Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
OBU vets Jackson, Henson ready for late-season push
The Ouachita Baptist Tigers keep rolling.
The nationally ranked Tigers (9-0) were set to travel to Durant, Okla., on Saturday to face Southeastern Oklahoma State. OBU is currently ranked No. 4 in the American Football Coaches Association DII Coaches Poll.
OBU’s experienced offensive line includes two River Valley products — Zac Henson of Alma and Hunter Jackson of Ozark. Recently, the team churned out enough offense to grind out a 28-18 win over East Central on Senior Day.
OBU’s average margin of victory this season is 29.7 points per game, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a target on the Tigers’ backs.
“We’re very sell- aware about our potential, but potential goes nowhere without hard work,” Jackson said. “It’s been a lot of fun.”
Jackson and fellow lineman Peyton Stafford are in their sixth season. Anthony Chairez and Nathan Turner are fifth-year players.
“We have a lot of good camaraderie with this group,” Jackson said.
Henson was a former tight end in high school, who upon the suggestion of his former offensive line coach, was encouraged to play tackle. He took the bait and ran with it.
During the 2019 season, when Henson was called to help with “heavy packages” as a blocking fullback, he sought the advice of former Tiger lineman Cori Gooseberry.
“He really taught me a lot about technique,” Henson said. “Once you get to college, it’s a lot of technique. In high school, you are bigger and you can get away without a lot of technique.”
Henson appeared in all 11 games for the Tigers in 2021, helping the Tigers rank fourth in the nation in rushing yards. They were third in the nation for the fewest sacks allowed last season.
Henson also made the Dean’s List in 2021.
Following Saturday’s game in Durant, the Tigers return home to play Henderson State in the annual Battle of the Ravine in Arkadelphia.
ENNIS BOOTS PERFECTION
Grant Ennis ( Greenwood) made all four of his PAT kicks in Harding University’s 28-7 win over Northwestern Oklahoma, extending Harding’s overall and Great American Conference record to 7-2.
Ennis is now 40-of-41 in PAT kicks and second in team scoring (54) behind running back Will Fitzhugh’s 54 points (nine touchdowns). For his career, Ennis is now 152-of-158 in PAT attempts. He had a touchback in the Oct. 29 game to give him 13 for the season.
Harding’s Scott Cameron had 16 touchbacks in all of 2021.
The Bison (7-2) traveled to Weatherford on Saturday to face the Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs. The team will conclude the regular season on Nov. 12 against Arkansas Tech.
HOLLAND EARNS POW HONORS
Hannah Holland’s not ready to see her volleyball career end.
The former Southside standout was named the Lone St a r Conference Offensive Player of the We e k last week. The standout middle blocker helped lead UAFS to a trio of wins over UT-Tyler, Angelo State and UT-Permian Basin.
Holland hit .514 with 21 kills, 10 aces and 11 blocks, which included an eight-kill, five- block and seven- aces performance against Angelo State.
“We’ve lost some games we shouldn’t have lost, and we’ve won a few we shouldn’t have won,” Holland said. “We really need to win out if we want to go the [conference] tournament.”
UAFS (15-12, 7-7) was in Wichita Falls, Texas, Friday to play Midwestern State. UAFS is scheduled to conclude the regular season Saturday against Texas Woman’s University.
GLEASON FIRES 4 TD PASSES Braden Gleason
(Muldrow) and the red-hot Emporia State Hornets traveled to Jefferson City, Mo., Saturday to face winless Lincoln University.
Gleason and Tigers routed the Blue Tigers in 2021, 56-21. Lincoln has lost 24 straight games dating back to Oct. 19, 2019. That streak includes an 87-3 loss to Nichols State (2021).
Gleason passed for four touchdowns and 297 yards in last week’s 42-14 victory over Hays State.
Gleason has passed for 2,631 yards and 24 touchdowns this season, against just one interception this season. Gleason’s career numbers include 6,567 passing yards and 59 touchdowns.
The Hornets ( 7-2) have won five straight games.
CASTILLOW RECORDS 22 DIGS
Ouachita Baptist completed the GAC campaign Thursday with an 18-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-15 come-from-behind win over Southern Arkansas.
The Lady Tigers (18-11, 106) will compete in the GAC tournament next weekend in Shawnee, Okla.
Lexi Castillow (Greenwood) had 22 digs in Thursday’s regular-season finale against SAU. Castillow had seven digs and a pair of aces in the team’s sweep of Arkansas Tech earlier last week.
Castillow leads the Lady Tigers with 534 digs (5.67 digs per set). She has 2,249 career digs, spanning five seasons.
Castillow is currently third all-time in career digs with 1,985 digs behind Becky Cunningham (2,429) and Allison Frizzell (2,226).
MENDEZ-HERNANDEZ PLACES 16TH
Dariana Mendez-Hernandez finished 16th last week at the Region II Championship in Mena. The University of Arkansas- Rich Mountain hosted the event at the Lion’s Club Disc Golf Course.
The short-handed Bucks had three runners place. Mendez-Hernandez ran a 24:53.0. Teammate McKinzie Stidham of Waldron was 19th overall with a time of 25:17.0.
UA- Rich Mountain’s Kaley Nicholson was second overall. The trio will compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association National Champions on Nov. 12.
NJCAA DII National Championship in Tallahassee, Fla.
PRESLEY HELPS HENDRIX CLOSE WITH WIN
Camryn Presley (Greenwood) and the Hendrix Lady Warriors closed out the regular season with a big win over Centre on Senior Day last week.
Friday, they were set to battle the same Centre Lady Colonels in the quarterfinal round of the Southern Athletic Association conference tournament.
Presley leads the Lady Warriors (10-12, 5-9) with 235 kills (3.56 per set). She also has averaged 3.24 digs per set. She leads the team in kills and digs with 214.
Presley had 17 kills and 14 digs in the team’s regular-season finale last week against Rhodes, a tough 25-21, 22-25, 25-17, 25-19 loss. Hendrix had earlier beaten the Linx, 25-9, 25-22, 25-15 back on Sept. 21.
LUKE RECORDS 11 KILLS
Larkin Luke ( Greenwood) and the Henderson State Lady Reddies had a strong finish to the regular season.
Luke had a career-high 11 kills this week in the team’s four-set win (27-25, 25-21, 2325, 25-16) win over Southern Arkansas. Luke’s previous career high was six kills, which she accomplished three different times in 2022.
The former Greenwood star had four kills in the team’s regular-season finale against UA-Monticello, a crisp 25-17, 25-21, 25-23 Reddies’ victory.
The Reddies finished the regular season 10-18 overall and 4-12 in the Great American Conference.
THIRD-AND-LONG
Abby Summit ( Greenwood) saw two minutes of playing time and pulled down a rebound in last week’s 92-62 exhibition loss to the University of Arkansas. UAFS opens the 2022-23 season Friday (Nov. 11) against Westminister College (Utah). … Cejay Mann (Alma) started the second phase of his collegiate basketball career Friday in Bartlesville, Okla., by scoring nine points and grabbing four rebounds in the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma’s 11762 rout of Calvery Bible College. He had three points the following day against Oklahoma Wesleyan. Mann transferred to USAO from Arkansas Tech. … University of the Ozark’s Katlynn Moore (Mansfield) placed 67th last week in the women’s American Southwest Conference Championships. … Daniel Sanderson (Clarksville) was 23rd last week at the ASC conference race with a time of 28:05.5. Teammates Benjamine Stormes ( Southside) and Duban Figueroa (Northside) placed 72nd and 75th, respectively. … Former Northside standout Tyreek Gilkey placed eighth overall (28:40.5) at the Region II Championship in Mena.