Sports

Surrounded by friends, family, coaches and teammates, three Green Forest High School athletes signed letters of intent Wednesday to continue their careers at the college level next season. Myndy Zamora (left) will play for the first women’s soccer team at North Arkansas College in Harrison. Jazmany Lopez (center) will play football for Arkansas Baptist College in Little Rock and Pablo Leon (right) will play for the men’s soccer team at North Arkansas College. Photo courtesy of Patricia Kilbourn

Carroll County schools recently held their annual athletic banquets to honor their students’ achievements during the 2021-22 school year. Following is a list of award winners from each school: BERRYVILLE Kevin Helmlinger Memorial Award Cole Price John Paul Hannah Memorial Award Caleb Record Carroll Clark Hustling Sophomore Award Zane Gentry Bob Sellick Memorial Award Madison Beck and Freddy Roque Spirit Award Emma Samac and Ross Nance Joe Neff Basore Award Faith Kelley Charlie Matney Sportsmanship Award Donnie Whitson Terry Hussey Leading Tackler Award Damian Helmlinger BASEBALL Pitcher of the Year — Chris Hipps Hustle Award — Drew Dean Mr.

Green Forest coach Eric Perez said before the Class 3A boys state soccer tournament began that if the Tigers faced Harding Academy in the semifinals, the winner would go on to claim the state championship.

Odds are good that Harding Academy’s girls soccer team will be competing in Class 4A next season. They won’t be missed in Green Forest.

The 2022 soccer season has been about one thing for the Green Forest Tigers: getting back to the Class 3A state tournament and defending the state championship they won a year ago. On Thursday, the quest begins in earnest.

The Green Forest Lady Tigers have had a little bit of extra motivation for the 2022 soccer season. The Lady Tigers have bounced back with an outstanding season after a 6-2 loss to Harding Academy in the championship game of last year’s Class 3A state tournament.

Green Forest senior Paco Rangel took third place in the 3,200-meter run at the Class 3A state track and field championships on Tuesday, May 3, in Lincoln. Rangel finished with a time of 10:46.42.

It was business as usual last week for the Green Forest Tigers. The Tigers picked up a pair of shutout victories, defeating Eureka Springs 5-0 on the road on Tuesday, April 26, before blanking Life Way Christian 8-0 at home two days later.

If there’s any soccer team in Arkansas riding more of a hot streak than the Green Forest Tigers, it might be the Lady Tigers. Green Forest’s girls picked up two more wins last week — beating Eureka Springs 11-0 and Life Way Christian 7-0 — and have now won seven consecutive games and 11 of 12 against in-state competition.