Airedales stop Leopards, 70-40

By Kevin Taylor

Alma Schools 

Shep Newcomb scored 21 points and dished out five assists Monday to help the Airedales power past De Queen, 70-40, at Charles B. Dyer Arena.

Carson Curd finished with 14 points, including four 3-pointers in the Airedales’ victory. Newcomb was 4-of-8 from beyond the arc as Alma finished 12-of-32 from deep.

Alma led 17-9 after one quarter and 38-20 at the break. Alma built a 30-point fourth quarter, which allowed Coach Cody Vaught to empty his bench. 

The Airedales got 18 points off the bench, with Drake Ciampoli and Luke Stogsdill finishing with six points each. Cade Moore and Roper Davis had three points apiece. 

Junior Lawson Adams finished with seven points, eight rebounds, and two assists. The Airedales (4-2) are off to their best start since Stan Flenor’s 2020-21 Airedales opened 5-1 five seasons ago.

De Queen 56, Alma 45 

GIRLS — Defending 4A state champion De Queen flexed its muscle during an 18-4 second-quarter run en route to a 56-45 win over the Alma Lady Airedales Monday, snapping the Lady Airedales’ three-game winning streak. 

Alma (3-4) took an early 11-9 lead late in the first quarter before the Leopards went on a 39-13 scoring blitz to build a 48-24 lead early in the fourth quarter. 

Brooklynn Holt, held scoreless in the first half, scored 17 second-half points and helped the Lady Airedales close to within eight (51-43) thanks to a 19-3 Lady Airedale scoring run. 

Olivia Hughes finished with 10 points, and sophomore Jaeli Morris had a career-high nine points in the loss. 

Heavenly Pickings led De Queen (5-1) with a game-high 19 points.