HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Bryant's Ledbetter earns national honor
Bryant senior quarterback Austin Ledbetter was chosen Thursday as the Gatorade Arkansas Football Player of the Year.
Ledbetter completed 173 of 269 passes for 3,086 yards and 41 touchdowns last season to lead the Hornets to their third consecutive Class 7A state championship. He threw five interceptions and finished his career unbeaten as a starting quarterback.
Ledbetter, who has maintained a 3.66 grade-point average in the classroom, has signed to play baseball at the University of Arkansas.
SOFTBALL
UCA falls in Southland Tournament
Shortstop Kristen Whitehouse went 2 for 3 Thursday and Mary Kate Brown was 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored, but it wasn't enough as the University of Central Arkansas (34-18) fell 6-5 to McNeese State (32-24) in the Southland Conference Tournament at North Oak Park in Hammond, La.
The Cowgirls built a 3-0 lead on two RBI doubles and a fielding error by UCA first baseman Kaylyn Shepherd. Cylla Hill hit a solo home run to left-center field on an 0-2 pitch to make it 3-1, but McNeese State responded in the sixth inning with two RBI singles and an RBI double to make it 6-1.
Whitehouse hit a two-run double to left-center field in the sixth inning to make it 6-3, Shepherd had an RBI groundout in the seventh and a fielding error by first baseman Tiffany Steczo led to UCA's final run.
UCA faces Southeastern Louisiana at 11 a.m. today in an elimination game.
GOLF
Arkansas Tech women advance
The Arkansas Tech University women's team shot a 20-over 308 total Thursday to advance to match play for the first time in school history in the NCAA Division II National Championships at TPC of Michigan in Dearborn, Mich.
The Golden Suns finished at 65-over 929, two strokes ahead of Grand Valley State, which earned the final spot in the match play round. Limestone University topped the team leaderboard with an 8-over 862 total.
Jacqueline Klemm shot a 4-over 76 Thursday, but finished as Arkansas Tech's top golfer with a 7-over 223 total, which tied her for 13th place in the individual standings. Josie Roberson tied for 22nd with a final round of 6-over 78 to finish at 13-over 229.
Arkansas Tech will face Lynn College this morning in the quarterfinals, with the winner advancing to the semifinals this afternoon. The national championship match will be played Saturday.
BASEBALL
Harding's Yakel, Chrisman tabbed
Harding University's Ryder Yakel was named the Great American Conference's Pitcher of the Year on Thursday, while teammate Michael Chrisman was honored as the conference's Newcomer of the Year.
Yakel and Chrisman also earned first-team all-conference honors, along with Arkansas Tech's Evan Hafley, Josh Detweiler and Patrick Milner, who was a unanimous selection. River Hunt, Jordan Johnson and Dylan Borman from the University of Arkansas-Monticello, Henderson State's Spencer Taack, and Jacob Womack, Brett McGee and Austin Baker from Southern Arkansas University were also named to the first team.
Six players from Arkansas schools were named to the second team, and another 11 players earned honorable mention selections. Seven of the nine positions on the conference's All-Defensive Team were taken by players from Arkansas schools.
SOCCER
Galdino earns NAIA honor
Lyon College junior Leo Galdino was named an NAIA All-America honorable mention selection Thursday.
Galdino, who started 10 of the 11 matches he appeared in this season, led the Scots with four goals and he added five assists. He helped lead Lyon College to a 7-4-2 record and an appearance in the American Midwest Conference Tournament semifinals.
-- Democrat-Gazette Press Services