Phillips pins his way through state tournament, brings home championship
For the fourth straight year, the Glen Rose wrestling team has a state champion.
The Beavers wrestling team had four members compete in the state wrestling tournament, held at the Jack Stephens Center on the UA Little Rock campus, and had one member pin his way through the competition to be crowned the state champion.
Sophomore Brayden Phillips was able to pin all of his opponents in the 4A 160 pound bracket to earn the title of state champion. In doing so he also received the Outstanding Wrestler Award as voted on by team coaches. This award is the second in a row for the Glen Rose wrestling team.
The road to victory wasn’t easy for Phillips though.
Phillips had to face a senior number one seed from Pulaski Academy that had pinned Phillips the last time they met, Glen Rose wrestling coach Doug McGuire said. Phillips was down early to the number seed, but fought back to overcome the large deficit of points. “He would not be satisfied to win just on points,” McGuire said. “He picked up the pace and got the pin.”
Phillips has been wrestling since he was 5 years old and is in his second year competing for the Beavers varsity wrestling team. “He has really matured this season and showed more heart in that match than I have ever seen from him,” McGuire said.
Although less experienced than Phillips, the rest of the Beavers wrestling team also stepped up during the state tournament and made a statement, McGuire said.
At 126 pounds, sophomore Cameron Graham finished fourth after being pinned by a senior number two seed from Academics Plus, with a 12-1 record, in the third place match. McGuire said that Graham was able to take down this senior and was controlling the match until his inexperience eventually showed. “Made one little mistake and got pinned,” McGuire said.
McGuire added that he was super proud of Graham and how he went at that senior. “He’s a hardworking kid and it showed.”
At 138 pounds, freshman Lakoda Caldwell finished fifth in the state tournament. McGuire said that Caldwell
has a knack for coming from behind and getting the pin, which is how he won his 5th place match. McGuire added that he was sure Caldwell pinned two other seniors in a come from behind win during the tournament.
“Fun kid to watch,” McGuire said. “You never know what he is going to do. Another hard working kid.”
Sophomore Aidan Huth didn’t place in the tournament, being at 145 pounds, but still showed up to support his teammates during the rest of the tournament. “Hard to watch a kid work so hard and just miss out,” McGuire said. “He came back the next day to support his team. You have to love a kid like that.”
Overall McGuire said he was beyond proud of the young Beavers squad. “They
all fought hard,” he said. “Big things coming for them the way they are going!”
This was another history making season for Glen Rose wrestling, one that included the very first girls team. McGuire said that the girls team had an amazing season that included taking second place in their very first tournament at Lakeside High School. “They pinned everyone,” he said.
But after such a dominant season, McGuire said it was heartbreaking to see them all lose at the the state tournament. “It was heartbreaking to see them all lose to girls at state they had beat all season,” he said. Moving forward McGuire said that the girls team will be working on their mental game.
EMERSON — For a consecutive season with 20 plus wins the Ouachita Lady Warriors senior high girls basketball team are headed back to familiar territory on the court to compete in the 2021 Class 1A state tournament this week hosted at West Side High School in Greers Ferry.
The Lady Warriors claimed their state tournament spot by securing victory against the Bradley Lady Bears 53-45 in the opening round at the 1A Region Tournament hosted in Emerson. The Lady Warriors had a heartbreaking 47-45 loss to Emerson in the semifinals, but Ouachita regrouped and prevailed in the third place game against Dermott 39-38 to finish third overall at regionals.
Ouachita Lady Warriors basketball head coach Corey Brown is proud of the team’s achievement and to continue their destiny to compete for a state title for consecutive seasons as a championship contender in Class 1A.
The No. 3 seed Lady Warriors will face Rural
Special today at 4 p.m. in the state tournament hosted in Greers Ferry.
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4 In Ouachita’s first round game against Bradley, Lady Warriors’ Linsey Sirratt and Emma Williams led scoring with 12 points apiece for a
duo of double-figures. Williams also snatched 12 rebounds for a double-double. She dished out seven assists, with a deflection and a steal. Sirratt had three rebounds, and two steals. Williams and Sirratt both knocked down two trifectas from beyond the arc for key long-distance shooting. Tessa Kuykend
all and Lizzy Rowton each dropped eight points apiece. Rowton grabbed seven rebounds and dished out four assists. Kuykendall had four boards off the glass, with a steal and a key block for stout defense. Gabby Buras scored six points with five rebounds. Aileen Ables drilled a trey from down
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Inc. 205 Executive 17 points, Buras added 12 points and Rowton finished with 11 points for a triple-threat of double-figures. Williams busted five trey’s from beyond the arc with six rebounds, two deflections and five steals. Buras grabbed three rebounds, with a deflection and a steal— while Rowton snatched six rebounds, dished out five assists, had one deflection and two steals. Sirratt contributed five points for the scoring department and had two rebounds. Kuykendall led on the boards with eight rebounds, and had six assists, a deflection and a steal.
For the third place game against Dermott, the Lady Warriors’ Williams led scoring with 11 points and Rowton dropped 10 points to post in double-digits. Williams snatched seven rebounds, had five steals and three blocks. Rowton grabbed six rebounds off the glass with one deflection and a block. Delaney Daniell added five points, while McIntosh and Emma Kyzer (3-pointer) each finished with three points apiece. Inside player, Buras finished with seven points, six rebounds and two blocks.