Peyton Weaver of Bryant won her second consecutive Arkansas State Women's Golf Association championship Wednesday after firing a 3-over 75, finishing with a 7-over 223 at Big Creek Golf and Country Club in Mountain Home.
Weaver, 20, began the final round with a two-stroke lead over Sarah Wright of Fayetteville, but the two were tied after nine holes. Birdies on her 10th and 11th holes gave Weaver a two-stroke lead, which grew to four two holes later. Despite Weaver's double bogey on the 14th hole, the two played even over the final five holes as Weaver completed the four-stroke victory.
"It was like a roller coaster all day," said Weaver, a junior at UALR. "I played today like it was match play. I knew I had to stay within distance of her to win. Now, it's time to get ready for the state match play."
Weaver won last year's title by five strokes over 2016 ASGA Hall of Famer Julie Oxendine of Jonesboro.
Carrie Hall of Bismarck won the senior women's championship.
Spurlock, Weiner win Bruce Jenkins
Ryan Spurlock of Maumelle came from a stroke down to begin Wednesday's final round to win the 34th annual Bruce Jenkins Memorial Junior Championship at Rebsamen Golf Course in Little Rock.
The 2015 winner, Spurlock, 18, trailed Whit Parker of Conway by a stroke before Wednesday's play, but he fired a 4-under 68 for a 5-under 211 to defeat Parker by five strokes. Spurlock defeated Parker, the 2014 champion by eight strokes a year ago.
Allie Weiner of Maumelle, who finished third the past two years, won the girls championship, rallying from four strokes down in the final round to beat Audrey Pulliam of Little Rock.
Weiner's winning score was 16-over 232. Pulliam finished at 18-over 234.
-- Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
FOOTBALL
UCA adds two transfers
Central Arkansas has bolstered its offense with the addition of two transfers from FBS schools who already have enrolled in classes.
Running back Jarvis Cooper, a West Memphis native who played the past two seasons at Memphis, and Jakari Dillard, a receiver who played the past two seasons at Texas Tech, have both enrolled and will compete for playing time with the Bears this fall, Coach Steve Campbell said.
Cooper was the Tigers' second-leading rusher with 389 yards and 5 touchdowns last season, including a team-high 76 yards in a victory over Mississippi. He had 778 yards and nine touchdowns in two seasons before electing to transfer after spring practice.
"He's played at a high level and brings some experience to a tailback stable where we've lost some experience," Campbell said. "You can't ever have too many great backs, and we're counting on him to come in and compete for the starting job."
UCA lost its top three rushers from last year in Blake Veasley, Dominique Thomas and Jeff Anderson, who combined for 1,723 yards and 17 touchdowns. Antwon Wells, who had one carry for two yards last season, was the top back after spring practice.
Dillard, 6-4, 189 pounds, redshirted in 2014 at Texas Tech and played but did not record any statistics last season. He'll join a position that returns its top three receivers in Desmond Smith, Jatavious Wilson and Brandon Cox.
-- Troy Schulte
BASKETBALL
Harris new women's assistant
Arkansas women's basketball Coach Jimmy Dykes hired Chenel Harris on Wednesday to fill the staff vacancy created when Christy Smith left to become the head coach at Incarnate Word.
Harris comes to Arkansas from Stony Brook, an American East Conference team in New York where she was an assistant the previous two seasons. She also was an assistant at Robert Morris in Pittsburgh.
Dykes said Harris, a native of Ontario, Canada, who played at Kent State, has the ties to help Arkansas recruit in the northeast and Canada.
Dykes said guard Kelsey Brooks and forward Khadijah West won't play for Arkansas in the 2016-17 season when both would have been seniors. Dykes said Brooks is graduating this summer and wants to pursue job opportunities and that West underwent career-ending knee surgery.
All-SEC forward Jessica Jackson, a senior from Little Rock, has been wearing a cast on her right wrist since the season ended because of a broken bone, Dykes said, but she won't require surgery. Dykes said Jackson will need to wear the cast about two more weeks.
-- Bob Holt
Sports on 06/09/2016