Stories from Thursday, March 15, 2012

Peyton Carter pitched a no-hitter in the first game of a doubleheader against Maynard this past Monday in Marked Tree. Carter almost matched that feat in the night cap allowing only one hit as the Lady Indians (4-1) swept both games 17-0 and 9-1. Carter struck out nine batters in the opening game. Poohnu Perry and Holly Smith both had two RBIs in the game. Jay Perry, Kelsey Pitts and Shelby Knight each had an RBI. In the second game, Carter gave up one hit while striking out 13 batters. Carter helped her cause at the plate with an RBI triple. Knight added an RBI in this game as well.

Trumann hosted Armorel this past Monday in high school girls' softball action. The Lady Wildcats fell behind early but clawed their way back and posted a 10-4 win. Three errors in the top half of the first helped the visitors jump out to a 3-0 lead. Trumann answered with a run in the bottom half as Sarah Halfacre led off with a bunt single. Halfacre used a stolen base and passed ball to get to third. Hannah Walters plated Halfacre with an RBI groundout to make the score 3-1 after the first inning. Trumann tied the game up in their half of the third inning. Sammie Jo Williams started the inning with a single. Walters reached on a fielder's choice, with courtesy runner Haven Taylor being forced out at second base, before stealing a base to get in scoring position. Macy Hicks knocked in Walters with a double and Hicks later scored on an error to tie the game up after three innings of play. The Lady Wildcats grabbed the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth. Halfacre was hit by a pitch with two outs in the inning. Williams reached first on a fielder's choice with Halfacre advancing to second. Halfacre reached third with a stolen base and scored on an infield single from Walters. Haven Taylor, courtesty running for Williams, scored later on an error setting the score at 5-3 after 4. Armorel cut the lead to 5-4 after their half of the sixth but the Lady Wildcats scored five runs in the bottom half setting the final score. Morgan Taylor and Williams both reach base on singles to start the bottom of the sixth. Williams reaches on a fielder's choice with Halfacre being forced out at second. Walters reaches base after taking hard hit in the back on a wild pitch to load the bases. Hicks worked a walk to score Morgan Taylor. Kelly Guthrie reaches on an error scoring Haven Taylor to put Trumann up 7-4. Julia Jones knocks in Walters with a sacrifice fly out before Hicks and Guthrie score on passed balls to set the final score. Walters pitched a complete game giving up four runs, one earned and striking out eight. Halfacre led Trumann offensively with two hits, two runs scored and two stolen bases. Hicks added two hits, two runs scored and two RBIs. Walters had a hit, stolen base and scored twice, Williams had a hit, Morgan Taylor had a hit and run scored, Jones had an RBI, Haven Taylor scored twice and Guthrie scored a run.

Malcolm Washington was recently selected all-state in basketball for the Wildcats. Congratulations Malcolm!! (DT Photo/Anthony Cossey)

Janeka Watkins poured in 34 points, including 14 in the final quarter, propelling England to a come from behind 62-58 victory over East Poinsett County, giving the Lady Lions their second straight 2A State Championship Thursday afternoon at Summit Arena in Hot Springs. The Lady Warriors led throughout the first three periods before Watkins and twin sister Jameka led England's fourth quarter rally that snatched victory from the jaws of EPC. The Lady Warriors held a 12-10 lead after the opening period and took a 27-25 edge into the dressing room at the half. EPC held a slim 38-34 advantage after three quarters of play. "England controlled the whole fourth quarter," said EPC Coach Bobby Lewallen. "They had a lot of poise about their offense and they knew who to get the ball to. We tried to stop Janeka Watkins, but she was unstoppable out there. We tried to do the best we could to stay in front of her, but we couldn't do anything with her. She is by far the best player we have faced all season," said Lewallen. The Lady Warriors had plenty of chances to open up a comfortable lead, but saw several shots from close range refuse to fall. EPC also struggled from the foul line, connecting on just 17-33 for the day, a paltry 51%. "I told the girls at halftime we needed to hit our free throws, especially in the third quarter, because I knew things would get tight in the fourth period and the pressure would be on," said Lewallen. EPC held a commanding 50-28 rebounding advantage, but struggled from the field, hitting just 34% of their shots, including a dismal three for 14 performance from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, the Lady Lions also struggled from the field, hitting only 37%, but did connect on seven of 19 three pointers. England finished just 21-35 from the free throw line but connected on 15-21 foul shots in the crucial fourth quarter to seal the victory. England began its comeback in the fourth quarter on a lay-up by Janeka Watkins to trim the EPC lead to two at the 7:41 mark. After a free throw by Jameka Watkins cut the EPC lead to one, a steal and a foul sent Janeka Watkins to the line, where the University of Central Arkansas signee sank a pair of free throws, giving England a 39-38 lead with 7:18 left. EPC went back on top, 40-39, with a Brittany Ball lay-in at the 6:52 mark. The two teams traded leads until a Janeka Watkins free throw tied the game, 42-42 with 5:41 to go. Janeka Watkins came up with a steal and drove the length of the floor to give the Lady Lions a 44-42 edge with 5:23 left. England stretched its lead to 48-43 on back to back buckets by the Watkins twins after a pair of EPC turnovers. EPC roared back, scoring the game's next five points on a three point play by Brittany Ball and pair of Alicia Ross free throws, tying the game at 48-48 with 3:06 left. England went back on top, this time for good, on a driving bucket by Janeka Watkins at the 2:52 mark. After an EPC miss, Aria Dunbar stuck a dagger in the hearts of Lady Warrior fans, draining a three pointer from the right wing, putting the Lady Lions up 53-48 with 2:00 remaining. Teria Young quickly answered for EPC , cutting the England lead to three before Janeka Watkins sank a pair of free throws, making the score 55-50 with 1:06 left. Ross answered with a basket and a free throw, completing a three point play to pull EPC to within 55-53 with 52 seconds left in the game. Jameka Watkins canned four consecutive foul shots, while sister Janeka hit one of two, giving England its biggest lead of the night, 60-54 with 37 seconds to go. The Lady Warriors made one last charge on back to back buckets by Terrika Madden and Young, the last coming with seven seconds to go, but a pair of Jameka Watkins free throws with five seconds left sealed the title for England. The two teams were tied on six different occasions and the game saw 13 lead changes. Jameka Watkins joined her sister in double figures, scoring 14 points for England, while Dunbar added 11 more. Jasmine Taylor pulled down 12 rebounds for the Lady Lions. Both Ross and Brittany Ball recorded double-doubles for EPC. Ross scored 18 points and pulled down 15 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive boards, while Ball had 13 points and 11 boards. Young scored 12 points, Madden netted nine, Whitney Ball scored four while Synteria Ward added two points. "I think our nerves played a little bit of a role in this game," said Lewallen. "There were some shots that we were passing up that we normally take. We were catching and looking and we wouldn't take that little jump shot, which is what we've done all year. That's just nerves of being in the finals. We have nothing to be ashamed of. This is our third final in the eight years I've been here. It's a great feeling to know there are 62 other teams who would like to trade places with you. The girls are upset about not winning, but it's an honor to be here, and it took a lot of work to get here. I just wish we could have made a couple more shots," concluded Lewallen.

East Poinsett County built a 15 point fourth quarter lead but had to fend off a furious rally by Junction City in the final 4:00 before hanging on for a 60-54 victory in the finals of the 2A State Championship game Thursday afternoon at Summit Arena in Hot Springs. The victory gave the Warriors their second consecutive state championship and the school's third overall in the past seven years. Jammar Sturdivant, who was named the 2A State Tournament Most Valuable Player, led the Warriors with 22 points and 10 rebounds while senior A. J. Turner scored 14 points and grabbed a game high 15 boards. EPC Coach Josh Hill applauded his team's achievement in picking up back to back state titles. "This is a great group of kids," said Hill. "This senior class went 94-9 over the last three years, so they expect to win every time they step on the court. They have had three straight 30 win seasons and they don't back down from anybody," added Hill. EPC led 54-39 after a goal tending call against the Dragons' Jamario Bell on a shot by Jori Ford with 4:49 left in the game. The Warriors led 58-44 after a Sturdivant lay-up at the 3:12 mark before Junction City's Dorian Evans drove for a bucket to cut the EPC lead to 58-46 moments later. Dragon Coach Kendall Hutcheson called for a full court press and his troops responded with three consecutive steals, all resulting in points, which trimmed the Warrior lead to 58-52 with 1:42 left in the game. Both teams missed on their next possession before a Shaquille Hunter steal led to a foul by the Warriors' Wendell Pritchett, sending Chris Williams to the line with 35 seconds to go. Williams sank both free throws, slicing the Warrior lead to 58-54, which brought anxious looks from EPC fans in attendance. But a Ford lay-up off an assist by Turner at the 19 second mark pushed the Warrior lead to 60-54, and when Hunter misfired on a three pointer, EPC's Darius Barnes snatched the rebound and ran out the clock, sending Warrior faithful into ecstasy. "Everybody expected us to win last season," said Hill. "We didn't have a game in the state tournament that was any closer than 16 points. This year the bull's eye was on our back. Last year I was relieved after we won. This win I am going to enjoy. This is my favorite group of seniors. I love these guys. They play hard and they do exactly what I ask them to do," added Hill. Sturdivant said the Warriors were ready to go on Thursday. "We were ready to play, and we came out hard and got the win," said 6'0" junior guard. EPC built a 15-7 lead in the first quarter before the Dragons went on a 6-0 run to pull within 15-13 after the break. The Dragons tied the game on a Williams bucket to start the second quarter before the Warriors went on a 9-2 run of their own, capped off by a Sturdivant basket at the 3:34 mark. EPC closed the half leading 31-24. The Warriors maintained their seven point lead in the third period as Sturdivant scored nine points in the quarter, giving EPC a 46-39 advantage heading into the final frame. The Warriors began the fourth quarter with an 8-0 run to pull ahead by 15 points before watching the Dragons fight back. Barnes also hit double digits for EPC scoring 10 points. Pritchett scored seven, Ford tallied six while Byron Scales chipped in one point. EPC held a commanding 35-22 advantage on the boards. The Warriors shot 47% from the field, including two for 15 from three point range. EPC hit two of six free throw attempts. Williams led Junction City with 20 points while Evans added 18 more. The Dragons hit 47% of their shots while making three of 14 from beyond the arc. Junction City finished 11-15 from the foul line. Turner, a University of Arkansas football signee, talked about EPC's second consecutive state title. "It feels good," said Turner. "Last year everyone said we had Ky (Madden), so we were supposed to win. But we got back and worked hard, just like last year. It feels good to get back," said Turner. Turner said he was interested in getting more rings. "I want more, so I've got to go to work," said Turner. "Hopefully when I am a Razorback we can win a national championship," added Turner. Junction City's offensive performance was better than any team the Warriors have faced in the past two state tournaments. "That's the first 50 point game we have given up in the last two years, so I guess I have something to gripe about," joked Hill. "It was fun winning the title last year, but this year feels even better," concluded Hill.

The EPC Warriors won their second consecutive Class 2A boys' state basketball championship last Thursday night in Hot Springs.