What else is coming up in today’s Bulletin?

🎙️ Courtney McHenry on Taylor’s success
📈 New faces in the same places
🏆 Handing out awards for Team & Athletes of the Week

Let’s dive right in!

🏆 Excellence Achieved. When you think of the Taylor Tigers, softball is one of the things that comes to mind. They just know how to win. In 2026, they won their 9th straight softball state championship, led by head coach Courtney McHenry. McHenry, who also coaches volleyball, joins Alyssa Orange to talk about the success the Tigers have had, the success of the 2026 team, and coaching her daughter.

🏈 Dominant Start. Pea Ridge football got the action going this week, welcoming programs from the 5A and 4A for a summer camp hosted by first-year head coach Max Hotelling. Pea Ridge showcased its competitiveness and set the tone for a new era under Hotelling as teams from around the area kicked off their offseason action.

⚽️ A New Role. Rogers Heritage has found its new leader for the girls soccer program in a familiar face: Horacio Olvera. He spent the past two seasons as an assistant with the War Eagles’ boys program, including last year’s state championship team. Olvera, a Rogers graduate who helped the Mounties win a state title in 2017, will be a first-time head coach while continuing to teach at Oakdale middle school.

👀 New Move. Huntsville football officially begins a new era under head coach Phillip Bernhardt. Bernhardt, who previously served as an assistant coach at Little Rock Central, brings experience from stops at Stuttgart and Dumas, looking to lead the Eagles into the upcoming season.

🏈 New Fayetteville football coach Anthony Lucas already has his first championship moment with the Bulldogs, finishing with a dominant 32-0 victory over Farmington in the title game of Elkins’ 7-on-7 tournament. Quarterbacks Remington Thomas and Cade Rogers combined to throw four touchdown passes in the championship game, while the Bulldogs added four defensive stops, including an interception by linebacker Will Caston.

🏈 Fayetteville junior linebacker Will Caston made his presence known during the Bulldogs’ dominant run in the Elkins 7-on-7 tournament. Caston came up with a key interception in the title game as Fayetteville took down Farmington 32-0. Caston helped anchor a defense that delivered four stops in the championship showdown.

⚽️ Searcy senior Georgie McMahan delivered one final unforgettable moment this season, scoring the game-winning goal with just 18 seconds remaining to give the Lions a 2-1 victory over Russellville in the Class 5A state championship match. With her impressive performance, she also earned championship MVP honors while setting Searcy’s program record with the 150th goal of her career.

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