Parents make some tough road trips in support of their student athletes, and not many look forward to the trip home late at night from a distant venue like Rose Bud.
That trip was a little easier to enjoy Friday night for Buddy and Melea Fry, whose son Rhett Powell had just set his personal best one-game scoring total.
Powell, 17, is a senior at Green Forest. He poured in 55 points Friday night. His coach, Shane Compton, had set his own personal best of 50 points in 1988 when he played for Green Forest. At press time, Compton did not know if the 55 points represents a school record.
Compton is in his first year as Tiger head coach, and watched from the bench as Powell shattered his record. “I didn’t realize how many points he had until someone said he had 48,” Compton said. “After that, we worked even harder to get him the ball.”
Although the Tigers won 87-67, Compton said the game remained close until late, and the team needed all the scoring Powell could generate. “It was such a special moment,” he said.
To heighten the coincidence, Jeff Boggs was the second-high scorer when Compton set his own record. Friday night, Boggs’s son Carter was the second-high scorer, with 12 points.
The Tigers and Lady Tigers will be home on Friday for conference games against Clinton. Tuesday, Feb. 5 will be Senior Night for Powell and the other seniors playing their last home game.