Lakeside heads local All- Star contingent
Lakeside had a banner year in athletics, led mostly by a talented crop of seniors, and those recent graduates have one last chance to shine in high- school competition.
Lakeside has a Garland County- high nine student representatives at this week’s Arkansas High School Coaches Association All- Star festivities at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. The All- Star games begin Monday with a baseball doubleheader at Baum Stadium and a softball doubleheader at Bogle Park and conclude with Thursday’s football game at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
The Rams’ football team went 10- 2, Lakeside hosting only its second playoff game and picking up its first postseason win since 1975. The seniors who went 17- 6 over their final two years after a 1- 9 start are represented in Fayetteville by do- everything athlete Ajalen Holley and offensive- line anchor Andrew Morton.
“I’m looking forward to working with them one last time,” said Lakeside coach Jared McBride, a West assistant coach this week. “I expect them to contribute a lot because we’ll be running a system very similar to our own.”
A wide receiver who lined up as a “wildcat” quarterback for almost half of the Rams’ offensive plays, Holley scored 30 of Lakeside’s 47 touchdowns and throwing for two more. He scored 184 of the team’s 371 points.
Holley’s ability to take over games caught the eye of Louisiana- Monroe, which in February made him McBride’s first Division I signee in his two years as a head coach. Holley was most effective running up the middle, finding holes usually opened by center Morton, McBride’s second D- I signee, and who’ll play at Central Arkansas next season.
“Andrew had a really good career at Lakeside,” McBride said. “I think he was one of the best linemen in the state, and now he gets his chance to prove himself against the best.”
Lake Hamilton wide receiver Dre Bennett is Garland County’s other football representative. Bennett bulked up in the weight room for a standout senior season, one that ended with a trip to the Class 6A championship game. He also got the job done in the classroom, receiving an academic scholarship to Duke.
McBride rejoins Fayetteville’s Daryl Patton, the West head coach. McBride was Patton’s offensive coordinator for three seasons before coming to Lakeside, the Bulldogs winning their first state championship in McBride’s first season.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” McBride said. “I know pretty much all the coaches in some way, but it’s nice to work with a guy I really know again and talk about old times.”
McBride is one of four Lakeside coaches putting in some extra work during the first week of the Arkansas Activities Association’s dead period. The others are Erica Trusty for volleyball, Paul Bailey for girls soccer and Tonya Bolding for dance.
“It shows that we have good people in the right places,” Lakeside athletic director Don Pierce said.
Trusty, a second- year coach, brings two of her products in Lindsey Gunter and Jordan Smith, who helped the Lady Rams win the 5A- Southwest title and reach the state semifinals. Bolding brings the Golddusters’ two graduated seniors, Bre Brunson and Katy Hall, and cheerleaders Lyndon Albright and Haley Van Nest, both part of back- to- back state titles, round out Lakeside’s spirit contingent.
They’ll be joined by Fountain Lake’s Alexandra Rose and Samantha Taylor on the East squad and Lake Hamilton’s Lisa DeLeon and Jessica Hughes for the West dance team. Dance teams will perform routines during Wednesday’s basketball games at Walton Arena while cheer teams will participate in the football game.
Goalkeeper Richard Burke, vocal leader for the two- time defending state runners- up that surrendered only 19 goals in 22 games, rounds out Lakeside’s representation. All of Lakeside’s participants will be on West teams.
Garland County will also have participants in the opening baseball games. Lake Hamilton’s Levi Runyan, also a two- year starter at quarterback, travels to Fayetteville after a standout career as a shortstop and pitcher. Runyan started as a sophomore on Lake Hamilton’s 2010 statetitle team.
Opposing Runyan on the East squad is Jessieville pitcher/ outfielder Michael Mendez. Like Runyan, Mendez was a football standout and experienced a state championship as an underclassman in 2011. With Arkansas signee Mark Reyes gone, Mendez was dominant most of the time in stepping into the No. 1 pitching role.
Mendez will be joined by girlfriend Macey Burr as the county’s lone basketball representative. Burr, headed to Southern Arkansas, was the starting point guard as the Lady Lions went 60- 4 over the past two season, leading Jessieville in points, assists, steals and minutes as a senior.
Lake Hamilton soccer midfielder Mary Kate Tucker is in Tuesday’s matches at Razorback Field.