By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Playing in their first state baseball championship game since 1960, the Fayetteville Bulldogs came up short in their bid for the Class AAAA state title on Saturday, losing to Bentonville 4-3 before a state-record setting crowd of 4,553 at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.
The Class AAAAA title game was just one of 10 high school baseball and softball championship games played during the designated Day of Champions.
Fayetteville finished the year at 21-14 while Bentonville ends with a 26-6 mark.
The Bulldogs started slow, but rallied to make things interesting before all was said and done.
Fayetteville spotted Bentonville a 4-0 lead by giving up one run in the third, two in the fourth and one in the fifth before scoring a single run in the bottom of the fifth and adding two more in the bottom of the sixth.
Bentonville pitcher Brandon Laney handcuffed the Bulldogs over the opening innings and left in the sixth as the game's Most Valuable Player Adam Gillihan came to the mound to get the save.
Gillihan withstood the final two runs of the Fayetteville rally that pulled the Bulldogs within 4-3 before shutting them down in the seventh.
Laney opened the game by striking out five of the first six batters he faced and never let the Bulldogs get on track.
*In the Class AAAA title game, Alma (21-6) put up six first-inning runs and tournament MVP Shane Hubbard hurled a three-hitter to lead the Airdales past Batesville 7-0 in the state title game.
It was Alma's first-ever state title in its first-ever championship appearance.
For Batesville (24-8) it was the second time in five tries the Pioneers have lost in the championship game.
*Tournament MVP Jimmy Tanner held Central Arkansas Christian to four hits Saturday on the way to leading Pulaski Academy to a 6-0 victory in the Class AAA title game.
Tanner also had two hits to lead the Bruins, who finish the year at 22-5.
CAC (17-7) was making its third straight appearance in the title game.
Pulaski Academy scored four runs in the first inning to give Tanner all the cushion he would need.
*Jake Goodwin threw a complete-game four-hitter Saturday to give Parkers Chapel a 4-1 victory over Greenland in the Class AA State Baseball Championship game.
Goodwin walked only one batter and struck out nine as the Trojans (32-4) captured their first-ever state title.
Parkers Chapel used a three-run fifth inning to take control of the game after falling behind 1-0 in the first inning.
Greenland ends the season at 18-6.
*Ryan King's first-inning triple helped Fort Smith Christian score the first run of the game before scoring the game-winning run himself on a wild pitch in a 2-1 win over Scranton in the Class A title game.
The Eagles end the year at 20-4 while Scranton finishes at 18-3.
In the fast-pitch girls' softball high school championship games, the North Little Rock Lady Wildcats put the wraps on a perfect 35-0 season by putting away Texarkana 5-1 in the Class AAAAA title game.
Nettleton held on to down Hope 3-1 in the Class AAAA championship game while Prairie Grove doubled up Farmington 4-2 for the Class AAA state title and Benton Harmony-Grove held off Woodlawn 2-1 for the Class AA title.
And in the final slow-pitch state championship game, Hoxie walked away with the title with a 14-4 win over Stamps.
All of the state's high schools will make the change to fast pitch softball next season.
Hoxie finishes the season at 24-1 while Stamps ends the year at 20-2.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Palestine-Wheatley High School held its annual Sports Banquet last week to honor its outstanding athletes in all sports during the 2001-02 seasons.
In girls' basketball, senior Nikki Bass was honored as the team's best 3-point shooter and also the Lady Patriot with the best free throwing shooting percentage. bass was named the team's outstanding offensive player and earned the Lady Patriot Award. She was also named to the All-Conference, All-Region and All-State teams.
Brittney Flenory led the team in rebounding and was given the Miss Hustle award. Nakita Love had the team's best field goal shooting percentage while LaRhonda Bender led the team in assists and was named the most improved player. Flenory and Bender joined Bass on the All-Conference and All-Region teams.
Jenny Loewer was named the team's defensive player.
In girls' softball, Libby Martin led the Lady Patriots in runs scored with 26 and was also named the team's outstanding pitcher in the school's first full season of fast-pitch softball.
Bass had the team's best batting average at .569 and Beth Varvil led the team in RBIs with 14.
Loewer and Andrea Cooper were named the team's outstanding infielders while Bass and Marla Gardner were named the team's outstanding outfielders.
Ashley McGraw led the Lady Patriots in being hit by a pitch, which happened six times during the year.
Bass, Loewer, Varvil, Cooper and Martin were all named to All-Conference while Bass was named All-Region.
Loewer was named to the All-Star Cheerleading Squad.
In football, Ray Gardner was named All-Conference and All-State as well as the Patriots' outstanding offensive back and the team's most valuable player.
Casey McDaniel was named the Patriots' offensive and defensive lineman of the year and was honored with the Patriot 110 percent award.
Chris Siler was named the outstanding linebacker and was named All-Conference. Teddy Matthews was named the outstanding defensive back and the outstanding receiver. Jonathon Wheeler was named the sophomore of the year.
McDaniel, Matthews and Brandon Roberts were each named to the All-Conference Honorable Mention team.
HOT SPRINGS -- Forrest City sprinters Jesse Ballard and Willie Wade failed to qualify for the Meet of Champs, which will be held Wednesday.
Running at the Class AAAAA State Meet Friday in Hot Springs, Ballard finished sixth in the 400-meter run.
First-place finishers and the next best three times are needed to qualify for the Meet of Champs.
Ballard and Wade were the only two Mustangs competing at the state meet.
The Lady Mustangs' 400-meter relay team failed to qualify for the Meet of Champs.
East Arkansas Community College will once again sponsor a Youth Soccer Camp, scheduled for June 3 through June 7.
The camp, which includes two age divisions for boys and girls, is being held in conjunction with Kid's Kollege.
During the week long camp, those youths ages 5-8 will meet from 8:30 until 10:30 a.m., each morning.
Those youths, ages 9-13, will meet from 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. each day.
Individual camp fees are $60 and all checks may be made payable to EACC.
The camp will be held on the EACC soccer field and will focus on skills and tactical awareness using small-scale scrimmages.
EACC will also sponsor a Youth Baseball Camp, for boys and girls, June 17-19 at EACC.
Like the soccer camp, the baseball camp will be divided into two separate age divisions with youths, ages 9-12 meeting from 9 a.m. until 12 noon each day and youths, ages 6-8 meeting from 1 until 4 p.m. each afternoon.
Dulin's Sports Academy in Memphis will provide the instructors for the baseball camp.
Baseball camp fees per camper are $85. T-shirts will be given to each camper.
* PREP SCORES
Girls' Softball
Championship Games
At Fayetteville, Saturday, May 11
Slow-Pitch
Hoxie 14, Stamps 4
Fast Pitch
Class AAAAA
North Little Rock 5, Texarkana 1
Class AAAA
Nettleton 3, Hope 1
Class AAA
Prairie Grove 4, Farmington 2
Class AA
Benton Harmony Grove 2, Woodlawn 1 (10 Innings)
* CITY LEAGUES
YOUTH BASEBALL
Minor League (Pitching Machine)
Monday, May 13
T&J Properties vs Ben's Auto, 6 p.m. F7
M&T Paving vs Devazier, 7:30 p.m. F7
Bambino League (11-12)
Monday, May 13
Ray Houser vs Taylor Glass, 6 p.m. F5
Cochran Auto vs Taco Bell, 6 p.m. F6
Pearson Ins. vs Vaccaro, 7:30 p.m. F5
Bonanza vs L&L Electric, 7:30 p.m. F6
Junior Babe Ruth League (13-15)
Monday, May 13
Planter's Bank vs Rotary Club, 6 p.m. F8
Fred's vs Ridout Lumber, 7:45 p.m. F8
ADULT SOFTBALL
Men's League
Monday, May 13
Young Guns vs M&T Paving, 7 p.m. F3
Food Giant vs Gym 2000, 7 p.m., F4
Sanyo vs Morgan, 8 p.m. F3
Bulldogs vs Barnes Timber, 8 p.m. F4
TSM Computers vs Boar's Head, 9 p.m. F3
Greg's vs Miller Ins., 9 p.m. F4
Women's League
Monday, May 13
First National Bank vs Chism, 7 p.m. F1
Mohr Sports vs Clark Appraisals, 8 p.m. F1