Sports

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...

By DAVID PIERCE Sports Connection Team The 3A State Playoff second round game between the host Rivercrest Colts and Rison Wildcats likely will be unmatched as a game between two of the most tradition-rich programs in the state. Rison has claimed eight state championships and earned playoff berths a state record 49 times. In its football history, Rivercrest has won three state crowns and is tied for fourth in the state with 42 playoff appearances...

By STEVE KNOX Sports Connection Team After winning their first round games over Melbourne and Centerpoint respectively, the Charleston Tigers (7-4) and the Osceola Seminoles (9-1) will square off in Class 3A second round playoff action Friday at Seminole Stadium...

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team EPC and Bigelow both come in to the second round of Class 2A state football playoffs with 8-3 records as the Warriors defeated Gurdon 26-20 in Lepanto and the Panthers beat Poyen 21-0 in Bigelow. This game will be a rematch of the 2023 state championship game won 28-14 by Bigelow...

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team Dee Buchanan finished with 10 carries for 159 yards and two touchdowns to lead the EPC Warriors (8-3) to a 26-20 win over Gurdon in the first round of the Class 2A state football playoffs this past Friday at Warrior Field in Lepanto. The win sets up a rematch of last year’s state title game with Bigelow...

Armorel Tigers boys basketball action - Armorel hosted Palestine-Wheatley in a non-conference game Nov. 11 losing by a final score of 63-56. The Tigers also faced conference foes Crowley’s Ridge Academy and Ridgefield Christian on the road. The Falcons defeated the Tigers 63-40 Tuesday and the Warriors won by an 85-64 county to drop Armorel to 0-5 overall and 0-2 in conference play...

By Joseph Fondren Sports Connection Team BIC Mustangs 53, Armorel Tigers 51 ARMOREL— The host team, the Armorel Tigers, had the opportunity to pull out a dramatic ending to Thursday night’s 2024-2025 season opener against in-county school the BIC Mustangs as senior Logan Crocker had two opportunities to win the game or send the game into overtime in the final seconds as the Mustangs came away with a 53-51 victory...

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team The Trumann Lady Wildcats (0-1) opened their basketball season with a 47-20 loss at the hands of the Brookland Lady Bearcats last Monday (Nov. 11) at Wildcat Gym in Trumann. The Lady Bearcats jumped out to a 5-0 lead before Chelsy Jones hit a jumper for Trumann to make it 5-2. ...

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team The Rivercrest Lady Colts jumped out to a double digit lead in the first half before surviving a second surge from the Marmaduke Lady Greyhounds in their 60-48 win in the annual Fight Like A Girl Classic this past Saturday in Marmaduke...

By DaVID PIERCE  Sports Connection Team WILSON – Just no mistaking the impact senior quarterback Cavonta Washington has on the Rivercrest Colts offense. As he goes, so do the Colts. Washington threw five touchdowns – four to Jayden Young – as Rivercrest opened the 2024 postseason with a 35-7 win over the visiting Fouke Panthers Friday...

By DAVID PIERCE Sports Connection Team HEBER SPRINGS – A week ago the Blytheville Chicks pushed undefeated Southside to the limit and similarly Friday, had Heber Springs on the ropes. However, neither time were the Chicks able to deliver the knockout punch...

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team EPC (7-3, 6-1) used a dominant ground game to take a 56-30 win over Marked Tree (6-4, 4-2) to claim the stop seed in the 2A-2 Conference in a game stopped in the third quarter. The stoppage was a result of an injury to Marked Tree’s T.J. Hodges with just under three minutes left in the third quarter. The Warriors will host Gurdon Friday in the first round of the 2A State playoffs as Marked Tree will travel to play Murfreesboro...

By Joseph Fondren Sports Connection Team BIC Mustangs 53, Armorel Tigers 51 ARMOREL— The host team, the Armorel Tigers, had the opportunity to pull off a dramatic ending to Thursday night’s 2024-25 season opener against in-county school the BIC Mustangs. Senior Logan Crocker had two opportunities to win the game or send the game into overtime in the final seconds as the Mustangs came away with a 53-51 victory...

By Joseph Fondren Sports Connection Team Riverside Rebels 85, Armorel Tigers 41 ARMOREL— The Riverside Rebels defeated the Armorel Tigers Friday night 85-41 in an early non-conference game at the Armorel Gym. The Rebels led 26-10 after the first quarter and continued to pull away as they outscored the Tigers 17-4 in the second quarter to lead 43- 14 at the half...

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team The EPC Warriors (7-3) will host Gurdon (5-5) in the first round of the Class 2A state football playoffs. EPC is coming off a 56-30 win over Marked Tree and Gurdon is coming off a 14-13 win over Dierks. EPC has won its last four games as Dierks has won their last three games...

By STEVE KNOX Sports Connection Team WILSON - Rivercrest ran only 12 offensive plays, scoring on half of them, in a 54-16 “sportsmanship clock” Conference 3-3A victory over Piggott Friday on Senior Night at Colt Stadium. Before the game the 28 senior members of the Colts football team, cheer squad and band were honored and one of them, Keiran Morris scored the first points of the game...

The Rivercrest senior high cheer squad competed at Brookland High School Saturday and the ladies came home with a first place finish in the Game Day Division.

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team Andrew England scored Harrisburg’s only touchdown on the night as he rushed for 80 yards on 11 carries in the Hornets (1-9, 1-6 3A-3) 42-7 loss to Newport this past Friday at Jordans Stadium in Harrisburg. Jayvin Thompson added eight carries for 31 yards as Max Tracy completed two-of-nine passes for 35 yards and four interceptions on the night...

By DAVID PIERCE Sports Connection Team The Gosnell Pirates rallied from a 1-4 start to the 2024 campaign to win four of their last five games and grab a four seed in the 4A State Playoffs. Head coach Lewis Earnest and his squad now head west on a 191-mile trek to face the Clinton Yellowjackets (8-2, 5-2) the three seed from the 4A-4 Conference...

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team Trumann (3-7, 2-5) ended its season on a high note with a 52-30 4A-3 conference win over Cave City this past Friday at RMC Stadium in Trumann. Their finish snaps the Wildcats nine-year state playoffs streak. The Cavemen got the ball first and had to punt the ball away with 10:29 left as the Wildcats took over at their own 40-yard line with 10:20 left. ...

By STEVE KNOX Sports Connection Team MANILA - Osceola ended the regular season Friday with a 35-8 “sportsmanship clock” victory over the Manila Lions on Senior Night at Lion Stadium. The Seminoles victory was never in doubt despite some uneasy moments early in the game. ...

By Joseph Fondren  Sports Connection Team BLYTHEVILLE— The Southside Southerners (10-0) possibly came in expecting a mercy-clock victory Friday night against the host Blytheville Chickasaws. However, the seniors in the Chickasaw program had no part in a mercy clock as the game came down to the final drive where Southerners were able to prevent the home team from scoring in a 36-32 victory on senior night. ...

By DAVID PIERCE Sports Connection Team GOSNELL – Isaiah Donnerson wasn’t the Gosnell Pirates quarterback at the start of the 2024 campaign. However, the junior is now the clear choice at the spot. Donnerson tossed four touchdowns in just two quarters of play as the Pirates (5-5, 4-3 4A-3) routed Westside, 45-3, to close their regular season campaign...

By JOSEPH FONDREN NEA Sports Connection ARMOREL— While it was Election Night for the rest of the country Tuesday night in the large gymnasium on the campus of the Armorel School District basketball season began. The annual Orange/Black versus White games between the Senior boys and Junior Boys were played, while the Senior and Junior Girls teams combined for one game...

By STEVE KNOX Sports Connection Team LITTLE ROCK - Farm Bureau Insurance is pleased to announce the watch list for the 2024 Farm Bureau Insurance Awards. The Farm Bureau Insurance Awards honor Arkansas' top offensive player, defensive player and coach of the year for each classification as well as the top offensive lineman from around the state. ...

By DAVID PIERCE Sports Connection Team GOSNELL - A week removed from a four-turnover, 13-penalty game, the Gosnell Pirates again had a mistake-filled game but this time couldn’t overcome them in a 50-22 loss to the Southside Southerners. That deficit could be traced to four interceptions, two fumbles and failure to cover two onside kicks as the Southerners (8-0, 5-0 4A-3) turned those miscues into 28 points...

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team Trumann (2-6, 1-4) lost to Blytheville (3-4, 3-2) in 4A-3 conference action on Homecoming Night Friday at RMC Stadium in Trumann. The Wildcats started their first drive at the Blytheville 20-yard line after a nice return by Brandon Dohm with a horse-collar penalty added on. ...

By DAVID PIERCE Sports Connection Team WILSON – Even without the hoopla surrounding their high school counterparts, the Rivercrest Junior Colts and Osceola Junior Seminoles matchup proved just as, if not more, exciting than the senior high rivalry game...

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team The Harrisburg Hornets (1-7, 1-4) lost to Hoxie 33-14 this past Friday in 3A-3 football action in Hoxie. Jayvin Thompson led the Hornets with three carries for 52 yards and a touchdown while catching four passes for 24 yards. Thompson also had seven tackles on defense...

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team Harrisburg (3-6, 2-4) picked up their second conference with a 30-8 win over Hoxie this past Thursday night at Jordans Stadium in Harrisburg. Hoxie got the ball first and moved the ball to their 40-yard line before they were forced to punt. ...