Alma Sports Roundup

Airedales finish second at Hot Springs, prep for state

By Kevin Taylor

Alma Schools

Alma junior Carson Curd is acutely aware that the entire Airedales’ boys golf team will be back in the fold for 2026.

But there’s no time like the present.

Curd and fellow junior Chase Wood shot 76 on Wednesday to help lead Alma to a second-place finish at Diamante Country Club in Hot Springs Village.

“We don’t even have to play to our best ability,” Curd said. “If we play our best, we can make it to the state (tournament) down in Pine Bluff. If we stay in our minds, we’ll be fine.”

All five of Alma’s first-team golfers are underclassmen, with Curd, Wood, Grady Farmer, and Parker Morland being juniors and Jack Taylor the lone sophomore.

Taylor shot 77 this week, while Farmer and Morland both shot 86.

For Curd, the 76 was his best round as a high school golfer.

“Wednesday at Diamante, which is a really nice course, Jack and I both shot 76,” Curd said. “Golf, to me, is so relaxing.”

White Hall is hosting the 5A state golf tournament this year at Pine Bluff Country Club on Oct. 6-8. The top three schools from each conference earn automatic bids to the state meet.

“We want to do it this year,” Curd said. “We want to go down there, and play our best, and have some fun. We want to come back next year, with experience, and do it some more.”

Volleyball

The Alma Airedales dropped a hard-fought 3-2 decision (24-26, 25-16, 21-25, 25-21, 15-7) to the defending state champion Shiloh Christian Lady Saints Thursday at Crabtree Gym.

Josie Welborn and Olivia Hughes led Alma with nine and seven kills, respectively. Welborn also finished with three blocks. Breella Hughes had four kills, 12 digs, and one ace.

Ryleigh Floyd had 25 assists, Bailee Oliver added 17 digs, and Jaeda Cahoon finished with three aces.

Football

Nate Risley threw for two touchdowns and ran for a third to pace Alma’s junior high football team to a 28-7 win over Siloam Springs on Thursday.

Risley threw touchdown passes to Billy Burden and Cooper Wysocki.

Burden added a 24-yard scoop-and-score to account for the Airedales’ other touchdown. Burden also had five solo stops. Cole Chanthaseny added five tackles and a quarterback sack for the winners.

Tristan Blackburn and Richie Remington had nine tackles apiece for the Airedales.

Peyton Broadway finished with two receptions for 28 yards. Burden and Konnor Gryner each caught a two-point conversion.

Tennis

Alma doubles partners Lacey Haughton and Piper Powell enjoyed big weeks for the Airedales. The duo posted a 6-2, 6-1 win over Russellville on Thursday.

Earlier, Powell and Haughton earned a pair of doubles wins over Harrison and Siloam Springs this week.

Also on Thursday, Layne Goins and Reagan Thang earned a 6-4 doubles victory. Elizabeth Marine and Caroline Wood won 6-2, and Declan McDaniel and Chase Wilson posted a 6-2 doubles win.

This Day In Airedales History

Sept. 12, 2013

Aubrey Bailey had 16 kills, and Hailey Ostrander’s back-row defense helped lead Alma to a 22-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-21 win over Greenbrier. Sydney Dunbar and Alexys Criswell finished with six and four kills, respectively, for the winners. Also, Shaylee Sevenstar and Robin Stewart combined for 30 assists.