Lady T-Birds hope to improve in coach’s final season

The Guy-Perkins girls finished 12-18 last season, short of the regional and state tournaments. That is not an acceptable finish for a program that won state championships in 1984, 2001, ’02, ’03 and ’05 for coach John Hutchcraft. Hutchcraft will retire following the season — his 42nd at Guy-Perkins — and the Lady T-Birds aim to send him out on a better note. “We expect to exceed last year’s finish with the help of our sophomores and new junior Rachel Dumont,” said Hutchcraft, who opened the season with a career record of 1,969-567. Two starters return from last year’s squad — 5-7 seniors Michaela Malone and Gracey Acre. Hutchcraft said Acre is a college prospect. “She is a great all-around player, very focused and coachable,” he said. “She can do it all.” Sophomore Emi Acre will join her sister outside. “The Acre sisters are both great 3-point shooters and are quick,” Hutchcraft said. Sophomore twins Sydney and Maya Davidson will lead the Lady Thunderbirds inside. “They are both very strong post players and very aggressive,” Hutchcraft said. Team strengths, he said, will be outside shooting and team unity. Hutchcraft said he doesn’t see a weakness, adding that the Lady T-Birds will “correct and adjust” should any appear. The Thunderbirds play in the 1A-5 North Conference with Abundant Life, Academics Plus, Avila Christian, LISA Academy (North Little Rock), Marvell, Mount Vernon-Enola, Nemo Vista, Sacred Heart and Wonderview. Their combined classification is 1A-2A District 7, along with Bigelow, Conway Christian, Mount Vernon-Enola, Nemo Vista, Quitman, Sacred Heart, South Side Bee Branch, Conway St. Joseph and Wonderview. Hutchcraft said games to watch will include Wonderview, last year’s Class 1A state runner-up; Mount Vernon-Enola, a 1A state semifinalist; and Quitman, the defending Class 2A state champion. “We will be looking out for these teams because they are all three capable of winning state this year,” he said. He should know. Hutchcraft has taken teams to 19 state-championship games, winning five girls and five boys titles. His daughter Charlotte Hutchcraft Sober played on three of Guy-Perkins’ state runner-up teams. Son Jason McGinty hit the winning basket for the T-Birds’ 1997 title. Daughter Ashley Hutchcraft Nance was named MVP on the Lady Thunderbird championship teams in 2001, ’02 and ’03. Grandson Wyatt Spires was a junior post on the latest title squad, which finished 37-4 last year. Both Guy-Perkins teams won championships in 2005. Could there be a better way to send out a legend than another double?