First-Time Succes

Nevaeh Kangas takes third overall at the first-ever Airedale Invitational

By Kevin Taylor

Alma Schools 

Practice makes perfect. 

Alma cross-country coach Keith Shultz helped create a great turnout for the school’s first-ever cross-country invitational. With a few tweaks, he says he’ll be ready when the Airedales host next month’s 5A-West meet. 

Elkins senior Lakyn Shofner won the first-ever 5000-meter girls' race at 22:39.85. Alma’s Nevaeh Kangas placed third.

The Lady Airedale junior ran a time of 23:59.54. 

Paced by Abbigail McCarty’s second-place finish (22:51.07), Van Buren finished second overall to Pea Ridge in the team standings. 

Alma was fourth overall with 108 points. 

Sophomore Tori Muszanski finished 17th (27:56.19), followed by freshman Jasmine Martin (29:51.25) and Zoey Kangas (31.28.29). Martin and Kangas placed 33rd and 40th, respectively. 

Alma junior Aleeze Williams was 43rd (31:50.25), and teammate Sarah Grimmet placed 59th. 

The Airedales’ senior boys finished eighth overall with 206 points. The group was paced by Samuel Haig (42nd), Caleb Boen (43rd), and Lucas Wald (45th). 

Other Alma runners included Trace Muszanski (48th); Wyatt Brister (56th); Isaac Wald (58th); Michael Haughton (62nd); Brayden Standley (78th); and Michael Wells (95th). 

Alma’s middle school team finished 11th overall in the 3200 meters, with seventh-graders John Blake and Gabrial Walters taking 90th and 101st, respectively. 

Harmoni Davis finished 54th in the girls’ 3200 middle school event. 

Football 

The Alma eighth-grade football team dropped a 12-8 decision to Northridge. 

William Hamilton ran for 56 yards on eight carries to pace the offense. Hamilton also completed 2-of-2 passes for 10 yards. 

Nate Risley scored the team’s lone touchdown with 26 yards rushing on four attempts. Risley was 2-of-5 passing for seven yards. Trevor Hoover added 31 yards rushing on seven attempts, and he caught two passes for seven yards. 

Hoover and Anthony Nelton led the defensive charge with two solo tackles apiece. Tyler Neighbors recovered a fumble for the Airedales. 

Also for the Airedales, Billy Burden, Peyton Broadway, and Remington Richie had two stops apiece. 

Volleyball 

The Alma Lady Airedales defeated Russellville Tuesday, 25-15, 25-13, 25-17, for their fourth straight victory. Emberly Kimes led Alma with 10 kills. 

Maggie Brogan had eight kilss, and Matilyn Dunn finished with 23 assists. 

Ashtyn Carmack had 13 digs, and Grace Peters added five kills, 11 digs, and one block. 

With the win, Alma (10-8 overall)  improved to 2-3 in the 5A-West. They travel to Siloam Springs (6-8, 1-4) on Thursday. 

Golf 

The Airedales’ golf team finished three shots shy of qualifying for the state golf tournament. 

Chase Wood and Jack Taylor shot 82 for the Airedales. Miles Kendrick and Grady Farmer each shot 83, and Piercen Howell shot a 90.