SPORTS

PAGE 8 | WWW.OBUSIGNAL.COM ESPN, this is why you should pick up BOTR

BY ISAAC BOURNE

Sports Editor

The 95th edition of the Battle of the Ravine did not disappoint this year, bringing excitement and drama into a storied rivalry that has stood the test of time. Through the movement of divisions and conferences, Ouachita Baptist and Henderson State University have remained bitter rivals. The unique premise of one team crossing the highway to the other team’s stadium is almost unheard of in college football.

“It’s such a unique deal,” remarked Chris Babb, head of Ouachita Sports Digital Network. “The visiting team dresses in their locker room and walks across the road; there’s just nothing like it.”

Multiple attempts have been made to get the game picked up by a major TV station, but many have wished for the biggest station of them all, ESPN, who hosts their College Gameday at the site of a featured matchup for the week, and while many would be surprised as to why they would visit a DII school, Babb is adamant.

“From our perspective, they’ve gone to a DIII school, an HBCU, and an FCS school (for the event), so a DII school is bound to be next,” he presumes.

And he has a compelling case, as the story of rivals across the street seems like an excellent premise for a College Gameday, especially since the game is usually between two of the top teams in the GAC, and often decides who wins the conference many seasons.

The numbers back up the event’s importance as well, as the OSDN broadcast of the game from last year has garnered over 10,000 views on YouTube, while the broadcast of the game from this year posted by Henderson Athletics has 6.6 thousand in just 24 hours. No matter which way you see it, this game draws viewers, and an ESPN broadcast of the game would just bring more popularity to a game that is already special in the hearts of Arkadelphians.

“We know it’s special and unique, so it would be great if the people on the national level could see it too,” Babb said.

After this year’s game brought a two-score comeback and an overtime victory to one of the top teams in DII, it will make the matchup hard to resist for the story-hungry ESPN who is always looking for a new and exciting take on the college football scene.

It would not be the first time this rivalry has seen itself in the mainstream media, as College Gameday has given lip service to the rivalry, and Sports Illustrated published an article on the game back in the Fall of 2019.

While restrictions on the time of the season may be a turn-off for the channel, seeing as DI games this late in the season may have higher stakes, generating greater stories for College Gameday, the stakes of this game stack up just as high. Out of the past ten matchups between Henderson and Ouachita, seven of them have featured teams with playoff aspirations with just a single team in the way.

This storied rivalry has everything that a major sports media channel could want, so please, ESPN, give the Battle of the Ravine a shot.

As one of the unique traditions of the Battle of the Ravine, coaches and players of the OBU football team cross the highway in their uniforms to play Henderson State on Saturday. Photo by Levi Dade

Women’s cross country wins GAC after big season

BY EMILEE WEBB

Staff Writer

The Ouachita Women’s Cross Country Team were named the Great American Conference Champions on Nov. 5, 2022. The team competed in Shawnee, OK for the championship title. After beginning the season ranked 5th, the team fought hard for their well-deserved conference win.

The achievement was a huge thrill for the Tigers. Freshman kinesiology major Addison Southerland speaks about her initial reaction to hearing the news.

“It was really exciting. Honestly, it took a minute to sink in because we are such a young team, and that’s never been done before in our program. We got 5th last year, so it was a big jump for us to go from 5th to 1st. And our team has grown so much, so it was just a bit of a shock” Southerland said.

The night before the race was also crucial for the cross country team. Koeth explains that the team spent time together and focused on their reasoning for running the race.

“The night before, we got to go into Oklahoma City and have dinner to get our mind off the race. I think getting the focus off the race and off of ourselves and onto God and the team helped. So, during the race, we were focused on running for somebody other than ourselves,” Koeth said.

During the championship race, the Women’s Cross Country Team put all of their hard work into practice. Each girl was in a great mindset, and they all worked hard to encourage each other to run a great race.

Another well-deserved title was given to the team’s coach, Steve Guymon. Guymon was named the GAC coach of the year. Taylor Koeth expresses the impact that Coach Guymon has made on the team and its participants.

“I think you can ask anyone on the team and they will tell you that Coach Guymon is the main reason that they wound up running at Ouachita. He puts the time into recruiting you, and then once you get here, he makes sure that you’re doing well in school and that you’re running well. As far as running goes, he’s super wise. You can go to him with anything, and he always has suggestions and ideas about what you can do. He’s definitely been instrumental for the team’s success” Koeth said.

The Women’s Cross Country Team is ecstatic looking into their upcoming indoor and outdoor track seasons, as well as next year’s cross country season. Addison Southerland explains the team’s headspace moving forward.

“We have already started talking about next year a little bit,” Southerland said. “Coach Guymon already wants to look toward nationals in the upcoming years. I think this gave us all a confidence booster that we are making a name for ourselves because no one really thought much of our team. We are definitely going to be a dominating force for the next couple of years. We will just get bigger and better and continue to grow as a team.”