High school All-Star report

Coach unbeaten, he insists

James Halitzka | Bergman | Coach of the Year.(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Spencer Tirey)
James Halitzka | Bergman | Coach of the Year.(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Spencer Tirey)

CONWAY -- Bergman Coach James Halitzka was very clear after Saturday's 58th Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star girls basketball game at the University of Central Arkansas' Farris Center that he was just an assistant coach under Clay Reeves for the West and the loss to East did not ruin a perfect season.

"No, I was an assistant coach," Halitzka said, laughing. "We told Coach Reeves that this one was all on him."

From fifth through 12th grade, the grades for which Bergman has coached organized girls basketball, Halitzka's teams were 94-0 this past season.


Halitzka was the head coach of the West at the North Central Arkansas All-Star game at North Arkansas College Pioneer Pavilion in Harrison at the end of May. His West team did won, leaving Halitzka 95-0 as a head coach.

On Saturday, at the official state all-star game, the East held off the West, 81-77, to increase its lead to 33-25 in the all-time series.

Halitzka enjoyed one last game with Kara Ponder and Abby Hodges, who helped Bergman to a 43-0 record and the state championship last year.

"It was real special," Halitzka said. "I got to coach them in both all-star games. It was extra nice. When you think you're done with them and to find out you get them one last time it's special, especially these girls."

Tough practices

It was no surprise that the one full practice the West team went through on Friday in preparation for Saturday's All-Star game was rigorous as usual under Clay Reeves, the West head coach.

"It was funny because all the other girls were asking me that he's my high school coach, right, and I said the practice was exactly like high school practice," Greenwood's Abby Summitt said. "We did the same drills and we scrimmaged just like we would in practice. I thought maybe the other coaches would have new drill or something. No."

Summitt and teammate Megan Gray were selected to participate for the West team.

"Practice was exactly the same thing," Gray said. "Same drills, same everything."

The usual laid-back approach wasn't Reeves style especially with his assistant of eight years, Paul Dean, who's now at Nashville, as an assistant on the West.

"Then Coach Dean used to be his assistant," Summitt said. "So all of that, I thought I was still at Greenwood."

Reeves said he enjoyed coaching Gray and Summitt one last time.

"Both all-staters and both won state championships," Reeves said. "It's a great way for them to end their careers at Greenwood."

It made the coaching experience better for Reeves.

"It makes it great," Reeves said. "I've done it where none of the players from the school where I was at were on it. It makes it a whole lot more fun when you have players from your school that you get to coach one last game."

Vacation delayed

Nashville Coach Paul Dean moved his vacation back one day to coach in the girls all-star basketball game Saturday and to coach with Greenwood's Clay Reeves one more time.

"I was very blessed to have been with him for eight years," Dean said. "When we both found out we were on the staff, I got really excited and was ready to move my vacation. He's been a great mentor to me and a great friend."

Dean was under Reeves at Greenwood for eight years and won three state titles.

"It's great to get to coach together one more time," Greenwood Coach Clay Reeves, who was the head coach of the West team. "He's been like my son, my best friend and my assistant coach. We talk every day."

Last year, Dean won the Class 4A state title at Nashville.

Underdog star

Elkins' Aiden Underwood earned the Outstanding Player award for the West in the East's 87-75 win on Saturday afternoon at the 75th Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star boys basketball game.

"It means a lot because I've worked my butt off to get here," Underwood said. "Small schools are overlooked all the time. We have to work a lot harder."

Underwood scored 14 points, had 8 rebounds and 2 blocked shots.

He said he wasn't intimidated going up against players from bigger schools.

"Not at all," Underwood said. "I came out here like any other basketball game. It means a lot because the school has done a lot for me so it's good to give back."

Siloam Springs' Josh Stewart enjoyed one last game with his dad, Tim Stewart, who was selected an assistant coach for the West squad.

Lavaca Coach Renner Reed also enjoyed a final game with Kolby Glidewell and Luke Watson, who led the Golden Arrows to their first state championship in March.

Just jitters

Farmington's Carson Dillard and Mountainburg's Haley Reed had the usual nerves being from smaller schools in the all-star game.

"I was nervous coming into it," Dillard said. "There's players from all over. It was real fun, and I really respect these girls. They're here for a reason.

Dillard calmed her nerves quickly, hitting an early three-pointer and adding a driving layup as part of an 8-0 run to start the game for the West.

"That helped me a lot," Dillard said. "If I wouldn't have done that it probably would have gone the other way."

Dillard also drilled 3 three-pointers in the fifth period and finished with 19 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists.

"It was really fun," Dillard said. "Just being back in the high school atmosphere was really good."

Reed was just the fourth player in Mountainburg history to be selected for the girls all-star game.

"It was a dream come true for me," Reed said. "I was so excited."

Reed also had a case of the nerves being from a Class 2A school and playing with and against the best in the state.

"Coming in, I was pretty scared, but my team made me feel at home," Reed said. "The coaches made it fun, and I'm glad I got to experience it."

Reed finished her career for the Lady Dragons with 1,083 points, including 529 this season.

Just win

North Little Rock girls coach Daryl Fimple won the Class 6A state championship in March and capped the season with a win in Saturday's all-star game.

Fimple, an Alma native, was selected as an assistant coach for the East team. The East held on for an 81-77 win to increase its lead to 33-25 in the all-time series.

"Winning is awesome," Fimple said. "It's great to watch the kids that you've seen in lower classifications and work with them the last two days is pretty cool."

Eastern sweep

The East completed a Saturday sweep with a 54-9 win in the 64th Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star football game at Estes Stadium on Saturday.

The East also won both basketball all-star games Saturday.

In all, the all-star competition finished tied out of the 10 games at 4-4-2.

Saturday, the East wiped out a 9-7 deficit after the first quarter with three touchdowns and a safety in the second quarter.

Greenwood's Parker Gill earned the game's Outstanding Defensive lineman award.

"I was completely surprised," Gill said. "It's a great honor. I had a good week and had a fun time playing with these guys from the West."

The award was a good cap for Gill's career.

"It was awesome," Gill said. "I didn't even know they gave out awards for defensive linemen so it was good to get. It was a fun time with the guys. Practice was a little warm. I didn't really stay in shape. It was kind of hard on me, but I got through it."

Springdale's Davon Sparks earned the start at running back for the West and led the West with 36 rushing yards on 11 carries.

"I got to compete with a lot of good people and made new friends," Sparks said. "I enjoyed spending time with the guys. I got to see what everybody is capable of and how good everybody really is. It was fun."

Sparks said he didn't know what to expect over the couple of days.

"I came in not knowing anybody," Sparks said. "I started meeting new people. The coaches are really good coaches. They helped the players. I loved it."

Clarksville's Bryce Buckner followed in his dad's footprints of playing in Saturday's game for the West.

Khris Buckner, started at quarterback for the West in the 1996 game. On Saturday, Bryce Buckner, who played quarterback for his dad at Clarksville in a run-oriented offense, started at defensive back.

"It was pretty neat to know that he did it and I did it," Bryce Buckner said. "Meeting so many new people, it's not even the game for me, it's meeting the people and what I've learned. It really changed me. It was a fun week."

Bryce Buckner is just the seventh Clarksville Panther to play in the all-star football game.

"I met so many different people from so many places," Buckner said. "I had more fun that I have in a long time."

Buckner had five tackles in the game and proved he could hold his own being from a small school.

"I've always had insecurities about my playing ability even though I'm not a small kid," Buckner said. "I walked in here and see these big 6-4 lineman, and I'm like, oh man, but it turned out not to be too bad. I went out there and it was good enough."

Eastern Northside?

Fort Smith Northside running back Ty Massey went out a winner on Saturday night as a contributor to the East's win over the West in the all-star football game.

Massey was chosen to the East squad, based on Northside's conference affiliation with the 7A-Central and obviously not geographically.

Massey earned the start at running back in an offense that had 534 yards.

"We've practiced good the last few days," Massey said. "We executed out here."

It marked a final game and a win for Massey.

"It feels good," Massey said. "I'm glad we went out demolished this team. It was fun. It was an amazing time and met some cool dudes. I had a blast."

The East leads the all-time series 36-27-1.



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