By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
PINE BLUFF -- On Friday, senior Sarah Eldridge graduated from Forrest City High School.
Monday, she completed her prep golf career finishing second at the Arkansas Women's Golf Association High School Girls' Overall Championship, played at Harbor Oaks Golf Course in Pine Bluff.
Monday night, she went to the movies.
"Actually, I went to see "The Rookie," Eldridge said. "It was the same sort of story as the Forrest City girls' golf team. After years of trying and hard work you finally get the success. I enjoyed it."
Since her freshman year, Eldridge has worked hard on the golf course and in the class room to find that success.
She led the Lady Mustangs to the school's first-ever conference championship a year ago and finished ninth in the state tournament. This season, the team repeated as league champs.
As expected, El Dorado senior Amanda McCurdy successfully defended her 2001 title Monday by repeating as the overall state champion.
McCurdy finished with a 5-over par round of 77 to win. Eldridge was 10 strokes back, finishing with an 87.
Van Buren junior Carissa Sullivan was third, just one stroke behind Eldridge at 88 and Malvern's Jenna Chadwick was fourth at 89 in the field of 12 of the state's best high school female golfers -- the top three from each of the state's four classifications.
Monday was anything but favorable for the golfers.
"It was about 56 degrees when we got on the course and the wind was gusting about 30 mph," Eldridge said. "I missed a lot of putts on the front side and had some trouble on the sixth hole but I tried to forget about that and just played on. I finished with a 45 on the front side and then had a 42 on the back nine. I didn't worry about the others on the course. It was my final high school tournament, and I just wanted to go out and enjoy it."
While McCurdy made her title defense look rather routine, Eldridge survived a triple bogey on No. 6 and a double bogey on No. 8 while McCurdy was even after the first nine holes.
"That just shows you what kind of individual Sarah is," said Forrest City Coach Tommy Wheetley, who had watched Eldridge lead the school's girls' golf program for four years. "She had those two bad holes on the front nine but she didn't let that rattle her. She stayed with her game, and finished strong on the back nine."
Eldridge said the course was a little rough.
"The greens were bumpy and rough, but that's no excuse for my play," Eldridge added. "My problems early were my own."
Eldridge's final shot as a high school player was her 5-foot putt for par on the last hole, after chipping onto the green.
When the putt fell, she didn't know that she had just finished second.
"I was paired with Chadwick, and McCurdy and Sullivan were ahead of us, so I did not know how they had finished," Eldridge said. "I was relieved it dropped, and then I was shocked when I found out I had beaten Sullivan by one stroke. It was a great feeling. I knew it would be close. They were playing well."
It was only the second time Eldridge had played the Pine Bluff course in her career. The first time was Sunday, when she engaged Wheetley in a one-on-one practice round -- just as the coach-student team did before last week's state championships at Conway.
And just like a week ago, Wheetley managed a 1-stroke win over Eldridge.
At Conway, Eldridge came back after the practice round and finished third with a round of 85. That performance qualified her for Monday's overall championshps.
"This is such a great way for Sarah to finish her high school career," Wheetley said. "She is not only a talented athlete, she is a leader in every area of her life. I told her that missing her doesn't even come close to describing how I feel. I am thinking about signing her up as a fifth-year senior using hardship status, so she can have one more year."
Wheetley said Eldridge's strength is on the greens.
"She's not as strong out of the box on her drives, but on the greens, her short game is as good as anyone in the state," Wheetley said.
McCurdy established herself as the leader early Monday when she birdied the par-4 first hole with a six-inch putt and then reeled off a string of seven consecutive pars. That gave her a seven-stroke lead at the turn.
"Amanda is so much stronger in the long game," Eldridge said. "And so is Carissa. I was able to get up and down a couple of times Monday and that's what saved me."
McCurdy faltered just a bit on the back nine with three bogeys and a triple. But it didn't matter as her early lead held.
"She (McCurdy) is kind of like the Tiger Woods of girls' high school golf," Eldridge said. "You don't worry about going out and trying to overtake her on the course, you just go out and play for second because you know she's going to nail down first."
Eldridge credits her family for much of her success as a golfer -- especially her grandmother, Becky Eldridge.
"She was the one who got me interested in the game and she helped me a lot," Eldridge continued. "She always told me to keep my head down and I've tried to do that and improve on that."
Eldridge has come a long way since playing in her first state tournament -- where she shot a round of 142.
"Playing in the high school overall is a dream come true for me," Eldridge said. "And to finish second is almost like a fairy tale. It's a great way to end my high school career."
For now, Eldridge plans to take some time off this summer, before she begins her freshman year in the fall at the University of Arkansas.
"I'm too old to play the junior tour, but I may play some of the ladies' tournaments," Eldridge said. "I really haven't made up my mind yet."
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Chism Concrete improved to 3-0 Monday night in the women's adult softball league.
Chism rolled up First National Bank 23-5 while Clark Appraisals notched their first victory of the year, taking a 14-13 win over Mohr Sports.
The youth girls' 12-under and 16-under fast pitch leagues will finally get their 2002 season started tonight at the Sports Complex.
In other league play Monday, Sanyo vaulted into a tie for first place in the men's adult softball league with a 19-0 shut out win over Morgan.
Sanyo and Barnes Timber, a 15-1 winner over the Bulldogs, are both 3-0 in the league.
Kerby's and Gym 2000 are tied for second at 2-0.
Gym 2000 had no problems against Food Giant, winning 23-4 while Kerby's had an open date.
Miller Insurance improved to 2-1 with a 15-12 win over Greg's Small Engine while M&T Paving defeated the Young Guns 14-13 to climb to 2-1 for the year.
Boar's Head took down TSM Computers, 25-9 to notch their first win of the year.
The league will return to action Thursday night.
*The girls' 10-under slow pitch league will play for only the second time tonight.
After starting the year a week ago -- four days late due to rain -- the league did not play Friday night due to Forrest City High School graduation ceremonies.
That also set the 12-under and 16-under leagues back to a later starting date.
Both the 12 and 16-under girls' leagues are beginning their second full season of fast pitch softball.
A year ago, Times-Herald won the 12-under league with a perfect 12-0 record while Dr. St. John won the 16-under league title with an 11-1 season effort.
The 12-under league adds another team this year, making the league a six-team race while the 16-under league loses one team, dropping from seven teams a year ago to six.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
T&J Properties stayed unbeaten in Minor League action Monday, getting past Ben's Auto, 14-2.
T&J improves to 3-0 for the year and is the early league leader.
In Monday's late game, Devazier defeated M&T Paving 14-3.
Devazier used four runs in the first inning and three in the second to build a 7-1 lead.
Nine of the 10 Devazier hitters scored at least one run in the victory.
M&T added two runs in the top of the fourth.
T&J scored seven runs in the top of the first inning to put the game away and led 11-0 before Ben's pushed a run across the plate in the bottom of the third.
Pearson Insurance and L&L Electric are the co-leaders in the Bambino (11-12) League.
Pearson downed Vaccaro 16-3 Monday while L&L downed Bonanza 6-1.
Both teams are 3-0.
In other games Monday, Cochran got its first win of the year with an 11-3 win over Taco Bell and Taylor Glass did likewise, rolling up Ray Houser 14-6.
In Junior Babe Ruth action Monday, Ridout was successful in their season opener, taking down Fred's 15-1.
Also Monday, Union Planter's Bank rolled past Rotary Club 24-2.
Planter's Bank is 2-0 for the year.
The league resumes play Thursday.
* CITY LEAGUESY
OUTH BASEBALL
T-Ball League
Tuesday, May 14
Broadway Cinema vs Hunton, 6 p.m. F1
Dr. Cartillar vs Long Real Estate, 6 p.m. F2
edwin houston vs M&T Paving, 6 p.m. F3
Farm Bureau vs National Carpet 6 p.m. F4
Minor League (Pitching Machine)
Monday's Scores
T&J Properties 14, Ben's Auto 2
Devazier 14, M&T Paving 3
Tuesday, May 14
M&T Paving vs Joey's Muffler, 6 p.m. F7
Devazier vs FC LIons Club, 7:30 p.m. F7
Junior Bambino League (9-10)
Tuesday, May 14
Lucas Trucking vs Farm Credit, 6 p.m. F5
Title Co. vs VIPs, 6 p.m., F6
Food Giant vs A&C Motors, 7:15 p.m. F5
Mr. T Auto vs Sanyo, 7:15 p.m. F6
Bambino League (11-12)
Monday's Scores
Taylor Glass 14, Ray Houser 6
Cochran Auto 11, Taco Bell 3
Pearson Ins. 16, Vaccaro Lumber 3
L&L Electric 6, Bonanza 1
Junior Babe Ruth League (13-15)
Monday's Scores
Planter's Bank 24, Rotary Club 2
Ridout Lumber 15, Fred's 1
GIRLS' SOFTBALL
10-Under League (Slow-Pitch)
Tuesday, May 14
Steven's vs Title Co., 7 p.m. F1
So. Furniture vs Dr. Schwartz, 7 p.m. F2
True Value vs Walker Ins., 7 p.m. F3
Sanyo vs FCity Bank, 7 p.m. F4
Food Giant vs McDonald's, 8 p.m. F2
12-Under League (Fast-Pitch)
Tuesday, May 14
McDonald's vs Times-Herald, 8 p.m. F1
Children's Clinic vs Stone Cold, 8 p.m. F3
Crowley's Ridge vs Giffin's Grins, 8 p.m. F4
16-Under League (Fast-Pitch)
Tuesday, May 14
Boar's Head vs Sanyo, 9:15 p.m. F3
Clay vs Food Giant, 9:15 p.m. F1
Dr. St. John vs Bonanza, 9:15 p.m. F4
ADULT SOFTBALL
Men's League
Monday's Scores
M&T Paving 14, Young Guns 13
Gym 2000 23, Food Giant 4
Sanyo 19, Morgan 0
Barnes 15, Bulldogs 1
TSM Computers vs Boar's Head, 9 p.m. F3
Miller Ins. 15, Greg's 12
Women's League
Monday's Scores
Chism 23, First National Bank 5
Clark Appraisals 14, Mohr Sports 13