Coach Hits Mark

West Fork's Ferrell Earns 500th Win

David Ferrell, right, West Fork boys coach, hugs his wife, Kelly Ferrell, while celebrating his 500th win as a high school coach Tuesday at West Fork. The Tigers defeated Green Forest, 68-31.
David Ferrell, right, West Fork boys coach, hugs his wife, Kelly Ferrell, while celebrating his 500th win as a high school coach Tuesday at West Fork. The Tigers defeated Green Forest, 68-31.

— Four autographed basketballs are displayed prominently in David Ferrell’s office inside the Tiger Dome.

Each basketball commemorates another 100 wins in Ferrell’s coaching career, which dates back to the mid-1980s. The most recent ball honors his 400th career victory, and it rests on a shelf along with other mementos from his four decades at West Fork.

Realizing the significance of Tuesday night, someone purchased a new basketball to add to the coach’s collection.

Ferrell received a standing ovation after he earned his 500th career win in dominant fashion, with the Tigers using their pressure defense and plenty of fast-break opportunities to cruise to a 68-31 win over Green Forest.

“It’s pretty a neat thing we’ve got going. I wouldn’t say it was by accident, but it just kind of happened,” Ferrell said, laughing. “Twenty-five years ago, you don’t really envision it happening.”

A cake that read, “Congrats” with the No. 500 on it awaited Ferrell when he emerged from the locker room following the lopsided win. He stood with his players at halfcourt and posed for a photograph, which will likely be added someday to the wall of pictures in his office.

Ferrell’s career record now stands at 500-196.

“Over the years, I had the 100, the 200, the 300, the 400,” Ferrell said, referring to his career coaching victories. “So, I kind of knew it was coming when the season started.”

West Fork guard Josh Ferrell said his father had mentioned that he was approaching the career milestone, but he mostly kept it low key. In fact, the elder Ferrell admitted he was surprised to find a table full of food set up immediately following the game to celebrate the win.

“It’s an honor actually,” said Josh Ferrell, who scored 11 points in the win over Green Forest. “I’ve played for him basically my whole life, and it’s fun just to reach 500 with him.”

All but 40 of Ferrell’s wins have come at West Fork. He finished 20-7 in his only season as Lincoln’s coach from 1985-86, and he went 20-9 the following year at Gravette.

However, Ferrell has become a near constant fixture at West Fork since the school hired him as its boys coach in 1987. He left the Tigers for three years from 1995-98, but he returned to the bench in 1999 and has put the team in position to make another long postseason run.

The Tigers (17-3, 5-1 3A-1 Conference) made sure that their coach’s celebration would begin earlier than expected. They jumped out to a 33-14 halftime lead over Green Forest (4-17, 0-5), and the mercy rule went into effect when Jeremy Hoornaert’s 3-pointer while getting fouled extended West Fork’s advantage to 57-27 with 7 minutes, 18 seconds remaining.

Ferrell, 48, said he has no plans to retire anytime soon. He said this season has been particularly rewarding since he’s coaching his son, along with several other players he has worked with since elementary school.

BOYS

WEST FORK 68, GREEN FOREST 31

Green Forest 10 4 13 4 — 31

West Fork 22 11 21 14 — 68

Green Forest (4-17, 0-5): Coffey 12, Watson 9, Smalley 3, Nelson 3, Riggs 2, Lucas 2.

West Fork (17-3, 5-1): Hoornaert 15, Ferrell 11, Beasley 10, Wingate 8, DeSoto 8, Hutchison 4, Metcalf 4, Leichner 3, Crawford 3, Shaffer 2.

Girls

West Fork 47, Green Forest 33

Sydney Franklin scored 23 points as West Fork outscored Green Forest 14-2 in the second quarter and did enough down the stretch to cruise to the win.

Katie Griffin added 11 points for the Lady Tigers (13-9, 2-2), who trailed 14-11 after the first quarter before holding the Lady Tigers to only 19 points over the final three quarters.

GIRLS

WEST FORK 47, GREEN FOREST 33

Green Forest 14 2 8 9 — 33

West Fork 11 11 14 11 — 47

Green Forest (12-7, 0-5): K. Powell 12, Powell 7, Watson 6, Black 4, Bell 2, Williams 2.

West Fork (13-9, 2-2): Franklin 23, Griffin 11, Quinton 4, Selph 3, Hays 2, Karnes 2, Benson 1, Pennington 1.

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