Mavericks post strong finish at AAU nationals

By Tim Ritter Sports Editor timothyr@nwanews.com

So close, yet five points away from staying alive. The Arkansas Mavericks, a 13-andunder AAU girls’ basketball team comprised of athletes from Northwest Arkansas, placed fifth in the Classic bracket of the AAU National Tournament held last week in Norman, Okla. Behind the coaching of Jerry Larkin and P.D. Rakestraw, a pair of Siloam Springs residents, the Mavericks dropped a 60-56 decision to the Tennessee Extreme in an elimination game. Jerry Larkin said the outcome of the game came down to the final 50 seconds. “We had several chances to win the game, but just couldn’t get the ball into play,” Jerry Larkin said. “Our intentions were to get Jessica (Olson) to the free throw line since she hadn’t missed all night.” Olson converted 3-of-9 field goals, 1-of-1 three-pointers and 6-of-6 free throws for a team-high 15 points. The fiery point guard tallied 10 of her 15 points in the second half to rally the Mavericks in a losing effort. For the tournament, Olson, of Springdale, led the Mavericks in scoring with 129 - Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Gentry upsets Siloam in Gravette championship

By Graham Thomas Sports Writer grahamt@nwanews.com

GRAVETTE — In a week’s time, the Gentry Pioneers went from going winless at one 7-on-7 tournament to winning the championship of another. And while there was no championship trophy presented to second-year coach Brian Little and the Pioneers, the reward was aplenty. Gentry knocked off Siloam Springs, 16-14 in the final game Saturday of the Field of Pride 7-on-7 Shootout at Lions Stadium in Gravette. “Absolutely, a big difference,” Little said comparing his team’s play at last weekend’s VYPE Select 7- on-7 Inviational and this Shootout at Gravette. “I think going over (to Fayetteville) last weekend was really good for us. We wanted to make sure we learned how to compete. We had the opportunity to be together and learning how to play the team game. It paid off for us. We came back this weekend and battled.” Gentry got off to a slow start, losing to Prairie Grove, 13-12 in its first game of pool play. But the Pioneers came back to Huntsville, 18-0 and Farmington, 28-6 to complete pool play 2-1 and earn a No. 1 s - Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Siloam All-Stars fall in Cal Ripken tourney

By Tim Ritter Sports Editor timothyr@nwanews.com

BENTONVILLE — The Siloam Springs 9-year-old All-Stars put up a good fight, but came up short in the Cal Ripken Southwest Regional Tournament held last weekend at Memorial Park. Siloam Springs finished 2-2 in pool play, gaining victories over Van Buren (7-6 in extra innings) and Westside, La. (8-6 ). Siloam Springs, however, dropped a 12-4 decision to North Randall County (Texas) in the elimination game late Sunday afternoon. The Siloam Springs All-Stars reached the tournemtn after placing fifth at the state tournament in Mansfield. In Sunday’s split decision, Harrison Kretzer went 4-for-4 with a triple and three runs scored to lead Siloam Springs past Westside (La.). Then, in an elimination game, Kretzer continued his consistent performance with a 3-for-4 outing and a run scored against North Randall - Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Razorbacks kick off new Web design

By Tom Murphy Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

FAYETTEVILLE — Want the 2008 Arkansas football media guide now? It was made available for eye-balling or downloading for the surfing public as part of the debut on Monday of ArkansasRazorbacks.com, the UA athletic department’s new Web site. The site, part of the Arkansas athletic department’s merger of its women’s and men’s programs, launched at 8 a.m. Monday, and it came with some gusto. As the site proclaimed, “Download the Razorback football press guide — get your digital copy before the media receive theirs in Birmingham.” The Web site’s debut meshes with SEC Media Days, which takes place this week in Birmingham, Ala. A pre-SEC Media Days interview with first-year Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino is part of the free content available this week. - Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Naturals to host Symphony Aug. 31

Staff Reports

SPRINGDALE — The North Arkansas Symphony performance, originally scheduled to take place postgame on July 3, has been rescheduled to take place on Aug. 31 against the Tulsa Drillers. The original show was postponed due to severe and inclement weather which suspended the Naturals game in the seventh inning. The festivities will begin at 4 p.m. with a special pre-game ceremony followed by the game against the Tulsa Drillers, followed by the symphony and then a spectacular fireworks show afterwards. Single-admission tickets for this exclusive event are priced at $20 and will include the Naturals game against the Drillers, the symphony performance and the fireworks. Group ticket rates (for groups of 20 or more) will be priced at $15. Naturals fans holding tickets from July 3 may exchange their ticket for a similar-value ticket (based on availability) for the Aug. 31 game. July 3rd tickets may also continue to be used as rainchecks good for other Naturals tickets up to the dollar value denoted on the front of the - Wednesday, July 23, 2008

OKLAHOMA FISHING REPORT

Bell Cow: Largemouth bass good on plastics. Catfish fair on dough baits and live baits. Crappie good on minnows and jigs, especially at night. Report submitted by Gary Emmons, game warden stationed in Lincoln County. Carl Blackwell: Elevation normal, water 82 and murky. Largemouth bass fair on plastic worms. Crappie fair on jigs at 18-20 feet. Catfish good on all types of bait. Striped bass hybrids and saugeye fair trolling with crankbaits off of main lake points. Report submitted by Jon Cunningham, game warden stationed in Payne County. Chandler: Bass fair on plastics. Catfish fair on dough baits and stinkbaits. Crappie fair on minnows. Report submitted by Gary Emmons, game warden stationed in Lincoln County. Copan: Elevation 2 feet above normal, water murky. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs near submerged structure 10-15 feet. Channel catfish good on rod and reel, juglines with shad, stinkbait and worms. Channel and flathead catfish good below the dam on fresh cut or live shad, worms and chicken livers. Rep - Wednesday, July 23, 2008

HOG CALLS : Hogs’ Harris catching Petrino’s attention

Nate Allen

FAYETTEVILLE — Timing can mean everything, the University of Arkansas taught Matt Harris both to his chagrin and delight. Recruited out of Dallas by former Arkansas coach Houston Nutt’s regime as a willowy project with great bloodlines, (Cliff Harris, the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor safety of the 1970s and former Ouachita Baptist All-American, is Matt’s father, and UA grad/Razorback safety Tommy Harris, lettering from 1972-75 is his uncle), Matt Harris redshirted as a freshman safety in 2005. He spent 2006 and 2007 non-lettering on the pine behind veteran safeties. Then Nutt went to Ole Miss and most of the staff left, too. New head coach Bobby Petrino and new defensive coordinator Willy Robinson arrived. Starting safeties Kevin Woods and Matt Hewitt graduated. - Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Siloam’s Voss takes ‘perfect swing’ to state

By David Showers Northwest Arkansas Times

The scorecards that Siloam Springs junior Don Voss turns in aren’t typical of someone who’s only been playing golf for two years. People who have been playing the game for a lifetime haven’t gone as low as the mid to low 70 numbers he consistently cards. His steep learning curve made him the points leader of the Northwest Arkansas PGA Junior Tour. Voss will represent the tour’s Northwest section in the state championship Thursday at Greystone Country Club in Cabot. Voss was a baseball player when he made his first foray into golf in the spring of 2006, playing a leisurely round with a friend. He quickly developed an affinity for the game and shifted pursuits. “I was hooked after that,” Voss said. He missed making the state tournament in his first year of varsity golf by two strokes. He might have qualified had the team bus not accidentially ran over his golf bag. Voss shot 80 at Harrison Country Club playing with borrowed clubs. He’s since replaced the smashed set with new Mizuno irons. Voss’ natural aptitude - Sunday, July 20, 2008

Grand Ol’ Catch : Siloam angler reels in $21,000

By Tim Ritter Sports Editor timothyr@nwanews.com

Siloam Springs resident James Humphrey doesn’ have to worry about his fishing expenses for the coming year. On June 28-29, Humphrey collected $21,000 for his first-place finish in the Big Bass Bash/Anglers in Action Tournament held at Grand Lake in Grove, Okla. Along with his partner, David Powlowski, the dynamic duo split the earnings with each receiving $10,500. “Now I can help pay for my wife’s expenses to attend dental hygenie school,” Humphrey said. “Plus, a lot of my fishing expenses will now be taken care of, which include my entry fees and boat pay ments.” Humphrey caught his prize-winning 6.47-pound large mouth bass at approximately noon on June 28. The Cobb lab specialist said he used a chartreuse and blue Bill Norman DD22 crankbait to reel in his lunker “I was pretty surprised,” Humphrey said. “You never know what to expect.” Humphrey added that the weather was pretty over cast, rainy and even saw a cold-front pass through. “On Sunday, the coldness burned off and we had blue bird skies,” he said. “ - Sunday, July 20, 2008

HOG CALLS : Long looking to spruce up UA facilities

Nate Allen

FAYETTEVILLE — Demanding a practice floor in addition to the home court has become all the rage with big-time men’s college basketball coaches. Such a rage that raging about them spending unnecessarily during hard economic times and soaring energy costs likely will fall on deaf ears. Probably the coach not pleading for a practice facility isn’t doing his job, lest he be perceived as indifferent to competition one-upping his program. So don’t ridicule John Pelphrey as a lead singer in the “Gotta Have A Practice Court” blues. Just lump the Arkansas coach as part of a chorus deserving a nationwide “No!” And don’t designate Arkansas’ Jeff Long as a potential knee-jerk spendthrift. Presume he’s weighing his coach’s needs which athletic directors are supposed to do. Just too bad there couldn’t be massive AD collusion for all to say, “No,” to basketball coaches craving a practice facility in addition to where they - Sunday, July 20, 2008

Siloam All-Stars take second

By Graham Thomas Sports Writer grahamt@nwanews.com

BENTONVILLE — Jim Snodgrass has watched the Babe Ruth Baseball League in Siloam Springs come a long way in recent years. - Sunday, July 20, 2008

SPORTS NOTES

BASKETBALL Lady Razorback camp University of Arkansas women’s basketball coach Tom Collen will host one camp this week. - Sunday, July 20, 2008

ARKANSAS FISHING REPORT

NORTHWEST Beaver Lake Southtown Sporting Goods said the water is stained and about 8 feet above normal level. Bream are good on crickets. Crappie are fair in 15-20 feet of water on jigs. Bass are good on jigs and deep-diving crankbaits. White bass are good in the midlake area. - Sunday, July 20, 2008

Oklahoma trout fishing provides yearly pleasure

Staff Reports

OKLAHOMA CITY — Though there are six seasonal trout fishing areas in Oklahoma, anglers don’t have to wait until Nov. 1 to catch trout. There are two additional first class trout fisheries in Oklahoma where anglers can fish for trout no matter what the time of year — at the Lower Mountain Fork River and the Lower Illinois River. Both the Lower Mountain Fork River and the Lower Illinois River are year round trout fisheries, and rainbow trout usually are stocked about every two weeks, while brown trout are occasionally stocked. “One of the great things about summertime trout fishing in Oklahoma is that you can take an affordable vacation with your entire family,” said Paul Balkenbush, southeast region fisheries supervisor for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. “Take the Lower Mountain Fork River for example. Even though it’s hot outside, you’ve got this pristine, cool stream cascading through the mountains, mature forests all around you and great fishing. And the scenery is second to none. If trou - Sunday, July 20, 2008