Basketball season started to pick up in Garland County, and football season officially ended for the county's teams.
TUESDAY
LAKE HAMILTON'S HURLEY COMMITS TO SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
PEARCY -- Lake Hamilton's own version of a tri-athlete, senior Easton Hurley, committed to Southern Arkansas University to play college baseball.
Wolves head baseball coach Matthew Weigand said he is excited for Hurley.
"What an awesome opportunity for him to get to go to Southern Arkansas University," Weigand said. "It is one of the best baseball programs in the nation. He will get to play for coach Justin Pettigrew, which coach Pettigrew is actually from Lake Hamilton."
BARIOLA'S PASSIONATE PERSONALITY WAS ON DISPLAY AT SIGNING DAY
Never afraid to let his voice be heard, Lakeside's Joseph Bariola prepared a speech for his signing day.
The star cross-country and track athlete signed his letter of intent to the University of Missouri Wednesday inside the Lakeside Performing Arts Center.
Bariola has never been afraid to make cross-country an entertaining sport with fun theatrics on the course and vibrant post race interviews. That personality carries over to other things in his life. Lakeside Superintendent Bruce Orr spoke about Bariola's passion in leading the student section at football games during the signing ceremony.
WEDNESDAY
LAKESIDE'S VILLINES KICKS FOR A CAUSE
When Caleb Villines makes a field goal or extra point, he's doing more than just scoring points for Lakeside.
Villines partnered with the Every Kick Counts campaign to raise funds for Count the Kicks, an evidence-based stillbirth prevention program.
Villines receives donations for Count the Kicks for each success he has in every game throughout the season. So far, Villines has raised $490 based on 60 points. His goal is to raise $1,000.
THURSDAY
EAGLES BEST LIONS IN GARLAND COUNTY RIVALRY BASKETBALL
Both teams came into the game undefeated, and fans could tell Cutter Morning Star and Jessieville wanted to get after each other Tuesday.
The atmosphere was electric for this Garland County rivalry game.
Cutter Morning Star, from the Class 2A-5, took down the 3A-7 Jessieville. The Eagles look the part in the early goings of this season.
LADY LIONS, LADY EAGLES COMPETE IN THRILLER
The Class 2A-5 Cutter Morning Star Lady Eagles were in early season rivalry action Tuesday, hosting the 3A-7 Jessieville Lady Lions.
And what a Garland County high school girls basketball game it was. Football season might not be over just yet, but local rivalry basketball is here.
Jessieville head girls basketball coach Magen Scrivner said it was an exciting game.
FRIDAY
LAKESIDE FACES STATE'S TOP RECRUIT IN THE SECOND ROUND OF PLAYOFFS
Lakeside's spectacular season continued with a 58-42 win over Harrison in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs, and now the Rams face one of the best players in the state with a trip to the semifinals on the line.
According to 247Sports, Pine Bluff's Courtney Crutchfield is the top recruit in Arkansas from the class of 2024, and the 56th best player in the nation from the class. The four-star wide receiver recently decommitted from the University of Arkansas.
Lakeside first-year head coach Garren Rockwell said Pine Bluff, the Rams' quarterfinal opponent tonight, reminds him of the really good Camden Fairview teams Lakeside played over the years.
STREAKING JESSIEVILLE SEES OPPORTUNITY TO KNOCK OFF UNDEFEATED NO. 1 SALEM
JESSIEVILLE -- After a dominant performance in round one of the Class 3A state playoffs, the Jessieville Lions travel to undefeated Salem tonight for their toughest test yet.
Jessieville (7-4, 4-3 3A-4) is riding a four-game win streak as the Lions pack their bags for the four-and-a-half-hour drive to Salem (10-0, 6-0 3A-2).
Jessieville head coach T.J. Burk talked about the Lions' journey to the playoffs.
TOP SEED HARDING ROLLS ON IN VOLLEYBALL
On a campus of fall champions in Searcy, Harding University's volleyball team is frantically waving hands to draw attention.
The Lady Bisons withstood a showcase performance from the league's Player of the Year for a 3-0 victory over Southeastern Oklahoma Thursday in the Great American Conference tournament at Bank OZK Arena.
Olivia Wiedower's service ace preceded her assist of Libby Smith-Morgan's kill on the final point of top seed Harding's 25-14, 25-17, 25-11 decision.
SATURDAY
WOLVES' BROOKS SIGNS LETTER OF INTENT TO LYON
PEARCY -- Lake Hamilton senior defensive tackle Josh Brooks signed his national letter of intent to play college football at Lyon College Wednesday.
Lake Hamilton head coach Tommy Gilleran took the podium in Wolf Arena to talk about Brooks moving on to collegiate football.
"Josh has been a kid who has really worked hard to give himself an opportunity to play college sports," Gilleran said in his speech. "We are really proud of Josh and what he has done here at Lake Hamilton."
SUNDAY
LAKESIDE'S BARIOLA SCORES IMPRESSIVE WIN AT NIKE MEET
Lakeside's Joseph Bariola continues to elevate his profile on the national stage.
Already a University of Missouri signee, the star cross-country and track athlete won a major cross-country race Saturday just outside of Houston.
The Ram senior took first place in the Nike Cross Regionals South meet in The Woodlands, Texas, qualifying for the Nike Cross Nationals meet in Portland, Oregon. Not only did Bariola win the race, he set a personal best of 14:52.9 in the 5K, trimming a massive 21 seconds off his previous best.