By Richard Sharp-Lake Area Sports
With Christmas Break steadily approaching and the first half of the basketball season coming to a close, it was another productive week for Greers Ferry Lake area teams, who are all now well underway into conference play.
A showdown of two rival Lake Area Sports schools took to the floor from Brady-Hipp Arena on Tuesday night as West Side played host to Concord and swept the visitors after the Lady Eagles (7-2, 3-0) breezed to a 64-28 triumph to snap the Lady Pirates’ three-game losing streak and fall to 4-7 and 3-4 in league play. The Eagles (6-2, 3-0) used a late 12-2 charge to steal a 57-51 victory over the Pirates (8-3, 5-2). Concord senior Braxton Cousins scorched the net for a game-high 26 points.
Concord bounced back with a sweep of Nemo Vista on Friday night to redeem opening season losses for both squads, with the Lady Pirates winning their fourth game out of their last five with a 45-33 decision against the Lady Red Hawks, completing the pulling of the broom with the Pirates winning the nightcap 38-32.
West Side kept it rolling as well, making the trek to Calico Rock to pick up two more key conference wins against the Pirates and Lady Pirates, with the Eagles soaring to a 65-39 win behind 22 points from senior Malachi Miller. In the girls contest, West Side coasted to a 55-32 triumph on 25 points from senior Kamryn Sutterfield, getting 15 points from classmate Haley Gentry.
Quitman was only able to get one game this past week against conference mate Marshall after having scheduled action against South Side Bee Branch on Friday postponed, but those lone games turned into victories for the Lady Bulldogs (56-22) and Bulldogs (52-27). The girls game consisted of the hosts, who improved to 5-4 and 2-0, being led by sophomore Silver Mulliniks’ 18, while the 3-6 and 2-0 Bulldogs got 10 points apiece from Jacob Cantrell and Jaden Tate.
Mt. Vernon-Enola’s varsity teams combined to go 4-2 on the week, with both teams falling to Bigelow (44-42 in girls, 66-65 in boys) before taking down Sacred Heart on Thursday and Scranton on Friday. The Class 1A No. 3-ranked Lady Warhawks, who trailed 14-5 after one quarter of action at Sacred Heart, used a 47-22 run to pull away for a 52-36 win as senior Kenlie Raby fired in a game-high 23 points, adding on 11 from classmate Brooke Adcock. Trailing 43-42 with eight minutes remaining, the Warhawks used a final 16-11 run of their own to get in front of and hold off the Rebels, as a quartet of double-figure scorers contributed for MVE, including sophomore Kyler Chapman (16) and seniors Nick Herring (12), Carter Smothers (12) and Adam Felton (10).
Just one day later, the Lady Warhawks dominated the Lady Rockets of Scranton 50-20 after being tied at 10-10 with one quarter of the books, putting together a 40-10 run down the stretch to roll to 9-1 and 3-0. Raby and classmate Kassidy McJunkins had 13 apiece with Adcock following right behind with 12. The Warhawks (6-4, 2-1) led by one with three quarters played, but had enough left in the tank for a 23-14 run to pull away for a double-digit victory over their opposition, as senior star Wesley Booker opened the game with a layup that would serve as his final points of his high school career, providing the basket on Senior Night in front of the Warhawk faithful before suiting up for Lyon College next fall. Smothers drained six triples on his way to 22 points as Felton added 15 and Herring had 14.
Rose Bud went 2-2 after splitting at Mountain View (girls lost 54-26, boys won 65-54) on Tuesday and Riverview at home on Friday (girls won 72-30, boys lost 55-50). The Lady Ramblers and Ramblers hosted Cave City on Tuesday before visiting Bald Knob on Thursday and coming back home to play Concord on Friday.
On Saturday, Shirley traveled to Viola to take on the Class 1A number-one ranked Lady Longhorns and Longhorns, as the defending state runner-up Lady Longhorns crushed the Lady Blue Devils 56-18 before the Longhorns whipped the Blue Devils 93-45. Lindsey Browning rang up 20 for the victors, getting 15 from Sami McCandlis as Sidney Severns had 9 for the visitors who fell to. Senior Nash Little paced Shirley (1-11, 0-5) with 24.
Monday, December 14
Mt. Vernon-Enola at Western Yell County*
Concord vs. Timbo*
Quitman vs Clinton (Sr. Girls Only)
Tuesday, December 15
Rose Bud vs. Cave City*
West Side at Clinton
Shirley vs. Calico Rock*
Mt. Vernon-Enola at Wonderview*
Thursday, December 16
Rose Bud at Bald Knob or Cedar Ridge TBA*
Friday, December 17
Mt. Vernon-Enola vs. Nemo Vista*
Rose Bud vs. Concord
Pangburn at Mountain View*
Saturday, December 18
Pangburn vs. Wonderview
West Side vs. Izard County*
*=denotes conference game