Unbeaten Ozark glad to have Ladd back

Hannah Ladd Ozark senior girls basketball player
Hannah Ladd Ozark senior girls basketball player

OZARK --It's been a long journey to get back on the basketball court, but Ozark senior Hannah Ladd is glad to be back making an impact for the Lady Hillbillies.

"This season has meant the world to me," Ladd said. "We've been coming out and taking every game one at a time. It's been a big part of our success along with the love of the game from all of us."

While on the road to returning, Ladd had just one goal: Joining her teammates in a quest for a state title.

"When I was going through the whole process, the only thing on my mind was trying to get back to my girls," Ladd said. "I told myself I got to get back. We were here to play together and to have a shot at getting rings."

Fellow senior starters Ariel Walker, Lauren Lane and Meagan Harris are glad to have Ladd back healthy for one last year.

"This senior class has played basketball pretty much our whole lives together," Harris said. "Hannah came in our middle school years. We took her in and it was like she had been playing with us from the start. We have a lot of chemistry together."

Ladd's return has created a dynamic scoring duo along with Walker, who led the team in points a season ago.

"It's been nice having her back," Walker said. "She is a big part of this team and what we are and do here. We've gotten to play with her a lot this season and have gotten back into it. We are just doing what we do."

Lane and Harris have come up big as well scoring when they have been needed most when defenses focus their attention on Ladd and Walker.

Lane scored 19 points in a recent victory on the road against Waldron. Harris stepped up scoring 20 points in the first game of the season against Lavaca.

Kayla Barnett has played well in an expanded role as a starter in her junior year, providing defense and helping control the offense as a guard.

"That's what a basketball team is everybody playing together to make a great team," Ozark coach Bret Nagel said. "If you have one great player and four below average players, you can just key on that one player. This team has options."

Nagel said he wasn't sure how quick his team would come together as a unit with a lot of moving parts despite the success of last season's team that advanced to the quarterfinals of the Class 4A state tournament.

It has worked out just fine so far for Ozark.

Lane and Harris had key roles last year off the bench but now have played key minutes as senior starters. The team also had to work in Ladd once she rejoined the team.

Ozark's large junior class has made an impact as well with Barnett starting, while Anna Grace Gibbons, Savanna Schaffer, Lauren Nagel and Monica Chancey all have played off the bench.

"It's been exciting. We've played as a team, which has made it fun," Lane said. "If we work together, we get the job done."

It's been a special year so far for Ozark but making a deep run to close out the season strong will be the goal now, amd Ladd is glad to finally be a part of the quest.

Sports on 02/12/2018

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Bret Nagel Ozark girls basketball coach

Ladd, who missed the last two seasons because of injuries, has made the most of her final season. She has reemerged as a key versatile scorer for Ozark, the last remaining undefeated girls team in the state after Friday's 54-19 win against Charleston that bumped the Lady Hillbillies' record to 23-0.

Conference Tournament Pairings

4A-1 Conference

At Lincoln

Girls

Tuesday

Game 1 No. 1 Berryville vs. No. 8 Shiloh Christian, 4 p.m.

Game 2 No. 2 Gravette vs. No. 7 Pea Ridge, 7 p.m.

Wednesday

Game 3 No. 3 Gentry vs. No. 6 Huntsville, 4 p.m.

Game 4 No. 4 Prairie Grove vs. No. 5 Lincoln, 7 p.m.

Friday

Game 5 Winner Game 1 vs, Winner Game 4, 4 p.m.

Game 6 Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3, 7 p.m.

Saturday

Game 7 Third-place game, 4 p.m.

Game 8 Championship game, 7 p.m.

Boys

Tuesday

Game 1 No. 1 Pea Ridge vs. No. 8 Gentry, 5:30 p.m.

Game 3 No. 2 Gravette vs. No. 7 Lincoln, 8:30 p.m.

Wednesday

Game 2 No. 4 Prairie Grove vs. No. 5 Shiloh Christian, 8:30 p.m.

Game 4 No. 3 Berryville vs. No. 6 Huntsville, 5:30 p.m.

Friday

Game 5 Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 3, 5:30 p.m.

Game 6 Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 4, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday

Game 7 Third-place game, 5:30 p.m.

Game 8 Championship game, 8:30 p.m.

4A-4 Conference

At Pottsville

Girls

Monday

Game 1 No. 2 Pottsville vs. No. 7 Waldron, 6:20 p.m.

Tuesday

Game 2 No. 3 Dardanelle vs. No. 6 Booneville, 4 p.m.

Game 3 No. 4 West Fork vs. No. 5 Dover, 6:40 p.m.

Thursday

Game 4 No. 1 Ozark vs. Winner Game 3, 4 p.m.

Game 5 Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 6:40 p.m.

Saturday

Game 6 Third-place game, 2 p.m.

Game 7 Championship game, 6 p.m.

Boys

Monday

Game 1 No. 1 Pottsville vs. No. 8 Waldron, 5 p.m.

Game 2 No. 2 Ozark vs. No. 7 Dover, 7:40 p.m.

Tuesday

Game 3 No. 3 Subiaco Academy vs. No. 6 Dardanelle, 5:20 p.m.

Game 4 No. 4 Booneville vs. No. 5 West Fork, 8 p.m.

Thursday

Game 5 Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 4, 5:20 p.m.

Game 6 Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3, 8 p.m.

Saturday

Game 7 Third-place game, 3:30 p.m.

Game 8 Championship game, 7:30 p.m.

3A-1 West Conference

At Greenland

Girls

Today

Game 1 Cedarville vs. Haas Hall, 4 p.m.

Game 2 Greenland vs. Mansfield, 6:40 .m.

Wednesday

Game 3 Elkins vs. Winner Game 1, 4 p.m.

Game 4 Charleston vs. Winner Game 2, 6:40 p.m.

Thursday

Game 5 Third-place game, 4 p.m.

Game 6 Championship game, 6:40 p.m.

Boys

Today

Game 1 Cedarville vs. Haas Hall, 5:20 p.m.

Game 2 Greenland vs. Mansfield, 8 p.m.

Tuesday

Game 3 Elkins vs. Winner Game 1, 5:20 p.m.

Game 4 Charleston vs. Winner Game 2, 8 p.m.

Thursday

Game 5 Third-place game, 5:20 p.m.

Game 6 Championship game, 8 p.m.

3A-1 East Conference

At Valley Springs

Girls

Today

Game 1 No. 1 Mountain View vs. No. 8 Yellville-Summit, 4 p.m.

Game 2 No. 4 Bergman vs. No. 5 Marshall, 7 p.m.

Tuesday

Game 3 No. 2 Melbourne vs. No. 7 Green Forest, 4 p.m.

Game 4 No. 3 Valley Springs vs. No. 6 Clinton, 7 p.m.

Thursday

Game 5 Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 4 p.m.

Game 6 Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 7 p.m.

Saturday

Game 7 Championship game, 6 p.m.

Boys

Today

Game 1 No. 1 Clinton vs. No. 8 Green Forest, 5:30 p.m.

Game 2 No. 2 Valley Springs vs. No. 7 Bergman, 8:30 p.m.

Tuesday

Game 3 No. 4 Melbourne vs. No. 5 Marshall, 5:30 p.m.

Game 4 No. 3 Yellville-Summit vs. No. 6 Mountain View, 8:30 p.m.

Thursday

Game 5 Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 3, 5:30 p.m.

Game 6 Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 4, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday

Game 7 Championship game, 7:30 p.m.

3A-4 Conference

At Perryville

Girls

Tuesday

Game 1 Perryville vs. Atkins, 4 p.m.

Game 2 Jessieville vs. Paris, 7 p.m.

Thursday

Game 3 Lamar vs. Winner Game 2, 4 p.m.

Game 4 Two Rivers vs. Winner Game 1, 7 p.m.

Friday

Game 5 Third-place game, 4 p.m.

Game 6 Championship game, 7 p.m.

Boys

Tuesday

Game 1 Two Rivers vs. Atkins, 5:30 p.m.

Game 2 Lamar vs. Paris, 8:30 p.m.

Thursday

Game 3 Jessieville vs. Winner Game 2, 5:30 p.m.

Game 4 Perryville vs. Winner Game 1, 8:30 p.m.

Friday’s games

Game 5 Third-place game, 5:30 p.m.

Game 6 Championship game, 8:30 p.m.

2A-4 Conference

At Johnson County Westside

Girls

Tuesday

Game 1 No. 6 Magazine vs. No. 7 Eureka Springs, 5 p.m.

Wednesday

Game 2 No. 4 Mountainburg vs. No. 5 Danville, 4 p.m.

Game 3 No. 3 JC Westside vs. Winner Game 1, 7 p.m.

Thursday

Game 4 No. 1 Lavaca vs. Winner Game 2, 4 p.m.

Game 5 No. 2 Hackett vs. Winner Game 3, 7 p.m.

Saturday

Game 6 Third-place game, 3 p.m.

Game 7 Championship game, 6 p.m.

Boys

Tuesday

Game 1 No. 6 Hackett vs. No. 7 JC Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday

Game 2 No. 4 Magazine vs. No. 5 Mountainburg, 5:30 p.m.

Game 3 No. 3 Danville vs. Winner Game 1, 8:30 p.m.

Thursday

Game 4 No. 1 Lavaca vs. Winner Game 2, 5:30 p.m.

Game 5 No. 2 Eureka Springs vs. Winner Game 3, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday

Game 6 Third-place game, 4:30 p.m.

Game 7 Championship game, 7:30 p.m.

1A-1 Northwest Conference

At Alpena

Girls

Monday

Game 1 No. 4 Lead Hill vs. No. 5 Decatur, 6 p.m.

Tuesday

Game 2 No. 1 Kingston vs. Winner Game 1, 4 p.m.

Game 3 No. 2 Omaha vs. No. 3 Alpena, 6:30 p.m.

Friday

Game 4 Championship game, 6 p.m.

Boys

Monday

Game 1 No. 4 Decatur vs. No. 5 Lead Hill, 7:15 p.m.

Tuesday

Game 2 No. 1 Omaha vs. Winner Game 1, 5:15 p.m.

Game 3 No. 2 Kingston vs. No. 3 Alpena, 7:45 p.m.

Friday

Game 4 Championship game, 7:15 p.m.

1A-1 East Conference

At North Arkansas College, Harrison

Girls

Monday

Game 1 No. 3 Western Grove vs. No. 6 Mount Judea, 4:45 p.m.

Game 2 No. 4 Deer vs. No. 5 Bruno-Pyatt, 7:15 p.m.

Tuesday

Game 3 Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 6 p.m.

Wednesday

Game 4 No. 2 St. Joe vs. Winner Game 3, 6 p.m.

Friday

Game 5 Championship No. 1 Jasper vs. Winner Game 4, 6 p.m.

Boys

Monday

Game 1 No. 3 Jasper vs. No. 6 St. Joe, 6 p.m.

Game 2 No. 4 Mount Judea vs. No. 5 Bruno-Pyatt, 8:30 p.m.

Tuesday

Game 3 Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 7:15 p.m.

Wednesday

Game 4 No. 2 Western Grove vs. Winner Game 3, 7:15 p.m.

Friday

Game 5 Championship No. 1 Deer vs. Winner Game 4, 7:15 p.m.

1A-1 West Conference

at St. Paul

Girls

Today

Game 1 No. 2 Scranton vs. No. 7 Hartford, 4 p.m.

Game 2 No. 3 Western Yell County vs. No. 6 Mulberry, 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday

Game 3 No. 4 St. Paul vs. No. 5 Oark, 4 p.m.

Thursday

Game 4 No. 1 County Line vs. Winner Game 3, 4 p.m.

Game 5 Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 6:30 p.m.

Friday

Game 6 Third-place game, 4 p.m.

Game 7 Championship game, 6:30 p.m.

Boys

Today

Game 1 No. 2 Scranton vs. No. 7 Oark, 5:15 p.m.

Game 2 No. 3 Mulberry vs. No. 6 Western Yell County, 7:45 p.m.

Tuesday

Game 3 No. 4 St. Paul vs. No. 5 Hartford, 5:15 p.m.

Thursday

Game 4 No. 1 County Line vs. Winner Game 3, 5:15 p.m.

Game 5 Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 7:45 p.m.

Friday

Game 6 Third-place game, 5:15 p.m.

Game 7 Championship game, 7:45 p.m.

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