RUSSELLVILLE – The Great American Conference announced the league’s Baseball honors for the second week of the 2020 season. Southeastern Oklahoma State’s Colton Buckner earned the Player award while Harding’s Andrew Bradshaw and Southern Arkansas’ Zach Smith shared the Pitching accolade.
GAC BASEBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Colton Buckner, Southeastern Oklahoma State, LF/1B, Sr., Garland, Texas
Buckner reached base 15 times in his 16 trips to the plate the Savage Storm’s four-game series with Northeastern State. He registered three multi-hit games against the RiverHawks and walked eight times. He hit a home run in the opener and doubled in his only official at bat in game three. He scored three runs and drove in three.
Andrew Bradshaw
GAC BASEBALL CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Andrew Bradshaw, Harding, SP, Jr., Heber Springs
Bradshaw picked up his first win with the Bisons after he recorded a three-hit shutout against Southwest Baptist on Saturday. He struck out four and walked just one. He required only 98 pitches in the 4-0 victory and allowed only one Bearcat to advance into scoring position.
GAC BASEBALL CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Zach Smith, Southern Arkansas, SP, Sr., Katy, Texas
Smith worked 8.0 scoreless innings against Missouri Western to capture his second win in as many starts. He held the Griffons the four hits, three singles. He stuck out seven against three walks. In two starts, spanning 15.0 innings, he has registered 17 strikeouts and surrendered only six hits. The Muleriders have started 8-0 for the first time since 1986.
OTHERS NOMINATED
Kaimana Bartolome, INF (Oklahoma Baptist), David Butterfield, 3B (Harding), Audy Clary, INF (Arkansas-Monticello), Bryce Donovan, C (Northwestern Oklahoma State), Clay Lockett, INF (Southern Nazarene), Brett McGee, C (Southern Arkansas), Stormy Taylor, OF (Arkansas Tech)
Quarterback Adam Martin capped his Heber Springs High School football career by signing a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II letter-of-intent with Arkansas Tech at the Panther Den Tuesday.
Martin, who started the final two games of his freshman season and the past three years, led the Panthers to a 21-17 record, four playoff appearances and a share of a conference championship.
Overall, Martin completed 387-of-662 passes for 5,051 yards and 42 touchdowns. He rushed for 2,042 yards and scored 30 touchdowns.
“I’m very excited, like Russellville and excited what the future will hold,” said Martin when asked about selecting Arkansas Tech. “I’m ready to start working on my football career in Russellville. I like the coaches who kept in touch with me throughout the process. They were honest and treated me like family.”
Will Cox, who was interim head coach last season for the Panthers, said Martin was one of the key parts on offense. Martin was responsible for 54 percent of the team’s touchdowns and 64 percent of the team’s total offense.
In 2019, Martin completed 139-of-232 passes for 1,627 yards and 13 touchdowns. He was the team’s second-leading rusher with 864 yards and scored 11 touchdowns. Martin also handled the punting duties.
“I only coached Adam during the past two years, but he played well beyond his years,” Cox said. “He took pride in how he played. I’m happy he is getting this opportunity. His stats are incredible and only tells part of the story. Adam always put our offense in good position to be successful.” Cox said he never doubted Martin would play college football and said his new coach will learn quickly how valuable of a player he is.
Heber Springs’ Adam Martin waits to sign his letter-of-intent with Arkansas Tech University. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
“I told every coach once he gets in your program, you would see why,” Cox said. “Adam is the best high school quarterback I ever coached. His best attributes are leadership and he holds himself to a higher standard than others.”
Martin is expected to compete for playing time next season for the Wonder Boys, who tied for eighth place with East Central Oklahoma in the Great American Conference last season during head coach Kyle Shipp’s first season.
“Most likely, I will probably be redshirted, but that decision will not be made until after the August camp,” he said. “I’m looking forward to getting to Tech. Coach Shipp takes pride in being a Wonder Boy (player and assistant coach before becoming head coach). The program is going in the right direction.”
Martin was one of three quarterbacks signed.
“I’m excited about all of the kids that we’re signing,” Shipp said. “I feel like it’s a very good class from top to bottom. This class is a building block to where we want to get to in the future. Along with our returning class we feel like this group will have the chance to be special.”
Martin said he is ready for the challenge and compared it to when he was summoned to the varsity during his freshman year for the Panthers.
“I already was playing junior high basketball and coach (Darren) Gowen came and told me I was going to be playing more football,” Martin said. “I learned a lot in those games. I have so many memories, but two of the highlights were winning at Southside Batesville during my junior year and defeating Riverview at senior night last season.”
Martin said it was special to play on the same field as his father, Danny.
Adam Martin poses with father, Danny, in front of the Heber Springs High School class of 1981 class portrait. Danny was a 1981 graduate of Heber Springs. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
“I built a lot of relationships in the locker room and the community,” he said. “It also was special playing where my dad and uncles did.”
Martin continues to play for the Heber Springs basketball team and will compete for the baseball squad before heading to Russellville.
“Learning a new playbook will be the first challenge,” he said. “I need to become more physically because Division II football is a different game than high school. I want to get it up to their standards.”
Martin will join former teammate, Julian Cameron, at Tech. Cameron signed with the Wonder Boys last spring and redshirted this past season.
Martin is also the fifth Panther football player in the past three seasons to sign to play college football joining Cameron (Arkansas Tech), Blaze Nelson (Lyon College), J.J. Bray (Southwest Baptist, Mo.) last year and Jacob Bremmon (Hendrix) in 2018.
RUSSELLVILLE – Thirty-nine high school student-athletes and three four-year transfers have joined the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys 2020 football program, announced by head coach Kyle Shipp on Wednesday.
Of the new additions, 24 are from the state of Arkansas, with student-athletes from Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Missouri also joining the program.
“I’m excited about all of the kids that we’re signing – I feel like it’s a very good class from top to bottom,” Shipp said. “This class is a building block to where we want to get to in the future. Along with our returning class we feel like this group will have the chance to be pretty special.”
Heber Springs’ Adam Martin gets ready to throw a pass against Shiloh Christian in 4A playoff action in November. Martin recently committed to continue his football career at Arkansas Tech in Russellville. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
January 9, 2020
BY LARRY “SCOOP” McCARTY
Heber Springs senior quarterback Adam Martin will not go too far away from home to play college football.
Martin, who was recently named to Class 4A all-state team, announced he will sign a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II letter of intent with Arkansas Tech.
In 2019, Martin completed 139-of-238 passes for 1,648 yards and 13 touchdowns with nine interceptions. He was the team’s second-leading rusher with 865 yards and scored 11 touchdowns. Martin ran for more than 100 yards four times.
Martin became the starting quarterback for the Panthers late in 2016 as a freshman. He started the next three seasons.
Martin will join former teammate, Julian Cameron, at Arkansas Tech. Cameron, a kicker, redshirted this past season for the Wonder Boys after signing last spring.
Players may sign letters of intent with NCAA schools beginning on Feb. 5.
RUSSELLVILLE – Arkansas Tech has been voted the favorite to win the 2019 GAC Women’s Golf Championship, the league announced on Thursday through the preseason coaches’ poll.
The Golden Suns have won the previous five conference championships, the most recent with a come-from-behind win over Southwestern Oklahoma State. Allie Weiner used a career-best 67 in Round 3 to earn the first place individual finish. Jacqueline Klemm, WGCA National Freshman of the year and GAC Freshman of the Year tied for third place with GAC Women’s Golfer of the Year, Peerada Piddon. Pia Nunbhakdi and Sydney Staton finished in ties for fifth and seventh place, respectively.
Tech took second at the NCAA Central Region Championships in their seventh consecutive appearance at the tournament. Piddon won the individual title with her total card of 216. Klemm finished fourth and Nunbhakdi tied for ninth. The team advanced to the NCAA Division II National Championships for the fifth time in six years and concluded their season with a 10th-place finish.
The 2019-2020 Golden Suns return seven golfers from last year’s roster, including Klemm, Weiner and Staton. Klemm is the first golfer in program history to receive WGCA Division II Freshman of the Year after averaging 74.77 strokes and notching four top 10 finishes in her first season as Golden Sun. She was named a Division II All-America Honorable Mention and All-Central Region Team by the Women’s Golf Coaches Association.
Weiner, Staton Makenzie Douglas were named WGCA All-American Scholars. Staton was also named to the All-Central Region Team and All-GAC Second Team.
Six-time GAC Coach of The Year and reigning Division II Golf Pride Central Region Coach of the Year Amy Anderson also welcomes two newcomers to the team, Patranit Chuaychoo from Thailand and Josie Roberson from Maumelle.
The Golden Suns open the 2019-20 season on Sept 23 with the two day Dallas Baptist Invitational at the Robson Ranch Golf Club in Denton, Texas.
RUSSELLVILLE – Arkansas Tech men’s golf has been unanimously voted as the favorite to win the Great American Conference in the Preseason Coaches’ Poll, the league announced Monday. The Wonder Boys garnered 81 points, along with 9 first place votes. Henderson State came in second with 66 and Southern Arkansas at third with 65 points and one first place vote.
The 2018-19 Wonder Boys advanced to the NCAA Championship quarterfinal for the third consecutive year after capturing their second GAC Championship and finishing fourth at the Midwest/Central Region Championships.
Arkansas Tech returns all five golfers that played in NCAA National Championships last season, including two Division II PING All-American honorable mention selections, Austin Gean and Shawn Tsai. Gean averaged a team best 73.13 strokes last season and finished in the top-10 of two tournaments. Tsai averaged 73.50 and earned four top 10 finishes.
Four-time GAC Coach of the Year Luke Calcatera also welcomes back Andre Jacobs, the GAC individual medalist and his brother Francois, who took third. Gean and Tsai finished inside the top-11 at the NCAA Championships. Jackson Marseilles, who won GAC Freshman of the Year in the 2017-2018 season, also returns for the 2019-2020 season.
Arkansas Tech opens the 2019-2020 season in Tahlequah, Okla., as the Wonder Boys compete in the two-day Northeastern State Classic at the Muskogee Golf Club on Monday, Sept. 16.
Heber Springs senior Julian Cameron, front center, gets ready to sign his letter-of-intent to play college football for Arkansas Tech University on April 5, 2019, at the Panther Den in Heber Springs. Pictured, front, Julian’s parents, Amanda and Michael Cameron. Back row, from left, Heber Springs assistant football coach and head soccer coach Jay Bishop and Heber Springs head football coach Darren Gowen. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
Heber Springs senior kicker Julian Cameron closed out his high school career by kicking 100 consecutive Point After Touchdowns without a miss.
He finished his Sophomore season by hitting 11 straight, and was a perfect 40 of 40 his junior year and a perfect 36 of 36 this season. He finished his senior campaign hitting a perfect 49 out of 49.
On October 12, against Bald Knob at Panther Stadium, Julian tied and then broke the state record of 75 consecutive without a miss. The previous state record belonged to Springdale’s Alex Tejada, who connected on 75 straight without a miss during the 2004 and 2005 seasons. North Little Rock’s Savanna Milton followed that with 68 straight.
Cameron’s career on Extra Points: 128 of 132 (97 percent) Cameron’s only kicked miss was on Sept. 23, 2016, at Lonoke Cameron’s PAT kicks were blocked twice against Baptist Prep on Oct. 14, 2016, and once the next week on Oct. 21, 2016, at Southside Batesville.
(Note: Blocked kicks are scored as missed PAT kicks. Source for Tejada’s information the Arkansas Activities Association 2018-2019 Record Book and the Springdale Morning News. Source for Milton’s information, the Arkansas Activities Association 2018-2019 Record Book)
Heber Springs senior Julian Cameron waits for holder Adam Martin to get the ball to attempt an extra point against Pocahontas on November 9 in a 4A state playoff game at Heber Springs. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
State Records
Most Consecutive Extra Points Made Without A Miss (Career)
Extra-Point Percentage (Season) – 2017 (40 out of 40) (Tied)
Extra-Point Percentage (Season) – 2108 (49 out of 49) (Tied)
Also
Extra-Point Percentage (Career) – 4th in State History (128 of 137) (97 percent)
Extra Points Made (Game) – 2016 against Stuttgart – 8 (5th most)
Julian Cameron PAT KICKS
2018
August 31 at Clinton (4/4)
September 7 vs. Greenbrier (1/1)
September 14 at Harding Academy (3/3)
September 21 at Lonoke (4/4)
September 28 vs. Stuttgart (3/3)
October 5 at Central Arkansas Christian (6/6)
October 12 vs. Bald Knob (6/6)
October 19 at Southside Batesville (3/3)
October 26 at Riverview (6/6)
November 2 vs. Little Rock Mills (5/5)
November 9 vs. Pocahontas (4/4)
November 16 at Rivercrest (4/4)
Season: 49 out of 49 (100 percent)
2017
September 1 vs. Clinton (2/2)
September 8 at Greenbrier (3/3)
September 15 vs. Harding Academy (5/5)
September 22 vs. Lonoke (5/5)
September 29 at Stuttgart (1/1)
October 6 vs. Central Arkansas Christian (4/4)
October 13 at Baptist Prep (5/5)
October 20 vs. Southside Batesville (2/2)
October 27 vs. Riverview (2/2)
November 3 at Helena-W. Helena Central (3/3)
November 10 at Gravette (7/7)
November 17 at Gosnell (1/1)
Season: 40 out of 40 (100 percent)
2016
September 2 at Clinton (2/2)
September 9 vs. Greenbrier (5/5)
September 16 at Harding Academy (0/0)
September 23 at Lonoke (4/5) #
September 30 vs. Stuttgart (8/8)
October 7 at Central Arkansas Christian (5/5)
October 14 vs. Baptist Prep (2/4) *
October 21 at Southside Batesville (2/3) ^
October 28 at Riverview (6/6)
November 4 vs. Helena-WH Central (4/4)
Novmber 18 vs. Shiloh Christian (1/1)
Season: 39 out of 43 (90.7 percent)
# – Missed Kick
* – Made First Attempt, second and third attempts blocked
CONWAY — Going after the with a determination not to allow the visitors to make a clean sweep of the series, the State Normal defeated Ouachita, 4 to 1, in the final contest at Hendrix park yesterday afternoon. The Pedagogues showed a remarkable reversal of form, playing an almost perfect game in the field and bunching their hits effectively. Landers pitched splendidly. While allowing more hits than Sammons, he kept them scattered in all except the eighth, when the visitors made their lone tally. The Ouachita infield was unsteady. H. Muse, their first-baseman, accumulated four errors.
Ouachita … 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 — 1 8 7
Normal …… 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 x — 4 5 2
Batteries — Normal, Landers and Sipe. Ouachita, Sammons and Easterline. Umpire — Parker.
The Ouachita team left this morning (April 11) for Russellville, where after two games with the Second District Agricultural School, they go to Cumberland and to Fayetteville to play the Razorbacks.
On account of the unsettled weather, Coach Nixon of the Normal canceled the games today (April 11) and tomorrow with Cumberland College. This team has been playing at Batesville and passed through Conway today on their way home.
