Smith leads team with four assists per game
By Kevin Taylor
Alma Schools
Alma junior Carmani Smith doesn’t look to score as much as coach Dominic Lincoln likes.
But no one is disputing the way he distributes the ball to his teammates.
Smith leads the Airedales with 36 assists and is averaging four per game.
“He’s a pure point guard,” Lincoln said. “We need him to score a little bit more, but he wants to hit guys that are open. He can have 10 assists and no points and he’s happy, and a lot of times he’ll have two points and nine assists.”
Smith dished out a season-high nine dimes during the team’s 60-40 win over Muldrow last week. For the season, the Airedales’ standout is averaging 2.1 points per game.
He had a season-high five earlier wins over Shiloh Christian and Clarksville.
“When he’s off the floor, a lot of times we’re not as smooth offensively,” Lincoln said. “He is definitely a pass-first player.”
Alma junior Carmani Smith is averaging a team-high four assists for the Airedales’ basketball team this season.
Soccer
Alma soccer coach Corey Sturdivant is excited about the team’s upcoming Alumni game.
The event will be held on Jan. 6, starting with the girl's match at 4:30 p.m. and the boys to follow at p.m. Alma hasn’t hosted an alumni game since 2022.
“I'm excited to see our alumni players,” he said. “Some of these players I see occasionally outside of school but for several of them on both teams it will be the first time we've all been together in a long time.”
Alma opens the 2024 soccer season on March 2 against Magnolia.
For now, it’s all about finding those former alums who want to suit up at least one more time.
“It has been great to swap messages with our alumni and their excitement about holding the games,” Sturdivant said. “We weren't able to fit it in the schedule last year so we made it a priority this season to try and work out the best possible time and date.”
Alma is beginning its seventh season of soccer.
“These players helped build and mold Alma soccer as we approach our seventh season, and to have this number of alumni returning for the game just speaks how big of a role they all played in starting and playing in this program and how much they care about it.
“As a coach, that is extremely rewarding.”
Football
Alma quarterback Jackson Daily and teammates Ashton Chanhnouvong and Samuel Schlegel were selected to the 5A-West all-state football team.
Daily threw for 1,308 yards and 10 touchdowns while leading Alma to seven victories, its most regular-season victories since 2017.
Daily also ran for 21 touchdowns and helped the Airedales average 33.3 points per game, second only to the 2017 (34.6) team.
Senior running back Carlos Gonzalez was among seven players named to the 5A-West All-Conference, including two-way stars Israel Towns-Robinson and Kaydin Minshull.
The Airedales had a number of players named the honorable mention all-conference team, including defensive standouts Landon Morris and Michael Taylor.
Alma offensive linemen Jayden Parker and Easton Daily were also selected honorable mention all-conference. Junior receiver Brayden Polecat was also named honorable mention all-state.
Junior High
Both the Alma Lady Airedales and Airedales’ basketball teams finished off a season sweep of Northside Thursday at Crabtree Gym.
In the boys’ dominant victory, Alma’s bench matched Northside’s entire output with 22 points, with Boaz Benson pouring in 11 points, grabbing four rebounds, and earning one of Alma’s four blocks.
Luke Stogsdill added 11 points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals for the Airedales (8-1). Carson Curd had five points and a team-high five boards.
Hudson Loughridge, Cade Moore, and Chase Wood had four points apiece. The trio also combined for 11 rebounds.
The Airedales outrebounded Northside, 35-21, and outscored the Grizzlies, 27-9, in the second half.
Faith Sartor came up big in the Lady Airedales’ 31-19 victory Thursday night. Alma spotted Northside a 13-8 lead before running off 23 of the next 29 points.
The Lady Airedales held the Lady Bears scoreless in the fourth quarter and allowed just six second-half points.
Sartor had 12 points to pace the winners. Anna Swarnes and Olivia Hughes finished with seven and five points, respectively.
Maddie Dunn had three points, and Jaeda Cahoon and Lauren Settle finished with two points each.
The Airedales return to action Jan. 2 against Ozark.
Bowling
Alma’s Shepherd Osborn and William Her bowled a 325 and 320, respectively, to lead the Airedales during a dual match with Ozark this week.
Jasper Stockton bowled a 308, and Jackson Mitchell and Eli Waldrop both bowled a 278 and a 244.
For the girls, Maddy Click bowled a 263. Gabby Hicks and Kaydence Robins bowled a 126 and 102, respectively.
This Week In Airedales History
Mason McSpadden scored 16 points and Eli Ruth and Clayton Ogilvie added 12 apiece to power the Airedales to a 64-48 blowout of the Van Buren Pointers, Alma’s seventh victory in eight games.
Makai Williams finished with nine points for the winners.