By Richard Sharp
Lake Area Sports
The Concord Pirates, West Side and Rose Bud basketball teams have all blazed a trail across their early 2020-21 campaigns, combining for an overall record of 15-4 thus far. With conference play now underway for most of the Greers Ferry Lake area teams, expect the competition to only heat up from here on to postseason.
Rose Bud has gotten their teams off to a quick 5-1 start, as the Lady Ramblers swept three straight games from South Side Bee Branch, Nemo Vista and Mammoth Spring (57-39, 52-21, 48-38), while the Ramblers took two wins against the Hornets (74-41) and Red Hawks (61-50) before dropping Friday’s matchup against the Bears 57-48.
While they may have played only one game on the week, the West Side Lady Eagles and Eagles pulled the broom out on the road at County Line as the Lady Eagles (3-1) mercy-ruled the Lady Indians 53-21 before the Eagles (3-1) coasted past the Indians 73-47. Senior Kamryn Sutterfield led the Lady Eagles with 24 points, getting 11 from junior Ashtyn Knapp and 8 from senior Haley Gentry. The Eagles were paced by senior Malachi Miller’s 26, tacking on nine from junior Travis Gentry and 13 from junior Brenton Knapp.
The Pirates extended their winning streak to four games and rolled to 4-1 after posting two road victories on the week, taking down Guy-Perkins 59-57 and crushing South Side Bee Branch 63-35 to complete the season sweep of the Hornets. In Concord’s victory over the Thunderbirds, senior Braxton Cousins pumped in a game-high 22 points, followed closely behind by freshman Eli Tate’s 19. In the triumph over SSBB, Cousins racked up 18, with sophomore Dylan Byrd throwing in 13. The Lady Pirates dropped both contests to the Lady Thunderbirds and Lady Hornets by 57-45 and 42-24 decisions.
Shirley left the friendly confines of Glenn Hackett Fieldhouse to take on Wonderview and South Side Bee Branch, as the Lady Blue Devils dropped both games 58-34 and 53-33 and the Blue Devils came up short to the Daredevils 80-31, not playing SSBB as their schoolmates did.
Upcoming Schedule
Tuesday, November 10
Pangburn vs. Mt. Vernon-Enola
West Side at Timbo*
Shirley at Guy-Perkins
Rose Bud at Searcy (Sr. Boys ONLY)
Concord vs. Rural Special*
Friday, November 13
Pangburn at White County Central
Mt. Vernon-Enola at Conway St. Joseph
West Side at Izard County*
Shirley vs. Viola*
Rose Bud at Two Rivers
Calico Rock at Concord*
*-denotes conference game