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Camden Fairview Defeats Monticello Billies 47-7 In Opening Season Scrimmage
MONTICELLO, AR -- The Monticello Billies got off to a rough start under newly hired head coach Robbie Coplin on Tuesday, August 21, as the Camden Fairview Cardinals rolled over the Billies 47-7 in the annual scrimmage game to kick-off the 2018 football season.
Camden received the opening kickoff to begin the contest and was forced to punt on the possession. All kicking possessions in the contest were not played in a live aspect, there were no returns on kickoffs or punts, and there was also no defensive or offensive resistant. All extra points were kicked non-contested.
On Monticello’s first possession, the Billies could not get the offensive going, having to punt after going three and out.
Fairview struck first with 9:42 remaining in the first quarter with a nine-yard run by quarterback Keith Johnson. With the extra point, Camden took a 7-0 lead. The score would remain for the remainder of the quarter.
Camden scored again with 9:47 remaining in the half to push the score to 14-0 after Johnson connected with Qwai Thompson for a nine-yard strike. The extra point attempt was successful.
Monticello could not get anything going offensively, but Camden was able to score twice more before the end of the half to take a 28-0 lead into the locker room.
Camden scored first in the third quarter to extend their lead to 34-0 after a one-yard touchdown run and a failed extra point with 7:59 remaining in the quarter. The Billies were able to sustain a drive on their next possession and get on the scoreboard for what would become their only score of the contest after quarterback Michael Martens connected with Nick Smith on a 16-yard touchdown pass. The extra point was good to put the score at Camden 34 Monticello 7.
Camden came right back at the Billies, scoring at the end of the quarter after a 15-yard pass to Jaden Tate resulted in a Cardinal touchdown. With the extra point, Camden led 41-7.
The first turnover of the contest came with 11:42 remaining in the game when Martens pass was intercepted by a Cardinal defender. Camden would take advantage of the turnover as after a 33-yard touchdown pass. The extra point was no-good as Camden took a 47-7 lead which would be the final score.
The Billies had one more highlight on the night as the defense was able to force and recover a Camden fumble to even the score in the turnover statistics.
The Billies will have a little over a week to prepare and to adjust before the season gets officially underway on Friday, August 31 against Watson Chapel at Hyatt Field.
Watson Chapel will come into the contest with a 0-1 record, having lost their opening contest against Nashville 28-22 on Monday, August 20. The Billies and Wildcats will kick off at 7pm.
Pirates Kickoff Season With Red/White Scrimmage
MONTICELLO, AR - The Drew Central Pirates kicked off the 2018 football season with a scheduled Red v s White Scrimmage game on Thursday, August 16 which helped to introduce the new look of the Pirates under new head coach, Matt Gonzales.
The format of the scrimmage was to play the first half as close to a real half of football as possible, limiting certain aspects such as kick-offs, punts, and also not allowing hits on the quarterback to ensure a lessened risk of injury. After a 10-minute halftime, the game would resume for a third and final quarter with running time clock.
Playful trash talking was evident before the game started amongst the teammates selected for the Red and White teams. the banter amongst the players had been carried out throughout the first week of school leading up to the game.
In the scrimmage, offensively, it took a couple of series for either side to get much started. Neither side was able to gain a first down for several series until the red team was the first to achieve the first down marker after an offsides penalty by the White Team. Throughout the first half of play, it was the Red Team that was able to gain the most offensive yards, however, most of those yards would be negated by penalties and called sacks by the officials. Sacks on the quarterback in the scrimmage occurred once the defense penetrated the line and got their hands on the quarterback. With this rule in place losing yards due to a sack on the quarterback was a detriment to the offense because it took the scrambling ability away, however it is important because it helps the team in preventing injuries to the quarterback before the season begins.
The format of the scrimmage was to play the first half as close to a real half of football as possible, limiting certain aspects such as kick-offs, punts, and also not allowing hits on the quarterback to ensure a lessened risk of injury. After a 10-minute halftime, the game would resume for a third and final quarter with running time clock.
Playful trash talking was evident before the game started amongst the teammates selected for the Red and White teams. the banter amongst the players had been carried out throughout the first week of school leading up to the game.
In the scrimmage, offensively, it took a couple of series for either side to get much started. Neither side was able to gain a first down for several series until the red team was the first to achieve the first down marker after an offsides penalty by the White Team. Throughout the first half of play, it was the Red Team that was able to gain the most offensive yards, however, most of those yards would be negated by penalties and called sacks by the officials. Sacks on the quarterback in the scrimmage occurred once the defense penetrated the line and got their hands on the quarterback. With this rule in place losing yards due to a sack on the quarterback was a detriment to the offense because it took the scrambling ability away, however it is important because it helps the team in preventing injuries to the quarterback before the season begins.
Despite getting down inside the five-yard line, the Red Team was not ever able to cross into the endzone. The White Team was only able to get within 40-yards of the goal line throughout the three quarters of scrimmage as it ended in a 0-0 tie.
With the scrimmage game over, the Pirates will now set their sights on correcting the mistakes the coaches took notes on from the scrimmage and to set a game plan for the opening game of the 2018 season against Poyen on Friday, August 24.
The Pirates will have to work this season with a young offensive and defensive line that will be consisting of several sophomore players. On the offensive line, giving the snaps will be sophomore Jacob Chapman with another sophomore, Mark Grant listed as the other center on the roster. Leading the way at quarterback is sophomore Cole Harris. Harris with Travarus Shead, a junior, will also share time at the position. No matter who is at the quarterback position there is talent around them. At receiver, juniors Stevon Hall, Trenton Eubanks, and senior Zeb Trantham will provide three go to targets. There are also several options out of the backfield for Drew Central as well. Seniors Cairo Graham, Markalen Jacobs, and sophomore Artayvias Jacob will see time at running back. Eubanks, Shead, and Elijah Trantham could also see time from the backfield as well.
Defensively many of the same names will have significant playing time, but with a roster that is boosting around 50 players Coach Gonzales will have a lot of options to look for.
Pirate Football will officially start the season on Thursday, August 23 at home when the junior team will face Poyen. The seniors will travel to Poyen on Friday to open the senior high season.
Cairo Graham
Markalen Jacobs
Travarus Shead
Zeb
Trantham
Justin Ferrell
UAM To Induct Four Individuals, One Team To Sports Hall of Fame
MONTICELLO (Press Release)— Four individuals and one team whose athletic exploits spanned eight decades have been selected for induction to the University of Arkansas at Monticello Sports Hall of Fame.
Football quarterback and high school coaching icon, the late Clarence "Sonny" Gordon, football All-American Herbert Lewis, women's basketball All-American Regina Wright, do-it-all quarterback Scott Buisson and the 1990 Cotton Blossoms basketball team comprise the induction class of 2018.
An induction banquet will be held October 18 at 6 p.m. in the John F. Gibson University Center. Tickets are $35 and may be purchased by calling the Department of Athletics at (870) 460-1058. All proceeds go to the UAM Sports Association.
The late Sonny Gordon was a high school coaching legend at Holly Grove, but before he became a coach, he was one of the most decorated football players in UAM history. Gordon became just the second Boll Weevil player to earn all-conference honors when he was named to the All-Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference team as a freshman. It was the first of four consecutive all-conference honors for Gordon, who played for three different head coaches in four years. Gordon played his freshman and sophomore years for Foy Hammons, the first coach in school history to post a winning record. He played the 1934 season under Stewart Ferguson, who five years later would gain notoriety as the creator of the "Wandering Weevils." Gordon completed his playing career in 1935 under Eugene "Bo" Sherman.
A Holly Grove native, Gordon led his hometown to a dozen district championships in both football and basketball. His 1976 boys basketball team won the Class AA state championship before reaching the finals of the overall championship tournament. Over a two-year stretch in the 1960s, Holly Grove won 21 straight football games. He was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1984 and to the Arkansas High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1996.
Herbert Lewis became the first African-American football player in UAM history to earn All-America honors when he was named an NAIA Division I Honorable Mention All-American following the 1975 season.
A defensive end, Lewis lettered four years, started three, and was a two-time first team All-Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference selection in 1974-75, a remarkable achievement for a player on a team that won a combined five games in two seasons. Lewis finished his UAM career with 359 tackles, 231 unassisted. In 1974, he led the Weevils with 109 tackles, 67 solo, and had 142 tackles as a senior, 96 unassisted.
Regina Wright made the most of her two seasons at UAM after transferring from junior college. A physical, talented forward, Wright earned first team NAIA Division I All-America honors as well as Honorable Mention All-America recognition from Kodak, which included NCAA Division II and III schools as well as the NAIA. For her career, Wright scored 740 points and averaged 17.2 points a game, had 207 assists and 197 steals. As a junior, she averaged 16.6 points and 8.0 rebounds while shooting 51.3 percent from the field. As a senior, she improved to 17.5 points a game while pulling down 6.8 rebounds.
In 1993, Wright led the Cotton Blossoms to a 25-10 record, the AIC championship and a berth in the NAIA Division I National Tournament.
Scott Buisson was a four-year starter at quarterback from 2007-10 and one of the most exciting and prolific players in school history. Buisson debuted by winning Gulf South Conference Freshman of the Year honors in 2007. He was the GSC Offensive Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2008 and a regional semifinalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, the Division II equivalent of the Heisman.
When Buisson completed his four-year career, he held school records for career total offense (12,514 yards), career total plays (1,946), total touchdowns (97), career 300-yard total offense games (20), career pass attempts (1,330), career pass completions (763), career passing yards (9,616), and career touchdowns passing (73). He also set the record (since broken) for total offense in a single game with 640 yards vs. Henderson State in 2008.
The 1990 Cotton Blossoms basketball team becomes the second team honored by the UA Sports Hall of Fame, joining the 1956 men's basketball team, winners of the school's first conference basketball title.
The 1990 Blossoms were arguably the best team in school history, regardless of sport. UAM blew through the season with a 34-3 record that ended in the championship game of the NAIA Division I National Tournament, where the Blossoms' dream of a national title ended at the hands of Southwestern Oklahoma.
Led by Tina Webb and Rose Avery, a pair of wondrously talented first team All-American forwards, the Blossoms averaged 100 points a game, defeated their opposition by an average of more than 25 points a game, won the AIC championship and defeated their archrival, Arkansas Tech, in resounding fashion, 87-65 in the finals of the NAIA District 17 tournament. In addition to Webb and Avery, the 1990 Blossoms boasted on the of best three-point shooters in the nation in Susan Pemberton and three, slick, tenacious guards in Brenda Rhodes, Kim Turner and Elisha Ramer.
Other members of the team were Christine Kendall, Terrie Hinson-Sossamon, Katherine Avery, Ericka Walter, Wendi Gregory and Kathy Rowland. Team managers were Michele Ridgell-Reese and Deanna Patillo Klaus.
Football quarterback and high school coaching icon, the late Clarence "Sonny" Gordon, football All-American Herbert Lewis, women's basketball All-American Regina Wright, do-it-all quarterback Scott Buisson and the 1990 Cotton Blossoms basketball team comprise the induction class of 2018.
An induction banquet will be held October 18 at 6 p.m. in the John F. Gibson University Center. Tickets are $35 and may be purchased by calling the Department of Athletics at (870) 460-1058. All proceeds go to the UAM Sports Association.
The late Sonny Gordon was a high school coaching legend at Holly Grove, but before he became a coach, he was one of the most decorated football players in UAM history. Gordon became just the second Boll Weevil player to earn all-conference honors when he was named to the All-Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference team as a freshman. It was the first of four consecutive all-conference honors for Gordon, who played for three different head coaches in four years. Gordon played his freshman and sophomore years for Foy Hammons, the first coach in school history to post a winning record. He played the 1934 season under Stewart Ferguson, who five years later would gain notoriety as the creator of the "Wandering Weevils." Gordon completed his playing career in 1935 under Eugene "Bo" Sherman.
A Holly Grove native, Gordon led his hometown to a dozen district championships in both football and basketball. His 1976 boys basketball team won the Class AA state championship before reaching the finals of the overall championship tournament. Over a two-year stretch in the 1960s, Holly Grove won 21 straight football games. He was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1984 and to the Arkansas High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1996.
Herbert Lewis became the first African-American football player in UAM history to earn All-America honors when he was named an NAIA Division I Honorable Mention All-American following the 1975 season.
A defensive end, Lewis lettered four years, started three, and was a two-time first team All-Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference selection in 1974-75, a remarkable achievement for a player on a team that won a combined five games in two seasons. Lewis finished his UAM career with 359 tackles, 231 unassisted. In 1974, he led the Weevils with 109 tackles, 67 solo, and had 142 tackles as a senior, 96 unassisted.
Regina Wright made the most of her two seasons at UAM after transferring from junior college. A physical, talented forward, Wright earned first team NAIA Division I All-America honors as well as Honorable Mention All-America recognition from Kodak, which included NCAA Division II and III schools as well as the NAIA. For her career, Wright scored 740 points and averaged 17.2 points a game, had 207 assists and 197 steals. As a junior, she averaged 16.6 points and 8.0 rebounds while shooting 51.3 percent from the field. As a senior, she improved to 17.5 points a game while pulling down 6.8 rebounds.
In 1993, Wright led the Cotton Blossoms to a 25-10 record, the AIC championship and a berth in the NAIA Division I National Tournament.
Scott Buisson was a four-year starter at quarterback from 2007-10 and one of the most exciting and prolific players in school history. Buisson debuted by winning Gulf South Conference Freshman of the Year honors in 2007. He was the GSC Offensive Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2008 and a regional semifinalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, the Division II equivalent of the Heisman.
When Buisson completed his four-year career, he held school records for career total offense (12,514 yards), career total plays (1,946), total touchdowns (97), career 300-yard total offense games (20), career pass attempts (1,330), career pass completions (763), career passing yards (9,616), and career touchdowns passing (73). He also set the record (since broken) for total offense in a single game with 640 yards vs. Henderson State in 2008.
The 1990 Cotton Blossoms basketball team becomes the second team honored by the UA Sports Hall of Fame, joining the 1956 men's basketball team, winners of the school's first conference basketball title.
The 1990 Blossoms were arguably the best team in school history, regardless of sport. UAM blew through the season with a 34-3 record that ended in the championship game of the NAIA Division I National Tournament, where the Blossoms' dream of a national title ended at the hands of Southwestern Oklahoma.
Led by Tina Webb and Rose Avery, a pair of wondrously talented first team All-American forwards, the Blossoms averaged 100 points a game, defeated their opposition by an average of more than 25 points a game, won the AIC championship and defeated their archrival, Arkansas Tech, in resounding fashion, 87-65 in the finals of the NAIA District 17 tournament. In addition to Webb and Avery, the 1990 Blossoms boasted on the of best three-point shooters in the nation in Susan Pemberton and three, slick, tenacious guards in Brenda Rhodes, Kim Turner and Elisha Ramer.
Other members of the team were Christine Kendall, Terrie Hinson-Sossamon, Katherine Avery, Ericka Walter, Wendi Gregory and Kathy Rowland. Team managers were Michele Ridgell-Reese and Deanna Patillo Klaus.