Hurricane Soccer storms through season

Head Coach Justin Cook and JHS' co-captains Chase Chamberlain and Chase Cook. | Photo by Ashley Helliwell

Exciting things have happened on the soccer pitch at Cooksey-Johns Field this season.

First-year Jonesboro Hurricane head coach Justin Cook has brought a youthful attitude and excitement to his squad and that has turned into goals and wins on the field.

Hurricane Warning

The attacking system the Hurricane has run this year is different than in past seasons. Cook has installed a system with three center midfielders, which is unique to high school soccer.

“We have a traditional center mid, one center mid that plays a true center mid and one’s an attacking center mid,” Cook shared. “All of them are allowed to go up and all of them are expected to get back. They all have their own individual roles around midfield that I haven’t really seen at center.”

The system is designed to give JHS more scoring chances on offense, while gambling a little that they can get back if needed on defense.

Flying High: Shea Cothren has the GCT Lady Eagles Soaring

GCT senior pitcher Shea Cothren

The Greene County Tech Lady Eagles softball program has been one on the rise over the last four years, and senior pitcher Shea Cothren has played a big part in her team’s success.

“It all starts with her,” GCT head coach Scott Wright said of his senior pitcher. “When she starts throwing the ball well everyone gets involved and they know they have a chance to win every time out. … Her leadership is being in the circle for us.”

In Control of the Circle

Cothren is producing yet another stellar season for the Lady Eagles this year. The Lady Eagles’ senior is averaging right around 11 strikeouts per game in her senior year, including several dominant performances. Cothren recorded 22 Ks in a double-header sweep of Batesville in late March, a week later in GCT’s double-header sweep over Nettleton, Cothren went the distance in both games allowing just two runs and striking out 16 in the double-header.

NEA Spirit! Howl on the prowl

Howl will celebrate two years of cheering on ASU in September. GF File Photo by Graycen Colbert

In this month’s School Spirit feature we take a look at another aspect of a spirit team, the mascot. No furry character is more recognizable in northeast Arkansas than ASU’s rowdy Red Wolf Howl. This month we check in on a few of Howl’s specific interests and hear from ASU’s Assistant Director of Athletics for Marketing and Promotions, Gleen Hart.

Howl has always had a flair for dramatic entrances. As a young Red Wolf he burst onto the scene and was introduced to the A-State family during the second quarter of ASU’s home football opener against Texas Southern on Sept. 6, 2008. Ever since that moment, Howl has been the face and the fur of ASU sports.

“He’s been a tremendous success, even more than we could ever have expected.” Hart shared. “Howl has increased the positive exposure for the athletic department in the community.”

Howl replaced his predecessor Red, but still carries on much of the same characteristics of the former ASU mascot. Howl is always excited and rowdy on ASU Gamedays, getting fans young and old alike into the spirit of rooting on the home team at ASU Stadium, the Convocation Center, or throughout the community.

Jonesboro’s Aycock signs with Holy Cross

Jonesboro's Alex Aycock

Jonesboro High School senior Alex Aycock signed her National Letter of Intent Thursday to continue her volleyball career at Division-I Holy Cross outside of Boston.

“I’m thrilled,” Aycock said after the pen had completed its work on her signing day. “It’s been a goal of mine for a long time.”

The decorated senior athlete received 14 varsity letters during her time at JHS while competing in volleyball, basketball, cross country and track. She received All-State honors in volleyball and track, and was named the 2008 6A state tournament MVP for her play in leading the Lady Hurricane to another state volleyball title.

Aycock’s high school coach, Jo Beth Mathis, praised her senior’s dedication and drive to accomplish her goal.

“She’s worked so hard and dotted the i’s and crossed the t’s to make sure to get this opportunity,” Mathis said. “She got to choose where she wanted to go, which a lot of kids don’t get to. Because of her great schoolwork she really gets the best of both worlds, not only getting to play Division-I volleyball, but also to get a great degree.”

Queens of the Hardwood set for 4th annual game

The fourth annual Queens of the Hardwood all-star volleyball game is set to take place Friday, April 16 at 7:00 at the Nettleton High School gym.

The game will feature North and East all-star squads made up of seniors from high schools around the region. The athletes were selected by the head coaches for both sides. Marion head coach Lisa Beasley will lead the East team into play while the North team will be coached by Westside’s Glenda Patterson.

The rosters expanded this year to be able to include more athletes in the game. This year both teams will have 14 players, and the coaching staffs were increased this year as well, adding an extra assistant coach on each side. A total of 15 NEA high schools will be represented in the game.

The game provides one last time for the girls to wear their school’s colors on the volleyball court.

Playing to win: Paragould’s 3-Sport star Jessica Greene

Paragould's Jessica Greene | Photo by Ashley Helliwell

Jessica Greene has been competitive her entire life. When Greene was in the second grade there was a contest at school to see who would lose the most teeth in a year’s time. As the year came to a close, Greene was in a neck and neck battle with another student. One day to go and they were both tied. Little Jessica knew what she had to do.

“I actually went home and pulled one of my teeth that wasn’t even loose just so I could win,” Greene remembers with a smile. “And I did win.”

The Paragould junior has been competing ever since, and more times than not coming out on top, without the need of pulling teeth.

“I’m pretty sure I’ve always been that competitive,” Greene added.

Several high school athletes play multiple sports. It’s not uncommon to see boys double up between football and basketball or the hardwood and the diamond. Girls often play volleyball and basketball or softball and tennis or basketball and soccer. The combinations are many. What makes Jessica Greene an elite athlete is that she not only plays in three sports for the Lady Rams, but that she is one of the best in the state at all three.

Making her Mark: Marked Tree’s Hannah Ghant

Marked Tree's Hannah Ghant

Hannah Ghant feels right at home on the mound. The Marked Tree senior is gearing up for her final campaign in Poinsett County after three years of pitching for the Lady Indians.

Ghant burst onto the high school scene as a freshman when she won 20 games and struck out just shy of 300 batters. Her sophomore year she had to battle through a case of mono that limited her success, but Ghant rebounded in her junior campaign to put up stellar numbers again. Ghant finished last season with a record of 17-7 with a 1.84 ERA and 187 strikeouts. The girl with the number one on her jersey also came through at the plate, hitting a crisp .390 and knocking in 27 runs last year.

Now after a summer of playing traveling softball around the country playing in the Amateur Softball Association’s 18 and Under Gold division, the senior is full speed ahead entering her final year on the mound at Marked Tree.

NEA Spirit! Jonesboro Cheer

The 2009-2010 Jonesboro High School Cheer Team

The Jonesboro High School Cheerleaders makeup one of the most accomplished cheer teams in all of Northeast Arkansas. Led by Caroline Crawford, the Lady Hurricane Cheer team has won four state titles in Crawford’s 12 years coaching the team, the most recent was during the 2010 class’ sophomore year two years ago.

The 2009-2010 team of 24 girls is led by senior co-captains Jameson Murray and Shan Powell. Both girls began their cheer careers way back in eighth grade and have taken great pride in continuing them through their time at high school.

“You grow up a lot in it,” Murray said of cheerleading. “You have to deal with not only people your age, but when you’re a sophomore you have to learn to respect people who are seniors and juniors at the time, and then when you get to where you are a senior you have to learn to deal with those who haven’t done cheerleading as long as you. It’s just a really big growing experience, and teaches you a lot of how to deal with people.”