Swint, Island named scholar-athletes of the year

El Dorado's Makaylen Swint and LaMario Island were named El Dorado News-Times Scholar Athletes of the Year on Tuesday. Swint, a fouryear starter in softball, graduated with a 4.26 grade point average. Island, who competed in track and tennis, sported a 4.1481 grade point average.

Swint started at catcher for El Dorado despite being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the beginning of the season. She would eventually hit .310 for the Lady Wildcats with a .954 fielding percentage.

She threw out 10 runners trying to steal.

Academically, she was awarded the Governor's Distinguished Scholarship, Arkansas Challenge Scholarship, Top 5% and scored a 32 on the ACT.

"It feels like I've been rewarded for all my hard work that I've tried to do in the past four years and even before that," said Swint. "Whenever I was playing tournament ball when I was little, I feel like it all kind of led here and paid off. I feel accomplished."

Swint will attend Ouachita Baptist University and plans to study Biomedical Science.

Island won the 5A state championship in the 110 hurdles and helped the Wildcats claim their first track state championship. He was also third in the state in the 300 hurdles and seventh in the triple jump. He was sixth in the Meet of Champions in the 110 hurdles and seventh in the 300 hurdles.

Academically, he was top 5% in his class, National Honor Society treasurer, Arkansas Scholar, recipient of the UCA Distinguished Scholarship and AP Scholar Award, among other honors.

"It feels good," Island said. "It feels like all the work I've put in throughout these years as either scholar or athlete has paid off. I'm grateful and thankful."

Island will attend the University of Central Arkansas to run track and study nursing.

The female finalists were El Dorado's Aubrey Marx, Smackover's Laylah Gaston, Smackover's Mackenzie Preston and Parkers Chapel's Rebekah Hardy.

The male finalists were El Dorado's Brian Soto, El Dorado's Ashton Yarbrough, West Side Christian's Anderson Colley and Junction City's Ryan Allen.

The finalists were recognized and the winners were announced Tuesday at the El Dorado News-Times office.

The two winners received $100 with the finalists receiving $50 each.

Tandy Gill/News-Times Scholar-athlete winners: Makaylen Swint and LaMario Island were named the El Dorado News-Times Scholar-Athletes of the Year on Tuesday.

Tandy Gill/News-Times Male Scholar-Athletes of the Year: The finalists for El Dorado News-Times Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year were, from left, Brian Soto, Anderson Colley, LaMario Island and Ashton Yarbrough. Not pictured is Ryan Allen.

Tony Burns/News-Times Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year: The finalists for El Dorado News-Times Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year were, from left, Mackenzie Preston, Laylah Gaston, Makaylen Swint and Aubrey Marx. Not pictured is Rebekah Hardy.