Garland County Locker Room

Jason Armitage is the type of person who does things because he feels that it is the right thing to do.
He has volunteered time helping out with races across the area, and he also helps out the cross country and track and field programs at Lake Hamilton — either with setting up races or giving his own version of play-by-play of the top runners at the state cross country meet at Oaklawn.
While he may feel he is just doing the right thing, others see it as going above and beyond, and because of his volunteer work, the Road Runners Club of America recently named him the 2021 National Outstanding Volunteer of the Year.
James Leigh recently spoke with Armitage about how he got into running, how he got involved with the Spa Pacers and what this award means to him and this community. He also talked about how others who might be interested in running could get started.

Eddie Lamb is a name that is synonymous with basketball in Garland County.
He started his coaching career at Lake Hamilton in 1993 before moving to Jessieville and eventually Lakeside, and in the nearly 30 years he has been coaching professionally, he has racked up a record of 1,004-375 following Thursday’s 51-47 win over Lake Hamilton.
The Lakeside Rams defeated Texarkana on the road on Jan. 27 to earn Lamb his 1,000th win, and following the game, the players celebrated with him in the locker room.
Lamb was recognized for his achievement between the varsity games Thursday night at Lakeside Athletic Complex.
James Leigh spoke with Lamb prior to Thursday's recognition ceremony about his thoughts on reaching the momentous milestone of 1,000 wins, how he got to where he is, and what his plans are for the future.

The Hot Springs High School basketball program retired the jersey of Lady Trojan legend Sha Hopson during a ceremony at Trojan Arena before Hot Springs’ games against Lakeside Jan. 28.
A 1990 graduate of Hot Springs High School, Hopson went on to play for the University of Arkansas, Grambling and played professionally overseas.
Hopson died in March 2021, and her classmates created the initiative to honor her with a jersey retirement.

Lake Hamilton cross country star Olivia Pielemeier added another award to her rapidly expanding trophy cabinet when she was recently named the 2021-22 Gatorade Arkansas Girls Cross Country Player of the Year.
Just a junior, Pielemeier captured the Class 5A individual state title in November, and she trimmed her 5K time down to 18:14.95, 16 seconds under her initial goal for the season. Pielemeier joins Josie Carson as the only two Lake Hamilton girls cross country athletes to be awarded Gatorade Player of the Year.
Krishnan Collins spoke with Pielemeier and Lake Hamilton head cross country coach Brandon Smith about the award and what it took for the junior to achieve this level of success as a cross country runner.

Returning for the second time after a break in 2021, South Central Arkansas Fellowship of Christian Athletes is hosting Courts of Faith at Lake Hamilton’s Wolf Arena Feb. 16.
While FCA has hosted Fields of Faith for many years at Lakeside High School, Courts of Faith is a newer event that is set up much like Fields of Faith.
Krishnan Collins recently spoke with SCAFCA Multi-Area Director Micah May about the upcoming event.

Of all eight schools in the 5A-South, Lake Hamilton and Lakeside are the only ones to have played more than two games. Both Lake Hamilton’s boys and girls teams are 3-0 in conference play while Lakeside’s teams are both 2-1.
As the teams prepare to makeup games over the next two weeks to reach the midpoint of conference play, the coaches from the two schools weighed in on their thoughts on where their teams are at this point.
James Leigh spoke with Lakeside head boys coach Eddie Lamb and Lady Rams head coach Jay Williams while Krishnan Collins spoke with Lake Hamilton head girls coach Blake Condley and Wolves head coach Scotty Pennington.

With most of the teams in the county feeling the effects of COVID-19, either within their own program or their opponents’ programs, coaches at Cutter Morning Star and Hot Springs have been trying to make sure to keep their athletes healthy and prepared as the season nears the midpoint.
James Leigh spoke with Hot Springs head coaches Antoni Lasker and Josh Smith and Krishnan Collins spoke with Cutter Morning Star head coaches Beau Brickell and B.J. Rogers about how they feel their teams are progressing as the season nears its midpoint.

With basketball across the state nearing the halfway point of the season, many coaches are starting to make sure that their teams are progressing in the right direction in hopes of continuing their season past mid-February.
James Leigh and Krishnan Collins spoke with several area basketball coaches about how the coaches feel their teams are progressing as the season nears its midpoint.

Cutter Morning Star’s Eagle Field is getting a giant revamp.

After the Eagles’ first year in eight-man football, the school is replacing its grass field with artificial turf, adding new lights, adding new seating to the away side, putting in a new scoreboard, replacing the goalposts and installing a new press box.

Cutter Morning Star head coach Matt Kinsinger said the goal is to improve facilities, and the turf might bring some attention to the school when new, prospective students move into town.

Garland County basketball teams will host three different tournaments after Christmas from Dec. 28 to Dec. 30 in preparation for the upcoming conference season.
Lakeside is hosting the Spa City Tournament, and Arkadelphia, Benton, Maumelle Charter, Mountain Pine, Mount Saint Mary’s, Nashville, Robinson, and Strong are competing in the event.
Jessieville will host the Larry Ray Memorial tournament, and Bigelow, Caddo Hills, Cutter Morning Star, Mount Ida and Scott Charter will be playing in the event.
The Lake Hamilton boys basketball team looks to continue its stellar start to the season when the Wolves host the Kameron Hale Invitational.