Although a rather slow week in local prep sports with the starting of spring break, the National Park College men's basketball team made history by capping a one-loss season with a National Junior College Athletic Association National Championship victory.
MONDAY
Pye signs to run track at OBU
JESSIEVILLE -- Jessieville High School senior Hunter Pye signed his intent to run track at Ouachita Baptist University on Tuesday while surrounded by family and friends.
Jessieville head football and track and field coach T.J. Burk said he will miss Pye in both sports.
"He puts a lot of that work in on his own, on the weekends," Burk said. "He comes to work every day and he just goes after it, and he is determined, and he is going to chase those dreams. He is going to be successful in college too."
TUESDAY
Beyond the Diamond with Fountain Lake's Brayden Buss
Fountain Lake High School senior second baseman Brayden Buss is a multitalented athlete on the Cobras' baseball team.
Cobras' head coach Justin McArthur said Buss is the only four-year player in his senior class, and offers a steady glove in the middle infield.
Buss recently met with The Sentinel-Record to give people a glimpse into what he is like beyond the diamond.
Hot Springs track coach talks 2024 season
While track and field season has begun for most teams, the Trojans are still awaiting their first outdoor meet after last week's Yellowjacket Relays at Sheridan were canceled due to weather.
Hot Springs head coach Milton Williams is still confident his team will be able to compete with the best when given the opportunity, however.
"I think we'll meet all of our expectations," he said. "I think they'll compete hard. I've seen a lot of good things in practice, so I've got a lot of confidence going into the year."
WEDNESDAY
NPC holds off Johnson County to advance to quarterfinals tonight
DANVILLE, Ill. -- The National Park College men's basketball team advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NJCAA Division II National Tournament on Monday with its 74-68 win over Johnson County.
The 5-seed Nighthawks (28-1, 12-0) will play 13-seed North Central Missouri (27-6) tonight at 6 p.m. following the Pirates' 82-80 upset over No. 4-seed Macomb on Tuesday.
Playing at the Mary Miller Center in Danville, Ill., the Nighthawks took a double-digit lead early in the second half only for the 12-seeded Cavaliers (28-6, 11-3) to go on a run and steal the lead, keeping play tight the rest of the way through.
'Truth' be told: Moquett points to Derby
The fortnight of Arkansas Derby Week is upon racing fans.
On March 30, the Grade 1 $1.5 million race for 3-year-olds and three other stakes create a carnival-like atmosphere at Oaklawn and throughout Hot Springs.
Entries will be taken and post positions drawn Sunday for the Derby, the Grade 2 Fantasy, the Grade 3 Oaklawn Mile and the Matron Stakes.
Beyond the Diamond with Fountain Lake's Gabryella Garcia
Fountain Lake High School senior first baseman Gabryella Garcia has been a key part of the Lady Cobras' success on the softball field so far this season.
Led by head coach Sarah East, Fountain Lake, at 3-1, has outscored its opponents by an average of 12 runs per game -- its lone loss coming in a 5-4 home loss to Mount St. Mary Academy on March 5.
Garcia recently met with The Sentinel-Record to give people a glimpse into what she is like beyond the diamond.
THURSDAY
Lakeside unified team takes second at state championships
The Lakeside unified basketball team took home second place at the Unified State Championships on March 7 at Bank OZK Arena, falling to Conway, 59-56.
Coach Taylor Masters took time to talk about the season and how it was a great opportunity for the players.
"Watching these kids build relationships and watching them from four months ago, them just meeting each other, to practice, to games, to riding the bus, to watching them just grow in a close-knit relationship is something that has been really cool," Masters said.
Oaklawn trainers shop around Saturday
Brad Cox might need an armored car to tote home the money his horses are in position to win Saturday.
The same can be said with equal fortissimo for those in Steve Asmussen's or Ken McPeek's barn.
After a relatively slow weekend of major races -- though anyone who saw Jaxon Traveler hold off Tejano Twist in the Grade 3 Whitmore Stakes at Oaklawn might disagree -- the pace of national racing picks up on several fronts.
Rebel winner No. 2 in NTRA poll
Voters looked past Bob Baffert and Todd Pletcher, two usual stand-bys, when selecting the nation's top 3-year-old in the weekly National Thoroughbred Racing Association poll.
Chad Brown trains the chosen one and, no, the Kentucky Derby has not become a grass race.
Sierra Leone gets the nod after a defining win in the Grade 2 Risen Star in New Orleans Feb. 17.
FRIDAY
NPC advances to Final Four as White breaks school scoring record
DANVILLE, Ill. -- The National Park College Nighthawks claimed their place in the NJCAA Division II Final Four Wednesday night with an 83-74 victory over North Central Missouri.
Sophomore Nakavieon White exploded for 32 points, 22 coming in the first half, and led National Park to a hard-fought victory.
Early in the second half, White broke the school's scoring record and became NPC's all-time leading scorer.
Jessieville exchange student earns all-conference honors
JESSIEVILLE -- Rosario Cortes, a junior at Jessieville High School, is an exchange student from Spain who also happens to be an all-conference basketball player for the Lady Lions' basketball team.
Cortes plays guard for the Lady Lions and was a key contributor to the team's outstanding 28-6, 11-3 record this season in Class 3A-7 play.
She cites playing basketball with her close-knit team as the highlight of her experience in America.
SATURDAY
Nine go today in refigured 'Hot Springs'
After plastic surgery in the racing office, the Hot Springs Stakes looks brand new, not a line on its face.
An old race got a new name, and different conditions, with the 2021 retirement of Whitmore. The former Hot Springs Stakes was renamed after its four-time winner, champion sprinter of 2020 off his Breeders' Cup victory at Keeneland.
Steve Asmussen won the third running of the Whitmore -- several times in the former -- last week with Jaxon Traveler.
SUNDAY
Nighthawks take NJCAA National Championship
The National Park College Nighthawks beat the South Suburban Bulldogs 84-79 to win the NJCAA Division II National Championship on Saturday in the school's first national tournament appearance.
Sophomore center Taylor Harrell led the way, scoring 20 of his 22 points in the second half.
Harrell was also named tournament Pin Ryan Most Valuable Player after the game. Sophomores Keryn Collins and Nakavieon White made the All-Tournament team and sophomore Ja'Bryant Hill won the Jack Cistriano Best Small Man Award.
Majestic Park to host Spring League baseball opening ceremonies
It is that time of year again when the pings of metal bats and cheers of the crowds will be a constant at Majestic Park.
The park will host its opening day ceremonies for Spring League baseball on Monday and Tuesday for 812 registered kids.
Majestic Park General Manager Derek Phillips said its third year hosting the league is its biggest yet.
Wearin o' the blue; trainer Cox, Godolphin in spotlight
Both Oaklawn stakes winners Saturday rode in stable silks colored like first-place ribbons at the county fair or actor Paul Newman's eyes.
Other horsemen may have been green with envy after Godolphin blue set the color scheme in the Grade 3 $600,000 Essex Handicap and $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes.
First Mission and Nash, 4 and 3, respectively, are trained by Brad Cox (four Oaklawn wins Saturday) and were ridden by Florent Geroux. Cox spent the day at Fair Grounds, where Geroux gave up mounts on Louisiana Derby Day for a three-bagger in Hot Springs for the 44-year-old trainer.