It was the last hurrah for retiring Head Coach Ronnie Williams, but his Jr. Lady Bulldogs sent him into retirement in style, winning the Northwest Arkansas Regional Tournament held last week at Kimmons Junior High in Fort Smith.
“What a way to end my career as a basketball coach,” said Williams. “This group of girls was so much fun to coach and be around. One of the best in my career,” he said.
“I told them since this was my last game that this would always be the one I remember as I look back over my 39-year career. We’ve been blessed to win regionals two of the last three years at Greenwood.”
The Lady Bulldogs won all three of their games over four days, February 20-23. They opened last Wednesday with a 60-46 victory over Springdale Central.
Last Friday they slipped by Bentonville, 33-26, setting up the final with Fayetteville’s white team at 11 a.m. on Saturday morning. Greenwood won in a squeaker, 26-24, to claim the regional title.
The Greenwood girls finished with a stellar record of 23-2 overall and a perfect 14-0 in River Valley Conference play. Abby Summitt earned most valuable player honors for the tournament.
The Junior Bulldogs also competed in the regionals, but lost in the first round to Fayetteville, 44-37. The team is coached by Jake Hindman, who has also assisted with the varsity boys this season.
After something of a slow start, the Jr. ‘Dogs improved during the season to finish at 7-7 in River Valley Conference play, earning a #3 seed for the tournament. They finished 12-11 on the season.