By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
It was business as usual in 2-4A Conference play for Lonoke on Tuesday as the Jackrabbits mopped up the floor with Stuttgart in a 66-31 mercy-ruled victory at the LHS gymnasium. It wasn’t business as usual on Thursday. The Jackrabbits toppled top-ranked Dollarway 59-55 on the road to snap the Cardinals’ 17-game winning streak and move into a tie for first place.
Junior Jamel Rankin scored 18 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Jackrabbits back from a nine-point deficit at the end of three. Lonoke went to a full-court trap and forced several turnovers, including four steals by Rankin.
Rankin finished with 26 points, with Blake Mack adding 13 and Reid McKenzie 10 for the Jackrabbits.
Dollarway (17-2, 9-1) holds the tiebreaker over the Jackrabbits by virtue of its 65-39 win over Lonoke in early December.
In Tuesday’s game, Lonoke (13-4, 8-1) marched out to a fast 7-0 lead and led by as much as 13-2 in the first quarter before Stuttgart came back early in the second period with a 9-2 run that briefly made it a game. The Jackrabbits shut out their guests over the final 3:13 of the first half while racking up 16 unanswered points to take a commanding 35-18 lead at the break.
The mercy rule was finally reached with mostly subs on the floor for Lonoke with 6:24 remaining when Zack Risner scored inside to give the Jackrabbits a 60-29 lead.
“We jumped on them early and then kind of relaxed,” Jackrabbits coach Dean Campbell said. “Against good teams, you can’t do that. It’s frustrating, but at the same time, we did some good things. We turned up the pressure in the second quarter and got some turnovers. We continue to try and work on our press a little bit.
“I wasn’t overly excited at halftime even though we had made a run. We do that way too much. We still have way too many valleys on our play.”
Some might rule a coach being so upset following a blowout win as slightly nit picky, but for Campbell, it’s all about staying focused on the big picture.
“It is, but we expect to try and make a run into the state tournament,” Campbell said. “If you don’t have extremely high expectations, it’s kind of hard to do that. All along, we’ve talked about it, and our expectations are a lot higher than they think they can really do at times.”
Junior guard Blake Mack did all the damage for Lonoke in the early going with a three-point basket to start the game, followed by three trips to the free-throw line that generated four more points to give the Jackrabbits a 7-0 lead with 5:54 remaining in the opening quarter. Mack hit another three to start the second quarter, and closed out the half in show-stopping fashion with a transition dunk with 33 seconds remaining on his way to a game-high 17 points.
“He does that,” Campbell said. “He plays in spurts and can score in bunches, but with what he does for us offensively, he has to improve defensively, because he could be unbelievable for us defensively. Once he matures into that role of being a defensive-minded guy, then all that other offensive stuff comes easier.”
The Ricebirds cut Lonoke’s lead to 19-17 with 3:45 left to play in the first half following a three-point basket for guard Kenneth Avery, but Risner got the Jackrabbits going on a scoring run that went unanswered for the remainder of the second quarter with a putback and a free throw, followed by a basket for Mack at the 2:49 mark that made it 24-17. Senior Dra Offord then hit his second three pointer of the night to put Lonoke back up by double digits.
Darrius McCall added a basket with 1:34 left in the half to make it 31-18, and hit another shot just before the buzzer for a 35-18 ’Rabbit lead at the break.
Lonoke shot 43 percent from the floor (22 of 51) and held the visiting Ricebirds to 25 percent (13 of 53).
Offord added 14 points for Lonoke while McCall finished with nine points and Risner seven. Risner, Mack and post player Reid McKenzie shared top-rebounding honors with six boards each. For Stuttgart, Avery led with 12 points while post player Chris Hooks finished with nine points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
The Jackrabbits played a Southside Batesville last night after deadline. They will take on Marianna at home on Tuesday. Lonoke won the first meeting with the Trojans 53-37.
Friday, January 25, 2013
SPORTS STORY >> Bears thwart Falcon rally
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
Sylvan Hills picked up its first conference win of the season Tuesday, holding off a fierce comeback attempt and beating nearby rival North Pulaski 62-57 in Sherwood.
“I told my guys I needed some fighters,” Sylvan Hills coach Kevin Davis said. “When they started coming back on us, I could see it in their faces. In games past, we’d be right in it until late and then just sort of fade away. I told my guys I need to see fighters that won’t give in when it gets to those final minutes. I think we saw some guys grow up a little bit today.”
The Falcons charged back from down 34-15 at halftime to within 43-37 less than a minute into the fourth quarter. Then came the turning point in the game. The Falcons had the ball with the chance to get closer, but turned it over.
Sylvan Hills (5-8, 2-4) got a five-point possession thanks to aggressively attacking the offensive glass. Ronnie Hinton missed a baseline jumper, but David Johnson got the rebound. He missed his first attempt; Darius James got the rebound and missed. Johnson got another rebound, hit the bucket and was fouled. He missed the free throw, but James got the rebound, found Hinton on the wing, who nailed a three pointer to make it 48-37.
“Absolutely that was a key possession for us,” Davis said. “You see the life come back to us. They got it close a few more times after that. The difference was now we know we can fight them off. That was a huge possession.”
The Falcons were shorthanded in the first half. Starting forward Aaron Williamson missed the entire game after the senior was ejected from the Little Rock Christian game the previous Friday. Junior guard and the team’s leading scorer Joe Aikens was suspended for the first half by coach Roy Jackson for undisclosed reasons. Whether due to the absence of two every-day starters, or to some other reason, the Falcons were terribly out of sync on offense the whole first half. Freshman RaShawn Langston scored over half the team’s points with eight. Only one other North Pulaski starter scored a basket in the first half.
Sylvan Hills wasn’t much better in the first quarter, but the Bears caught fire from three-point range in the second. Sylvan Hills made five threes in just six attempts in the second period.
Hinton went 3 for 4 in the second while DeMonte Davidson came off the bench and drained two attempts. Hinton finished the game 5 of 6 from three-point range and the Bears hit 8 of 13 combined.
They were 9 of 36 from two-point range for a total of 42 points from the field. The Falcons hit 22 of 53 two pointers and 2 of 8 threes. The scoring difference came at the line.
North Pulaski (8-8, 2-3) played aggressive defense throughout. It created some points but it also sent the Bears to the line 39 times, where they made 20. The Falcons were just 7 of 10 on free throws.
Many of Sylvan Hills’ free throws came late in the fourth quarter when the Falcons were forced to foul in an attempt to lengthen the game.
The Bears could have put the game away earlier, but made just 9 of 22 free-throw attempts in the fourth quarter.
Aikens sparked and led the Falcons comeback attempt and finished as the game’s leading scorer despite not playing the first half. He finished with 21.
Langston scored 16 and grabbed nine rebounds while Eric Mouton added nine points for the Falcons.
Hinton led the Bears with 17 points while Johnson and Trajan Doss scored nine each. Johnson led all players with 11 rebounds while Darius James finished with eight boards.
Sylvan Hills out rebounded North Pulaski 38-28.
Leader sports editor
Sylvan Hills picked up its first conference win of the season Tuesday, holding off a fierce comeback attempt and beating nearby rival North Pulaski 62-57 in Sherwood.
“I told my guys I needed some fighters,” Sylvan Hills coach Kevin Davis said. “When they started coming back on us, I could see it in their faces. In games past, we’d be right in it until late and then just sort of fade away. I told my guys I need to see fighters that won’t give in when it gets to those final minutes. I think we saw some guys grow up a little bit today.”
The Falcons charged back from down 34-15 at halftime to within 43-37 less than a minute into the fourth quarter. Then came the turning point in the game. The Falcons had the ball with the chance to get closer, but turned it over.
Sylvan Hills (5-8, 2-4) got a five-point possession thanks to aggressively attacking the offensive glass. Ronnie Hinton missed a baseline jumper, but David Johnson got the rebound. He missed his first attempt; Darius James got the rebound and missed. Johnson got another rebound, hit the bucket and was fouled. He missed the free throw, but James got the rebound, found Hinton on the wing, who nailed a three pointer to make it 48-37.
“Absolutely that was a key possession for us,” Davis said. “You see the life come back to us. They got it close a few more times after that. The difference was now we know we can fight them off. That was a huge possession.”
The Falcons were shorthanded in the first half. Starting forward Aaron Williamson missed the entire game after the senior was ejected from the Little Rock Christian game the previous Friday. Junior guard and the team’s leading scorer Joe Aikens was suspended for the first half by coach Roy Jackson for undisclosed reasons. Whether due to the absence of two every-day starters, or to some other reason, the Falcons were terribly out of sync on offense the whole first half. Freshman RaShawn Langston scored over half the team’s points with eight. Only one other North Pulaski starter scored a basket in the first half.
Sylvan Hills wasn’t much better in the first quarter, but the Bears caught fire from three-point range in the second. Sylvan Hills made five threes in just six attempts in the second period.
Hinton went 3 for 4 in the second while DeMonte Davidson came off the bench and drained two attempts. Hinton finished the game 5 of 6 from three-point range and the Bears hit 8 of 13 combined.
They were 9 of 36 from two-point range for a total of 42 points from the field. The Falcons hit 22 of 53 two pointers and 2 of 8 threes. The scoring difference came at the line.
North Pulaski (8-8, 2-3) played aggressive defense throughout. It created some points but it also sent the Bears to the line 39 times, where they made 20. The Falcons were just 7 of 10 on free throws.
Many of Sylvan Hills’ free throws came late in the fourth quarter when the Falcons were forced to foul in an attempt to lengthen the game.
The Bears could have put the game away earlier, but made just 9 of 22 free-throw attempts in the fourth quarter.
Aikens sparked and led the Falcons comeback attempt and finished as the game’s leading scorer despite not playing the first half. He finished with 21.
Langston scored 16 and grabbed nine rebounds while Eric Mouton added nine points for the Falcons.
Hinton led the Bears with 17 points while Johnson and Trajan Doss scored nine each. Johnson led all players with 11 rebounds while Darius James finished with eight boards.
Sylvan Hills out rebounded North Pulaski 38-28.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
EDITORIAL >> Is it the end for PCSSD?
The state Education Department will supervise the Pulaski County Special School District for three more years if the state Legislature extends the current law from two years to five years of state control.
According to an exclusive report in The Leader last weekend by veteran staff writer John Hofheimer, the state Education Department and the district’s interim superintendent claim PCSSD is still too sick to stand alone. Let’s just say the district is on life support.
According to state law, if PCSSD is not out of fiscal distress by July, the state can disband the district, annex it to another or move various schools to other districts. The state Education Department would rather wait three more years before it decides to break the district up once and for all. You won’t hear much sympathy for preserving the Pulaski County district in the Legislature or anywhere else.
State law now allows only two years of supervision by the Education Department, but Education Commissioner Tom Kimbrell of Cabot told us he will ask the Legislature to give him three more years — a total of five — to fix ailing school districts in fiscal distress. There are three such districts around the state.
Besides PCSSD, Dollarway and Helena-West Helena school districts are in fiscal distress and being run by the state, with Kimbrell acting as a one-man school board. Even after two years of state oversight, it doesn’t appear that any of those districts will solve their financial problems at the end of the school year, as had been hoped, especially the Pulaski County district.
Kimbrell and Jerry Guess, now in his second year as acting superintendent, believe their work is far from over.
“At this point, I’m not convinced the district is ready to be turned loose,” Kimbrell said.
Here’s one state bureaucrat who has earned his pay, although we would prefer local control of our schools, especially in Jacksonville. The Cabot, Beebe and Lonoke districts are doing just fine without the state breathing down their necks. Sherwood, too, is doing well, but its future remains uncertain if Pulaski County is broken up.
A death sentence for the county district might make it easier for Jacksonville to end up with its own district, depending on when the state Education Department releases PCSSD from oversight. The state should disband the county district anytime before 2016 and move its various parts into Little Rock, North Little Rock and Jacksonville.
Five years of state supervision is not exactly a rosy scenario, although it does improve Jacksonville’s chances of getting its own district. Kimbrell said breaking up PCSSD won’t necessarily lead to the creation of a new Jacksonville district. The courts have the final say on that matter, but that’s what both the state and district have said is the eventual goal: Let Jacksonville start with a clean slate. The other areas of PCSSD would do just fine in Little Rock and North Little Rock.
Kimbrell told Hofheimer that in addition to asking legislators to amend state law to give the state five years to correct fiscal problems at troubled school districts, he would seek other changes, such as a law requiring the training of school board members in proper administration of their offices.
The PCSSD school board, before it was disbanded almost two years ago, was sadly lacking in leadership. The board was divided between pro- and anti-union members. Neither faction knew how to help run a school district or hire competent superintendents.
PCSSD failed to adhere to a good set of fiscal policies and procedures as required by the state Bureau of Legislative Audit. What’s more, the troubled district has not built a healthy and sustainable budget carryover in several years. It’s amazing they didn’t shut down the district a long time ago.
In 2011, a state audit uncovered serious fiscal problems at PCSSD, but there’s no reason to expect much progress since then. A new audit is being reviewed and could be published as early as Feb. 13, according to Larry Hunter, deputy legislative auditor for educational institutions.
The likelihood of the district losing $20 million a year in state desegregation funding will complicate the district’s financial problems, Kimbrell said.
He is hoping that when the state does stop its $20 million infusion of desegregation money to the district, the money will be phased out over at least two or three years. Otherwise, expect the district’s finances to worsen.
According to an exclusive report in The Leader last weekend by veteran staff writer John Hofheimer, the state Education Department and the district’s interim superintendent claim PCSSD is still too sick to stand alone. Let’s just say the district is on life support.
According to state law, if PCSSD is not out of fiscal distress by July, the state can disband the district, annex it to another or move various schools to other districts. The state Education Department would rather wait three more years before it decides to break the district up once and for all. You won’t hear much sympathy for preserving the Pulaski County district in the Legislature or anywhere else.
State law now allows only two years of supervision by the Education Department, but Education Commissioner Tom Kimbrell of Cabot told us he will ask the Legislature to give him three more years — a total of five — to fix ailing school districts in fiscal distress. There are three such districts around the state.
Besides PCSSD, Dollarway and Helena-West Helena school districts are in fiscal distress and being run by the state, with Kimbrell acting as a one-man school board. Even after two years of state oversight, it doesn’t appear that any of those districts will solve their financial problems at the end of the school year, as had been hoped, especially the Pulaski County district.
Kimbrell and Jerry Guess, now in his second year as acting superintendent, believe their work is far from over.
“At this point, I’m not convinced the district is ready to be turned loose,” Kimbrell said.
Here’s one state bureaucrat who has earned his pay, although we would prefer local control of our schools, especially in Jacksonville. The Cabot, Beebe and Lonoke districts are doing just fine without the state breathing down their necks. Sherwood, too, is doing well, but its future remains uncertain if Pulaski County is broken up.
A death sentence for the county district might make it easier for Jacksonville to end up with its own district, depending on when the state Education Department releases PCSSD from oversight. The state should disband the county district anytime before 2016 and move its various parts into Little Rock, North Little Rock and Jacksonville.
Five years of state supervision is not exactly a rosy scenario, although it does improve Jacksonville’s chances of getting its own district. Kimbrell said breaking up PCSSD won’t necessarily lead to the creation of a new Jacksonville district. The courts have the final say on that matter, but that’s what both the state and district have said is the eventual goal: Let Jacksonville start with a clean slate. The other areas of PCSSD would do just fine in Little Rock and North Little Rock.
Kimbrell told Hofheimer that in addition to asking legislators to amend state law to give the state five years to correct fiscal problems at troubled school districts, he would seek other changes, such as a law requiring the training of school board members in proper administration of their offices.
The PCSSD school board, before it was disbanded almost two years ago, was sadly lacking in leadership. The board was divided between pro- and anti-union members. Neither faction knew how to help run a school district or hire competent superintendents.
PCSSD failed to adhere to a good set of fiscal policies and procedures as required by the state Bureau of Legislative Audit. What’s more, the troubled district has not built a healthy and sustainable budget carryover in several years. It’s amazing they didn’t shut down the district a long time ago.
In 2011, a state audit uncovered serious fiscal problems at PCSSD, but there’s no reason to expect much progress since then. A new audit is being reviewed and could be published as early as Feb. 13, according to Larry Hunter, deputy legislative auditor for educational institutions.
The likelihood of the district losing $20 million a year in state desegregation funding will complicate the district’s financial problems, Kimbrell said.
He is hoping that when the state does stop its $20 million infusion of desegregation money to the district, the money will be phased out over at least two or three years. Otherwise, expect the district’s finances to worsen.
TOP STORY >> Medicaid issue still undecided
By JOHN HOFHEIMER
Leader senior staff writer
With legislators settling into committee assignments, many of them learning the ropes for the first time, Medicaid expansion is on everyone’s minds, but not yet on the agenda.
It seems likely that some form of Medicaid expansion — part of President Obama’s controversial Affordable Care Act — could be passed this session.
Expansion would add 250,000 people to Arkansas’ Medicaid rolls, but with initial federal help, would save the state $100,000 in 2015, growing to $500,000 a year by 2021, according to Dr. Andy Allison, state Medicaid director.
That’s largely because the state Medicaid match, currently 30 percent, would be reduced at first to zero percent, then growing to 10 percent over time.
Half of Arkansas’ pregnancies are covered by Medicaid, so the state pays 30 percent of those costs. But under the new plan, the federal government would pay 100 percent the first three years of the plan, and then gradually up to 10 percent of that cost would be borne by the state.
Republican opponents to the expansion say those projections are incorrect and some suggest that changing the income eligibility, the expansion would be available to fewer people and more affordable.
Dr. Joe Thompson, the state health director, spoke to the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee on Tuesday. Members heard about the amount of uncompensated care at UAMS and the amount of help it would get from so-called Obamacare and Medicaid expansion.
The Medicaid expansion is part of the president’s Affordable Care law and would serve four currently unserved, uninsured pools of clients —Medicaid coverage for pregnant women, increased hospital benefit coverage, limited coverage for 19- to 64-year-olds and a limited package of benefits for those 65 or older not served by Medicare.
State Rep. Mark Perry, D-Jacksonville, says Medicaid expansion is currently as-signed to the House Public Health Committee to which he is assigned.
He said that so far he’s not seen evidence that Republicans would seek to alter or replace the bill.
“I’m sure other options and variables will come out of that,” Perry said. “They will probably start taking shape over the next two or three weeks.”
Perry said that reducing eligibility for the program would reduce the cost, “but how many other underserved people would be left (uninsured).”
The state owes the federal government about $300 million in Medicaid matching money, and the state will have to use surplus general revenue funds to pay that off, according to state Rep. Walls McCrary, D-Lonoke.
Some legislators want a special session to deal with Medicaid expansion, according to Rep. Patti Julian, D-North Little Rock. They have asked to governor to get a ruling from Washington on whether partial Medicaid expansion is an option. She said early indications are that it is not.
They also are trying to get the numbers nailed down better. Some have challenged the numbers put forward by the state.
Otherwise, legislators have just been taking care of a bunch of housekeeping appropriation bills.
McCrary, who is on the House Transportation Committee, said a bill to include the White County portion of U.S. Hwy. 67 as part of Arkansas’ Rock ’n’ Roll Highway was voted out of committee Tuesday with a “do-pass” recommendation.
Several area legislators had not returned calls by deadline.
Leader senior staff writer
With legislators settling into committee assignments, many of them learning the ropes for the first time, Medicaid expansion is on everyone’s minds, but not yet on the agenda.
It seems likely that some form of Medicaid expansion — part of President Obama’s controversial Affordable Care Act — could be passed this session.
Expansion would add 250,000 people to Arkansas’ Medicaid rolls, but with initial federal help, would save the state $100,000 in 2015, growing to $500,000 a year by 2021, according to Dr. Andy Allison, state Medicaid director.
That’s largely because the state Medicaid match, currently 30 percent, would be reduced at first to zero percent, then growing to 10 percent over time.
Half of Arkansas’ pregnancies are covered by Medicaid, so the state pays 30 percent of those costs. But under the new plan, the federal government would pay 100 percent the first three years of the plan, and then gradually up to 10 percent of that cost would be borne by the state.
Republican opponents to the expansion say those projections are incorrect and some suggest that changing the income eligibility, the expansion would be available to fewer people and more affordable.
Dr. Joe Thompson, the state health director, spoke to the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee on Tuesday. Members heard about the amount of uncompensated care at UAMS and the amount of help it would get from so-called Obamacare and Medicaid expansion.
The Medicaid expansion is part of the president’s Affordable Care law and would serve four currently unserved, uninsured pools of clients —Medicaid coverage for pregnant women, increased hospital benefit coverage, limited coverage for 19- to 64-year-olds and a limited package of benefits for those 65 or older not served by Medicare.
State Rep. Mark Perry, D-Jacksonville, says Medicaid expansion is currently as-signed to the House Public Health Committee to which he is assigned.
He said that so far he’s not seen evidence that Republicans would seek to alter or replace the bill.
“I’m sure other options and variables will come out of that,” Perry said. “They will probably start taking shape over the next two or three weeks.”
Perry said that reducing eligibility for the program would reduce the cost, “but how many other underserved people would be left (uninsured).”
The state owes the federal government about $300 million in Medicaid matching money, and the state will have to use surplus general revenue funds to pay that off, according to state Rep. Walls McCrary, D-Lonoke.
Some legislators want a special session to deal with Medicaid expansion, according to Rep. Patti Julian, D-North Little Rock. They have asked to governor to get a ruling from Washington on whether partial Medicaid expansion is an option. She said early indications are that it is not.
They also are trying to get the numbers nailed down better. Some have challenged the numbers put forward by the state.
Otherwise, legislators have just been taking care of a bunch of housekeeping appropriation bills.
McCrary, who is on the House Transportation Committee, said a bill to include the White County portion of U.S. Hwy. 67 as part of Arkansas’ Rock ’n’ Roll Highway was voted out of committee Tuesday with a “do-pass” recommendation.
Several area legislators had not returned calls by deadline.
TOP STORY >> Ex-Cabot teacher gets prison term
By JOAN McCOY
Leader staff writer
Eleven months after she was arrested for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old former student, Stacy Stracener has been stripped of her teaching license and sentenced to six years in prison.
Stracener, 37, pleaded guilty in December to 11 counts of sexual assault in the first degree and two counts of sexual assault in the second degree. Circuit Court Judge Sandy Huckabee sentenced her Tuesday morning. She is currently held in the Lonoke County Jail awaiting transfer to a state prison. She will be eligible for parole in about two years.
Dr. Tony Thurman, Cabot School District superintendent, filed the complaint that led to her arrest.
The Arkansas Department of Education revoked her teaching license earlier this month.
Public sentiment has been predominantly on the side of Stracener’s family since she was arrested in February 2012 after the boy’s mother contacted Cabot School District.
Some speculated in conversations with this reporter that the boy was a willing participant since he told about the 13 sexual encounters only after his mother found text messages between Stracener and him.
“Shame on her and shame on him,” was one comment from a Little Rock TV station blog.
But Lonoke County Prosecutor Chuck Graham said that state law holds teachers, like jailers and foster parents, to a higher standard.
Although he felt the pressure from the community to recommend probation for Stracener because she has children, Graham said he always told her that a plea agreement would include time in prison.
The actual plea agreement was for 15 years in prison with nine suspended.
“She was a teacher having sex with a child. We’ve got to draw some lines,” Graham said in December after she pleaded guilty.
If Stracener had been a man and the victim a girl, people may have viewed it differently, he said.
But the law does not make such a distinction. The victim was a child, he said.
At the time of her arrest, Stracener was no longer the boy’s teacher. She was a family friend.
The evidence against her included DNA taken from her car and records from her phone and the boy’s phone.
Leader staff writer
Eleven months after she was arrested for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old former student, Stacy Stracener has been stripped of her teaching license and sentenced to six years in prison.
Stracener, 37, pleaded guilty in December to 11 counts of sexual assault in the first degree and two counts of sexual assault in the second degree. Circuit Court Judge Sandy Huckabee sentenced her Tuesday morning. She is currently held in the Lonoke County Jail awaiting transfer to a state prison. She will be eligible for parole in about two years.
Dr. Tony Thurman, Cabot School District superintendent, filed the complaint that led to her arrest.
The Arkansas Department of Education revoked her teaching license earlier this month.
Public sentiment has been predominantly on the side of Stracener’s family since she was arrested in February 2012 after the boy’s mother contacted Cabot School District.
Some speculated in conversations with this reporter that the boy was a willing participant since he told about the 13 sexual encounters only after his mother found text messages between Stracener and him.
“Shame on her and shame on him,” was one comment from a Little Rock TV station blog.
But Lonoke County Prosecutor Chuck Graham said that state law holds teachers, like jailers and foster parents, to a higher standard.
Although he felt the pressure from the community to recommend probation for Stracener because she has children, Graham said he always told her that a plea agreement would include time in prison.
The actual plea agreement was for 15 years in prison with nine suspended.
“She was a teacher having sex with a child. We’ve got to draw some lines,” Graham said in December after she pleaded guilty.
If Stracener had been a man and the victim a girl, people may have viewed it differently, he said.
But the law does not make such a distinction. The victim was a child, he said.
At the time of her arrest, Stracener was no longer the boy’s teacher. She was a family friend.
The evidence against her included DNA taken from her car and records from her phone and the boy’s phone.
TOP STORY >> Construction rebounds in communities
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
Area construction has clearly rebounded from the lows of 2011. Cabot’s commercial construction was up nearly tenfold from 2011 to 2012, and overall building permit values were up 300 percent.
The value of construction in Jacksonville more than doubled from 2011 to 2012 and in Sherwood it came close to doubling.
Lonoke and Ward also saw increases. Only Austin had a drop in construction values.
In Cabot, even though three fewer permits were issued in 2012, compared to 2011, the value more than tripled.
In 2011, Cabot permits for single-family homes and commercial projects came to $14.7 million, but in 2012 it shot up to $52.3 million.
Cabot commercial projects alone went from $4.2 million in 2011 to $40.6 million in 2012. A gated apartment complex project valued at $22 million, plus school facilities and a new Dollar General led the commercial boon.
Single-family home permits jumped about $1 million, going from $10.5 million to 11.7 million in 2012.
Construction permits were up by more than 100 in 2012 and the value of work nearly twice that of 2011 in Sherwood. In Jacksonville the number of permits jumped by 58 and the value jumped by 110 percent.
In 2012, Sherwood issued 652 building permits worth $42.8 million, compared to 535 permits worth $23.8 million in 2011. For Jacksonville, 228 permits were issued in 2012 with a total value of $28.9 million, compared to 170 permits worth $13.2 million in 2011.
Six of eight categories of Sherwood building permits were up in 2012, especially commercial construction, up over 400 percent from 2011 and single-family construction up 50 percent.
Commercial construction came in at $11.3 million in 2012, compared to $2.1 million in 2011.
Single-family home construction went up from $13.7 million in 2011 to $21.9 million in 2012 with 144 permits being issued.
Commercial remodeling in Sherwood was up, based on permits, going from $5.7 million to $6.9 million; home remodeling moved up slightly from $1.5 million in 2011 to $1.7 million in 2012, swimming pool permits went up from $211,000 to $475,000 and the value of fence permits went from $289,000 to $353,000.
Only storage building permits fell slightly, dropping from $190,000 down to $154,000.
For the second year in a row, Sherwood issued no multi-family construction permits.
Sherwood finished the year on a high note issuing 25 permits in December worth a total of $1.5 million compared to 36 permits in December 2011 worth just $577,000.
In Jacksonville, five of the seven permit categories showed improvement from 2011 to 2012.
Commercial permits jumped from $5.6 million in 2011 to $10.2 million in 2012; commercial remodeling jumped from $2.8 million to $6.5 million; single-family home permits went up from $3.4 million to $9.8 million, multi-family permits jumped from none in 2011 to $875,000 in 2102; and remodeling permits moved up from $660,000 to $989,000.
Permits for additions such as sheds, pools, room additions and garages dropped, falling from $726,000 in 2011 to $601,000 in 2012. No permits were issued for HUD rehabs in either year.
In Lonoke, the value of construction jumped from $3.4 million in 2011 to $11.4 million in 2012. For the year, 39 permits totaling $11.4 million, mostly miscellaneous permits such as remodels, room additions, fences and sheds but 2012 permits also included four homes, a McDonald’s, a Waffle House and a gym for the school district.
Ward issued eight less permits in 2012, but the value jumped by $600,000. In 2011, the city issued 76 permits, including 46 for single-family homes, worth $3.5 million. In 2012, 68 permits were issued, including 57 for homes, worth $4.1 million.
Austin saw almost a $2 million drop in permit value from 2011 to 2012. In 2012, the city issued 58 permits, 57 for homes and one for a new Dollar General Store, valued at $7.2 million. The year before, the city issued 76 permits, 75 for homes and one for a daycare, valued at $9 million.
Dollars figures weren’t available for Beebe, but permits jumped by more than 50 percent from 2011 to 2012.
In 2011, the city issued 52 permits, including 28 for homes, two for duplexes and three for commercial projects. In 2012, permits jumped to 83, including 45 for homes, two triplexes, three apartment complexes and 10 commercial projects.
Leader staff writer
Area construction has clearly rebounded from the lows of 2011. Cabot’s commercial construction was up nearly tenfold from 2011 to 2012, and overall building permit values were up 300 percent.
The value of construction in Jacksonville more than doubled from 2011 to 2012 and in Sherwood it came close to doubling.
Lonoke and Ward also saw increases. Only Austin had a drop in construction values.
In Cabot, even though three fewer permits were issued in 2012, compared to 2011, the value more than tripled.
In 2011, Cabot permits for single-family homes and commercial projects came to $14.7 million, but in 2012 it shot up to $52.3 million.
Cabot commercial projects alone went from $4.2 million in 2011 to $40.6 million in 2012. A gated apartment complex project valued at $22 million, plus school facilities and a new Dollar General led the commercial boon.
Single-family home permits jumped about $1 million, going from $10.5 million to 11.7 million in 2012.
Construction permits were up by more than 100 in 2012 and the value of work nearly twice that of 2011 in Sherwood. In Jacksonville the number of permits jumped by 58 and the value jumped by 110 percent.
In 2012, Sherwood issued 652 building permits worth $42.8 million, compared to 535 permits worth $23.8 million in 2011. For Jacksonville, 228 permits were issued in 2012 with a total value of $28.9 million, compared to 170 permits worth $13.2 million in 2011.
Six of eight categories of Sherwood building permits were up in 2012, especially commercial construction, up over 400 percent from 2011 and single-family construction up 50 percent.
Commercial construction came in at $11.3 million in 2012, compared to $2.1 million in 2011.
Single-family home construction went up from $13.7 million in 2011 to $21.9 million in 2012 with 144 permits being issued.
Commercial remodeling in Sherwood was up, based on permits, going from $5.7 million to $6.9 million; home remodeling moved up slightly from $1.5 million in 2011 to $1.7 million in 2012, swimming pool permits went up from $211,000 to $475,000 and the value of fence permits went from $289,000 to $353,000.
Only storage building permits fell slightly, dropping from $190,000 down to $154,000.
For the second year in a row, Sherwood issued no multi-family construction permits.
Sherwood finished the year on a high note issuing 25 permits in December worth a total of $1.5 million compared to 36 permits in December 2011 worth just $577,000.
In Jacksonville, five of the seven permit categories showed improvement from 2011 to 2012.
Commercial permits jumped from $5.6 million in 2011 to $10.2 million in 2012; commercial remodeling jumped from $2.8 million to $6.5 million; single-family home permits went up from $3.4 million to $9.8 million, multi-family permits jumped from none in 2011 to $875,000 in 2102; and remodeling permits moved up from $660,000 to $989,000.
Permits for additions such as sheds, pools, room additions and garages dropped, falling from $726,000 in 2011 to $601,000 in 2012. No permits were issued for HUD rehabs in either year.
In Lonoke, the value of construction jumped from $3.4 million in 2011 to $11.4 million in 2012. For the year, 39 permits totaling $11.4 million, mostly miscellaneous permits such as remodels, room additions, fences and sheds but 2012 permits also included four homes, a McDonald’s, a Waffle House and a gym for the school district.
Ward issued eight less permits in 2012, but the value jumped by $600,000. In 2011, the city issued 76 permits, including 46 for single-family homes, worth $3.5 million. In 2012, 68 permits were issued, including 57 for homes, worth $4.1 million.
Austin saw almost a $2 million drop in permit value from 2011 to 2012. In 2012, the city issued 58 permits, 57 for homes and one for a new Dollar General Store, valued at $7.2 million. The year before, the city issued 76 permits, 75 for homes and one for a daycare, valued at $9 million.
Dollars figures weren’t available for Beebe, but permits jumped by more than 50 percent from 2011 to 2012.
In 2011, the city issued 52 permits, including 28 for homes, two for duplexes and three for commercial projects. In 2012, permits jumped to 83, including 45 for homes, two triplexes, three apartment complexes and 10 commercial projects.
SPORTS STORY >> Lady Bison win three in as many days
By GRAHAM POWELL
Leader sportswriter
Last week was a busy one for the Carlisle Lady Bison as they played three games in three days and won all three.
On Thursday the Lady Bison beat rival Des Arc in a 2A-6 Conference game and on Friday they beat Brinkley 40-33 to improve to 8-2 in conference.
The win on Friday avenged a loss earlier in the season to the Lady Tigers, and on Saturday the Lady Bison got a hard-fought 49-40 win over Conway St. Joseph in a tough nonconference game at Bison Arena.
“We’ve played three days in a row,” said Lady Bison coach Jonathan Buffalo. “We played a make-up with Des Arc and we were able to do pretty much what we wanted in that game. We had a more physical game Friday night with Brinkley. They beat us at their place by 10. So that was a big game for us.
“We matched their intensity and were able to come out with a seven-point win. And tonight, against a team that is consistently good and consistently competitive, always there around the end in the regional and state tournament. That was a quality win for our basketball team.”
In Saturday’s game, Carlisle narrowly led Conway St. Joseph 10-9 near the end of the first quarter, but Sloane Henderson came off the bench and scored the last four points of the frame to give the Lady Bison a 14-9 lead.
Carlisle carried that momentum into the second quarter and built a 22-11 lead over the Lady Bulldogs after starting the quarter with an 8-2 scoring run, but by the end of the half Conway St. Joseph (11-11, 4-1) cut the Lady Bison lead to 22-18.
The third quarter was similar to the second as Carlisle opened with a 5-1 run, capped off by a pair of free throws by Faith Walker with 4:19 to play in the quarter.
The Lady Bison led 29-21 midway through the frame, but Conway St. Joseph trimmed the deficit to three points as the quarter wound down. How-ever, Carlisle’s senior two-guard Callie Hillman drained a three pointer and junior post player Breanna Young scored on a rebound and putback to give the Lady Bison a 35-27 lead heading into the final eight minutes.
The Lady Bison pushed their lead to double digits early in the fourth and maintained that lead for the majority of the period. Just before the buzzer sounded, Conway St. Joseph’s Taylor Welch hit a three to cut the final score to single digits.
The Lady Bison continue to control their own destiny. If they win their final four conference games, they’ll lock up the conference championship, a feat they were unable to accomplish a year ago.
“We have four games left,” Buffalo said. “Four conference games and I told them we have to get better every day at every aspect of the game. We have to get better handling the basketball. We have to get better as far as shot selection in certain situations. There’s always room for improvement.
“We’re in the home stretch. We’re 12-7 (overall), 8-2 in the conference, sitting tied for first place. So we’re in control of our own destiny. We win the next four and we win a conference championship.”
Walker led all scorers with 12 points. She also grabbed seven rebounds. Young finished with a double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Hillman scored nine points and Henderson added eight.
Leader sportswriter
Last week was a busy one for the Carlisle Lady Bison as they played three games in three days and won all three.
On Thursday the Lady Bison beat rival Des Arc in a 2A-6 Conference game and on Friday they beat Brinkley 40-33 to improve to 8-2 in conference.
The win on Friday avenged a loss earlier in the season to the Lady Tigers, and on Saturday the Lady Bison got a hard-fought 49-40 win over Conway St. Joseph in a tough nonconference game at Bison Arena.
“We’ve played three days in a row,” said Lady Bison coach Jonathan Buffalo. “We played a make-up with Des Arc and we were able to do pretty much what we wanted in that game. We had a more physical game Friday night with Brinkley. They beat us at their place by 10. So that was a big game for us.
“We matched their intensity and were able to come out with a seven-point win. And tonight, against a team that is consistently good and consistently competitive, always there around the end in the regional and state tournament. That was a quality win for our basketball team.”
In Saturday’s game, Carlisle narrowly led Conway St. Joseph 10-9 near the end of the first quarter, but Sloane Henderson came off the bench and scored the last four points of the frame to give the Lady Bison a 14-9 lead.
Carlisle carried that momentum into the second quarter and built a 22-11 lead over the Lady Bulldogs after starting the quarter with an 8-2 scoring run, but by the end of the half Conway St. Joseph (11-11, 4-1) cut the Lady Bison lead to 22-18.
The third quarter was similar to the second as Carlisle opened with a 5-1 run, capped off by a pair of free throws by Faith Walker with 4:19 to play in the quarter.
The Lady Bison led 29-21 midway through the frame, but Conway St. Joseph trimmed the deficit to three points as the quarter wound down. How-ever, Carlisle’s senior two-guard Callie Hillman drained a three pointer and junior post player Breanna Young scored on a rebound and putback to give the Lady Bison a 35-27 lead heading into the final eight minutes.
The Lady Bison pushed their lead to double digits early in the fourth and maintained that lead for the majority of the period. Just before the buzzer sounded, Conway St. Joseph’s Taylor Welch hit a three to cut the final score to single digits.
The Lady Bison continue to control their own destiny. If they win their final four conference games, they’ll lock up the conference championship, a feat they were unable to accomplish a year ago.
“We have four games left,” Buffalo said. “Four conference games and I told them we have to get better every day at every aspect of the game. We have to get better handling the basketball. We have to get better as far as shot selection in certain situations. There’s always room for improvement.
“We’re in the home stretch. We’re 12-7 (overall), 8-2 in the conference, sitting tied for first place. So we’re in control of our own destiny. We win the next four and we win a conference championship.”
Walker led all scorers with 12 points. She also grabbed seven rebounds. Young finished with a double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Hillman scored nine points and Henderson added eight.
SPORTS STORY >> Falcons pull away for big road victory
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The North Pulaski Falcons got a crucial conference road win Friday, beating Little Rock Christian Academy 59-42 in west Little Rock. The game was close for most of three quarters. North Pulaski began to pull away late in the third and ran away with it in the fourth. In other words, it went just as Falcon coach Roy Jackson scripted it.
“I knew they didn’t play too many people so we wanted to play a lot of guys, keep the pressure on them and wear them down,” Jackson said. “I think in the third quarter they started getting a little tired. But it was nip and tuck most of the way. They haven’t won any games in conference yet, but they’re a capable team. They have some things that can hurt you.”
A three pointer by junior Joe Aikens broke a tie just before the halftime buzzer, and gave the Falcons a 24-21 lead heading into intermission.
A couple of occurrences forced Jackson to go a little deeper into the bench than even he expected. Starting post player Aaron Williamson was ejected and junior guard Fred Thomas got into foul trouble early and sat for extended periods. That allowed a couple of players to step up that Jackson was glad to see.
“Andrew Wilson stepped up really well,” Jackson said. “Him and Steven Farrior are the two that really stand out in my mind as coming on and having a really good game. I’ve really been wanting Andrew to come around. I played him in a junior varsity game earlier in the week and he did really well. I think that gave him some confidence and he carried that over into this game. Hopefully he can keep that going.”
Wilson sparked the run late in the third that was the first step in the Falcons taking control of the game. His two buckets off offensive rebounds gave North Pulaski (8-7, 2-2) a nine-point lead at 41-32.
The victory gives the Falcons the odd statistic of being 2-0 on the road and 0-2 at home so far in league play.
“You always want to take care of home court but we had two of the tougher teams in here so far,” Jackson said. “So it was important for us to get this win on the road and try to even things out. I think the kids felt like their backs were against the wall. We stressed the point of playing hard every possession offensively and defensively. I think they grasped that and really played well.”
Freshman Rashawn Langston led North Pulaski with 17 points while Aikens finished with 14. Sam Dunkum led the Warriors (3-11, 0-4) with 12 points.
North Pulaski traveled to Sylvan Hills on Tuesday after The Leader deadlines, and will host Little Rock McClellan on Friday.
Leader sports editor
The North Pulaski Falcons got a crucial conference road win Friday, beating Little Rock Christian Academy 59-42 in west Little Rock. The game was close for most of three quarters. North Pulaski began to pull away late in the third and ran away with it in the fourth. In other words, it went just as Falcon coach Roy Jackson scripted it.
“I knew they didn’t play too many people so we wanted to play a lot of guys, keep the pressure on them and wear them down,” Jackson said. “I think in the third quarter they started getting a little tired. But it was nip and tuck most of the way. They haven’t won any games in conference yet, but they’re a capable team. They have some things that can hurt you.”
A three pointer by junior Joe Aikens broke a tie just before the halftime buzzer, and gave the Falcons a 24-21 lead heading into intermission.
A couple of occurrences forced Jackson to go a little deeper into the bench than even he expected. Starting post player Aaron Williamson was ejected and junior guard Fred Thomas got into foul trouble early and sat for extended periods. That allowed a couple of players to step up that Jackson was glad to see.
“Andrew Wilson stepped up really well,” Jackson said. “Him and Steven Farrior are the two that really stand out in my mind as coming on and having a really good game. I’ve really been wanting Andrew to come around. I played him in a junior varsity game earlier in the week and he did really well. I think that gave him some confidence and he carried that over into this game. Hopefully he can keep that going.”
Wilson sparked the run late in the third that was the first step in the Falcons taking control of the game. His two buckets off offensive rebounds gave North Pulaski (8-7, 2-2) a nine-point lead at 41-32.
The victory gives the Falcons the odd statistic of being 2-0 on the road and 0-2 at home so far in league play.
“You always want to take care of home court but we had two of the tougher teams in here so far,” Jackson said. “So it was important for us to get this win on the road and try to even things out. I think the kids felt like their backs were against the wall. We stressed the point of playing hard every possession offensively and defensively. I think they grasped that and really played well.”
Freshman Rashawn Langston led North Pulaski with 17 points while Aikens finished with 14. Sam Dunkum led the Warriors (3-11, 0-4) with 12 points.
North Pulaski traveled to Sylvan Hills on Tuesday after The Leader deadlines, and will host Little Rock McClellan on Friday.
SPORTS STORY >> Cabot girls’ rally beats Blue Devils
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
The Cabot Lady Panthers kept pace in the 7A/6A East Conference with a close 40-36 victory at West Memphis on Friday.
The Lady Panthers improved to 11-4 overall with the win, and 3-1 in the 7A/6A East. They are tied with North Little Rock for second place in the league standings – a game behind unbeaten Little Rock Central.
Senior forward Elliot Taylor led all scorers for the Lady Panthers with 18 points while Jaylin Bridges added seven points. The Lady Panthers shot 41 percent from the floor compared to 47 percent for the Lady Blue Devils.
Cabot led 11-10 at the end of one quarter, but West Memphis rallied back in the second to take a 19-17 lead at halftime of the defensive-oriented game. The Lady Panthers fell further behind in the third quarter before dominating the final quarter 17-6, including an 8-for-10 performance at the free-throw line. They also stepped up their defensive effort in that time by limiting the Lady Devils to three field goals.
“I think our experience made a difference late in the game,” Lady Panthers assistant coach Charles Ruple said. “We never lost our cool. We felt like we were going to win, even when we were behind. We played tough and went after loose balls. We also got some big rebounds and hit our free throws late.”
Senior Abbey Allgood led rebounding with five boards and also had three steals for the Lady Panthers.
The Panther boys team was not as fortunate as they fell to the Blue Devils 45-30 on Friday. The loss dropped the Panthers to 6-9 overall and 1-3 in the 7A/6A East Conference.
“It helps to make shots,” Panthers coach Jerry Bridges said. “They did and we didn’t. I don’t think it was a case that they were 15 points better than we were, we just couldn’t get any shots to fall for us.”
Hunter York was a bright spot for Cabot as he went 50 percent (5 for 10) from three-point range to lead the Panthers with 15 points.
“He has been a bright spot for us,” Bridges said. “I’m getting a lot of confidence in him. We just didn’t hit much early on.”
The Blue Devils jumped out to a 12-6 lead at the end of the first quarter and led 22-10 at the half. At the end of the third quarter, the advantage had stretched to 34-15 before the Panthers doubled their total amount of points in the final eight minutes.
Bridges emphasized shooting during Monday practice. His praise of his team’s defensive efforts is equaled by his frustration when it comes to shooting.
“We’re shooting that son of a gun everywhere but in the hole,” Bridges said. “But we’ll keep plugging. We’re playing really well on the defensive end, but it’s tough for us when it comes to scoring points. I’ve never had that.”
Leader sportswriter
The Cabot Lady Panthers kept pace in the 7A/6A East Conference with a close 40-36 victory at West Memphis on Friday.
The Lady Panthers improved to 11-4 overall with the win, and 3-1 in the 7A/6A East. They are tied with North Little Rock for second place in the league standings – a game behind unbeaten Little Rock Central.
Senior forward Elliot Taylor led all scorers for the Lady Panthers with 18 points while Jaylin Bridges added seven points. The Lady Panthers shot 41 percent from the floor compared to 47 percent for the Lady Blue Devils.
Cabot led 11-10 at the end of one quarter, but West Memphis rallied back in the second to take a 19-17 lead at halftime of the defensive-oriented game. The Lady Panthers fell further behind in the third quarter before dominating the final quarter 17-6, including an 8-for-10 performance at the free-throw line. They also stepped up their defensive effort in that time by limiting the Lady Devils to three field goals.
“I think our experience made a difference late in the game,” Lady Panthers assistant coach Charles Ruple said. “We never lost our cool. We felt like we were going to win, even when we were behind. We played tough and went after loose balls. We also got some big rebounds and hit our free throws late.”
Senior Abbey Allgood led rebounding with five boards and also had three steals for the Lady Panthers.
The Panther boys team was not as fortunate as they fell to the Blue Devils 45-30 on Friday. The loss dropped the Panthers to 6-9 overall and 1-3 in the 7A/6A East Conference.
“It helps to make shots,” Panthers coach Jerry Bridges said. “They did and we didn’t. I don’t think it was a case that they were 15 points better than we were, we just couldn’t get any shots to fall for us.”
Hunter York was a bright spot for Cabot as he went 50 percent (5 for 10) from three-point range to lead the Panthers with 15 points.
“He has been a bright spot for us,” Bridges said. “I’m getting a lot of confidence in him. We just didn’t hit much early on.”
The Blue Devils jumped out to a 12-6 lead at the end of the first quarter and led 22-10 at the half. At the end of the third quarter, the advantage had stretched to 34-15 before the Panthers doubled their total amount of points in the final eight minutes.
Bridges emphasized shooting during Monday practice. His praise of his team’s defensive efforts is equaled by his frustration when it comes to shooting.
“We’re shooting that son of a gun everywhere but in the hole,” Bridges said. “But we’ll keep plugging. We’re playing really well on the defensive end, but it’s tough for us when it comes to scoring points. I’ve never had that.”
SPORTS STORY >> GCT no match against Badgers
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
Senior forward Austin Burroughs started the job and junior point guard Tanner Chapman finished it as Beebe overcame a sloppy second half on both ends to take a 67-47 victory over Greene County Tech at Badger Sports Arena on Friday.
The Badgers stayed unbeaten in 5A East Conference play with a strong start led by Burroughs’ 14 first-quarter points, and a 9-of-10 performance by Chapman at the free-throw line in the final eight minutes.
Beebe (12-4, 4-0) shot 15 for 26 from the floor for 58 percent, scoring nearly half its total points at the stripe while the Eagles (7-9, 1-4) went 18 for 30 for an even 60 percent. The poor officiating from the girls’ game that proceeded carried over into the boys’ matchup, as the Eagles turned in a defensive effort that gave the game a physical tone.
“I was really proud of them,” Badgers coach Ryan Marshall said. “Tech came in with their backs against the wall. This was a game they had to win, and I thought our kids were really more intense and outhustled them in the first half. I thought we got after it defensively.
“The way they defend and their physicality caused it to get ugly at times. I thought we matched it and made them look ugly too. The game being the stretch that it was, sometimes the officials get relaxed and let a lot of the bumping go on. It was what it was, and we knew it was going to be that way.”
For all the questionable calls and more specifically no calls, it was a routine call by the officials at the 3:19 mark of the third quarter in which longtime Eagles coach Scott Bowlin sealed his early exit from the game when he disputed a foul. He did not let the first technical-foul call against him deter him from continuing to argue his case, and at one point appeared to calm down before going on another tangent that got him ejected.
Things went smoother for the Badgers in the first quarter as Burroughs took over the game early with four free throws followed by four unanswered field goals, including a transition dunk at the 1:55 mark that got the home crowd on its feet and gave Beebe a 12-4 lead.
The Eagles cut into Beebe’s lead in the second quarter and trailed 24-16 at halftime, but the Badgers got a boost from senior guard Jake Schlenker early in the third quarter on the way to a commanding 43-26 lead heading into the final eight minutes.
Schlenker converted a basket and free throw at the 6:27 mark to make it 30-16, and followed that with a free throw and a defensive rebound that led to another shot with 4:32 remaining in the period. It was Burroughs who went to the line following the incident with Bowlin for four technical shots, as he converted the final three to give the Badgers a 39-21 lead.
“I thought he showed a lot of great leadership,” Marshall said of Burroughs. “Offensively, he carried us in the first half. He’s such a special kid, not just basketball wise he’s good to have on the team.”
Both teams reached the double bonus early in the fourth quarter, and Chapman took advantage with repeated trips to the foul line. Chapman finished with 12 points, all of which came off of free throws.
Burroughs led all scorers with 28 points while Schlenker added eight points. For Greene County Tech, Andrew Hovis led with 14 points and Heath Matheny had nine points.
With a 4-0 start in conference, the Badgers have established themselves as early contenders in the 5A East.
“I think getting out to a 4-0 start is big,” Marshall said. “We’ve put ourselves in a good situation. We’re not to where we’re looking around thinking, ‘gosh, we’ve got to win.’ I’m extremely proud of them.”
Beebe traveled to Wynne last night for a game played after Leader deadlines. Look for details of those games in Saturday’s edition.
The Badgers and Lady Badgers stay on the road later this week when they travel to Nettleton on Friday.
Leader sportswriter
Senior forward Austin Burroughs started the job and junior point guard Tanner Chapman finished it as Beebe overcame a sloppy second half on both ends to take a 67-47 victory over Greene County Tech at Badger Sports Arena on Friday.
The Badgers stayed unbeaten in 5A East Conference play with a strong start led by Burroughs’ 14 first-quarter points, and a 9-of-10 performance by Chapman at the free-throw line in the final eight minutes.
Beebe (12-4, 4-0) shot 15 for 26 from the floor for 58 percent, scoring nearly half its total points at the stripe while the Eagles (7-9, 1-4) went 18 for 30 for an even 60 percent. The poor officiating from the girls’ game that proceeded carried over into the boys’ matchup, as the Eagles turned in a defensive effort that gave the game a physical tone.
“I was really proud of them,” Badgers coach Ryan Marshall said. “Tech came in with their backs against the wall. This was a game they had to win, and I thought our kids were really more intense and outhustled them in the first half. I thought we got after it defensively.
“The way they defend and their physicality caused it to get ugly at times. I thought we matched it and made them look ugly too. The game being the stretch that it was, sometimes the officials get relaxed and let a lot of the bumping go on. It was what it was, and we knew it was going to be that way.”
For all the questionable calls and more specifically no calls, it was a routine call by the officials at the 3:19 mark of the third quarter in which longtime Eagles coach Scott Bowlin sealed his early exit from the game when he disputed a foul. He did not let the first technical-foul call against him deter him from continuing to argue his case, and at one point appeared to calm down before going on another tangent that got him ejected.
Things went smoother for the Badgers in the first quarter as Burroughs took over the game early with four free throws followed by four unanswered field goals, including a transition dunk at the 1:55 mark that got the home crowd on its feet and gave Beebe a 12-4 lead.
The Eagles cut into Beebe’s lead in the second quarter and trailed 24-16 at halftime, but the Badgers got a boost from senior guard Jake Schlenker early in the third quarter on the way to a commanding 43-26 lead heading into the final eight minutes.
Schlenker converted a basket and free throw at the 6:27 mark to make it 30-16, and followed that with a free throw and a defensive rebound that led to another shot with 4:32 remaining in the period. It was Burroughs who went to the line following the incident with Bowlin for four technical shots, as he converted the final three to give the Badgers a 39-21 lead.
“I thought he showed a lot of great leadership,” Marshall said of Burroughs. “Offensively, he carried us in the first half. He’s such a special kid, not just basketball wise he’s good to have on the team.”
Both teams reached the double bonus early in the fourth quarter, and Chapman took advantage with repeated trips to the foul line. Chapman finished with 12 points, all of which came off of free throws.
Burroughs led all scorers with 28 points while Schlenker added eight points. For Greene County Tech, Andrew Hovis led with 14 points and Heath Matheny had nine points.
With a 4-0 start in conference, the Badgers have established themselves as early contenders in the 5A East.
“I think getting out to a 4-0 start is big,” Marshall said. “We’ve put ourselves in a good situation. We’re not to where we’re looking around thinking, ‘gosh, we’ve got to win.’ I’m extremely proud of them.”
Beebe traveled to Wynne last night for a game played after Leader deadlines. Look for details of those games in Saturday’s edition.
The Badgers and Lady Badgers stay on the road later this week when they travel to Nettleton on Friday.
SPORTS STORY >> Devils, ladies pound Cougars
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
Jacksonville struggled a bit early, but got things together fairly quickly to rout Helena-West Helena Central 78-51 on Friday at Central High School.
Facing a large and loud student section, Jacksonville senior Justin McCleary scored the first nine points of the game on three consecutive three pointers to quiet the crowd. The Cougars answered with the next seven points, but the Red Devils took over from there.
“We didn’t play the best mental game we could’ve played,” Jacksonville coach Victor Joyner said. “It was a different atmosphere, they have that rubber floor. My kids were just out of sorts early on. We were making unforced turnovers we don’t usually make. We had a chance to put them away pretty early but the unforced turnovers let them back in it.”
The Cougars did have an inside force that made things difficult for Jacksonville. Jouvan Donald’s post play forced Joyner to go deep into his bench after all his post players got into foul trouble.
“We didn’t have an answer for him,” Joyner said. “He got all three of my post players in foul trouble. Once they all got into foul trouble, we just had to switch to a zone and force them to make outside shots.”
But it was Jacksonville (11-3, 4-0) that got hot in the second half, especially shooting guard Aaron Smith. Smith is the team’s best outside shooter, but went 0 for 5 from behind the arc in the first half. He caught fire in the second half and ended leading the team with 21 points.
“Once Aaron started knocking down those threes, they had to extend their defense and that opened up some lanes to get to the basket,” Joyner said. “They stayed in that 1-3-1 defense the whole game and you can’t pass up open shots. It was just a matter of somebody starting to hit a few of them and opening things up for us.”
Smith’s barrage came at the start of the fourth quarter. Jacksonville led 42-25 at halftime. They managed just 13 points in the third quarter, but held HWHC to five, and led by 25 to start the fourth. The Cougars best offensive quarter was the last one, but the fast-pace suited Jacksonville as well and the Red Devils had an answer for every Cougar rally.
McCleary finished with 17 for Jacksonville while Donald led Central with 14. Frederick Bedford scored 13 for the Cougars (6-7, 2-2)
The Lady Red Devils (11-4, 4-0) had barely broken a sweat before their game with the Lady Cougars (4-9, 1-3) was all but over in their 74-36 win. Jacksonville’s guards harassed Central into numerous turnovers, then converted near flawlessly in transition. It all led to a 30-4 lead by the end of the first quarter.
“The press was really working well early,” Lady Red Devil coach Katrina Mimms said. “Once we got the ball we had people shooting the lanes and filling it out wide. We got a bunch of layups and we shot it really well.”
Sophomore Shakyla Hill led the way with 19 points while juniors Keke Alcorn and Tiffany Smith scored 13 and 12 respectively. The team’s leader in scoring average, Jessica Jackson, scored 11 points.
Mimms was pleased to see her team put up big offensive numbers without relying on Jackson to carry most of the load.
“Keke Alcorn has been in double figures now in these last few games,” Mimms said. “The good thing about that is she’s done it in different ways. Here she got a bunch of layups. In other games she’s been hitting from outside. So it’s a good thing to keep her confidence up and keep her shooting it. And I think Tiff (Smith) is starting to shoot the ball really well.”
Jacksonville hosts two games this weekend. The boys and girls will face Sylvan Hills on Friday with the girls starting at 6 p.m. On Saturday, they play their makeup with Little Rock McClellan with the girls tipping things off at 3 p.m.
Leader sports editor
Jacksonville struggled a bit early, but got things together fairly quickly to rout Helena-West Helena Central 78-51 on Friday at Central High School.
Facing a large and loud student section, Jacksonville senior Justin McCleary scored the first nine points of the game on three consecutive three pointers to quiet the crowd. The Cougars answered with the next seven points, but the Red Devils took over from there.
“We didn’t play the best mental game we could’ve played,” Jacksonville coach Victor Joyner said. “It was a different atmosphere, they have that rubber floor. My kids were just out of sorts early on. We were making unforced turnovers we don’t usually make. We had a chance to put them away pretty early but the unforced turnovers let them back in it.”
The Cougars did have an inside force that made things difficult for Jacksonville. Jouvan Donald’s post play forced Joyner to go deep into his bench after all his post players got into foul trouble.
“We didn’t have an answer for him,” Joyner said. “He got all three of my post players in foul trouble. Once they all got into foul trouble, we just had to switch to a zone and force them to make outside shots.”
But it was Jacksonville (11-3, 4-0) that got hot in the second half, especially shooting guard Aaron Smith. Smith is the team’s best outside shooter, but went 0 for 5 from behind the arc in the first half. He caught fire in the second half and ended leading the team with 21 points.
“Once Aaron started knocking down those threes, they had to extend their defense and that opened up some lanes to get to the basket,” Joyner said. “They stayed in that 1-3-1 defense the whole game and you can’t pass up open shots. It was just a matter of somebody starting to hit a few of them and opening things up for us.”
Smith’s barrage came at the start of the fourth quarter. Jacksonville led 42-25 at halftime. They managed just 13 points in the third quarter, but held HWHC to five, and led by 25 to start the fourth. The Cougars best offensive quarter was the last one, but the fast-pace suited Jacksonville as well and the Red Devils had an answer for every Cougar rally.
McCleary finished with 17 for Jacksonville while Donald led Central with 14. Frederick Bedford scored 13 for the Cougars (6-7, 2-2)
The Lady Red Devils (11-4, 4-0) had barely broken a sweat before their game with the Lady Cougars (4-9, 1-3) was all but over in their 74-36 win. Jacksonville’s guards harassed Central into numerous turnovers, then converted near flawlessly in transition. It all led to a 30-4 lead by the end of the first quarter.
“The press was really working well early,” Lady Red Devil coach Katrina Mimms said. “Once we got the ball we had people shooting the lanes and filling it out wide. We got a bunch of layups and we shot it really well.”
Sophomore Shakyla Hill led the way with 19 points while juniors Keke Alcorn and Tiffany Smith scored 13 and 12 respectively. The team’s leader in scoring average, Jessica Jackson, scored 11 points.
Mimms was pleased to see her team put up big offensive numbers without relying on Jackson to carry most of the load.
“Keke Alcorn has been in double figures now in these last few games,” Mimms said. “The good thing about that is she’s done it in different ways. Here she got a bunch of layups. In other games she’s been hitting from outside. So it’s a good thing to keep her confidence up and keep her shooting it. And I think Tiff (Smith) is starting to shoot the ball really well.”
Jacksonville hosts two games this weekend. The boys and girls will face Sylvan Hills on Friday with the girls starting at 6 p.m. On Saturday, they play their makeup with Little Rock McClellan with the girls tipping things off at 3 p.m.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
SPORTS STORY >> Cabot North girls cruise past Benton
By GRAHAM POWELL
Leader sportswriter
A strong first quarter on both ends of the court helped the Cabot Junior High North Lady Panthers coast to a 35-19 victory over Benton on Thursday at the Cabot North gym to maintain their perfect record in the Central Arkansas Junior High Conference.
Lily Sinclair, Maddie Rice, Claire Eifling, Rachel Allgood and CoCo Calhoon all put up points for Cabot (11-4, 3-0) in the opening quarter to take an 11-0 lead. However, Benton (3-14, 0-4) wouldn’t make it so easy in the second quarter.
The visiting Lady Panthers opened the second quarter with a 6-0 scoring run to cut Cabot’s lead to 11-6. Cabot scored its first point of the quarter on a free throw by MaKenzie Sexton with 1:38 to play in the half.
Sexton’s free throw put Cabot up 12-6, and she made two more free throws to close the half. Sexton’s final point of the quarter came with 0.5 seconds to play which put Cabot up 14-6 at halftime.
“A win is always good,” said Cabot coach Jeremy Halbrook. “I’m very proud of the first quarter. We came out and went up 11-0. We’d been having an excellent week of practice, and this is our second time around playing this team. So we kind of knew what we were going to see. (Benton’s) scrappy – not very athletic, but they sometimes get you to play scrappy.”
Sexton was the only player to put points on the board for Cabot in the second quarter, but the third quarter was more of a team effort. The result of that was Cabot outscoring Benton 12-4 in the third to take a 26-10 lead at the start of the fourth.
Cabot outrebounded Benton 6-1 and committed just one turnover in that time. The turnaround was pleasing for Halbrook to see.
“The first and third quarters were really good,” Halbrook said. “The second quarter was when we got kind of slow, but a lot of that was being 3 for 7 from the free-throw line, and we couldn’t set up our press or anything. But we’re 3-0 in conference. We have to go to Lake Hamilton next week which will be a tough game, but overall I’m pretty excited with the way they played.”
Benton cut Cabot’s lead to 10 with a 5-1 run to start the final quarter, but the host Lady Panthers got the margin back up to 16 by the end of the game. Calhoon, who led Cabot with a game-high 13 points, scored the final four points down the stretch to set the final score.
Cabot narrowly outrebounded Benton 19-16 and made 55 percent of its free throws compared to Benton’s 29 percent. The most impressive statistic for Cabot was its six total turnovers, bettering Benton’s 16.
Sexton finished the game with seven points. Eifling added five points while Allgood and Rice scored four apiece. The Cabot North freshmen play next at Lake Hamilton on Thursday.
In the game prior to the ninth-grade games, Cabot North’s eighth-grade girls improved to 8-1 on the season with a 20-7 win over Benton. Cabot led by a commanding 16-3 lead after three quarters of play, and Benton managed to clean up the score late.
Haley Sobczak led all scorers in that game with seven points. Josie Starr scored five points and Bethany Hill added four points for Cabot.
Leader sportswriter
A strong first quarter on both ends of the court helped the Cabot Junior High North Lady Panthers coast to a 35-19 victory over Benton on Thursday at the Cabot North gym to maintain their perfect record in the Central Arkansas Junior High Conference.
Lily Sinclair, Maddie Rice, Claire Eifling, Rachel Allgood and CoCo Calhoon all put up points for Cabot (11-4, 3-0) in the opening quarter to take an 11-0 lead. However, Benton (3-14, 0-4) wouldn’t make it so easy in the second quarter.
The visiting Lady Panthers opened the second quarter with a 6-0 scoring run to cut Cabot’s lead to 11-6. Cabot scored its first point of the quarter on a free throw by MaKenzie Sexton with 1:38 to play in the half.
Sexton’s free throw put Cabot up 12-6, and she made two more free throws to close the half. Sexton’s final point of the quarter came with 0.5 seconds to play which put Cabot up 14-6 at halftime.
“A win is always good,” said Cabot coach Jeremy Halbrook. “I’m very proud of the first quarter. We came out and went up 11-0. We’d been having an excellent week of practice, and this is our second time around playing this team. So we kind of knew what we were going to see. (Benton’s) scrappy – not very athletic, but they sometimes get you to play scrappy.”
Sexton was the only player to put points on the board for Cabot in the second quarter, but the third quarter was more of a team effort. The result of that was Cabot outscoring Benton 12-4 in the third to take a 26-10 lead at the start of the fourth.
Cabot outrebounded Benton 6-1 and committed just one turnover in that time. The turnaround was pleasing for Halbrook to see.
“The first and third quarters were really good,” Halbrook said. “The second quarter was when we got kind of slow, but a lot of that was being 3 for 7 from the free-throw line, and we couldn’t set up our press or anything. But we’re 3-0 in conference. We have to go to Lake Hamilton next week which will be a tough game, but overall I’m pretty excited with the way they played.”
Benton cut Cabot’s lead to 10 with a 5-1 run to start the final quarter, but the host Lady Panthers got the margin back up to 16 by the end of the game. Calhoon, who led Cabot with a game-high 13 points, scored the final four points down the stretch to set the final score.
Cabot narrowly outrebounded Benton 19-16 and made 55 percent of its free throws compared to Benton’s 29 percent. The most impressive statistic for Cabot was its six total turnovers, bettering Benton’s 16.
Sexton finished the game with seven points. Eifling added five points while Allgood and Rice scored four apiece. The Cabot North freshmen play next at Lake Hamilton on Thursday.
In the game prior to the ninth-grade games, Cabot North’s eighth-grade girls improved to 8-1 on the season with a 20-7 win over Benton. Cabot led by a commanding 16-3 lead after three quarters of play, and Benton managed to clean up the score late.
Haley Sobczak led all scorers in that game with seven points. Josie Starr scored five points and Bethany Hill added four points for Cabot.
SPORTS STORY >> Badger signs with Lyon
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
The Beebe baseball program celebrated its third senior to reach the next level in 2012-13 with the signing of first baseman Cody Reaves at the Media Center Wednesday morning. Reaves signed his Letter of Intent to play for Lyon College in Batesville.
Reaves joined Brandon Stane and Jared Aschbrenner as fellow Badgers signed on to play college baseball next year. Stane and Aschbrenner signed with Northwestern State University and Henderson State University respectively back in mid November.
Reaves joined the varsity program under coach Mark Crafton as a freshman, and though his playing time was limited, he was a part of school history as a member of the 2010 team that claimed the 5A state championship.
“Cody has put a lot of time and work into this program,” Crafton said. “He helped himself get better individually, and of course the team as well. He’s made good strides and comes from a great family background. That’s what makes it enjoyable to coach Cody. He’s a well-rounded individual and as a player. He’s going to a great institution to get his college degree and continue to play baseball.”
Reaves also played a minor role as a sophomore before becoming a starting player for his junior season.
“I really didn’t get a lot of actual varsity playing time until last year,” Reaves said. “I think the two previous years were good for learning the ropes, and I had a good bunch of seniors those two years that taught me well and helped me become a better baseball player.”
Reaves was unsatisfied with his .280 batting average last year, but his strong 3.3 GPA helped attract interest from a number of in-state programs, including Lyon.
“It’s a great academic school,” Reaves said. “They offered me a baseball scholarship, and I always wanted to play baseball in college. To be able to play at a school as prestigious as Lyon is a good thing.”
Reaves went to tryouts at a few other schools, but once Lyon showed interest, the Scots program instantly became his main focus.
As part of the state-championship winning team as a freshman, Reaves would like to repeat that success in his final season wearing a Badger uniform this spring.
“The ultimate goal for me is to win a state championship,” Reaves said. “Whatever my role is on the team, whatever I have to do to help us out. I feel like the best thing I’ve been working toward these last four years is to win another state championship again. There’s no better feeling.”
Leader sportswriter
The Beebe baseball program celebrated its third senior to reach the next level in 2012-13 with the signing of first baseman Cody Reaves at the Media Center Wednesday morning. Reaves signed his Letter of Intent to play for Lyon College in Batesville.
Reaves joined Brandon Stane and Jared Aschbrenner as fellow Badgers signed on to play college baseball next year. Stane and Aschbrenner signed with Northwestern State University and Henderson State University respectively back in mid November.
Reaves joined the varsity program under coach Mark Crafton as a freshman, and though his playing time was limited, he was a part of school history as a member of the 2010 team that claimed the 5A state championship.
“Cody has put a lot of time and work into this program,” Crafton said. “He helped himself get better individually, and of course the team as well. He’s made good strides and comes from a great family background. That’s what makes it enjoyable to coach Cody. He’s a well-rounded individual and as a player. He’s going to a great institution to get his college degree and continue to play baseball.”
Reaves also played a minor role as a sophomore before becoming a starting player for his junior season.
“I really didn’t get a lot of actual varsity playing time until last year,” Reaves said. “I think the two previous years were good for learning the ropes, and I had a good bunch of seniors those two years that taught me well and helped me become a better baseball player.”
Reaves was unsatisfied with his .280 batting average last year, but his strong 3.3 GPA helped attract interest from a number of in-state programs, including Lyon.
“It’s a great academic school,” Reaves said. “They offered me a baseball scholarship, and I always wanted to play baseball in college. To be able to play at a school as prestigious as Lyon is a good thing.”
Reaves went to tryouts at a few other schools, but once Lyon showed interest, the Scots program instantly became his main focus.
As part of the state-championship winning team as a freshman, Reaves would like to repeat that success in his final season wearing a Badger uniform this spring.
“The ultimate goal for me is to win a state championship,” Reaves said. “Whatever my role is on the team, whatever I have to do to help us out. I feel like the best thing I’ve been working toward these last four years is to win another state championship again. There’s no better feeling.”
SPORTS STROY >> Panthers’ bowling beats NP
The Cabot High School bowling team competed against the North Pulaski Falcons at Allfam Bowling Center in Cabot on Thursday. In the end, Cabot was able to pull out their seventh win in seven matches, but according to Cabot coach Mike Nash, it was well earned.
“North Pulaski is a very solid program and I knew our team had to be focused to win the match,” Nash said. “Thankfully, the kids came in with a business attitude and won a hard fought match.”
Leading the way for the boys was senior Dylan Wilson, who bowled a 415 two game series, followed by junior Cayden Cook’s 375 series. For the girls, senior Shelby Smith finished with a 400 series and freshman Megan Bugiel added a 312 series.
For the season, both Panther teams are 7-0 and are looking forward to a strong finish this year. Both teams are looking to repeat as conference champions and both teams are considered one of the favorites to win state this year. With everyone back this season, the boys especially are looking to repeat their state title run of last season.
“Luckily, we have all of our bowlers from last year’s state championship team back,” Nash said. “We have an excellent shot to repeat, but we are not going to win by simply showing up. We have to perform.”
So far, the boys are led by senior Chris Brown who averages 228 per game, followed by junior Adrian Nicholas’ 211, junior Jace Jennings’ 203 and senior Kenny Pederson’s 201.
The girls team will be trying to win their third state championship in the last five years. Smith has the chance to tie a state record by winning her third individual state title and become just the second player in the state to do so. Last year Smith set the state record with a three game 700 series. Nash says with Smith, the ladies always have a chance.
“While Shelby is a great bowler she is also a great leader,” Nash said. “Whether she is cheering on her team or sharing her knowledge with her teammates, she is about the team first.”
Smith is averaging 203 this year – up from her 192 average last year.
The Panthers will end the season this year with conference on February 6 and state on February 11.
“North Pulaski is a very solid program and I knew our team had to be focused to win the match,” Nash said. “Thankfully, the kids came in with a business attitude and won a hard fought match.”
Leading the way for the boys was senior Dylan Wilson, who bowled a 415 two game series, followed by junior Cayden Cook’s 375 series. For the girls, senior Shelby Smith finished with a 400 series and freshman Megan Bugiel added a 312 series.
For the season, both Panther teams are 7-0 and are looking forward to a strong finish this year. Both teams are looking to repeat as conference champions and both teams are considered one of the favorites to win state this year. With everyone back this season, the boys especially are looking to repeat their state title run of last season.
“Luckily, we have all of our bowlers from last year’s state championship team back,” Nash said. “We have an excellent shot to repeat, but we are not going to win by simply showing up. We have to perform.”
So far, the boys are led by senior Chris Brown who averages 228 per game, followed by junior Adrian Nicholas’ 211, junior Jace Jennings’ 203 and senior Kenny Pederson’s 201.
The girls team will be trying to win their third state championship in the last five years. Smith has the chance to tie a state record by winning her third individual state title and become just the second player in the state to do so. Last year Smith set the state record with a three game 700 series. Nash says with Smith, the ladies always have a chance.
“While Shelby is a great bowler she is also a great leader,” Nash said. “Whether she is cheering on her team or sharing her knowledge with her teammates, she is about the team first.”
Smith is averaging 203 this year – up from her 192 average last year.
The Panthers will end the season this year with conference on February 6 and state on February 11.
SPORTS STORY >> JHS gets two wins in River City play
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Jacksonville freshmen basketball teams got a River City Conference sweep of White Hall Thursday at Jacksonville High School. The Red Devil girls won 32-28 while the boys pulled off a 46-33 victory.
The Jacksonville boys ran out to a big lead early in the first quarter, but had trouble putting away the pesky Bulldogs. The Red Devils’ lead grew to 20 points twice and as many as 22 in the fourth quarter, but White Hall had its best run of the game in the last half of the final frame to make the score respectable.
Jacksonville post player Demarcus Hinton had a monster game. He finished with a team-high 10 points and a game high of 18 rebounds.
Jacksonville’s pressure took its toll early in the game as the Red Devils’ full-court defense forced seven White Hall turnovers in the opening period.
Jacksonville also struggled to score in the very early going. Gio Castellano came off the bench to spark the offense, scoring six straight points and leading the Red Devils to a 15-5 lead in the first quarter.
Jacksonville pushed its lead to 18 in the first three minutes of the second quarter, but was never able to distance itself much more the rest of the game.
Hinton scored two buckets and Castellano drained a three pointer to put the Red Devils up 25-7, but the game went into halftime with Jacksonville’s lead cut to 27-14.
Again in the third quarter, Jacksonville’s lead grew to 37-17, but a three pointer and bucket at the buzzer by Jordan Shaw made it 37-22 at the start of the fourth.
The Red Devils’ lead finally hit 20 points at the 4:35 mark of the fourth, and Laquan Smith’s two free throws made it 44-22 with 3:59 left in the game. From there White Hall outscored Jacksonville 13-4 the rest of the way.
Shaw did most of the damage for the Bulldogs. He hit two three pointers in the fourth, including a bank shot from the top of the key. He finished with a game-high 18 points and was the only Bulldog in double figures.
The win improves Jackson-ville to 9-2 while White Hall falls to 5-5.
The girls game was a game of second-half runs. Jacksonville grabbed a 9-4 lead in the first quarter and each team managed just six points in the second. White Hall scored the first four points of the third to make it 15-14, and Jacksonville took off from there.
The Lady Red Devils turned up the pressure and went on a 13-0 run. Most of the points came in transition after switching to a full-court defense. The Lady Bulldogs got just one more free throw after and Jacksonville took a 28-15 lead into the fourth quarter.
White Hall then scored the first six points of the fourth with pressure of its own. Jacksonville coach Jerry Wilson called timeout with 3:30 left and his team holding a 28-21 lead. The Lady Devils scored four quick points out of the timeout, but didn’t score again. White Hall scored seven straight and trailed by just four points with a minute left, but the Lady Bulldogs also failed to score again.
Jacksonville improved to 6-6 while White Hall fell to 3-7.
Leader sports editor
The Jacksonville freshmen basketball teams got a River City Conference sweep of White Hall Thursday at Jacksonville High School. The Red Devil girls won 32-28 while the boys pulled off a 46-33 victory.
The Jacksonville boys ran out to a big lead early in the first quarter, but had trouble putting away the pesky Bulldogs. The Red Devils’ lead grew to 20 points twice and as many as 22 in the fourth quarter, but White Hall had its best run of the game in the last half of the final frame to make the score respectable.
Jacksonville post player Demarcus Hinton had a monster game. He finished with a team-high 10 points and a game high of 18 rebounds.
Jacksonville’s pressure took its toll early in the game as the Red Devils’ full-court defense forced seven White Hall turnovers in the opening period.
Jacksonville also struggled to score in the very early going. Gio Castellano came off the bench to spark the offense, scoring six straight points and leading the Red Devils to a 15-5 lead in the first quarter.
Jacksonville pushed its lead to 18 in the first three minutes of the second quarter, but was never able to distance itself much more the rest of the game.
Hinton scored two buckets and Castellano drained a three pointer to put the Red Devils up 25-7, but the game went into halftime with Jacksonville’s lead cut to 27-14.
Again in the third quarter, Jacksonville’s lead grew to 37-17, but a three pointer and bucket at the buzzer by Jordan Shaw made it 37-22 at the start of the fourth.
The Red Devils’ lead finally hit 20 points at the 4:35 mark of the fourth, and Laquan Smith’s two free throws made it 44-22 with 3:59 left in the game. From there White Hall outscored Jacksonville 13-4 the rest of the way.
Shaw did most of the damage for the Bulldogs. He hit two three pointers in the fourth, including a bank shot from the top of the key. He finished with a game-high 18 points and was the only Bulldog in double figures.
The win improves Jackson-ville to 9-2 while White Hall falls to 5-5.
The girls game was a game of second-half runs. Jacksonville grabbed a 9-4 lead in the first quarter and each team managed just six points in the second. White Hall scored the first four points of the third to make it 15-14, and Jacksonville took off from there.
The Lady Red Devils turned up the pressure and went on a 13-0 run. Most of the points came in transition after switching to a full-court defense. The Lady Bulldogs got just one more free throw after and Jacksonville took a 28-15 lead into the fourth quarter.
White Hall then scored the first six points of the fourth with pressure of its own. Jacksonville coach Jerry Wilson called timeout with 3:30 left and his team holding a 28-21 lead. The Lady Devils scored four quick points out of the timeout, but didn’t score again. White Hall scored seven straight and trailed by just four points with a minute left, but the Lady Bulldogs also failed to score again.
Jacksonville improved to 6-6 while White Hall fell to 3-7.
SPORTS STORY >> Jackrabbits split a pair at Stuttgart
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Lonoke boys and girls teams split a pair of 4A-2 Conference games Thursday night at Stuttgart. Playing a makeup game that was postponed in early December due to much of Stuttgart’s team playing in the football state championship, the Lonoke boys got a 56-36 victory while the girls lost a 42-41 heartbreaker in overtime.
The boys were mired in a slow-paced game through two quarters, but the pace picked up dramatically in the second half. Stuttgart has struggled this season with a young team and a new coach, and tried to keep Lonoke from picking up early transition buckets. The Ricebirds came out in a 2-3 zone defense and Lonoke was patient with the ball. The Ricebirds were patient on offense as well, and it all led to a very low-scoring first quarter.
“We were guarding for pretty long stretches,” Lonoke coach Dean Campbell said. “I was proud of them for being able to guard that long. They were trying to be patient and run their stuff and we just moved our feet and did the things we were supposed to do.”
Lonoke held a 10-0 lead until Stuttgart finally scored on the last shot of the quarter. Things didn’t change much in the second quarter, but Campbell was still pleased with how his team performed.
“The first two quarters, I felt like even though we didn’t score a lot, we did things we’re supposed to do against a defense like that, and found open shots,” Campbell said.
The Jackrabbits took an 18-8 lead into intermission. They came out in the thirdquarter with a different tempo in mind and a plan to force it.
Lonoke’s pressure forced a few Stuttgart turnovers early in the third and the Jackrabbits built a 17-point lead. Stuttgart called timeout and that’s when Campbell says his team’s discipline waned a bit.
“I felt like after we jumped on them pretty good there in the third, we took a few too many chances defensively,” Campbell said. “We ended up giving them some open looks and some easy baskets. We did create a lot of turnovers, but once we did that we thought we could get them every time. They did a good job of taking advantage of that when they could.”
Stuttgart never seriously threatened to come back and win the game, but the head Jackrabbit would like to have seen his team put the Ricebirds away in the third.
“We still haven’t developed that killer instinct,” Campbell said. “We want to gamble too much and more times than not we end up letting teams climb back into it. Our stretches of playing fundamental basketball are getting longer. We are getting better and that’s good to see. You’re going to have peaks and valleys. We’re still working on making those valleys a lot shorter.”
Blake Mack led Lonoke with 13 points. Jamel Rankin scored 11 and Zach Risner added nine for the Jackrabbits (11-4, 5-1).
The Lady Jackrabbits (8-10, 2-4) led almost the entire game, but ended up needing a buzzer beater to send it to overtime. Stuttgart started the game in a spread out 2-3 zone and Lonoke attacked it well. The home team switched to a 1-3-1 and Lonoke had its best moments of the game.
“We really punished them when they went to the 1-3-1, so they got out of that,” Lonoke girls coach Nathan Morris said. “They finally went to a man defense in the fourth quarter and we didn’t do very well. I don’t know if we were tired, but we weren’t getting open. We weren’t setting very good screens and our guards weren’t looking for the screens. We were trying to fake our way open and it just wasn’t working.”
Lonoke led 12-6 after one quarter and 22-14 at halftime. Stuttgart cut the margin to two midway through the third, but Lonoke stretched back out to 30-22 by the start of the fourth. That’s when Stuttgart (9-6, 3-4) switched to man defense and outscored Lonoke 18-8 in the fourth quarter.
Lonoke sophomore Jasalyn Truelove hit a bucket at the end of regulation to send the game into overtime. Stuttgart’s offensive momentum stopped in its tracks in the overtime period. The Lady Ricebirds managed just two free throws the entire four minutes, but Lonoke got just one.
Truelove had two free throws with 2.6 seconds remaining in the extra period to tie or win the game, but missed them both.
“It’s easy to point at those two misses, but we were terrible from the line the whole game,” Morris said.
Lonoke went 9 of 24 from the line, including 1 of 10 in the second half and overtime.
“That’s the story right there,” Morris said. “Two more free throws anywhere and we win. We could’ve still shot less than 50 percent and won the game. But you make it hard on yourself when you hit 9 of 24.”
Kerasha Johnson led Lonoke with 14 points. Haley Johnson led Stuttgart with 16.
Lonoke played Clinton at home last night after The Leader deadlines and will turn around and host Stuttgart on Tuesday.
Leader sports editor
The Lonoke boys and girls teams split a pair of 4A-2 Conference games Thursday night at Stuttgart. Playing a makeup game that was postponed in early December due to much of Stuttgart’s team playing in the football state championship, the Lonoke boys got a 56-36 victory while the girls lost a 42-41 heartbreaker in overtime.
The boys were mired in a slow-paced game through two quarters, but the pace picked up dramatically in the second half. Stuttgart has struggled this season with a young team and a new coach, and tried to keep Lonoke from picking up early transition buckets. The Ricebirds came out in a 2-3 zone defense and Lonoke was patient with the ball. The Ricebirds were patient on offense as well, and it all led to a very low-scoring first quarter.
“We were guarding for pretty long stretches,” Lonoke coach Dean Campbell said. “I was proud of them for being able to guard that long. They were trying to be patient and run their stuff and we just moved our feet and did the things we were supposed to do.”
Lonoke held a 10-0 lead until Stuttgart finally scored on the last shot of the quarter. Things didn’t change much in the second quarter, but Campbell was still pleased with how his team performed.
“The first two quarters, I felt like even though we didn’t score a lot, we did things we’re supposed to do against a defense like that, and found open shots,” Campbell said.
The Jackrabbits took an 18-8 lead into intermission. They came out in the thirdquarter with a different tempo in mind and a plan to force it.
Lonoke’s pressure forced a few Stuttgart turnovers early in the third and the Jackrabbits built a 17-point lead. Stuttgart called timeout and that’s when Campbell says his team’s discipline waned a bit.
“I felt like after we jumped on them pretty good there in the third, we took a few too many chances defensively,” Campbell said. “We ended up giving them some open looks and some easy baskets. We did create a lot of turnovers, but once we did that we thought we could get them every time. They did a good job of taking advantage of that when they could.”
Stuttgart never seriously threatened to come back and win the game, but the head Jackrabbit would like to have seen his team put the Ricebirds away in the third.
“We still haven’t developed that killer instinct,” Campbell said. “We want to gamble too much and more times than not we end up letting teams climb back into it. Our stretches of playing fundamental basketball are getting longer. We are getting better and that’s good to see. You’re going to have peaks and valleys. We’re still working on making those valleys a lot shorter.”
Blake Mack led Lonoke with 13 points. Jamel Rankin scored 11 and Zach Risner added nine for the Jackrabbits (11-4, 5-1).
The Lady Jackrabbits (8-10, 2-4) led almost the entire game, but ended up needing a buzzer beater to send it to overtime. Stuttgart started the game in a spread out 2-3 zone and Lonoke attacked it well. The home team switched to a 1-3-1 and Lonoke had its best moments of the game.
“We really punished them when they went to the 1-3-1, so they got out of that,” Lonoke girls coach Nathan Morris said. “They finally went to a man defense in the fourth quarter and we didn’t do very well. I don’t know if we were tired, but we weren’t getting open. We weren’t setting very good screens and our guards weren’t looking for the screens. We were trying to fake our way open and it just wasn’t working.”
Lonoke led 12-6 after one quarter and 22-14 at halftime. Stuttgart cut the margin to two midway through the third, but Lonoke stretched back out to 30-22 by the start of the fourth. That’s when Stuttgart (9-6, 3-4) switched to man defense and outscored Lonoke 18-8 in the fourth quarter.
Lonoke sophomore Jasalyn Truelove hit a bucket at the end of regulation to send the game into overtime. Stuttgart’s offensive momentum stopped in its tracks in the overtime period. The Lady Ricebirds managed just two free throws the entire four minutes, but Lonoke got just one.
Truelove had two free throws with 2.6 seconds remaining in the extra period to tie or win the game, but missed them both.
“It’s easy to point at those two misses, but we were terrible from the line the whole game,” Morris said.
Lonoke went 9 of 24 from the line, including 1 of 10 in the second half and overtime.
“That’s the story right there,” Morris said. “Two more free throws anywhere and we win. We could’ve still shot less than 50 percent and won the game. But you make it hard on yourself when you hit 9 of 24.”
Kerasha Johnson led Lonoke with 14 points. Haley Johnson led Stuttgart with 16.
Lonoke played Clinton at home last night after The Leader deadlines and will turn around and host Stuttgart on Tuesday.
TOP STORY >> All kinds of weather visited in December
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
It’s hard to imagine after living through all that Christmas snow and, for many, five days or more without power that December started out setting and tying record highs.
Record highs were tied in Jacksonville on Dec. 1 at 75 degrees and on Dec 9 at 72 degrees. The month was the second warmest December on record, and the warmest since 1984, based on the average temperature.
Looking at just the high temperatures, it was the third warmest December on record, and looking at the low temperatures, it was the second warmest December on record.
But a little cold got into the month.
On Dec. 27 after the snow stopped falling and the skies opened up crystal blue, it got cold and a new low was set that morning in Jacksonville when it dipped to 13 degrees. The last seven days of the month averaged about eight degrees below normal.
Officially, the Christmas snowfall, the first in 86 years, was 8 inches in Jacksonville, with another inch added on the 26th. Cabot saw 10 inches and places around Ward clocked in at 13.5 inches, according to the National Weather Service.
The ice, sleet, snow, and blowing winds created near blizzard conditions for most of central Arkansas Christmas afternoon and into the next day.
Weather officials said this was the first time the area had seen such blizzard conditions since Jan. 28, 1966.
The Christmas snowstorm covered most of the state, with Harrison and Monticello getting a few tenths of an inch to central Arkansas where most residents saw eight or more inches.
The snowstorm set many all-time December snowfall records, both daily and monthly, as well as several all-time daily snow records, but it didn’t add much to the month’s total precipitation as it takes 10 inches of snow to equal one inch of rain. For the month, the local area received 5.6 inches of precipitation in December, most of that coming not in the Christmas snows, but in a pair of thunderstorms that rolled through during the month. The thunderstorms spawned two tornadoes in the state, raising the total to 18 for the year, well below the average of 33 tornadoes per year.
The 5.6 inches of precipitation was about a half inch more than normal.
According to weather monitors at Little Rock Air Force Base, nine inches of snow fell during a 24-hour period Dec. 25-26, making it the snowiest 24-hour December snowfall on record. The previous record was 8 inches set in 1963. The eight inches of snow on Christmas Day ranks as the snowiest December day on record, beating out the 7.7 inches that fell Dec. 22, 1963.
However the snowiest day on record for Jacksonville happened Jan. 6, 1988, when the area was hit with 11.9 inches of snow. The all-time record daily snowfall in December for the state was set Dec. 31, 1876, in Monticello when 21 inches fell.
Leader staff writer
It’s hard to imagine after living through all that Christmas snow and, for many, five days or more without power that December started out setting and tying record highs.
Record highs were tied in Jacksonville on Dec. 1 at 75 degrees and on Dec 9 at 72 degrees. The month was the second warmest December on record, and the warmest since 1984, based on the average temperature.
Looking at just the high temperatures, it was the third warmest December on record, and looking at the low temperatures, it was the second warmest December on record.
But a little cold got into the month.
On Dec. 27 after the snow stopped falling and the skies opened up crystal blue, it got cold and a new low was set that morning in Jacksonville when it dipped to 13 degrees. The last seven days of the month averaged about eight degrees below normal.
Officially, the Christmas snowfall, the first in 86 years, was 8 inches in Jacksonville, with another inch added on the 26th. Cabot saw 10 inches and places around Ward clocked in at 13.5 inches, according to the National Weather Service.
The ice, sleet, snow, and blowing winds created near blizzard conditions for most of central Arkansas Christmas afternoon and into the next day.
Weather officials said this was the first time the area had seen such blizzard conditions since Jan. 28, 1966.
The Christmas snowstorm covered most of the state, with Harrison and Monticello getting a few tenths of an inch to central Arkansas where most residents saw eight or more inches.
The snowstorm set many all-time December snowfall records, both daily and monthly, as well as several all-time daily snow records, but it didn’t add much to the month’s total precipitation as it takes 10 inches of snow to equal one inch of rain. For the month, the local area received 5.6 inches of precipitation in December, most of that coming not in the Christmas snows, but in a pair of thunderstorms that rolled through during the month. The thunderstorms spawned two tornadoes in the state, raising the total to 18 for the year, well below the average of 33 tornadoes per year.
The 5.6 inches of precipitation was about a half inch more than normal.
According to weather monitors at Little Rock Air Force Base, nine inches of snow fell during a 24-hour period Dec. 25-26, making it the snowiest 24-hour December snowfall on record. The previous record was 8 inches set in 1963. The eight inches of snow on Christmas Day ranks as the snowiest December day on record, beating out the 7.7 inches that fell Dec. 22, 1963.
However the snowiest day on record for Jacksonville happened Jan. 6, 1988, when the area was hit with 11.9 inches of snow. The all-time record daily snowfall in December for the state was set Dec. 31, 1876, in Monticello when 21 inches fell.
TOP STORY >> Command chief enjoy new role
By STAFF SGT. NESTOR CRUZ
19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
The chief master sergeant sat in her office and sipped coffee on a cold January day. She spoke with a gentle tone that gave no indication of her experience as a basic military training instructor at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
Chief Master Sgt. Andrea Gates, the 314th Airlift Wing’s newest command chief, is proud of her selection as the wing’s senior enlisted leader and the training experience she brings to the table.
“I’ve always liked to teach,” Gates said. “Even when I stopped being an instructor, I always liked to teach at the First Term Airman Center and other places because I like giving information back and mentoring.”
Gates said being a military training instructor was probably her most favorite job since it gave her the opportunity to mentor airmen at the beginning of their careers.
“I loved being an MTI,” the command chief said. “I liked being in that position of molding fresh, eager young people that you have the chance to influence and start them off on the right foot in their career.”
The command chief is excited to partner with her old friend, Chief Master Sgt. Margarita Overton, 19th Airlift Wing command chief, in training Little Rock airmen.
As the 314th AW command chief, Gates is responsible for the morale, welfare, professional development and combat readiness of the wing’s 900 airmen and 1,800 aircrew students. The wing’s mission is to train C-130 aircrew members from across the Department of Defense, Coast Guard and 44 allied nations, but Gates charges all airmen with being mentors.
“I feel that everybody in the Air Force is a teacher,” she said. “It’s all about passing on knowledge whether you got it from a book, a classroom or just from experience. If you’ve learned a lesson or picked up information along the way, and somebody else doesn’t have it, you need to pass that on.”
Gates is eager to get out and meet the men and women of Team Little Rock. She believes in using her position to help airmen to the best of her ability.
“To become a chief is to be in the best possible position to help airmen,” Gates said. “I just want to do everything I can to help and be in the best position to help everybody without forgetting where I came from or how I got here because it was certainly numerous airmen throughout my career who gave me the tool kit to be here today.”
“Anywhere you go nowadays it’s all about partnerships,” said Gates. “You find more and more bases with wings working together. Everybody brings something different to the fight.
Gates said, “Ultimately, the end result is getting airmen trained to the best of our ability. It’s a total force effort,” she added.
19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
The chief master sergeant sat in her office and sipped coffee on a cold January day. She spoke with a gentle tone that gave no indication of her experience as a basic military training instructor at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
Chief Master Sgt. Andrea Gates, the 314th Airlift Wing’s newest command chief, is proud of her selection as the wing’s senior enlisted leader and the training experience she brings to the table.
“I’ve always liked to teach,” Gates said. “Even when I stopped being an instructor, I always liked to teach at the First Term Airman Center and other places because I like giving information back and mentoring.”
Gates said being a military training instructor was probably her most favorite job since it gave her the opportunity to mentor airmen at the beginning of their careers.
“I loved being an MTI,” the command chief said. “I liked being in that position of molding fresh, eager young people that you have the chance to influence and start them off on the right foot in their career.”
The command chief is excited to partner with her old friend, Chief Master Sgt. Margarita Overton, 19th Airlift Wing command chief, in training Little Rock airmen.
As the 314th AW command chief, Gates is responsible for the morale, welfare, professional development and combat readiness of the wing’s 900 airmen and 1,800 aircrew students. The wing’s mission is to train C-130 aircrew members from across the Department of Defense, Coast Guard and 44 allied nations, but Gates charges all airmen with being mentors.
“I feel that everybody in the Air Force is a teacher,” she said. “It’s all about passing on knowledge whether you got it from a book, a classroom or just from experience. If you’ve learned a lesson or picked up information along the way, and somebody else doesn’t have it, you need to pass that on.”
Gates is eager to get out and meet the men and women of Team Little Rock. She believes in using her position to help airmen to the best of her ability.
“To become a chief is to be in the best possible position to help airmen,” Gates said. “I just want to do everything I can to help and be in the best position to help everybody without forgetting where I came from or how I got here because it was certainly numerous airmen throughout my career who gave me the tool kit to be here today.”
“Anywhere you go nowadays it’s all about partnerships,” said Gates. “You find more and more bases with wings working together. Everybody brings something different to the fight.
Gates said, “Ultimately, the end result is getting airmen trained to the best of our ability. It’s a total force effort,” she added.
TOP STORY >> A&P defends $150,000 deal with PR firm
By SARAH CAMPBELL
Leader staff writer
The Sells Agency has a $150,000 contract with Jacksonville to do what city employees can’t, according to the Jacksonville Advertising and Promotions Commission chairman.
The Little Rock-based marketing, advertising and public-releations firm does not duplicate the work of the chamber of commerce and economic development consultant Rickey Hayes of Retail Attractions, said A&P chairman Mike Houchen.
Hayes said, “(The Sells Agency) markets the city of Jacksonville locally and regionally. Our marketing is targeted to developers and national retailers and restaurants. It’s a completely different discipline. It’s not marketing the overall community to the region or to the citizens of Jacksonville.”
The commission paid the Sells Agency $151,543 in 2012. Houchen said the additional $1,543 that was over the budget for the contract came from leftover hamburger and motel tax revenues that were collected but not budgeted. The commission did not obtain the additional funds from their reserves, he said.
Houchen said the $151,543 is the most the commission has ever paid the agency. The reason for the additional spending was that the firm promoted the Little Rock Air Force Base air show that is held every two years and produced a video for the Jacksonville Boys and Girls Club to show at the first fundraising event the organization has held in several years. The video was also posted on the club’s website.
Houchen said city employees need help from the agency’s staff. “Everybody works together to promote the city. One person can’t do everything by themselves.”
He said the Sells Agency means six to eight people are working on the project rather than one individual.
Mike Sells, the owner of the Sells Agency, agreed. He said, “The agency has got a lot of professional specialist and we get results. We’ve got staffmembers that can do real specific things. (Clients) feel the agency has a lot of expertise it can’t get in-house.”
Houchen said city departments would have to spend “a whole lot more” to hire employees who could do what the Sells Agency does.
Jack Danielson of the Reed’s Bridge Preservation Society agreed. A press release with his name at the top as the person to contact for more information was submitted to The Leader as a sample of the Sells Agency’s work.
Danielson explained that he put together the information for the release, submitted it to the commission’s recording secretary, Nikki Wilmoth, and she forwarded it to the Sells Agency.
Danielson said, “They have all the places to contact. We give information and they put it together.”
Houchen disagreed that Jacksonville has three entities — the Sells Agency, Hayes and the Chamber of Commerce — performing the same function.
Houchen said the goal of the chamber and Hayes — a consultant who has a $60,000 a year contract with the city with up to another $20,000 for trips, conferences and other incidentals – is to attract businesses to Jacksonville.
Houchen continued, “What we do is totally different from what everyone else is doing. We go above and beyond.”
He explained that the commission’s role is to support tourism, not economic development, which is what the chamber and Hayes focus on.
The chairman said, “We don’t go around and pat ourselves on the back. We kind of just do what needs to be done and make sure it helps the city of Jacksonville. To advertise and promote the community and bring people into the community, to get people to spend money, that’s what the A&P commission does.”
Houchen said the city needs its contract with the Sells Agency.
He explained, “Other communities don’t have as much to overcome as we do. We’ve lost population while communities around us have gained. And you can’t sit here and tell me that these schools are fantastic.”
Houchen said the Sells Agency sends out e-mail notifications to the media 10 days before an event. He said the agency sends a second, reminder e-mail three days before the event.
Houchen offered another, specific example of how the Sells Agency money is used.
He said the chamber recently asked the commission to help advertise a job fair and expo it is holding at the old Walmart building in a couple of months.
The event is not the annual business expo.
The funds the commission is giving the chamber will come out of the agency’s $150,000, Houchen said.
“If someone needs advertising it comes out of the Sells (Agency) budget,” he noted.
According to Houchen, the commission’s total budget is about $800,000 — the prepared food tax and the hotel/motel tax. But half of that funds the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.
The commission operates with funds from a two-cent tax on prepared foods, also known as the hamburger tax, and a two-cent sales tax on hotel and motel room rates.
Houchen elaborated, “It would take $5 million of business to raise $100,000 in revenues. The A&P Commission would get $50,000. It takes a lot of work to generate a lot of money.”
But he was optimistic about the budget.
“The revenues over the last few years have increased every year. Communities around us can’t make that statement,” Houchen said.
Residents chip in every time they visit a restaurant in town, but a lot of the revenue comes from outside visitors, he said.
A lot of that money comes from the thousands of people who attend the Memphis Flea Market each month at the old Walmart, from visitors to the Museum of Military History, Reed’s Bridge and Splash Zone and from crowded tournaments at the ball fields, Houchen said.
“A whole lot of little things we do bring in business,” he continued, adding that the commission owns a portable stage that is “used everywhere in town.”
The commission bought uniforms for the Pathfinder basketball team to wear during tournaments and canoes for the North Pulaski High School stream team.
Houchen said last year was the first time the commission has spent the entire amount it budgets for the agency’s contract. The money that isn’t used does not roll over to the next year, he explained.
Leftover funds from the last few years have provided the commission with a $400,000 fund for emergencies and/or big projects.
Houchen noted, “We have to have reserves. We don’t budget to the max. We’re very conservative with budgeting.The last thing we want to do is run out of money the last two months of the year. We don’t budget for growth. You might call us negotiators. We don’t believe in paying sticker price.”
Of those “negotiators,” according to the city’s code, four must be Pulaski County residents and own or manage businesses in the travel industry. Three have to manage a restaurant, hotel, motel, bed and breakfast or other temporary lodging facility in Jacksonville. The at-large member has to be a Jacksonville resident. Two members must be on the city council.
The city council members serve the term of that office while the rest on the commission have four-year, staggered terms.
The other commissioners are:
• Ray Patel of Days Inn, whose term ends on March 31. He has been serving on the commission since 2003.
• Jim Hurley of Wendy’s, whose term ends in 2015. He has been on the commission since 2003.
• Former Mayor Tommy Swaim, the at-large member, has been a commissioner since 2003. His term also ends in 2015.
• Andy Patel of Comfort Inn, whose term ends in 2016, has been serving on the commission since 2005.
• Aldermen Reedie Ray and Kenny Elliott, whose terms will end in 2014. Ray joined the commission in 2009, and Elliot joined the commission in August.
Houchen does not meet the requirements to be reappointed to the commission. He previously managed Sonic and worked with Cody’s Café until it closed about six months ago.
Houchen didn’t want to share the personal reason he is not employed now.
His term expires on March 31, and Houchen said he would probably not seek another four years on the commission.
All the members are in compliance with requirements because those standards are applied at the time people are appointed to the commission.
Sells Agency employees performed the following tasks for Jacksonville and were paid for them in 2012:
• 2011 branding campaign project supervision.
• Website revisions including interactive design and project management.
• Business and visitors guide with art concept/direction, mechanical art, copywriting, proofing, print production and printing. Mechanical art includes changes to the original design work and is billed at a lower rate because it is less “strategic,” according to Sells.
• 2011 fall photography project management.
• Project coordination, public relations and public relations support. Sells said the difference between public relations and public relations support is how much the staff has to do. Public relations support is billed at a lower rate because it either involves less demanding work, such as revising rather than writing a press release, or a junior staff member is completing the tasks involved, according to Sells.
• Account management.
• Account supervision.
• Account coordination.
• Office supplies.
• Mileage and postage.
• Military museum brochure with project management, mechanical art, print production and printing.
• Newspaper ads.
• Facebook ads.
• Magazine ads.
Leader staff writer
The Sells Agency has a $150,000 contract with Jacksonville to do what city employees can’t, according to the Jacksonville Advertising and Promotions Commission chairman.
The Little Rock-based marketing, advertising and public-releations firm does not duplicate the work of the chamber of commerce and economic development consultant Rickey Hayes of Retail Attractions, said A&P chairman Mike Houchen.
Hayes said, “(The Sells Agency) markets the city of Jacksonville locally and regionally. Our marketing is targeted to developers and national retailers and restaurants. It’s a completely different discipline. It’s not marketing the overall community to the region or to the citizens of Jacksonville.”
The commission paid the Sells Agency $151,543 in 2012. Houchen said the additional $1,543 that was over the budget for the contract came from leftover hamburger and motel tax revenues that were collected but not budgeted. The commission did not obtain the additional funds from their reserves, he said.
Houchen said the $151,543 is the most the commission has ever paid the agency. The reason for the additional spending was that the firm promoted the Little Rock Air Force Base air show that is held every two years and produced a video for the Jacksonville Boys and Girls Club to show at the first fundraising event the organization has held in several years. The video was also posted on the club’s website.
Houchen said city employees need help from the agency’s staff. “Everybody works together to promote the city. One person can’t do everything by themselves.”
He said the Sells Agency means six to eight people are working on the project rather than one individual.
Mike Sells, the owner of the Sells Agency, agreed. He said, “The agency has got a lot of professional specialist and we get results. We’ve got staffmembers that can do real specific things. (Clients) feel the agency has a lot of expertise it can’t get in-house.”
Houchen said city departments would have to spend “a whole lot more” to hire employees who could do what the Sells Agency does.
Jack Danielson of the Reed’s Bridge Preservation Society agreed. A press release with his name at the top as the person to contact for more information was submitted to The Leader as a sample of the Sells Agency’s work.
Danielson explained that he put together the information for the release, submitted it to the commission’s recording secretary, Nikki Wilmoth, and she forwarded it to the Sells Agency.
Danielson said, “They have all the places to contact. We give information and they put it together.”
Houchen disagreed that Jacksonville has three entities — the Sells Agency, Hayes and the Chamber of Commerce — performing the same function.
Houchen said the goal of the chamber and Hayes — a consultant who has a $60,000 a year contract with the city with up to another $20,000 for trips, conferences and other incidentals – is to attract businesses to Jacksonville.
Houchen continued, “What we do is totally different from what everyone else is doing. We go above and beyond.”
He explained that the commission’s role is to support tourism, not economic development, which is what the chamber and Hayes focus on.
The chairman said, “We don’t go around and pat ourselves on the back. We kind of just do what needs to be done and make sure it helps the city of Jacksonville. To advertise and promote the community and bring people into the community, to get people to spend money, that’s what the A&P commission does.”
Houchen said the city needs its contract with the Sells Agency.
He explained, “Other communities don’t have as much to overcome as we do. We’ve lost population while communities around us have gained. And you can’t sit here and tell me that these schools are fantastic.”
Houchen said the Sells Agency sends out e-mail notifications to the media 10 days before an event. He said the agency sends a second, reminder e-mail three days before the event.
Houchen offered another, specific example of how the Sells Agency money is used.
He said the chamber recently asked the commission to help advertise a job fair and expo it is holding at the old Walmart building in a couple of months.
The event is not the annual business expo.
The funds the commission is giving the chamber will come out of the agency’s $150,000, Houchen said.
“If someone needs advertising it comes out of the Sells (Agency) budget,” he noted.
According to Houchen, the commission’s total budget is about $800,000 — the prepared food tax and the hotel/motel tax. But half of that funds the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.
The commission operates with funds from a two-cent tax on prepared foods, also known as the hamburger tax, and a two-cent sales tax on hotel and motel room rates.
Houchen elaborated, “It would take $5 million of business to raise $100,000 in revenues. The A&P Commission would get $50,000. It takes a lot of work to generate a lot of money.”
But he was optimistic about the budget.
“The revenues over the last few years have increased every year. Communities around us can’t make that statement,” Houchen said.
Residents chip in every time they visit a restaurant in town, but a lot of the revenue comes from outside visitors, he said.
A lot of that money comes from the thousands of people who attend the Memphis Flea Market each month at the old Walmart, from visitors to the Museum of Military History, Reed’s Bridge and Splash Zone and from crowded tournaments at the ball fields, Houchen said.
“A whole lot of little things we do bring in business,” he continued, adding that the commission owns a portable stage that is “used everywhere in town.”
The commission bought uniforms for the Pathfinder basketball team to wear during tournaments and canoes for the North Pulaski High School stream team.
Houchen said last year was the first time the commission has spent the entire amount it budgets for the agency’s contract. The money that isn’t used does not roll over to the next year, he explained.
Leftover funds from the last few years have provided the commission with a $400,000 fund for emergencies and/or big projects.
Houchen noted, “We have to have reserves. We don’t budget to the max. We’re very conservative with budgeting.The last thing we want to do is run out of money the last two months of the year. We don’t budget for growth. You might call us negotiators. We don’t believe in paying sticker price.”
Of those “negotiators,” according to the city’s code, four must be Pulaski County residents and own or manage businesses in the travel industry. Three have to manage a restaurant, hotel, motel, bed and breakfast or other temporary lodging facility in Jacksonville. The at-large member has to be a Jacksonville resident. Two members must be on the city council.
The city council members serve the term of that office while the rest on the commission have four-year, staggered terms.
The other commissioners are:
• Ray Patel of Days Inn, whose term ends on March 31. He has been serving on the commission since 2003.
• Jim Hurley of Wendy’s, whose term ends in 2015. He has been on the commission since 2003.
• Former Mayor Tommy Swaim, the at-large member, has been a commissioner since 2003. His term also ends in 2015.
• Andy Patel of Comfort Inn, whose term ends in 2016, has been serving on the commission since 2005.
• Aldermen Reedie Ray and Kenny Elliott, whose terms will end in 2014. Ray joined the commission in 2009, and Elliot joined the commission in August.
Houchen does not meet the requirements to be reappointed to the commission. He previously managed Sonic and worked with Cody’s Café until it closed about six months ago.
Houchen didn’t want to share the personal reason he is not employed now.
His term expires on March 31, and Houchen said he would probably not seek another four years on the commission.
All the members are in compliance with requirements because those standards are applied at the time people are appointed to the commission.
Sells Agency employees performed the following tasks for Jacksonville and were paid for them in 2012:
• 2011 branding campaign project supervision.
• Website revisions including interactive design and project management.
• Business and visitors guide with art concept/direction, mechanical art, copywriting, proofing, print production and printing. Mechanical art includes changes to the original design work and is billed at a lower rate because it is less “strategic,” according to Sells.
• 2011 fall photography project management.
• Project coordination, public relations and public relations support. Sells said the difference between public relations and public relations support is how much the staff has to do. Public relations support is billed at a lower rate because it either involves less demanding work, such as revising rather than writing a press release, or a junior staff member is completing the tasks involved, according to Sells.
• Account management.
• Account supervision.
• Account coordination.
• Office supplies.
• Mileage and postage.
• Military museum brochure with project management, mechanical art, print production and printing.
• Newspaper ads.
• Facebook ads.
• Magazine ads.
• Radio ads.
• Ads in other print publications, such as travel guides.
• Reed’s Bridge brochure with print production and printing.
• 2012 spring photography including project management, art concept/direction and photo shoot art direction.
• Creative direction/supervision, project management and art concept/direction for benefit concert.
• Jacksonville logo update include project management, project coordination, creative direction/supervision, art concept/direction and revisions.
• Project management, broadcast coordination, broadcast production and TV/video production for Boys and Girls Club video.
• Boys and Girls Club event program including project management and art concept/direction.
• Parks and Recreation Department brochure including intern art direction, project management, creative direction/supervision, art concept/direction and copywriting.
• City map revisions with project management, creative direction/supervision, creative development, art concept/direction, revisions and print production.
• Visitor’s guide for air show with project management, art concept/direction and copywriting.
• Video visitor’s guide with TV/video production.
• Printing of the city map,
• Air show T-shirts with project management, art concept/direction, print production and printing.
• Creative direction/supervision, print production and printing for air show booth banner.
• And project management and mechanical art for air show booth.
The commission renewed its $150,000 contract with the Sells Agency last month. The firm has worked with the commission for the last four years. The old contract expired on Jan. 1. The commission was considering one other firm, Heathcott of Little Rock. Heathcott, which offers lower rates than Sells and has Jacksonville roots, was encouraged to resubmit a proposal in the fall.
• Ads in other print publications, such as travel guides.
• Reed’s Bridge brochure with print production and printing.
• 2012 spring photography including project management, art concept/direction and photo shoot art direction.
• Creative direction/supervision, project management and art concept/direction for benefit concert.
• Jacksonville logo update include project management, project coordination, creative direction/supervision, art concept/direction and revisions.
• Project management, broadcast coordination, broadcast production and TV/video production for Boys and Girls Club video.
• Boys and Girls Club event program including project management and art concept/direction.
• Parks and Recreation Department brochure including intern art direction, project management, creative direction/supervision, art concept/direction and copywriting.
• City map revisions with project management, creative direction/supervision, creative development, art concept/direction, revisions and print production.
• Visitor’s guide for air show with project management, art concept/direction and copywriting.
• Video visitor’s guide with TV/video production.
• Printing of the city map,
• Air show T-shirts with project management, art concept/direction, print production and printing.
• Creative direction/supervision, print production and printing for air show booth banner.
• And project management and mechanical art for air show booth.
The commission renewed its $150,000 contract with the Sells Agency last month. The firm has worked with the commission for the last four years. The old contract expired on Jan. 1. The commission was considering one other firm, Heathcott of Little Rock. Heathcott, which offers lower rates than Sells and has Jacksonville roots, was encouraged to resubmit a proposal in the fall.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
EDITORIAL >> Our request on sequester
During their visit to Little Rock Air Force Base last week, Sen. Mark Pryor and Rep. Tim Griffin didn’t exactly panic when they discussed future cuts with military leaders, although Pryor and Griffin conceded the Jacksonville base will lose some C-130s and personnel as billions of dollars are cut from the military budget in the next decade.
Not only will the military lose substantial funding, but so will almost every federal department and agency. The government may not be able to pay its bills after March if Republicans and Democrats don’t address our fiscal crisis.
Pentagon officials have warned Congress that the budget impasse will hurt the military’s readiness and ability to plan for the future. Flight times have already been reduced 20 percent, civilian hiring frozen and nonessential procurement and travel eliminated.
The Pentagon says Washington’s “budget gymnastics” have compromised national security, forcing the military to prepare for a fiscal cliff of its own, even if sequestration is still just a threat.
The military could lose $54.6 billion from this year’s $530 billion budget and hundreds of billions more for a decade if the stalemate continues.
The White House and Congress only temporarily avoided the fiscal cliff on New Year’s Eve, but there will be more budget cuts in March, especially if there’s no deal on raising the debt ceiling. The Pentagon needs to know how much to cut so it can keep airplanes in the air and troops fully equipped for battle.
Prudent voices in Washington are nervous about the next fight over the national debt limit and sequestration, which could harm the military and our national security and hold up checks to military personnel and government contractors, as well as Social Security recipients and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries and others depending on the government.
The so-called fiscal cliff may be a metaphor for our nation’s financial problems, but this is what political brinkmanship looks like: The government will soon lack the ability to issue checks and will have to send out IOUs instead.
Republicans had championed the idea of forced spending reductions, but not so much lately. Rep. Griffin and other budget cutters in Congress thought they could reduce military spending and other domestic programs across-the-board by 9.4 percent. These forced cuts, called sequestration in Washington lingo, would mean more than $1 trillion eliminated from the military budget over the next decade.
Air Force Secretary Michael Donley said last week that sequestration “will have an immediate and negative impact on Air Force readiness” because of reduced flying hours and scaled back operations. Cutbacks in the past have resulted in “a hollow force, one that looks good on paper but lacks the resources to adequately train, maintain or keep up with emerging technology.”
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and others in the Pentagon say the budget cuts will make it more difficult for the military to function as a first-rate fighting force.
Last year, the Air Force eliminated 30,000 positions and retired nearly 1,900 aircraft. According to Donley, the size of the Air Force will bottom out at 329,000, the smallest force since the service started in 1947.
The economy is bound to improve and all the cuts planned for Little Rock Air Force Base may never happen. There is also talk of budgeting in 36 more C-130s around the country. Perhaps the Jacksonville base could retain at least a dozen of them, especially if the Avionics Modernization Program is revived, which would keep hundreds of older C-130s flying for another generation. The AMP program costs $7 million per plane, which is a bargain, considering the new C-130Js cost about $65 million each.
The C-130Js are expensive, which is why the Air Force has been slow incoporating them into the cargo fleet. About a third of the 80 C-130s on base are Js, although a few more are on order.
As Donley pointed out last week, “The latest modernization of the C-130 fleet began in 1999, but at the current rate, only 42 percent will have been replaced with the new J-model by 2019 — 20 years later.”
Deep cuts will make the Air Force transport fleet less effective. That’s why Sen. Pryor and Rep. Griffin think such plans may be a bit hasty. Griffin says Congress should approve the proposed cuts, but if Washington runs out of money, that may be academic. In any event, each congressional delegation will then fight to defend its own military bases until the money runs out. “In the end, these are military decisions,” Pryor told us.
Still, Little Rock Air Force Base towers over most others in its record of accomplishment in wars and humanitarian efforts. It should be spared major cuts as the budget fight resumes in Washington.
Not only will the military lose substantial funding, but so will almost every federal department and agency. The government may not be able to pay its bills after March if Republicans and Democrats don’t address our fiscal crisis.
Pentagon officials have warned Congress that the budget impasse will hurt the military’s readiness and ability to plan for the future. Flight times have already been reduced 20 percent, civilian hiring frozen and nonessential procurement and travel eliminated.
The Pentagon says Washington’s “budget gymnastics” have compromised national security, forcing the military to prepare for a fiscal cliff of its own, even if sequestration is still just a threat.
The military could lose $54.6 billion from this year’s $530 billion budget and hundreds of billions more for a decade if the stalemate continues.
The White House and Congress only temporarily avoided the fiscal cliff on New Year’s Eve, but there will be more budget cuts in March, especially if there’s no deal on raising the debt ceiling. The Pentagon needs to know how much to cut so it can keep airplanes in the air and troops fully equipped for battle.
Prudent voices in Washington are nervous about the next fight over the national debt limit and sequestration, which could harm the military and our national security and hold up checks to military personnel and government contractors, as well as Social Security recipients and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries and others depending on the government.
The so-called fiscal cliff may be a metaphor for our nation’s financial problems, but this is what political brinkmanship looks like: The government will soon lack the ability to issue checks and will have to send out IOUs instead.
Republicans had championed the idea of forced spending reductions, but not so much lately. Rep. Griffin and other budget cutters in Congress thought they could reduce military spending and other domestic programs across-the-board by 9.4 percent. These forced cuts, called sequestration in Washington lingo, would mean more than $1 trillion eliminated from the military budget over the next decade.
Air Force Secretary Michael Donley said last week that sequestration “will have an immediate and negative impact on Air Force readiness” because of reduced flying hours and scaled back operations. Cutbacks in the past have resulted in “a hollow force, one that looks good on paper but lacks the resources to adequately train, maintain or keep up with emerging technology.”
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and others in the Pentagon say the budget cuts will make it more difficult for the military to function as a first-rate fighting force.
Last year, the Air Force eliminated 30,000 positions and retired nearly 1,900 aircraft. According to Donley, the size of the Air Force will bottom out at 329,000, the smallest force since the service started in 1947.
The economy is bound to improve and all the cuts planned for Little Rock Air Force Base may never happen. There is also talk of budgeting in 36 more C-130s around the country. Perhaps the Jacksonville base could retain at least a dozen of them, especially if the Avionics Modernization Program is revived, which would keep hundreds of older C-130s flying for another generation. The AMP program costs $7 million per plane, which is a bargain, considering the new C-130Js cost about $65 million each.
The C-130Js are expensive, which is why the Air Force has been slow incoporating them into the cargo fleet. About a third of the 80 C-130s on base are Js, although a few more are on order.
As Donley pointed out last week, “The latest modernization of the C-130 fleet began in 1999, but at the current rate, only 42 percent will have been replaced with the new J-model by 2019 — 20 years later.”
Deep cuts will make the Air Force transport fleet less effective. That’s why Sen. Pryor and Rep. Griffin think such plans may be a bit hasty. Griffin says Congress should approve the proposed cuts, but if Washington runs out of money, that may be academic. In any event, each congressional delegation will then fight to defend its own military bases until the money runs out. “In the end, these are military decisions,” Pryor told us.
Still, Little Rock Air Force Base towers over most others in its record of accomplishment in wars and humanitarian efforts. It should be spared major cuts as the budget fight resumes in Washington.
TOP STORY >> Drummers march at bowl game
By JEFFREY SMITH
Leader staff writer
North Pulaski High School band drummers Nathan Crews and Brandan Beard returned from a once-in-a-lifetime experience playing drums in front of a national audience at the football championship game in Miami.
The two seniors were part of the all-star invitational marching band that performed during halftime between Alabama and Notre Dame last week.
Crews said, “It was awesome. We went down there for seven days. Coming from 30 degrees to 80 degrees was quite a change.”
Beard said, “The weather was great. We were able to get away from the cold, freezing weather.”
The marching band had four days of eight-hour practices before performing on Jan. 7.
During the pregame ceremonies all-star band members held the large American flag during the national anthem. They then played in two different shows during halftime.
If you think they got to watch Alabama whip up on Notre Dame during the game, you are mistaken. Beard said after they held the flag, the band went from the stadium back to their buses. They waited until near the end of the second quarter, when they got their instruments ready and walked back into the stadium. After performing, it was back to buses to return to the motel.
Beard said they were able to see a little of the game before halftime as they stood behind the Alabama football team on the sidelines.
But they weren’t there to watch a football game, they were there to perform for the huge crowd.
Crews said the first song was performed by the 150 all-star band members. During the second song, another high school band of 50 members joined them.
Crews said, “It was crazy, about 80,000 people. It was a lot different than the 400 people tops at a North Pulaski home game. The stadium, hearing the roar; it was breathtaking going into the crowd.”
Beard said, “It was pretty awesome. A once-in-a-lifetime experience to perform in front of that many people. Breathtaking, walking into the stadium hearing the crowd roar as you’re performing. Them looking at you was really exciting,” Beard said.
Crews said the band members all had a positive attitude because they wanted to be there. The band directors were from Arizona State and Notre Dame. Since they direct college bands, they had high expectations for the high school students.
Beard said it was a little bit different from playing in the high school band. The all-star band had more experience and made more use of the time and progressing faster.
The drum line was twice the size of North Pulaski’s.
The college band directors put more responsibility on the students. They assumed and expected the students to know how to march and play the music.
Beard said, “I also got to meet the Notre Dame and Alabama marching bands as well, pretty awesome.”
He expects to be in a college drum line soon. He was able to see how a college band operates and get a feel for what is ahead for him.
Crews said, “The pep rally of both teams was crazy.”
He said it was on the beach with about 7,000 people for Notre Dame’s rally and around 500 to 1,000 people for Alabama’s rally.
Beard said, “It was pretty awesome, had a great time, met new people I’m still keeping in contact with; a great experience.”
Beard said the people made it a great time. He met a lot of people that he has a lot in common. They had to work as team to make it work.
Beard said, “Even the directors and instructors were understanding. They helped if we needed assistance and took the time to actually help us in order to make us as good and successful as we needed to be.”
Crews said, “I learned to accept each other as friends and to work with each other. I learned some new skills and techniques that I can further my (band) career with.”
Crews was appreciative for those who helped out with paying for the trip. Beard said, “Thank you for everyone’s donations and support.”
Leader staff writer
North Pulaski High School band drummers Nathan Crews and Brandan Beard returned from a once-in-a-lifetime experience playing drums in front of a national audience at the football championship game in Miami.
The two seniors were part of the all-star invitational marching band that performed during halftime between Alabama and Notre Dame last week.
Crews said, “It was awesome. We went down there for seven days. Coming from 30 degrees to 80 degrees was quite a change.”
Beard said, “The weather was great. We were able to get away from the cold, freezing weather.”
The marching band had four days of eight-hour practices before performing on Jan. 7.
During the pregame ceremonies all-star band members held the large American flag during the national anthem. They then played in two different shows during halftime.
If you think they got to watch Alabama whip up on Notre Dame during the game, you are mistaken. Beard said after they held the flag, the band went from the stadium back to their buses. They waited until near the end of the second quarter, when they got their instruments ready and walked back into the stadium. After performing, it was back to buses to return to the motel.
Beard said they were able to see a little of the game before halftime as they stood behind the Alabama football team on the sidelines.
But they weren’t there to watch a football game, they were there to perform for the huge crowd.
Crews said the first song was performed by the 150 all-star band members. During the second song, another high school band of 50 members joined them.
Crews said, “It was crazy, about 80,000 people. It was a lot different than the 400 people tops at a North Pulaski home game. The stadium, hearing the roar; it was breathtaking going into the crowd.”
Beard said, “It was pretty awesome. A once-in-a-lifetime experience to perform in front of that many people. Breathtaking, walking into the stadium hearing the crowd roar as you’re performing. Them looking at you was really exciting,” Beard said.
Crews said the band members all had a positive attitude because they wanted to be there. The band directors were from Arizona State and Notre Dame. Since they direct college bands, they had high expectations for the high school students.
Beard said it was a little bit different from playing in the high school band. The all-star band had more experience and made more use of the time and progressing faster.
The drum line was twice the size of North Pulaski’s.
The college band directors put more responsibility on the students. They assumed and expected the students to know how to march and play the music.
Beard said, “I also got to meet the Notre Dame and Alabama marching bands as well, pretty awesome.”
He expects to be in a college drum line soon. He was able to see how a college band operates and get a feel for what is ahead for him.
Crews said, “The pep rally of both teams was crazy.”
He said it was on the beach with about 7,000 people for Notre Dame’s rally and around 500 to 1,000 people for Alabama’s rally.
Beard said, “It was pretty awesome, had a great time, met new people I’m still keeping in contact with; a great experience.”
Beard said the people made it a great time. He met a lot of people that he has a lot in common. They had to work as team to make it work.
Beard said, “Even the directors and instructors were understanding. They helped if we needed assistance and took the time to actually help us in order to make us as good and successful as we needed to be.”
Crews said, “I learned to accept each other as friends and to work with each other. I learned some new skills and techniques that I can further my (band) career with.”
Crews was appreciative for those who helped out with paying for the trip. Beard said, “Thank you for everyone’s donations and support.”
TOP STORY >> Wintery weather swoops in again
By JOAN McCOY
Leader staff writer
Tuesday’s wintry weather mix of light sleet, light snow and freezing rain turned out to be more of a hindrance than a danger.
Schools let out early Tues-day in most of The Leader’s coverage area as roads became slick. But Pulaski County Special School District decided to stay the full day after transportation officials contacted the National Weather Service which predicted an end to the worst of the weather by11:30 a.m. and mushy ice by the evening.
Lonoke schools closed at 11 a.m. while Beebe waited until 1:30 and Cabot held out until 2:30 p.m. Whether any would be open today was a question that had not been answered at press time. The answer was dependent on the weather.
Eddie Cook, director of operations for the city of Cabot, said street department crews started sanding bridges and overpasses when the sleet started falling and the roads were clear at midday except for Hwy. 5, which was becoming icy.
Jim Greer, head of Beebe’s street department, said the highway department sanded overpasses in town and that all the city streets were passable. They were getting slick at 1 p.m., he said. But the temperature came up a couple of degrees leaving only occasional patches of ice, no solid sheets.
Canceled evening meetings are common during bad winter weather, but at press time the commission that runs Cabot parks was still planning to meet. The commission was criticized late last year for its lackadaisical style and poor meeting attendance and has made a concerted effort to change its image.
On Tuesday, the commission was expected to choose a site for the baseball and water park that the city will build if voters approve an extension of the existing one-cent sales tax. Also on the agenda was the selection of an architect to design the estimated $15 million facility. The commission was expecting representatives from five companies interested in the project to attend the meeting.
Jim Oakley, Jacksonville’s public works director, said his crews were out mid-morning Tuesday spreading a sand and salt mixture on bridges and major intersections. “It warmed up a little after lunch and the sleet and ice turned to rain and washed most of the slush away,” Oakley explained. But then that water turned icy and Oakley had trucks back out at 6 p.m. sanding bridges. He also said that trucks would be out early Wednesday morning before rush hour and would sanding streets through the night.
“The police department keeps us updated on areas getting bad and we make sure we sand them,” Oakley said.
State offices will open two hours late today.
Leader staff writer
Tuesday’s wintry weather mix of light sleet, light snow and freezing rain turned out to be more of a hindrance than a danger.
Schools let out early Tues-day in most of The Leader’s coverage area as roads became slick. But Pulaski County Special School District decided to stay the full day after transportation officials contacted the National Weather Service which predicted an end to the worst of the weather by11:30 a.m. and mushy ice by the evening.
Lonoke schools closed at 11 a.m. while Beebe waited until 1:30 and Cabot held out until 2:30 p.m. Whether any would be open today was a question that had not been answered at press time. The answer was dependent on the weather.
Eddie Cook, director of operations for the city of Cabot, said street department crews started sanding bridges and overpasses when the sleet started falling and the roads were clear at midday except for Hwy. 5, which was becoming icy.
Jim Greer, head of Beebe’s street department, said the highway department sanded overpasses in town and that all the city streets were passable. They were getting slick at 1 p.m., he said. But the temperature came up a couple of degrees leaving only occasional patches of ice, no solid sheets.
Canceled evening meetings are common during bad winter weather, but at press time the commission that runs Cabot parks was still planning to meet. The commission was criticized late last year for its lackadaisical style and poor meeting attendance and has made a concerted effort to change its image.
On Tuesday, the commission was expected to choose a site for the baseball and water park that the city will build if voters approve an extension of the existing one-cent sales tax. Also on the agenda was the selection of an architect to design the estimated $15 million facility. The commission was expecting representatives from five companies interested in the project to attend the meeting.
Jim Oakley, Jacksonville’s public works director, said his crews were out mid-morning Tuesday spreading a sand and salt mixture on bridges and major intersections. “It warmed up a little after lunch and the sleet and ice turned to rain and washed most of the slush away,” Oakley explained. But then that water turned icy and Oakley had trucks back out at 6 p.m. sanding bridges. He also said that trucks would be out early Wednesday morning before rush hour and would sanding streets through the night.
“The police department keeps us updated on areas getting bad and we make sure we sand them,” Oakley said.
State offices will open two hours late today.
TOP STORY >> Area legislators hopeful
By JOHN HOFHEIMER
Leader senior staff writer
Gov. Mike Beebe alluded mysteriously to the likelihood of one of the largest economic development announcements in the near future that the state has ever seen in his state of the state address Tuesday, then moved on without elaboration to more predictable fare.
Addressing the opening session of the 89th General Assembly, Beebe’s speech was well-stated and well-received, focusing on Medicaid, Medicaid expansion, education and also finishing the elimination of all but 1/8 percent on the grocery tax. He said until the state came up with new revenue—perhaps cessation of the $70 million a year state support of desegregation in Pulaski County school districts—it could not afford to eliminate the tax completely.
Beebe alluded to big economic news coming soon to Arkansas, but would say no more. He said his legislative agenda included joining an Intrastate Educational Compact, which would make it easier for students to change schools when their military parents are transferred to another state. Also included is a proposal that would allow the state to recognize licenses and certification from other states for military spouses who move to Arkansas. He has cited the examples of teachers and nurses.
Local lawmakers expressed hopes that both Republicans—who control both houses of the legislature for the first time—and Democrats can pull in tandem to address those issues facing the state.
“Nobody wants to throw nursing home patients out of their beds,” Beebe said, and the money spent on the $300 million Medicaid shortfall and more on the expansion would be an investment in the state.
“Expanding Medicaid can keep hospitals open and operational,” the governor said. “It can give 250,000 Arkansans the chance to lead healthier, more productive lives. It can ease uncompensated care and relieve the hidden tax that we all pay. It will create additional private-sector jobs. We just have to say yes.”
MORE THAN ‘YES’
“There’s a lot more to that conversation than ‘yes,’” said Dist. 28 Sen. Jonathan Dismang, R-Beebe. “We have to have assurances we can afford it in the future. There’s a lot of uncertainty on the federal level.”
Dismang said he had been gathering all the information he could about the cost of Medicaid and expanding it by 250,000 Arkansans. He wondered how that would overlay the budget. Would it cause future problems?
For those states that opt for Medicaid expansion, the federal government would pay all costs for the first three years with the state paying more until 2017, when gradually Arkansas’ share would top out at 10 percent.
Dismang’s committee assignments include the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee, the Arkansas Legislative Council and the Joint Budget Committee.
House Speaker Davy Carter, R-Cabot, has said he hopes to work closely with the governor, a Democrat, on the Medicaid issue, but he’s not ready to commit to the expansion. Carter, a banker who has resigned to devote full time to his speaker’s job, said he’s been studying the numbers and says he expects a number of vigorous debates on the Medicaid issues.
Carter said Tuesday he didn’t know if the Medicaid expansion would be a straight up or down vote or whether there could be a substitute bill.
He said so far the spirit of bipartisanship continues, but the first two days have been largely ceremonial.
“We’ve had probably 30 or 40 bills filed in the House and making their way through the committee process,” Carter said. “They should start showing up on the House calendar.”
WORKING POOR PROTECTION
“The governor delivered a very powerful address about the issues facing us and the need to address them in a bipartisan manner,” said Dist. 41 Rep. Jim Nickels, D- Sher-wood. “I think we can protect the working poor,” he said.
He said that after sounding out the leadership, including the House speaker and the Senate president pro-temp Michael Lamoureax, R-Russellville, there would be a spirit of cooperation.
Nickels said he had prefiled two bills—one to restore the 26th week of unemployment insurance taken away last session and the other to require that tax dollars be spent on American goods. He cited the example of a bridge built by then-California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, which used Chinese steel.
Of the unemployment insurance, Nickels said there was no shared sacrifice last time, when $68 million was taken out of the pockets of the unemployed “while those who laid them off paid nothing.”
Nickels is on the State Agencies and the Judiciary Committees and the Public Retirement and Social Security Committee as well as the Joint Budget Committee.
“The governor’s speech did well to address his priorities, including economic development and education, Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act,” Dist. 42 Rep. Mark Perry, D-Jacksonville, said.
Perry, on the public health, insurance and commerce committees as well as the Joint Retirement and Social Security Committee, said he may propose tweaking legislation a little bit regarding chiropractors and police reports.
SHIFT MEDICAID COST
Of the Medicaid expansion, Perry said it would shift most of the cost to the federal government and would benefit those with private insurance, who are invisibly taxed by helping cover hospital bills from the poor and uninsured.
Dist. 29 Sen. Eddie Joe Williams, R-Cabot, is co-chairman of the State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee. In addition to the Medicaid and education questions, he said he’s interested in referring lawsuit reform and ethics-reform bills to the voters. He’d require the state Supreme Court and the Legislature to work closer on bills that relate to the judicial system.
“The first day was great, an exciting day with a lot of good feelings,” said Dist. 34 Sen. Jane English, R-North Little Rock. “I think we’re all going to be able to be working together.”
Of the Medicaid and Medicaid expansion questions, “I don’t think people have enough information to make a good decision yet,” she said. She predicted there would be a lot of people working “across the aisle.”
VETERANS HOME BILL
English has filed a bill to establish a task force on a veterans home. The task force will look at fixing the existing structure — physical and operational — and see if a new one needs be built, and if so, how to pay for it. The task force would work beginning in May and report its finding by November, she said. She said it’s important for veterans’ groups like the American Legion and Disabled American Veterans be involved in the task force.
She said the federal government would pay two-thirds of the construction, with the state paying the balance.
English’s committee assignments include co-chairman of the Joint Performance Review Committee and vice chairman of the Senate State Agencies and Govern-mental Affairs committee.
There are 40 new members in the House, English noted. “It’s going to be an interesting year,” she added.
Dist. 14 Rep. Walls McCrary, D-Lonoke, said he agreed with Beebe on his issues, which include the Medicaid and Medicaid expansion questions.
“I think we’ll have a pretty good battle over that. A lot of new members promised that were running against it,” he said.
Because it’s a revenue bill, it requires passage by 75 of the 100 votes in the House, he noted.
NUMBERS SELL MEDICAID
“I think Davy Carter will be a good speaker,” he said. “He’s bent over backward to be real inclusive.”
McCrary said Medicaid expansion would pass “if we have enough people who look the Medicaid situation based on the number — how it will help and what it will cost us if we don’t go along.”
“It’s just a question of ideology involved,” he added. “I don’t know how it’s going to play out.”
Dist. 38 Rep. Patti Julian, D-North Little Rock, said she likes the governor’s idea to finish lowering the grocery tax if other revenues become available — perhaps cessation of paying about $70 million in desegregation suit monies to the Pulaski County school districts.
At the request of the North Little Rock Animal Shelter, Julian may introduce a bill that has to do with animal licensure, with the intention of reducing the number of stray and abandoned pets and reducing the rate of euthanasia.
Leader senior staff writer
Gov. Mike Beebe alluded mysteriously to the likelihood of one of the largest economic development announcements in the near future that the state has ever seen in his state of the state address Tuesday, then moved on without elaboration to more predictable fare.
Addressing the opening session of the 89th General Assembly, Beebe’s speech was well-stated and well-received, focusing on Medicaid, Medicaid expansion, education and also finishing the elimination of all but 1/8 percent on the grocery tax. He said until the state came up with new revenue—perhaps cessation of the $70 million a year state support of desegregation in Pulaski County school districts—it could not afford to eliminate the tax completely.
Beebe alluded to big economic news coming soon to Arkansas, but would say no more. He said his legislative agenda included joining an Intrastate Educational Compact, which would make it easier for students to change schools when their military parents are transferred to another state. Also included is a proposal that would allow the state to recognize licenses and certification from other states for military spouses who move to Arkansas. He has cited the examples of teachers and nurses.
Local lawmakers expressed hopes that both Republicans—who control both houses of the legislature for the first time—and Democrats can pull in tandem to address those issues facing the state.
“Nobody wants to throw nursing home patients out of their beds,” Beebe said, and the money spent on the $300 million Medicaid shortfall and more on the expansion would be an investment in the state.
“Expanding Medicaid can keep hospitals open and operational,” the governor said. “It can give 250,000 Arkansans the chance to lead healthier, more productive lives. It can ease uncompensated care and relieve the hidden tax that we all pay. It will create additional private-sector jobs. We just have to say yes.”
MORE THAN ‘YES’
“There’s a lot more to that conversation than ‘yes,’” said Dist. 28 Sen. Jonathan Dismang, R-Beebe. “We have to have assurances we can afford it in the future. There’s a lot of uncertainty on the federal level.”
Dismang said he had been gathering all the information he could about the cost of Medicaid and expanding it by 250,000 Arkansans. He wondered how that would overlay the budget. Would it cause future problems?
For those states that opt for Medicaid expansion, the federal government would pay all costs for the first three years with the state paying more until 2017, when gradually Arkansas’ share would top out at 10 percent.
Dismang’s committee assignments include the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee, the Arkansas Legislative Council and the Joint Budget Committee.
House Speaker Davy Carter, R-Cabot, has said he hopes to work closely with the governor, a Democrat, on the Medicaid issue, but he’s not ready to commit to the expansion. Carter, a banker who has resigned to devote full time to his speaker’s job, said he’s been studying the numbers and says he expects a number of vigorous debates on the Medicaid issues.
Carter said Tuesday he didn’t know if the Medicaid expansion would be a straight up or down vote or whether there could be a substitute bill.
He said so far the spirit of bipartisanship continues, but the first two days have been largely ceremonial.
“We’ve had probably 30 or 40 bills filed in the House and making their way through the committee process,” Carter said. “They should start showing up on the House calendar.”
WORKING POOR PROTECTION
“The governor delivered a very powerful address about the issues facing us and the need to address them in a bipartisan manner,” said Dist. 41 Rep. Jim Nickels, D- Sher-wood. “I think we can protect the working poor,” he said.
He said that after sounding out the leadership, including the House speaker and the Senate president pro-temp Michael Lamoureax, R-Russellville, there would be a spirit of cooperation.
Nickels said he had prefiled two bills—one to restore the 26th week of unemployment insurance taken away last session and the other to require that tax dollars be spent on American goods. He cited the example of a bridge built by then-California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, which used Chinese steel.
Of the unemployment insurance, Nickels said there was no shared sacrifice last time, when $68 million was taken out of the pockets of the unemployed “while those who laid them off paid nothing.”
Nickels is on the State Agencies and the Judiciary Committees and the Public Retirement and Social Security Committee as well as the Joint Budget Committee.
“The governor’s speech did well to address his priorities, including economic development and education, Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act,” Dist. 42 Rep. Mark Perry, D-Jacksonville, said.
Perry, on the public health, insurance and commerce committees as well as the Joint Retirement and Social Security Committee, said he may propose tweaking legislation a little bit regarding chiropractors and police reports.
SHIFT MEDICAID COST
Of the Medicaid expansion, Perry said it would shift most of the cost to the federal government and would benefit those with private insurance, who are invisibly taxed by helping cover hospital bills from the poor and uninsured.
Dist. 29 Sen. Eddie Joe Williams, R-Cabot, is co-chairman of the State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee. In addition to the Medicaid and education questions, he said he’s interested in referring lawsuit reform and ethics-reform bills to the voters. He’d require the state Supreme Court and the Legislature to work closer on bills that relate to the judicial system.
“The first day was great, an exciting day with a lot of good feelings,” said Dist. 34 Sen. Jane English, R-North Little Rock. “I think we’re all going to be able to be working together.”
Of the Medicaid and Medicaid expansion questions, “I don’t think people have enough information to make a good decision yet,” she said. She predicted there would be a lot of people working “across the aisle.”
VETERANS HOME BILL
English has filed a bill to establish a task force on a veterans home. The task force will look at fixing the existing structure — physical and operational — and see if a new one needs be built, and if so, how to pay for it. The task force would work beginning in May and report its finding by November, she said. She said it’s important for veterans’ groups like the American Legion and Disabled American Veterans be involved in the task force.
She said the federal government would pay two-thirds of the construction, with the state paying the balance.
English’s committee assignments include co-chairman of the Joint Performance Review Committee and vice chairman of the Senate State Agencies and Govern-mental Affairs committee.
There are 40 new members in the House, English noted. “It’s going to be an interesting year,” she added.
Dist. 14 Rep. Walls McCrary, D-Lonoke, said he agreed with Beebe on his issues, which include the Medicaid and Medicaid expansion questions.
“I think we’ll have a pretty good battle over that. A lot of new members promised that were running against it,” he said.
Because it’s a revenue bill, it requires passage by 75 of the 100 votes in the House, he noted.
NUMBERS SELL MEDICAID
“I think Davy Carter will be a good speaker,” he said. “He’s bent over backward to be real inclusive.”
McCrary said Medicaid expansion would pass “if we have enough people who look the Medicaid situation based on the number — how it will help and what it will cost us if we don’t go along.”
“It’s just a question of ideology involved,” he added. “I don’t know how it’s going to play out.”
Dist. 38 Rep. Patti Julian, D-North Little Rock, said she likes the governor’s idea to finish lowering the grocery tax if other revenues become available — perhaps cessation of paying about $70 million in desegregation suit monies to the Pulaski County school districts.
At the request of the North Little Rock Animal Shelter, Julian may introduce a bill that has to do with animal licensure, with the intention of reducing the number of stray and abandoned pets and reducing the rate of euthanasia.
SPORTS STORY >> Jackrabbits get a crucial 4A-2 victory
By GRAHAM POWELL
Leader sportswriter
Lonoke jumped out to an early lead and withstood a late run by Heber Springs to win 61-51 Friday in a 4A-2 Conference matchup at the Lonoke High School gym.
The Jackrabbits came out with a lot of energy as it was the team’s first home game since Dec. 11. Lonoke (10-4, 4-1) used that energy to its advantage as the Jackrabbits started the game with an 8-0 scoring run.
Aaron Brown scored the first points for Heber Springs (10-5, 4-2) at the 2:04 mark of the opening quarter on a three pointer. Brown scored the rest of the Panthers’ points on a free throw and another three, but Lonoke added seven more points to the scoreboard to take a 15-7 lead at the end of the first.
“We shot it well tonight,” said Lonoke coach Dean Campbell. “I thought our effort was a lot better than the last two times we were at home against Dollarway and Southside (Batesville). I thought our kids played real well. I’m excited for them. It’s been since December 11th since we’ve played at home. So they were a little excited to finally get to play at home.”
Heber Springs settled into the game in the second quarter and outscored Lonoke 14-11 in that time to cut the ‘Rabbits’ lead to 26-21 at the break. Blake Mack kept the scoring alive for Lonoke in the quarter as he scored nine of the ‘Rabbits’ 11 points.
Brown and Judson Smith hit two big three pointers during the Panthers’ second quarter run that helped spark their offense. Heber Springs also hit their free throws in that time, going a perfect 6-for-6 at the line.
“They’re a really good team,” Campbell said of Heber Springs. “Coach Kyzer does a great job with them. They shoot the ball very well. There’s no doubt about that. We shot it well tonight as well.”
Lonoke had one of its better shooting performances of the season in the third quarter. The ‘Rabbits came out of the break hot as they opened the second half with an 8-0 scoring run led by senior guard Dra Offord, who drained two three pointers during the run. Offord’s second three put Lonoke back up double digits, leading 31-21.
Reid McKenzie put Lonoke up 41-29 with 3:04 to play in the quarter with a tough layup inside the lane. But from there, Heber Springs shot its way back into the game. The Panthers followed McKenzie’s basket with a 9-0 scoring run to cut the ‘Rabbits’ lead to 41-38, but Offord increased Lonoke’s lead to 44-38 on a baseline three pointer as the buzzer sounded.
“Dra Offord hit some really big shots for us and really stretched it out, which is what we needed,” Campbell said. “Dra shot it really well. He hadn’t been shooting it that well. He’d been hitting some. Blake Mack got to the rim several times in the second quarter – had nine (points) in that quarter. We still have to tie up the free throws down the stretch, but we hit enough.”
Lonoke outscored Heber Springs 17-13 in the final quarter. As the game wound down, the Panthers were forced to foul and hope the ‘Rabbits missed their free throws down the stretch. Jamel Rankin and Darrius McCall combined to make five free throws near the end of the game, and Caleb Bracey made one of two at the line with 18 seconds to play that set the final score.
The ’Rabbits outrebounded the Panthers 32-20 in the game. Lonoke was surprisingly the more efficient team at the three-point line, hitting 44 percent of its shots from downtown, bettering Heber Springs’ 37 percent. Campbell would like to see his team shoot better at the free-throw line as Lonoke made 56 percent of its free throws. Heber Springs shot 70 percent at the line.
Three different ‘Rabbits scored in double figures. Mack led the way with 19 points. Rankin finished with 14 points and Offord scored 12 points, all on three pointers.
Leader sportswriter
Lonoke jumped out to an early lead and withstood a late run by Heber Springs to win 61-51 Friday in a 4A-2 Conference matchup at the Lonoke High School gym.
The Jackrabbits came out with a lot of energy as it was the team’s first home game since Dec. 11. Lonoke (10-4, 4-1) used that energy to its advantage as the Jackrabbits started the game with an 8-0 scoring run.
Aaron Brown scored the first points for Heber Springs (10-5, 4-2) at the 2:04 mark of the opening quarter on a three pointer. Brown scored the rest of the Panthers’ points on a free throw and another three, but Lonoke added seven more points to the scoreboard to take a 15-7 lead at the end of the first.
“We shot it well tonight,” said Lonoke coach Dean Campbell. “I thought our effort was a lot better than the last two times we were at home against Dollarway and Southside (Batesville). I thought our kids played real well. I’m excited for them. It’s been since December 11th since we’ve played at home. So they were a little excited to finally get to play at home.”
Heber Springs settled into the game in the second quarter and outscored Lonoke 14-11 in that time to cut the ‘Rabbits’ lead to 26-21 at the break. Blake Mack kept the scoring alive for Lonoke in the quarter as he scored nine of the ‘Rabbits’ 11 points.
Brown and Judson Smith hit two big three pointers during the Panthers’ second quarter run that helped spark their offense. Heber Springs also hit their free throws in that time, going a perfect 6-for-6 at the line.
“They’re a really good team,” Campbell said of Heber Springs. “Coach Kyzer does a great job with them. They shoot the ball very well. There’s no doubt about that. We shot it well tonight as well.”
Lonoke had one of its better shooting performances of the season in the third quarter. The ‘Rabbits came out of the break hot as they opened the second half with an 8-0 scoring run led by senior guard Dra Offord, who drained two three pointers during the run. Offord’s second three put Lonoke back up double digits, leading 31-21.
Reid McKenzie put Lonoke up 41-29 with 3:04 to play in the quarter with a tough layup inside the lane. But from there, Heber Springs shot its way back into the game. The Panthers followed McKenzie’s basket with a 9-0 scoring run to cut the ‘Rabbits’ lead to 41-38, but Offord increased Lonoke’s lead to 44-38 on a baseline three pointer as the buzzer sounded.
“Dra Offord hit some really big shots for us and really stretched it out, which is what we needed,” Campbell said. “Dra shot it really well. He hadn’t been shooting it that well. He’d been hitting some. Blake Mack got to the rim several times in the second quarter – had nine (points) in that quarter. We still have to tie up the free throws down the stretch, but we hit enough.”
Lonoke outscored Heber Springs 17-13 in the final quarter. As the game wound down, the Panthers were forced to foul and hope the ‘Rabbits missed their free throws down the stretch. Jamel Rankin and Darrius McCall combined to make five free throws near the end of the game, and Caleb Bracey made one of two at the line with 18 seconds to play that set the final score.
The ’Rabbits outrebounded the Panthers 32-20 in the game. Lonoke was surprisingly the more efficient team at the three-point line, hitting 44 percent of its shots from downtown, bettering Heber Springs’ 37 percent. Campbell would like to see his team shoot better at the free-throw line as Lonoke made 56 percent of its free throws. Heber Springs shot 70 percent at the line.
Three different ‘Rabbits scored in double figures. Mack led the way with 19 points. Rankin finished with 14 points and Offord scored 12 points, all on three pointers.
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