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SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2020 THREE RIVERS EDITION/RIVER VALLEY & OZARK EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE DIAMOND ROUNDUP
25SS
NEWPORT GREYHOUNDS
Newport Greyhounds are under new leadership
BY SAM PIERCE
STAFF WRITER
In his first year as head coach, Rashad Billingsley said he brings a more relaxed atmosphere to practice.
“I know the kids; I’ve been around them,” Billingsley said. “I had them in junior high and in the summer leagues.
“We have fun, and I let them have fun. I respect them, and they respect me. They still understand, when it’s go time, it’s showtime and time to compete.”
Billingsley said the team recently had an intrasquad scrimmage, and he said it surprised him how many of the kids showed up on a Saturday.
“It let me know these kids are dedicated,” Billingsley said.
Billingsley has coached the Newport Junior High School baseball team for a couple of years, but this is his first time to coach varsity ball. He replaced former head coach David Smith, who left to work for the Vilonia School District.
Newport finished 14-8 last year, losing to Bald Knob in the district tournament.
“The thing I have seen is how they compete
Conference: 3A-2
Coach: Rashad Billingsley
Assistant coaches: Mark McGee and DeVante Neal
2019 record: 14-8
Returning starters: Junior Chris Reynolds and sophomore Will Keedy
When it’s go time,
it’s showtime and
time to compete.”
RASHAD BILLINGSLEY
NEWPORT BASEBALL COACH
with each other, regardless of what is going on,” Billingsley said. “I’ve never seen them getting down on themselves, and they compete.”
Returning this year are junior utility player Chris Reynolds and sophomore third base- man Will Keedy.
“Chris might be something special,” Billingsley said. “He is a nice baseball player and is very competitive.
“He is a young leader. Even though
NEWPORT BASEBALL
APRIL 3 ....................................... @CAVE CITY* APRIL 10 ...................................... MELBOURNE APRIL 14 .................... @PALESTINE-WHEATLEY* APRIL 17 ................................ @CEDAR RIDGE* APRIL 21 ..........................HARDING ACADEMY*
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES
he is a junior, you can see that he leads.” The coach said Reynolds will probably be
one of the team’s top pitchers as well.
“I will use him as an ace, in certain games or in certain situations. That’s when I will use him,” Billingsley said. “We will have a lot of guys who can throw a couple of innings, setup
guys or middle relievers.
“We will have a lot of arms that can help.
Our focus is to have a standout defense.” Billingsley said he is mostly going to use “pitching by committee” until he figures out
the best rotation.
“They might throw a couple of innings, and then we will switch it up,” he said. “There is no telling how things will turn out and how they do in a game, instead of just pitching against each other.”
Billingsley said Keedy, who started at catcher last season, is a “great kid and really understands the game of baseball well.”
“He will be something special,” the coach said. “Chris Young is a ninth-grader and has a strong arm and good hands.
“He is fast, and to be in the ninth grade, he’s got a good little stick, but he’s also athletic.”
Billingsley said his focus is for the Greyhounds to be an all-around, good baseball team and to get on base and be aggressive.
“In the outfield, we have some young guys who have some real wheels, and we just have to figure out the first three we are going to throw out there,” Billingsley said. “I want us to be balanced all the way around.”
APRIL 2 ....................................... CAVE CITY* APRIL 3 ............................................ SEARCY APRIL 7 ...................... PALESTINE-WHEATLEY* APRIL 9 ........................................HILLCREST APRIL 14 ......................................BRADFORD APRIL 16 .................................. @NETTLETON
APRIL 17 ............................. @CEDAR RIDGE* APRIL 21 .......................HARDING ACADEMY* APRIL 23 .................@JONESBORO WESTSIDE APRIL 24 ........................................ @MANILA
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES
NEWPORT SOFTBALL