Last-second 3-pointer gives Alma hoops title
By Kevin Taylor
Alma Schools
During his 34 seasons as the team's coach, Eddie Corder has won his share of thrilling junior basketball games. Thursday might have been one of the best.
"It's up there," he blushed following Alma's improbable 41-39 victory. "That is one of the most exciting and in the top five. To beat Van Buren on our home floor, to win the conference championship, that was definitely a lot of fun."
Alma deflected Van Buren's inbounds pass and, with one fluid motion, Carson Curd fed the ball to Luke Stogsdill, the team's post player.
With precious seconds ticking off the block, Stogsdill uncorked a high-arching 3-point shot from the left corner. It caught nothing but twine.
“I’ve been playing travel ball with these guys since the second grade. I love them with all my heart and I’d do anything for them,” Stogsdill said. “I’m thankful for Carson (Curd), being an unselfish point guard and passing the ball to the open man.”
Stogsdill finished with a team-high 14 points. He wasn't the only Airedale to contribute.
"All 13 of them (players) give us everything they've got every day," Corder said. "Yesterday, for instance, we scrimmaged for a few minutes and they (the white team) beat our starters by eight points. We do that every day; they don't get the recognition and don't get on the floor. I'm so proud of all of them."
Coach Eddie Corder, left, called Thursday's conference-clinching one of the best wins ever.
Thursday's victory had enough peaks and valleys to fit into a made-for-TV mini-series. Alma took a 7-2 lead, then watched Van Buren build a 17-11 halftime lead thanks to five 3-pointers.
Alma fought back in the third quarter by outscoring the Pointers 16-9. There were huge moments throughout like Landon Taylor's buzzer-beating 3-pointer to close out the first, Drake Stogsdill's sweet feed to Lawson Adams, whose last-second layup in the third quarter seemed to hang on the rim before dropping through, and key baskets by Curd and Hudson Loughridge.
Alma kept Van Buren afloat thanks to a porous effort from the foul line (4-of-10 free throws). But alas, like they've done since beating Northside back in November, Corder's crew just wouldn't quit.
"They all know their part," he said. "All 13 of them give me everything, every single day. Not all of them get in, but all of them contribute. Nobody knows anything about that except me."
“Coach Corder’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever had; he pushes me hard no matter what,” Stogsdill said. “I’m so proud to be a part of this team and I’m so thankful.”
Along with Stogsdill, Adams had 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Chase Wood finished with four points and four boards. Curd and Taylor finished with four and three points, respectively.
Alma’s next game is on Feb. 14 at 7:45 p.m. at the conference tournament in Greenwood.
Junior Girls
Anna Swarnes hit 4-of-6 late free throws and the Lady Airedales clinched the No. 2 seed in conference play with a 38-26 win over Van Buren Thursday.
Swarnes led Alma (17-5, 7-3) with a team-high 13 points. Lauren Settle and Jaeda Cahoon had seven points each, and Olivia Hughes and Faith Sartor added five and four points, respectively.
Alma will play the winner between Greenwood and Siloam Springs on Feb. 14 at 4 p.m. at the conference tournament in Greenwood.
Also for Alma, Ellyse Wright had two points.
Alma’s eighth-grade girls defeated Van Buren, 44-16. Chloe Kovalck led the Lady Airedales with 10 points. Haven Baxter finished with nine points, and Khloe Dunn added five points.
Kali Wasson, Ellyse Wright, and Lauren Burdick finished with four points apiece.
Softball
Alma senior softball players Julia Nutt and Jada Wallis can hardly contain their enthusiasm.
The duo are ready to put last season's tough finish behind them.
“We’re so excited for the season,” senior Julia Nutt said. “We got a new coach (Dustin Bakenhus) and he’s good and he’s been working us hard. We’re really excited to see what we can come out and do.”
Alma finished the 2023 season with just five wins and dropped its final 13 games of the season.
Bakenhus and Co. open the 2024 campaign on Feb. 26 against the Booneville Ladycats.
“Everything has changed but it’s definitely for the better,” Wallis said. “We’ve had our ups and downs so far, but I think once we start going, everything’s going to go real smooth.”
The biggest drawback to the 2023 season was pitching. Bakenhus hopes to rectify that sophomore Brooklyn Neighbors and a strong supporting cast of ninth graders.
Nutt and Wallis are the long seniors.
Bowling
Alma senior Zach Martin and junior Sheppard Osborn finished 41st and 44th, respectively, at this week’s state bowling tournament in Jonesboro.
Martin bowled a 509, with a split of 180 147 182. Sheppard finished with a 500 (180-176-144).
Alma’s bowled a 345 (95-139-111) at the state meet. She had bowled a 373 at the conference tournament.
AD Opening
Alma assistant superintendent Travis Biggs said this week the school hopes to have a new athletic director named by mid to late April.
Doug Loughridge, 50, recently resigned from the post to take the reigns of the Siloam Springs football job. In all, including six seasons as the school’s football coach, Loughridge spent 11 years coaching and serving as athletic director (seven years) for Alma schools.