eagles.

Devine knows volleyball.

“It’s been an amazing season,” Devine said.

Playing in their seventh state finals match, the Lady Eagles capped off a 33-win season with a win over Ashdown for the state title, and earning Devine the Times Record Best of Preps Volleyball Coach of the Year.

With a cold rain dripping throughout, amid an overcast sky and temperatures stuck at 35, Scott Hyatt became the first-ever Booneville coach to lead the team to a pair of state football titles — matching the 2013 run with another unbeaten season.

Hyatt’s second state title put the stamp on Best of Preps Coach of the Year honors.

Players attribute some, if not all of his success, to simply following a plan.

PARIS

BOONEVILLE

24 •

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

BOYS Tennis

GIRLS Tennis

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

[TIMES RECORD]

[TIMES RECORD]

T.J. Saniseng Van Buren

Kate Files NORTHSIDE

Van Buren senior T.J. Saniseng turned in another solid season on the tennis courts.

One of the top boys players in the River Valley, Saniseng captained the Pointer tennis team for the second consecutive year and qualified for another state tournament appearance after winning his opening-round match at the 6A-West Conference Tournament.

Saniseng trailed his opponent, a player from Rogers Heritage, 3-0 in the opening set before rallying to win 7-5. Then Saniseng punched his ticket to state with a 6-2 win in the second set.

Saniseng capped his career at Van Buren with his fourth consecutive All-Conference selection and another trip to the 6A state tournament.

Not to mention leaving a very favorable impression on his coach.

“You can’t get him off the court. It doesn’t matter what he’s doing, he’s on the court every single night of the week,” Van Buren tennis coach Brandy Mosby said.

“Now, I have to remind him he’s got homework, because he doesn’t want to do homework.

He’s not flunking anything, but he’d rather be out here. He’s constantly on the court. He’s constantly improving his game.”

Northside sophomore tennis player Kate Files repeated her girls singles conference championship, winning the 6A-Central title in her home town.

She then took a perfect record into the 6A semifinals but fell to eventual state champion Mary Houston of Fayetteville, the same player who beat Files to win the 7A state title during Files’ freshman season.

Files was later awarded third place.

Files finished her sophomore season with a record of 19-1, which included winning the 6A-Central championship.

“She knows what she has to do, and the commitment is definitely there to keep pushing,” Northside coach Martin Hyatt said. “The thing about Kate is she’s a team girl and she wants her teammates to do well and is very, very supportive of her teammates.”

In the 6A-Central girls singles championship match, held at the Fort Smith Athletic Club, Files claimed the conference crown for the second consecutive season as she defeated Little Rock Central’s Eleanor Burks, 6-4, 6-2.

Files’ performance also helped give Northside the girls team conference championship.

Tennis

Coach OF THE YEAR MARTIN HYATT NORTHSIDE

In early October at the Fort Smith Athletic Club, Northside tennis coach Martin Hyatt got to experience several success stories.

His Lady Bear netters won the 6A-Central conference championship, mainly due to the play of individual girls singles champion Kate Files, who won conference for the second straight season and took an undefeated record to the 6A state tournament.

Files eventually made her second straight state semifinal appearance, and finished third at the tourney.

But several other Lady Bears, as well as several members of the Grizzlies, got the right to advance to state.

In all, Northside sent seven players to the 6A tourney.

The Lady Bears’ top doubles team of Addison

McDougal and Mary Alex Cole reached the conference semifinals. They also won their opening-round match against Bentonville at state, qualifying for the 6A quarterfinals.

Along with Files, Cate Newcity qualified for state in girls singles.

Northside’s boys were represented at state

by Will Thames, as well as doubles partners Griffin Huckelbury and Sam Carlisle.

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26 •

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

BOYS Golf

GIRLS Golf

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

[TIMES RECORD]

[TIMES RECORD]

EVAN GRIFFITH GREENWOOD

KIRSTEN MATLOCK MULDROW

Evan Griffith didn’t stumble toward the winner’s circle by accident last October’s 5A state golf championship wasn’t an accident.

It wasn’t as if he’d just played well that week, either.

Evan Griffith had been building toward his final act as a Greenwood golfer since he was in junior high.

Griffith meticulously carved up the golf course that day by hitting 15 of 18 greens on his way to repeating as the state individual state champion.

He birdied the final hole, a 411-yard Par 4, to finish with a blistering 68.

And, now that his Greenwood career is behind him, he’s neither sad nor bitter.

“I thought it was going to be sad, but I was more excited than anything else,” he said. “I’m going to the next level. The ending is almost like a new beginning.”

A month after winning the 5A state championship, Griffith signed with the University of Central Oklahoma.

“There’s always a tendency to have too much of this, or too much of that with your swing,” Griffth said. “But overall, the misses aren’t even that bad. I’m definitely happy the way it’s going.”

In addition to winning the overall state championship, Griffith won last fall’s 5A state tournament individual medalist as well.

Kirsten Matlock learned to relax her senior year.

With the pressure off, having signed to play golf at the next level, the Muldrow senior took to the links with a completely different outlook in 2019.

“Last year kind of messed me up a little bit,” Matlock said. “I was trying to impress the coaches, but this year was a lot better, since I had already signed. I’m pretty excited for that.”

Matlock will continue her career at Missouri State University.

The Muldrow standout helped lead her team to a third place finish at the 2019 state tournament.

“It was very windy and wet,” Matlock said. “It poured the day before, and we had some tornado warnings. Last year we thought we were going to get rained out. They took the bunkers out of play; it was wet and mushy.”

Matlock shot 80-82 and finished fifth individually.

A different mental approach to the game also helped her improve as a senior.

“I tried to focus on having fun and improving,” Matlock said. “I think I made it a really memorable season. I used to get really nervous and overthink things, and that would mess me up.”

The vivacious Matlock used the mental changes to loosen up.

“I think golf, to me, it’s really a mental game,” she said. “(But) I have a lot of fun at it; I try not to focus on how I’m playing. In the end, it’s just a sport. When I’m having fun, I play better.

When I’m out there, I’m trying to talk to the other girls and have fun. To me, I like to have fun.

“If I try not to take it too seriously I’m going to have good results.”

GOLF

Coach OF THE YEAR RYAN CASALMAN COUNTY LINE

County Line High School doesn’t have a skeet-shooting program. But if they did, Ryan Casalman would be a good choice.

He would be someone good to call on, too, if the school ever decides to field a football team.

For now, though, Casalman still manages to wear a number of hats, including that as baseball coach, girls basketball coach, and

head golf coach.

Last fall, he watched from the sideline as County Line won the boys state golf championship, earning him the Best of Preps Golf Coach of the year.

“It was awesome to see the kids excel like that,” he said. “They had to battle through some adversity with the rain and everything, and I was just so proud of how our kids

battled and were able to succeed. It was a surprise. The day before one of the Scranton kids told us their coach told them they had a chance to win the entire thing and he said if that was the case that we had a chance to finish second. I told him he was crazy, and I told our boys if we played well we could finish in the top five.”

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

BOYS Track & Field

• 27

GIRLS Track & Field

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

[TIMES RECORD]

KEVAN JONES

[TIMES RECORD]

JASMINE HOPKINS SPIRO

CEDARVILLE

It’s hard to miss Kevan Jones on the football field. He’s the tall kid playing on the offensive line.

It’s hard to miss him in track and field, too. His blond hair swirls in the wind as he uncorks the shot put.

Jones broke two school records this past spring in the shot put and discus. There’s an equally good chance he’ll smash more records in 2020.

Just a junior, the 6-foot-8 Jones broke former teammate Easton Mongold’s previous mark of 44-5 by nearly 3-plus inches.

Jones won the 3A shot put with a heave of 47-4¾.

Jones won the 3A discus title as well with a throw of 124-2½, earning him the Times Record Best of Preps Track Athlete of the Year.

Jones’ rags to riches story is a work in progress.

“I’m still working at it,” he explained. “I started throwing about ninth grade. Coach (Eric) Marsh, over at Alma, came over to me and said, ‘Hey, I want you to start throwing.’ I was like, I don’t know about that, because I have football and stuff, but he said it will get you out of school.

“I said, OK! That’s how it started.”

“This place (Cedarville) makes you feel more at home,” he said. “I moved from a 7A school in Pittsburgh to the north side of Fort Smith, and then I was in Alma for three years. I moved here, and I would say, no matter what the (other) school scores are, I would give Cedarville an 11 out of 11.

“This has a family atmosphere; it’s smaller and everybody knows everybody, and everybody cares about everybody.”

Spiro senior track athlete Jasmine Hopkins was determined to make her final appearance at the state meet memorable.

So she put in extra training in the weeks leading up to the event.

Her hard work paid off as she won two events at the Oklahoma 3A state meet at Catoosa.

She won the 200-meter dash in a time of 25.33 and also won the long jump with a winning measurement of 17-5.5, both of which are new school records as well as new personal bests for Hopkins, and earning her Best of Preps Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

“I knew it was going to be my last chance, so the past few weeks I wanted to do the best I could to get that first-place medal,” Hopkins said.

“I was eating healthy, getting to bed on time and staying away from all sweets. And I love sweets.”

Hopkins also finished second at the state meet in the 100-meter dash.

In the 200 meters, Hopkins her closest challenger by 0.50 seconds. Going into this season, she hadn’t run the 200 since her freshman year, but was shifted from doing the 300-meter hurdles to running the 200 meters.

Hopkins also won the state long jump event after placing fourth at state her junior season.

For the season, Hopkins said she had won several meets in the 100, 200 and long jump.

“I would probably say the support from my team, my parents and my coaches (also helped),” Hopkins said. “I just went out there and did what I’m supposed to do and doing everything I was taught at practice and execute.”

Track & Field Coach OF THE YEAR

RANDY BRYAN MAGAZINE

Randy Bryan’s riding off into the sun with another state championship in his pocket along with earning Best of Preps Track Coach of the Year.

But more than that, the longtime Magazine coach believes the program is on solid footing. “”This was my 30th year of coaching track and field at Magazine,” he said. “I’m ending it on a high note.”

Bryan’s 2019 squad won the 2A indoor championship back in February. He believes they have a great chance of repeating the feat in 2020 as well.

In all, Bryan guided the Rattlers to three state championships, two. runner-up finishes, and 10 third-place finishes.

“No. 1 is the purity. You line up, and if I’m faster than you, I can prove it right now,”

Bryan said. “The second part is you correlate hard work with coaching, and you make it work. A kid that develops good techniques but isn’t fast can still be successful.”

“Most schools, and a lot of my coaching friends, they’re assigned to (coach) track,” Bryan said. “They don’t have anything against track, but it’s not their passion. It’s a team sport here; it’s a culture here.”

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

28 •

BOYS Cross Country

GIRLS Cross Country

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

[TIMES RECORD]

[TIMES RECORD]

NATHANIEL GONZALES GREENWOOD

TAYLOR KOETH GREENWOOD

In 2017 as a junior cross country runner, Nathaniel Gonzales finished 19th at state.

For his final meet as a Greenwood Bulldog, Gonzales was able to achieve a higher finish.

Gonzales placed 14th at last fall’s 5A state meet in Hot Springs, as he came in with a time of 17:50.40.

“Nathaniel had a new PR (personal record) at Mansfield this year and improved throughout the season,” Greenwood cross country coach Jim Andrews said. “It has been an honor to work with him over the last four years as a senior high runner.”

Gonzales also came in third at the 5A-West conference meet in Siloam Springs.

“I don’t think my performance really met my standards,” Gonzales said. “I wasn’t successful in reaching my goals, and at times that was a bit difficult to handle.

“I think as a runner, I needed this season to see the value in consistency through underwhelming results and positivity through pain. And as a person, I really needed to be humbled by working hard without getting the results I wanted.”

But even though at times the results may not have been there for Gonzales, Andrews liked the way his runner was able to stay positive through it all.

“He had a great attitude even with things not falling like we wanted in the end with state, but was still overall an All-State runner,” Andrews said.

“He has so much more potential, as he continues his career at UAFS.”

Although Taylor Koeth didn’t quite match her finish at state as a sophomore, she still finished impressively her junior season at Greenwood.

Koeth finished fourth at the 5A girls state cross country meet in a time of 20:52.70. She was part of a Lady Bulldog cross country squad which placed eighth in the overall team standings.

The season before, Koeth was third at the 6A state meet.

She continued to post impressive numbers as a junior.

Koeth claimed first place in the 4A-6A girls division at the Mansfield Invitational, finishing with a time of 20:21.27. She was also second at the 5A-West conference meet in Siloam Springs, finishing with a time of 20:15.34.

“Taylor overall had a good season,” Greenwood cross country coach Jim Andrews said.

“I feel she worked hard and finished well at all the meets, and she continues to improve and strives to be the best.

“Every day is a work day for her. She never quits and always gives 110 percent. I’m pumped that I still have her for another year.”

Even with the success she had this past year, including winning the Mansfield meet, Koeth realizes there is still room for improvement.

“I felt great, but I still have a few things I would like to work on,” she said. “I would like to keep my splits more constant, and need to work on my finishing kick.

“I’m happy with my time, but I am still looking to improve.”

CROSS COUNTRY Coach OF THE YEAR

JIM ANDREWS GREENWOOD

Greenwood cross country coach Jim Andrews, the Best of Preps Cross Country Coach of the Year, got to see a couple of his Lady Bulldog runners place in the top six at state.

Andrews helped guide a pair of underclassmen, Taylor Koeth and Macie Cash, to those high finishes during the 5A portion of the Arkansas State Cross Country Meet held in Hot Springs.

Koeth, a junior, finished fourth in the 5A girls state meet with a time of 20:52.70.

Her Lady Bulldog teammate, Cash, who is a sophomore, ended up in sixth place, finishing in a time of 21:03.90.

Andrews also led the Greenwood Lady Bulldogs to an eighth-place finish in the overall team standings.

As the boys cross country coach, Andrews

got a top 20 finisher at the 5A state meet, as senior Nathaniel Gonzales placed 14th in a time of 17:50.40.

Another high finisher was sophomore Nick Lewis, who came in 24th in a time of 18:08.60.

The Bulldogs were 13th in the team standings.

Greenwood’s boys also finished fourth and the girls were fifth at the 5A-West Conference meet in Siloam Springs.

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

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30 •

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

BOYS Swimming

GIRLS Swimming

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

[TIMES RECORD]

[TIMES RECORD]

LUKE PITTS FORT SMITH

ROSEMOND WADE CLARKSVILLE

ALMA — Taller than most of his classmates, Luke Pitts has probably been asked more than once what position he plays on the basketball court.

“I played little league football, baseball and basketball,” Pitts said. “I did one year of athletics in seventh grade and I hated it.”

But Pitts, who excels in academics, found his calling the moment he signed on with the Alma Gators.

Last year, he began swimming with the Fort Smith Tideriders team. And this past winter, Pitts placed third and fourth, respectively, in the 100 freestyle and 200 free at the state swim meet in Bentonville.

He is currently among just two swimmers on coach Kevin Edwards’ roster. Freshman Ian Holland is the other.

“I love this sport, almost as much as I love this school,” Pitts said. “To be one of the only (swimmers), to represent Alma, in such an impactful sport, it’s amazing.”

“He has a lot of room for improvement; he’s big and he’s only going to get stronger,” Edwards said.

“Nowadays, it’s getting to where strength is a bigger part of it and more important than ever. You look at Nathan Adrian (Olympic swimmer) and all those guys. They’re ripped; they do a lot of lifting.

Swimming takes a huge amount of dedication.

A passion for the water. It’s the sport Pitts fell wholeheartedly in love with.

“If there’s one thing that defines me as a person, other than academics, it’s swimming,” he said. “It’s the best thing ever.”

She answers to “Rose,” “Rosie,” “Rosemond” and “Granny.”

Most of her Clarksville Panther teammates refer to Rosemond Wade as “Granny.”

Wade helped lead Clarksville to its first-ever state swimming championship this spring.

“Granny” was in the middle of everything.

On the last Saturday in February, Wade won the 100 fly and helped lead the team to a pair of relays wins in the 200 free relay and 200 medley relay.

But it’s her out-of-water work that resonates with her teammates. Wade is an outstanding role model to her teammates - young and old alike.

Her work isn’t done following meets or practice, either.

She doesn’t hesitate to help struggling swimmer from improving their times. Her encouragement toward others spills over during meets, too, when she paces up and down the deck encouraging other swimmers.

Wade started giving teammates nicknames from her days as a younger swimmer. This year, some of those kids she tagged with nicknames gave back to “Granny” as the Panthers were winning their state title.

Wade finished her Clarksville every school record but three.

SWIMMING

Coach OF THE YEAR LANCE FETTERS CLARKSVILLE

Lance Fetters didn’t set out to become a swimming coach.

But life tends to take you on a journey full of a few curves - and bumps in the road.

But this winter, Fetters stood tall while cheering on his Clarksville swimmers at the state swim meet.

It may not be the most random state title run in the history of Arkansas athletics, but Fetters

isn’t complaining.

Led by Rosemond Wade, the Panthers won the Class 1A-4A girls team title with 265 points.

“It went back and forth,” Fetters said of the drama-filled afternoon. “We thought before the meet we should be able to do this.”

Fetters took over as the program’s swimming coach in 2007, splitting time as an assistant

football coach and head swimming coach.

The upbeat coach, who loves taking his teams to eat at the Flying Burrito anytime the squad makes a trip to Northwest Arkansas, has become an equal opportunity coach for the people.

Swimming isn’t just about stars, such as Rosemond Wade, Hannah Melton and Chloe Weathers.

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

• 31

Scenes from the banquet

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Buy Photos From the Event at swtimes.com/photos PHOTOS BY JAMIE MITCHELL AND BRIAN D. SANDERFORD/TIMES RECORD

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

32 •

Bolwing

WRESTLING

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

[TIMES RECORD]

JeSSIE FLANAGAN LAVACA In her first season to bowl at the high school level, Lavaca’s Jessie Flanagan ended up a state champion.

A junior, Flanagan bested the competition at the 1A-3A state bowling tournament held at Bowling World, winning the girls individual title by rolling a total score of 572, 10 pins ahead of the closest competitor.

“Honestly, I was very excited to win state; I was lost with words finding out that I was the state individual (champion),” Flanagan said. “Being my first year, representing my school was such an opportunity.”

Flanagan rolled a 200 in the first game she participated in at state. Then she had identical scores of 186 in her next two games.

“Mainly, it was a spare game and the strikes would come,” Flanagan said. “I kept my poise and I rolled my game like I know I could.”

And when it was over, there were many emotions which engulfed Flanagan as she accepted her award for winning the individual state championship.

“Overall, I’m so astonished knowing I won this,” she said. “I cried so many times because I had the chance of showing people what I could do, and I’m so glad I had this opportunity.

“Putting in all this work was worth it.”

The state title was part of Flanagan’s devotion toward bowling, which she has really picked up over the past several years. She actually picked up the sport of bowling at the age of 4.

[TIMES RECORD]

RIVER SIMON VIAN Vian’s River Simon capped his wrestling career back in the winner’s circle as the champion of the 182-pound weight class at the 3A state tournament in Oklahoma City.

In the championship match, Simon pinned his opponent, Perry’s Kohl Owen, in a time of 3:41 to capture his second career state title, along with the one he won two years ago in the 3A 170-pound class.

Simon finished his senior season with a 25-1 record.

It also capped a comeback for Simon, who sat out last wrestling season dealing with his injuries, though he did still play quarterback for the Wolverine football team as a junior.

“I won first by pinning the returning state champion and also won Outstanding Wrestler for my class,” Simon said. “Shooting a double leg was my best move this weekend.

“After being injured last season and being able to come back my senior year and pin my opponent in the finals, it was a good season for the most part.”

Simon, who won state as a sophomore, has endured a multitude of injuries.

“I broke my left elbow off my sophomore year and I had surgery and it hasn’t bothered me since,” Simon said. “My right elbow broke off my junior year and i had surgery on it twice and both did not work. ... The bone will not grow back and the only reason I was able to complete this past football season and wrestling was because I have two pins, wires, and two screws holding it in place.”

Simon will get to continue his wrestling career at the next level. He recently signed to wrestle at the United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y.

Bowling

WRESTLING

Coach OF THE YEAR

Coach OF THE YEAR Tadd Stewart

John Kincade

Southside bowling coach Tadd Stewart realized his boys team had a proverbial target on them after winning the 7A/6A state championship last year.

At the same time, though, Stewart believed the Mavericks were more than capable of making another strong run at state.

Not only did the Mavericks do that, but they were able to repeat their state championship, having claimed the 6A boys title at the state tournament.

Greenwood wrestling coach John Kincade was able to coach four individual wrestlers to 5A state championships during the finals of the Arkansas state wrestling tournament held in Little Rock.

Kincade also led the Bulldogs to the team championship of the inaugural 5A dual state tournament. It was the school’s first state title in wrestling, earning him the Best of Preps Wrestling Coach of the Year.

Southside

GREENWOOD

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

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2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

34 •

E SOUTSHSID

LING BOYS BOW

NORTHSID E BOYS BASKETBALL

LL

ASKETBA

SB IDE GIRL NORTHS

River Valley State CHAMPIONS BOYS BASKETBALL - 6A NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL Semonte Henderson, Derrick Perry, Jermualle Norwood, Noah Gordon, Javion Releford, Jacob Joe, Jan Miranda, JaJuan Thorne, Christopher Poullard Jr., Jordan Wright, Jaylin Williams, Evan Walker, Braylin McKinley, Bryan Cerda (manager), Zaqarre Releford (manager), Coach Eric Burnett, Assistant Coach Nick Yarbrough and Assistant Coach Greg Scott GIRLS BASKETBALL - 6A NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL Jashanti Cherry, Ashanty Dotson, Eriel West, Jersey Wolfenbarger, Deairah Mays, Tamia Knauls, Lakailah Howard, Avery Shelly, Laila Reese, Lydia Reith, Jalyn Ford, Tracey Bershers, Tiya Douglas, Kayla Flemming, Sara Bershers, Quinieshia , Jazzlyn Coleman, Matia Stewart, Abby Hunter, Iesha Tillery, Aja Ford (manager), Ashantey Dotson (manager), Kyeshia Weston (student trainer), Kayla Jenkins (student trainer), Coach Rickey Smith, Assistant Coach Randa Grant, Assistant Coach Scott Thompson, Assistant Coach Merrill Mankin, Assistant Coach Connor Whitson, and Sherry Riggins (athletic trainer).

GIRLS BASKETBALL - 2A HOWE HIGH SCHOOL Maddy Ramsey, Shiloh Fletcher, Syndie Womack, Makayla Twyman, Jalei Oglesby, Caitlyn Stacy, Jayce Blake, Rachel Beames, Winter Nakedhead, Nalan Nye, Raelyn Delt, Janae Graves, Jazmyn Johnson, Kenlei Duvall, Jade McCoy, Kayley Turner, Zoe Nation, Emily Kellogg, Dani Collins, Raven Woolbright, Shyann Benson, Team Manager Paige Dorsey, Coach Chris Brown and Assistant Coach Mike Womack

CO-ED CHEER - 1A-3A LAVACA HIGH SCHOOL Allyson Colclasure, Loralai Kremers, Hannah Hutchins, Taylor Lile, Lindsey Morgan, Ashley Sawyer, Reshia Sparkman, Riley Brewer, Selena Shelly, Morgan Taylor, Katie Johnson, Brooklyn Sharp, Skylar Walchli, Kaile Burnett, Rylie Green, Ali Simpson, Payton McMahan, Kamren Cross, John Stoll, Aaron White, Mark Miller, Austin Walchli, Makensi Jeffcoat, Kaileigh Whitson and Coach Danielle Overton

Boys bowling - team Southside High School Coach Tadd Stewart, Hunter Humphries, Hunter Salisbury, Colby Harger, Nathan Barie, Skotland Irvin, Ryan Bealis and Dillon Humphries

CO-ED CHEER - 4A-6A VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL Taylor Gattis, Olivia Harris, Kimberlee Holman, Aliyah Laabs, Jentry Myers, Emily Phomsopha, Callie Pixley, Luke Workman, Zane Balow, Katianne Bramlett, Abby Bufkin, Kameron Chambers, Riley Copeland, Katelyn Gregory, David Harper, Jackson Hurst, Kaypen Kelly, Maile McDonald, Madison Rhoades, Allyson Ross, Sabastian Selman, Kaylynn Suggs, Katie Szczerba, Jayden Thompson, Landrie Waldee, Savannah Weir, Hannah Wornkey, Stephen Young, Alexis Gibson, Kadyn Irwin, Kate Lanier, Meagan Lewison, Beau Martin, Lily Rhoades and Coach Danielle Ross

INDIVIDUAL CHEER Carleigh Ingram (Booneville), Caroline Nicodemus (Mansfield), Jorgia Rutherford (Mountainburg ), Kate Keener (Alma), Luke Workman (Van Buren), Paige Mathews (Greenwood), Railey Durning (Ozark) and Rylie Green (Lavaca) INDIVIDUAL Dance Emily Wright (Alma) and Lexi Miller (Van Buren) FOOTBALL - 3A BOONEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL Austin Foster, Tyler Goff, Michael Hesson, Gabriel Fennell, Gavin Kent, Cameron Brasher, Ian Suttles, Brandon Ulmer, Evan Schlinker, Colten Ritchie, Ethan Wooldridge, Jeremy Elliott, Landon Beckett, Anthony Mckesson, Noah Weaver, Dalton Tatum, Landon Shackleford, Hunter Pence, Jarrett Mitchell, Mark Phonlasouk, Jacob Carey, Cole Boersma, Devin Catlett, Samuel Haynes, Grayson Schlinker, Caden Shelton, Ethan Pirraglia, Elijah Wells, Domenic Helms, Cort Mizell, Chance Shigley, Noah Reyes, Andrew Robertson, Ethan Dobbs, Carson Ray and Marcus Nichols

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS GREENWOOD

•• 35 35

FOOTBALL

LE BOONEVIL L L A B FOOT

PARIS VOLL EY

BALL

CLARKSVIL

LE GIRLS SW

IMMING

River Valley State CHAMPIONS FOOTBALL - 6A GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL Max Vickery, Luke Leonard, Peyton Holt, Marc Jones, Timothy Earnhart, Treyton Dawson, Dawson James, Jace Presley , Garrett Whitlock, Cole McDaniel, Aaron Ohl, Blaze Moore, Jayden Jasna, Aydin Chatfield, Travis Cox, Colton Tuck, Grant Ennis, Isaiah Belue, Logan Workman, Sam Sandifer, Gunner Perkins, JR Powell, LD Richmond, Paul Scott, Trey Woods, Auston Trevino, Jase Strozier, Corbin Stone, Hunter Wilkinson, Brayden Hedge, Austin Archer, Eli Martin, Trey Beckman, Ryan Duncan, Jace Strozier, Hayden Allen, Patrick Kelleher, Caden Franks, Jackson Stewart, Aaron Ligon, Josh Maze, Tatum Sadler, Charlie Nena, Connor Marvin, Coleton Payton, Leighton Johnson, Garrett Newman, Bryce Pettigrew, Halen Carter, Morgan Hanna, Jayden Martin, Ethan Cole, Ely Calvert, Kevin Douglas, Noah Fox, Landon Sloan, Traven Nichols, Michael Coonce, Stone Lee, Jordan Hanna, Ty Cowan, Coleton Erwin, Nathan Nethers, Cole Ceniceros, Beau Asher, Timothy Sikes, Easton Erwin, Bryce Barentine, Matthew Thompson, Brayden McClain, Tayshaun Leader, Christian Brown, Ryan Thacker, Braden Stein, Jackson Freeman, Colton Simpson, Michael Emberson, Lazaro Angel, Peyton

Carter, Hayden Wells, Eric Cook, Justice Randolph, Joseph Blanton, Caden Brown, Will Harrill, Josh Barlow, Caden Taylor, Bryce Womack, Camden Carter, Caleb Niles, Garrett Douglas, Elijah Huff, Luke Douglas, Luis Morales, Jacob Lovan, Bryson Langston, JR Lovan, Andrew Middleton and Coach Rick Jones

GOLF - 1A COUNTY LINE BOYS Tyler Duggar, Caleb Robberson, Tanner Acord, Presley Sayakahoumanne and Coach Ryan Casalman girls swimming - Team Clarksville High School Hannah Melton, Mary Eichenberger, Rosie Wade, Chloe Weathers and Ashley Laster girls swimming - Individual Clarksville High School Rosie Wade (200 Medley Relay and 200 Freestyle Relay), Chloe Weathers (200 Medley Relay and 200 Free Relay), Hannah Melton (100 Freestyle, 200 Medley Relay and 200 Free Relay), Mary Eichenberger (200 Medley relay), Ashley Laster (200 Free Relay) and Coach Lance Fetters

INDOOR TRACK & FIELD - 2A MAGAZINE HIGH SCHOOL Jesse Witt, Levi Wright, Josh Cox, Chase Gibson, Josh Canada, Jay Thao, Caleb Hyatt, Xeng Yang, Jacob Hall, Bryce McDowell, Matthew Wood, Tatum Scott, Kobe Faughn, Timothy Stephens, Connor Ryan, Ashton Droemer, Haden Littleton, Austin Krigbaum, Cole Gilbert and Taryn Leslie INDOOR TRACK & FIELD Individual MAGAZINE HIGH SCHOOL Lauren Ryan, Caleb Hyatt, Chase Gibson, Jesse Witt, Xeng Yang, Tatum Scott, Coach Randy Bryan, Assistant Coach Ryan Chambers and Assistant Coach Beau Sikes TRACK & FIELD - Individual Chase Gibson (High Jump - Magazine High School), Caleb Hyatt (Discus - Magazine), Tannea Thomas (Shot Put - Magazine), Brooklyn Zarlingo (Long Jump - Booneville) and Jasmine Hopkins (200 Meter Dash and Long Jump - Spiro)

VOLLEYBALL - 3A PARIS HIGH SCHOOL Eliciah Kury, Alyssa Komp, Alyssa Cunningham, Eliza Vincent, Jacee Hart, Katie King, Lauren Earl, Monica Broadbent, Akira Robinson, Ciara Boswell, Ryleigh Hardwicke, Joni Inman, Paiton Forbis, Hannah Alderson, Faith Mainer, Caiden Haller, Lexie Hatcher, Robyn Gossard, Marina Leca, Emily Alberson, Bethany Ryals, Coach Jordan Devine, Assistant Coach Jerry Fulmer and Assistant Coach Josh Hart wrestling River Simon (Vian), Randall Riley (Van Buren), Hayden Rofkahr (Greenwood), Ty Moose (Greenwood), Colton Tuck (Greenwood), Dylan Wilson (Greenwood), Coach John Kincade (Greenwood) and Coach John Petree (Van Buren)

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

36 •

baseball CARSON CHEEK POTEAU HIGH SCHOOL

KADEN BENGE CHARLESTON HIGH SCHOOL

CLAY CROSS POTEAU HIGH SCHOOL

BRANDON ULMER

BOONEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

COLE WOFFORD POCOLA HIGH SCHOOL

CALEB ROBBERSON

COUNTY LINE HIGH SCHOOL

SETH HUMPHREY

VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL

PEYTON HOLT

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

BRYSON MYERS POTEAU HIGH SCHOOL

CAM BRASHER BOONEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

TREVOR JOHNSON

CHARLESTON HIGH SCHOOL

JOE HUCK

BRAYDEN ROSS

VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL

LANDREY WILKERSON

VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL

BRAIDEN PARTIN

BOBBY RAUCH

JIMMY HALL

JUSTIN RICHARDS

SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

LAVACA HIGH SCHOOL

CHARLESTON HIGH SCHOOL

SALLISAW HIGH SCHOOL

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

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boys basketball JAYLIN WILLIAMS

NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

JAVION RELEFORD

CHASE PYEATT ROLAND HIGH SCHOOL

TYLOR PERRY

NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

LOGAN BRADLEY BOONEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

PRESLEY KINDRIX

SPIRO HIGH SCHOOL

PAYTON BROWN WALDRON HIGH SCHOOL

BLAKLEY COBB BOONEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

SPIRO HIGH SCHOOL

BRAYDEN ROSS CHARLESTON HIGH SCHOOL

PACYN REAMES COUNTY LINE HIGH SCHOOL

CEJAY MANN ALMA HIGH SCHOOL

JAXON WIGGINS ROLAND HIGH SCHOOL

TRACE THOMAS CLARKSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

girls basketball SARA BERSHERS NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

JERSEY WOLFENBARGER

HANNAH BOYETT MULDROW HIGH SCHOOL

TAYLEN COLLINS MULDROW HIGH SCHOOL

JALEI OGLESBY HOWE HIGH SCHOOL

KIELI ROBINSON PARIS HIGH SCHOOL

DESTANY CAIN ROLAND HIGH SCHOOL

NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

ALLIE GREEN

CHARLESTON HIGH SCHOOL

PAYTON RUCKER CHARLESTON HIGH SCHOOL

SHAKYRAH GLADNESS

POCOLA HIGH SCHOOL

CHANEL KATTICH

CEDARVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

KYIAH JULIAN GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

RYLEE RYAN

VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

38 •

bowling JESSIE FLANAGAN

TABATHA NGUYEN

ANDY DUANGDARA

COLBY HARGER

MADISON ZOLLICOFFER

LAVACA HIGH SCHOOL

NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

CALEB JENKINS

JAKE PULLAN

PACEY MCBRIDE

VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL

VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL

HACKET HIGH SCHOOL

SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

HUNTER SALISBURY

HUNTER HUMPHRIES

SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

JUAN GARCIA

KAYLA RICHARDSON

VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

HACKET HIGH SCHOOL

boys cross country QUINLAN BROADWAY

ELIJAH COOK HEAVENER HIGH SCHOOL

SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

NICK LEWIS

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

NATHANIEL GONZALES

AUSTIN HILL

BOONEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

MAX LINARES SUBIACO ACADEMY

CODY LOWRY

VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL

BRAEDEN HINDLEY

NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

ETHAN MARTIN WALDRON HIGH SCHOOL

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

• 39

girls cross country MACIE CASH

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

JULIA CLARK

VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL

MARIANA HERNANDEZ

SELENA IBARRA HEAVENER HIGH SCHOOL

TAYLOR KOETH GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

FAITH RAINWATER

MANSFIELD HIGH SCHOOL

CONSTANCE RICHMOND

WALDRON HIGH SCHOOL

CHLOE WEATHERS

FELICITY WEST NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

CLARKSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

football AUSTIN ARCHER GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

COLTIN BOWERMAN

DEONTEI BRAGGS

TANNER JONES

TANNER LOGGAINS

SPIRO HIGH SCHOOL

ALMA HIGH SCHOOL

TYLER HOLMES MANSFIELD HIGH SCHOOL

CHARLESTON HIGH SCHOOL

DARIN DAVENPORT

ETHAN DOBBS BOONEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

DYLAN DYE

MORGAN HANNA

NOAH REYES

RAYTEL RONE

VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

CENTRAL SALLISAW HIGH SCHOOL

MARCUS NICHOLS

BOONEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

AARON OHL

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

BOONEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

40 •

football

KEEGAN ROSEBEARY

RIVER SIMON

BENNETT WEINDEL

MASON BARCHEERS

VIAN HIGH SCHOOL

ALMA HIGH SCHOOL

ELIJAH TABUT NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

GUNNAR THOMPSON

POTEAU HIGH SCHOOL

ANTHONY “BOO” TRAVIS

COLE CENICEROS GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

KORDELL JILES

LUKE LEONARD

JETT PITCHFORD

CENTRAL SALLISAW HIGH SCHOOL

TYRESE SOLOMON

SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

GARRETT STANDIFIRD

VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL

POTEAU HIGH SCHOOL

NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

BRYANT BURNS OZARK HIGH SCHOOL

NATE ULMER

GRANT ENNIS

POTEAU HIGH SCHOOL

ETHAN STOVALL MANSFIELD HIGH SCHOOL

SETH FORD

GREG WASHINGTON NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

POTEAU HIGH SCHOOL

POTEAU HIGH SCHOOL

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

NOAH FOX

ZACARY HENSON ALMA HIGH SCHOOL

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

CARSON RAY

MALIK ROBERSON

TYLER SANDERS

SPIRO HIGH SCHOOL

ANDREW ROBERTSON

BOONEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

BODHI VANN

DERRICK WISE

STEVIE YOUNG

BOONEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

AUSTIN TAYLOR

MOUNTAINBURG HIGH SCHOOL

VIAN HIGH SCHOOL

NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

PEYTON HOLT

OZARK HIGH SCHOOL

NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

boys golf EVAN GRIFFITH GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

LUCAS TEOH

SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

BRADLEY BROTHERTON

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

PRESLEY SAYAKHOUMMANE COUNTY LINE HIGH SCHOOL

• 41

Scenes from the banquet Van Buren High School’s Isaac Delafuente, bo ys soccer player of the year, with Gabby Dougla s.

CALEB ROBBERSON

COUNTY LINE HIGH SCHOOL

girls golf KIRSTEN MATLOCK

MULDROW HIGH SCHOOL

KRISLYN ANDREWS

TERRY UHM

SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

MULDROW HIGH SCHOOL

, golf Ryan Casalman ar, with ye e coach of th d Buck an or yl Ta n vi Ke .

Ringgold

Kate File

ABBEY MCCORMICK OZARK HIGH SCHOOL

JOURNEY PERDUE

HEAVENER HIGH SCHOOL

Buy Photos From the Event at swtimes.com/photos PHOTOS BY JAMIE MITCHELL AND BRIAN D. SANDERFORD/TIMES RECORD

s, girls te

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year, wit

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2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

42 •

boys soccer OSCAR RAMIREZ NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

CHRISTIAN CHAVEZ

LUIS PAREDES NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

KENNY SWEENEY

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

TIMOTHY EGLINSDOERFER

ISAAC DELAFUENTE

ALEX MENDOZA

ALYSSA THOMAS

MELANIE RICE

HANNAH HOGUE

CAILIN MASSEY

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL

girls soccer KAITYLN GILKEY NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

DEBBIE RANGEL NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

BELLA MORA

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

CAMRYN PRESLEY

PAULA BURILLO GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

ALMA HIGH SCHOOL

SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

softball MARIAH HAMILTON

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

ANGELA PRICE GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

PAXTYN HAYES GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

ALLY SOCKEY

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

MADI CONKLIN SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

• 43

softball CHLOE RAY

NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

JANELLE PARGA VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL

JADYN HART PARIS HIGH SCHOOL

SYDNEY WARD PARIS HIGH SCHOOL

EMMA MCKINNEY

CHARLESTON HIGH SCHOOL

KAYLA RICHARDSON HACKETT HIGH SCHOOL

CAROLINE NICODEMUS

SHELBY POSEY BOONEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

CODI SHANNON OZARK HIGH SCHOOL

MANSFIELD HIGH SCHOOL

BRIANNA WINCHESTER LAVACA HIGH SCHOOL

SOPHIE MORRISON

ALMA HIGH SCHOOL

boys tennis SAM CARLISLE NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

GRANT GOERS

BOONEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

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CONNOR GOSALVEZ

MATT JACKSON

SUBIACO ACADEMY

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NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

T.J. SANISENG

AUSTON SHOWN

WILL THAMES

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CLARKSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

JONATHAN MITCHELL

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

44 •

girls tennis MARY ALEX COLE

JORDAN CORMIER

NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

LEIGHTON HARALSON

ANNA MAGNESS SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

KATE FILES

KARLI FISHER

OLIVIA GASTON

ADDISON MCDOUGAL

MACKENZIE SHELL

ABIGAIL WOODRING

NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

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SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

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GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

boys track & field GREG WASHINGTON NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

TYHEEM PROSISE

LEVI PRESTIDGE

NATHANIEL GONZALES

KEYSTAN DURNING

ALMA HIGH SCHOOL

KEVAN JONES CEDARVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

CHASE GIBSON MAGAZINE HIGH SCHOOL

VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL

NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

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EASTON MONGOLD

VAN BUTEN HIGH SCHOOL

MEKHI ROBERSON

SPIRO HIGH SCHOOL

TYRIQ ADAMS

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

• 45

girls track & field CALLIE PIXLEY VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL

JULIA CLARK

VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL

JASMINE HOPKINS

CHESNEE ELLIFRITS

CHLOE MORROW

TANNEA THOMAS

SPIRO HIGH SCHOOL

KAYLEE TEEHEE VIAN HIGH SCHOOL

CEDARVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

ALMA HIGH SCHOOL

MAGAZINE HIGH SCHOOL

BROOKLYN ZARLINGO

TAMIA KNAULS

MACIE CASH

TAYLOR KOETH

NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

BOONEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

HANNAH GREEN MAGAZINE HIGH SCHOOL

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

46 •

volleyball EMILY BASS

ZOIE BENTON

ABBY CAGLE

AUDRIE CHANEY

SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

ALEXANDRA DUPREE

K’ZARIA “ZEE” FISHER NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

AVERY FITZGERALD

SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

RYLEIGH HARDWICK

HOPE HEADLEY

HANNAH HOLLAND

JONI INMAN

ELICIAH KURY

VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL

LAVACA HIGH SCHOOL

PARIS HIGH SCHOOL

HACKETT HIGH SCHOOL

banquet SCENES Howe’s Jalei Oglesby, femal e athlete of the year, with Gabb y Douglas.

PARIS HIGH SCHOOL

PARIS HIGH SCHOOL

SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL boys tennis T.J. Saniseng, ar, with ye e th player of . ld go ng Ri ck Bu

HANNAH PARSONS

LAVACA HIGH SCHOOL

CAMRYN PRESLEY

RYLEA WEAVER MANSFIELD HIGH SCHOOL

JADYN WOMACK CHARLESTON HIGH SCHOOL

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

Peyton H

olt, male

athlete o

Buy Photos From the Event at swtimes.com/photos PHOTOS BY JAMIE MITCHELL AND BRIAN D. SANDERFORD/TIMES RECORD

f the ye

ar, with

Gabby D

ouglas.

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

• 47

2019 BEST OF RIVER VALLEY PREPS

48 •

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