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4 people inducted into White Hall Sports Hall of Fame

4 people inducted into White Hall Sports Hall of Fame
White Hall High School's Bert Honey Gym is pictured. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)

Four new members of the White Hall Sports Hall of Fame — Vickie Lynn Jones, Keith Edwards, David Edwards and Larry Grisham — were inducted during a May 12 ceremony at the James “Jitters” Morgan Community Center.

Jones was a standout in basketball and track-and-field who earned multiple honors from 1975-78, including best rebounder, best defensive player and most valuable defensive player in the Region 8AAA North tournament. On the track, Jones placed in the long jump at the state meet and ran in the 100 and 200 meters, and 4×100 and 4×200-meter relays.

Jones earned bachelor of science and associate of arts degrees from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and served as a local health unit administrator with the Arkansas Department of Health. She demonstrated leadership and a strong foundation in administration and organizational management for 36 years, according to her bio.

“Vickie has also significantly impacted her community through volunteerism and youth sports leadership,” her bio reads. “She led the basketball and cheer programs at Longley Baptist Church for 17 years, earning multiple first-place finishes and mentoring countless athletes. Her work with the Redfield Athletic Association, beginning in 2024, further underscores her commitment to youth development, focusing on teamwork, skill-building and sportsmanship.”

Jones was honored with the Independent Christian Sports Association’s Coach of the Year award in 2019.

Keith Edwards was heavily involved in football, basketball and baseball from third grade to graduation. He was the starting quarterback and point guard at White Hall Junior High in his eighth- and ninth-grade years and enjoyed a stellar athletic season in 1989, helping the basketball team finish 26-1 (the best record for any White Hall Junior High team) and earning the high point award in track.

Keith Edwards made all-conference in football as a junior and senior and then all-state as a senior. He was named most valuable offensive player in the 1992 Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star game after throwing three touchdown passes in the first half.

He also made all-conference in basketball and baseball and was honorable mention all-state in baseball.

Keith Edwards played football as a freshman and baseball from 1993-95 at the University of Arkansas at Monticello. He made all-conference in baseball and led the team in batting in 1994. He graduated from UAM in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business and earned a degree in graphic design from Northwest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville in 2023.

David Edwards lettered in football and basketball at White Hall High from 1969-71. He was quarterback and wide receiver on the gridiron and a point guard on the court, known for athletic catches and being a tough defender. In junior high he was all-district and all-city in football, and as a junior in high school he was all-district, all-tournament and winner of the best defense award in basketball.

He attended Arkansas State University in 1971 and Henderson State University from 1972-73.

Grisham was a three-year starter on the high school basketball team from 1964-67. The Bulldogs went 100-9 under his leadership, winning three district championships and a state title in 1966.

“His leadership and performance on the court were instrumental in this remarkable run,” according to his bio. He was all-district three times, all-state twice and named outstanding player of the 1967 state tournament, going on to lead the West team to victory in that year’s all-star game as a starter. For his career he scored 1,771 points (16.2 per game).

Grisham lettered in basketball at the University of Arkansas for two years and joined the U.S. Army after college, serving in the states and Iran. Grisham died in 2009 at age 60.

“Larry was not only respected for his athletic excellence but also admired for his commitment to his teammates and community,” according to his bio.

Outstanding senior awards were presented to Holdyn Brown and Hannah Estess in tennis, Kline Catlett in baseball, Taylor Irvin in softball, Allison Mosley in cheerleading, Madelyn Winkler in stepping, Ivan Armour in football, Journey Peppers in volleyball, Reece Stewart and Victoria Trujillo in soccer, Tyrese Townsend and Kylah Demmings in track, and Jacoby Edwards and Ty’Nivia Jordan in basketball.