Error-free Lady Airedales take down Greenbrier, 3-0
By Kevin Taylor
Alma Schools
Sometimes, the difference in volleyball isn’t how hard you hit the ball.
That was key for Alma in Thursday’s 26-24, 25-17, 25-19 win over Greenbrier. The Lady Airedales had no service errors.
Greenbrier had 10.
Sophomore Maggie Brogan had 11 kills and fellow sophomores Chloe Gregory and Breella Hughes combined for 14 more to pace Alma to its sixth victory of the season - its fifth home win in eight games.
Alma finished with 38 kills in all. They were held to 30 kills during a five-set loss (20-25, 22-25, 25-7, 25-15, 15-9) loss to Greenbrier on Sept. 19. For coach Kim Weaver, it marked the first time the Lady Airedales have beaten the Panthers since she took over as coach in 2020.
Gregory had eight kills for the Lady Airedales. Junior Grace Peters added four of her six kills in the first set.
Hughes and senior Zoe Thrift finished with six and four kills, respectively.
“Confidence and our intensity was there, and it lasted through all three sets,” Hughes said. “We’ve worked really hard for that. We’ve been waiting for that moment and it finally came. I’m just glad we pushed hard and we were ready to win.”
Alma senior Julia Nutt, who surpassed the 800-assist mark last week, finished with 22 assists. Senior Miranda Gibson added 15 assists.
The Lady Airedales close out their home slate Tuesday against Greenwood.
Football
The Alma Airedales’ football team hit the gridiron Friday against Harrison looking for its first six-game winning streak since a nine-game winning streak back in 2013. The Airedales lead the Harrison series, 26-18-1, but the Goblins have won the last five games against the Airedales.
They feature one of the league’s top backs Braden Long. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound senior ran for 1,486 yards and 25 touchdowns as a junior.
He is averaging 161 yards per game this season, having already topped 968 yards and 14 TDs. In all, the big back has rushed for 2,640 yards and 39 touchdowns
The Airedales will counter with a strong running game of their own. Led by quarterback Jackson Daily’s 17-rushing touchdowns, Alma is averaging 279.6 yards per game.
Defensively, the Airedales are allowing just 114 yards on the ground per game.
Volleyball
Alma senior Zoe Thrift knows what it means to carry a full load. Not just in the classroom, either.
Thrift is a multi-sport athlete who wouldn’t have it any other way.
“It’s very important to me,” Thrift said. “I like to be involved in everything. I’m student class president of the seniors, I’m in student council, and I love to be involved with people and be outgoing.”
Thrift said Tuesday’s Senior Day for the volleyball team will be tough.
“To finish my athletic career is going to be really hard,” she said. “All of my friends are my teammates. They’re the closest friends I have, so I’m going to take it pretty hard, especially this senior class. We’re very, very close.”
Cross Country
The Alma Lady Airedales and Airedales competed at the Springdale Invitational Cross Country meet last week.
Alma’s Nevaeh Kangas placed 50th overall in the girls’ event with a time of 27:27.05. Teammates Elena Frantzen and Aleeza Williams finished 54th and 55th, respectively.
Caleb Bowen led the boys with a 74th-place finish. Boen completed the event with a time of 19:46.32.
Alma’s Wyatt Brister and Marcelino Rodriguez finished 86th and 89th, respectively.
This Week In Airedale History
Alma quarterback Greg Sivils completed 9-of-11 passes for 151 yards and Bo Johnson ran for 97 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the Airedales’ 24-7 win over the Morrilton Devil Dogs in a key 5A-West battle.
J.D. Coursey’s first-half fumble recovery at the 11 led to a 15-play, 89-yard scoring drive, with Johnson capping the march by powering over two defenders to give Alma a 10-0 halftime lead.