Kilcrease: A ‘Grace’ful champion

I’m still flustered after covering football, golf, and cross country in the same week.

That’s my excuse, anyway, for offering only bits and pieces today of sports commentary.

KILCREASE DOMINATES STATE MEET

One of my privileges as a sports writer is to watch young athletes new to the varsity level develop into stars before they leave high school.

I first interviewed Springdale Har-Ber senior Grace Kilcrease when she was a sophomore and found out later she only took up golf because she felt she’d grown too tall and gangly to continue in gymnastics.

Good choice. Kilcrease had the appearance of a confident and graceful athlete last week when she dominated the competition in the Class 6A girls state tournament at Lost Springs Golf and Athletic Club in Rogers. Kilcrease followed a 72 on Tuesday by shooting an impressive 8-under 64 Wednesday to win the tournament by 10 strokes over her nearest competitor.

“Most people would love to shoot 72 but I knew she was not happy with that,” Springdale Har-Ber golf coach Aynes said. “I sent a text to my AD, Wayne Stehlik, that said ‘look for her to shoot 66 (Wednesday).’ I was wrong. I sold her short. She came out with a 64.”

Winning a state championship in Arkansas’ largest classification is the latest achievement for Kilcrease, who’ll play next year at Tulsa. But Kilcrease was pleased even more in helping Springdale Har-Ber win the Class 6A team championship for the second straight year.

Kilcrease and Charlie Whorton, who finished second, will represent Har-Ber in the Overall Tournament at Paradise Valley in Little Rock.

“I am so happy our team won,” said Kilcrease, who was scheduled to make an official visit to Tulsa over the weekend. “That was my first goal and I’m happy I was able to contribute.”

Tulsa’s getting a good one, for sure.

FRANTIC FRIDAYS

Let’s stop and review for a moment following another night of exciting high school football action in Class 7A.

Fayetteville beat Conway and lost to North Little Rock, which also beat Springdale Har-Ber then lost Friday to Conway, which beat Bentonville. Got it?

Me neither.

All is know is the season has been fun to watch and we’re not even halfway through for most teams.

Mark your calendar for Friday, Oct. 15. That’s when Fayetteville gets its shot at home against Bentonville, which has won 14 of the past 15 conference championships in the 7A-West.

Expect anything and assume nothing.

Also, don’t sleep on Har-Ber, which won its first game Friday after starting 0-4. Arkadelphia won the Class 4A state championship in 2018 after starting 0-5.

HOLLYWOOD HILLBILLY?

I wasn’t surprised when Austin Reaves laughed it off when a reporter during a media event for the Los Angeles Lakers asked him about his nickname “Hillbilly Kobe.”

I was more interested in the reaction from others, especially at a time in our country when someone is always offended by something. But Reaves’ Lakers teammates laughed as well and I haven’t read any stinging editorials about applying a word to an individual from the South that can be viewed as derogatory and unflattering.

Reaves grew up in Newark and played college basketball at Wichita State and Oklahoma, where he was selected All-Big 12 as a senior. He signed with LA as an undrafted free agent and was added to the Lakers regular-season roster last week, where he’ll join fellow Arkansan

Malik Monk (Lepanto) in the backcourt. Reaves signed a twoyear contract that’ll pay him nearly $500,000 as an NBA rookie.

“Appreciate, ya’ll,” Reaves said with a southern drawl at the end of his interview.

He’s an Arkansan, for sure. But Hillbilly?

Not even close, unless you think speaking clearly and displaying manners is a sign of weakness or ignorance.

FOURTH-DOWN FOLLIES

Would you mind terribly if I finished by second-guessing a play involving the best quarterback to ever play the game?

I’m doing it anyway.

I mostly stay away from talk radio and canned debates on ESPN where people second-guess and complain about everything involving coaching decisions. But I had to jump in on Twitter after Tom Brady floated a pass that fell incomplete during a critical 4th-down and 1 situation against the Rams.

I don’t care if it’s a 7th- grade junior high team or the defending Super Bowl champs, teams that throw on 4th down-and-1 from the Shotgun formation is telling the defense we’re not hoss enough to win the line of scrimmage.

Not surprisingly, the Bucs lost. And I’m done here being a grumpy wumpy.

I need a nap.