Page 22 - All Arkansas Preps 2020

22M Sunday, June 28, 2020 | All-Arkansas Preps | Advertising Supplement to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette OUTSTANDING COACHES OF THE YEAR:
BOYS BASKETBALL
GIRLS BASKETBALL
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
BRIAN ROSS
Little Rock Central High School
It took just two seasons for Brian Ross to get Central High back among the elite in Class 6A. After winning three state titles in his four years at Baptist Prep, the former Ouachita Baptist standout took over the Tigers prior to the 2018 season and promptly ushered them to back-to-back playoff appearances and a 34-23 record. is year, Ross led Central to an 18-12 mark in 2019-20 and spearheaded a pair of upsets over Springdale Har-Ber and Fort Smith Northside in the Class 6A tournament. e victories allowed the Tigers to reach the state championship game for the first time since 2002.
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
BECKY YARBROUGH Star City High School
In her 29th season with Star City, Becky Yarbrough directed one of the state’s most consistent programs to a dominating run through both the regular season and postseason. e Lady Bulldogs went 32-0 and were the only girls high school basketball team in Arkansas to finish unbeaten. Leading a team stacked with underclassmen, Yarbrough steered Star City to a Mount St. Mary tournament title and a Kamron Hale Invitational championship before the Lady Bulldogs picked up a 4A-8 Conference crown and a 4A-South regional title. Yarbrough also got Star City back to the Class 4A state- championship game for the first time since 2012.
FOOTBALL
ROBERT BLADES Mountain Home High School
Robert Blades led Mountain Home to the Class 5A state championship, which snapped Lake Hamilton’s streak of six consecutive state titles in the process.
GOLF
JIM ANDREWS Greenwood High School
Jim Andrews coached the Class 5A Lady Bulldogs to their first cross-country state title in school history, which also snapped Siloam Springs’ string of five state championships in the process.
BUCK JAMES Bryant High School
e most dominant team in the state was led by Buck James. He guided the Hornets to a 13-0 record and their second consecutive Class 7A state championship, defeating rival North Little Rock.
TONY HARDAGE Bismarck High School
e Bismarck Lions won the Class 3A girls golf title for the second year in a row under the guidance of Tony Hardage. e Lions won the state title by 36 strokes and placed three golfers in the top four of the medalist list. Two of the Lions — junior Makenna Norris and senior Gloria Mae Berry — qualified for the overall. Bismarck has won three state titles in the past four years.