Jeff Henderson, a North Little Rock native and Sylvan Hills graduate, won the gold medal in the long jump in the Pan Am Games on Wednesday night in Toronto.
Henderson, who is coached by Al Joyner, the 1984 Olympic triple jump gold medalist and NCAA champion from Arkansas State, jumped 28 feet, 1/4 inches in his first attempt.
Henderson's U.S. teammate, Marquise Goodwin, earned silver (27 feet, 1 3/4 inches) while Uruguay's Emiliano Lasa took bronze (26 feet, 9 3/4 inches). Goodwin currently plays for the NFL's Buffalo Bills.
Wednesday's victory at the Pan Am Games is the latest highlight for Henderson, 26, in his track and field career. He is the 2014 U.S. outdoor champion in the long jump, qualified for the world championships by finishing in the top two at last month's U.S. outdoor championships in Eugene, Ore. He won the 2013 NCAA Division II championship in the long jump and the 100-meter dash.
Henderson's next competition will be the world championships Aug. 22-30 in Beijing.
-- Jeremy Muck
FOOTBALL
UCA lands six on all-Southland teams
Central Arkansas had six players named to the first- and second-team preseason all-Southland Conference teams picked by league coaches and released Wednesday by the league.
Defensive end Jonathan Woodard, last season's Southland Defensive Player of the Year, and kick returner Jatavious Wilson were each named to the first-team, while wide receiver Desmond Smith, offensive lineman Kyle Stouffer, linebacker Ricky Wyatt and defensive back Dillion Winfrey each earned second-team recognition.
Woodard was second in the Southland last year in sacks (10) and tackles for loss (18 1/2) and has been named a preseason first-team FCS All-American by STATS.
Wilson, a junior from Bastrop, La., led the Southland with a 24.8 per-return average last season with one touchdown and his 142.3 all-purpose yards per game ranked second.
Smith is UCA's leading returning receiver after catching 46 passes for 616 yards and 7 touchdowns last season, while Stouffer has started 19 career games. Wyatt had 16 1/2 tackles for loss last season while Winfrey had one interception and broke up four passes.
UCA opens its season Sept. 5 at Samford.
GOLF
ASGA Junior Match Play finals today
Elizabeth Moon of Forrest City and Casey Ott of Conway set up a rematch of their 2014 final when both advanced to the championship of the Arkansas State Golf Association Junior Girls Match Play on Wednesday at Eagle Hill Golf and Athletic Club in Little Rock.
Moon, who defeated Ott 1-up in last year's championship, defeated Audrey Pulliam of Little Rock 3 and 1 in a quarterfinal match before defeating Stephanie Leake of Little Rock 6 and 5 in an afternoon semifinal.
Ott downed Kate Robertson of Rogers 3 and 2 in a quarterfinal then beat Hannah Bakalekos 1-up in the other semifinal.
The championship match begins at 9 a.m. just after the boys semifinals tee off.
The boys round of 16 and quarterfinals also were contested Wednesday.
Fisher Vollendorf of Fayetteveille, the No. 1 seed and defending champion, defeated August Reynolds of Harrison 7 and 6 before defeating Grayson Martin of White Hall 1-up to advance to this morning's semifinal match against Austin Bowen of North Little Rock.
Bowen beat Miles Smith of Little Rock 6 and 5 , then Jake Badovinac of Harrison 2 and 1 to advance.
The other semifinal has Ryan Spurlock of Maumelle, the points leader in the junior player of the year standings, facing Hyunje Lee of Little Rock.
Spurlock defeated Whit Parker of Conway 3 and 2 in the morning before downing Gage Parker of El Dorado 4 and 3 in an afternoon quarterfinals match.
Lee beat Andrew Mayes of Little Rock 1-up and followed that up with a 22-hole victory over Jay Trusty of Danville in the quarterfinals.
Vollendorf and Bowen square off at 8:30 a.m. followed by Spurlock and Lee at 8:45.
The boys final is set for 1:30 p.m.
Sports on 07/23/2015