Josh Johnston, of the Monticello Marlins placed 3rd in the 50 Meter Butterfly at the AAU Jr. Olympics, Saturday,  in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

3 local swimmers qualified for the competition, including Dailyn Johnston (Josh’s sister), both for Team Arkansas and Josie Kelly who is wimming with Team Southwind.

Former UAMonticello defensive back Eric Crocker has signed to play for the NFL’s New York Jets, announced this past Friday by the Jets’ front office.

Crocker joins the Jets after playing 18 games for the San Antonio Talons of the Arena Football League during the 2012 season. Crocker recorded 70.5 total tackles, including 60 solo tackles and an assisted tackle for a loss. He also had three interceptions, 13 pass breakups, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.

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Request for Bowfishing Approval at Lake Monticello to Control Carp / Improve Vegitation from MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

UKayla Jackson continues to add to her legacy as one of the best softball players in University of Arkansas at Monticello history.

Jackson became the first three-time softball All-American in school history Wednesday when she was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American Second Team. The senior pitcher from Hallsville, Tex., was a third team All-American in 2010 and a second team selection last year.

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Kayla Jackson

Kayla Jackson threw her second no-hitter of the season the first of two wins over the Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs, 3-0 and 3-2.

The UAM ace got her 25th win of the season in the seven-inning affair. She was two runners away from the perfect game, as the only blemishes on the day came in the third inning on a third-strike passed ball and a walk in the fourth inning.

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The Monticello Parks and Recreatin Committee spent almost 20 minutes of their Thursday meeting going over the history of the commission / committee, and it’s ongoing issues with the Monticello Babe Ruth league.

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Denmark won CFL Catch of the Year earlier this season.

The former Weevil wide receiver was the starting slot back for the Blue Bombers in their 34-23 loss to the British Columbia Lions in the CFL Championship, but the loss didn’t dampen the experience for Denmark. “The atmosphere of the game was great. This is the Canadian Super Bowl.”

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Local college football fans watching the Ole Miss vs. BYU game, Tuesday night, couldn’t help but smile when they heard the name of former Monticello Billie Brishen Mathews getting credit for a tackle on a Cougar’s kick returner, early in the second half of the nationally televised game.

Good work, Brishen.

MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

The 2010 Monticello Billies, who returned only 3 starters from their State Championshiop team, and still made it into the 2nd round of the playoffs, were recognized at the annual Billie Booster Banquet, Monday night.

Here is a list of the individuals award winners;

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At the South Arkansas State meeting held Saturday, at the new complex in Bryant, Joe Rogers, the South Arkansas State Commissioner, was inducted into the Southwest Region Hall of Fame.

Arkansas serves over 150 leagues of community based youth baseball. Three international Babe Ruth League Board members, James Wagoner, J. Hill, and Joe Featherston, the Southwest Regional Commissioner, were also present at the meeting.

The Little Rock Touchdown Club has selected senior quarterback Scott Buisson as the most valuable player for the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

Along with MVPs from all other football playing institutions in Arkansas, Buisson will be honored at the club’s seventh annual awards banquet on Thursday, January 27 at 7 p.m. at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Little Rock.

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Former Monticello Billie, Seth Oxner, as seen on the Razorback Stadium Jumbotron, Saturday.

Submitted by a MLive reader.

North Syracuse’s Pilotti’s game-winning 3 run homer in the final inning gave New York the victory in the World Series final.

The “Champs” celebrate, after the final out.

While trailing 4-3 in the top of the final inning with 2 outs, North Syracuse centerfielder Pilotti hit a 3 run home run to take the lead away from Saginaw Valley, MI and put New York ahead 6-4.

N. Syracuse added another run before the inning ended, and that’s how the game ended, with a 7-4 final score

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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Behind sophomore pitcher Kayla Jackson’s two wins in the circle, including her third no-hitter of the season, the 23rd-ranked University of Arkansas at Monticello softball team beat the 12th-ranked Alabama-Huntsville Chargers twice on Monday to advance to this weekend’s NCAA South Super-Region Tournament against host Valdosta State. (more…)

The Monticello Billies defeat the Camden Fairview Cardinals 38-7 to win the 5A championship.
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Monticello second string goes in with 5:25 left in the game. Still 38-7.
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Caleb Bryant carries the ball in to take the Billies 38-7 after a series of penalties against the Cardinals. Extra point is no good.
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Joe Carmical keeps the ball to take the Billies 32-7. Extra point no good again.
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Beginning of fourth quarter. Score unchanged. Billies will start 2nd & 6 on the Cardinals’ 11-yd line.
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Cardinals TD, extra point good. 26-7 with 4:04 left in 3rd.
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Billies TD, extra point good. 26-0 with 6:09 left in 3rd quarter.
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Billies TD, extra point no good. 19-0 with 10:02 left in the third.
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At halftime, Billies lead the Cardinals 13-0. Billies’ field goal attempt no good.
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After their second interception of the game, the Billies have the ball on the 21-yd line, 2nd & 9 with 3:47 to go in the second.
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Billies score with 11:29 left in second quarter. Extra point good. Billies 13-0.
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After the Billies intercept, they take it to the 20-yard line to end the first quarter.
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Billies score on the first drive of the game. Extra point no good. 6-0 with 7:32 left in first quarter.
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The Billies are practicing and warming up below the War Memorial lights. Game time in less than an hour!

Scores will be updated regularly throughout the game.

Anonymous supporters offered the Monticello School District the chance to have Hyatt Field dried out by having a helicopter hover over the muddy playing surface, Friday afternoon, at no expense to the district. (more…)

Monticello’s Hyatt Field and Cotton Boll Stadium are back in business, following repairs to the base of the stadium lighting fixtures.

Monticello School superintendent Bobby Harper told MonticelloLive that Hyatt Field’s poles have had the welding operation completed, and have been inspected by certified welding inspectors, and that the field is back in service.

Starko Inc. had been contracted to weld 4 inch by 12 inch gussett plates to the base of the 4 light poles at Hyatt Field, with 12 gussetts being attached to each pole.  That began Friday, and continued Saturday and Sunday, until the task was completed.

The next game to be played at Hyatt Field will be Friday night as the Billies take on Little Rock McClellan. (more…)

Monticello School Superintendent Bobby Harper told the school board at Tuesday night’s meeting that the 4 light poles over Hyatt Field have been recalled by their manufacturer, which has now reportedly filed for bankruptcy and is no longer in business.

The school district’s architect recently contacted the school to tell them that the poles are being recalled because of welds around the base of the poles, where the poles are attached to a concrete base, which are deteriorating in some cases of poles produced by Whitco, mainly in Texas, but not exclusively in Texas.

The Searcy school district has 20 poles like this; 4 of them are defective; forcing Searcy to cancel their home football games for the season. (more…)

The Jacksonville Jaguars announced yesterday the signing of former University of Arkansas at Monticello wide receiver Clarence Denmark.

Denmark was signed as a rookie free agent and is currently participating in the Jaguar’s pre-season training camp.

Below is a portion of the release sent from the Jacksonville Jaguars Media Relations office:
The Jacksonville Jaguars have signed rookie free agent wide receiver Clarence Denmark. A native of Jacksonville, Denmark played the last two seasons at Arkansas-Monticello after transferring from Troy University. (more…)

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazzette held an unofficial, un scientific poll of the “Best College Quarterback in Arkansas”, which ended yesterday.Â

UAM’s Scott Buisson was voted “the best” with 37%, with the nearest 2 vote-getters receiving 30% & 29%.

Here’s the site, no registering, just vote and click Buisson’s name and hit vote.

Paramedic Jason Beckman and Mr. Taylor are shown here in a phot taken from Taylor’s appearance Saturday night, here in Monticello.

SouthEast Emergency Medical Services had posted an ambulance at the matches, and Jason was present night of the fight and had the  picture made.