Hartsell awarded Mid-America Regional EMMY for Battle of the Ravine video essay
November 10, 2022
- Kaitlyn StoddardOuachita Baptist University junior Chase Hartsell was awarded a Regional EMMYⓇ for his video essay about the Ouachita-Henderson State University football rivalry Battle of the Ravine, titled “A November Morn.” The award was presented to him by the Mid-America chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) at the 46th annual Regional EMMYⓇ Gala on Saturday, Oct. 29, at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch in St. Louis, Mo.
According to John Paul, chair of the NATAS Mid-America education committee, the Mid-America chapter honors high school and college students with awards called crystal pillars that recognize excellence in producing news, weather, sports reports and programs, as well as video production.
Chase Hartsell
Hartsell, a communications & media/sports media major from Hot Springs, Ark., won the Regional EMMYⓇ for the “College Sports Story or Segment” category.
“Finding out that my project had won the award was a special moment,” said Hartsell. “More than anything, I was excited to win this award as a representative of our university and the Ouachita Sports Digital Network.”
Dating back more than 100 years, the Battle of the Ravine is one of the most unique college football rivalries in the country. The game is the oldest rivalry in NCAA Division II football and is the only game where either team walks across the street to compete at the opposing team’s stadium.
Hartsell started on “A November Morn” in September 2021 after learning about and watching sports video essays in a Sports Media course taught by Chris Babb, instructor of communications and director of sports media productions at Ouachita.
“As I watched, I wondered if we could do something like this for Ouachita and maybe even Battle of the Ravine,” he recalled. “Mr. Babb and I discussed it briefly after class, and I kept thinking about it while I was waiting in line for my lunch at the student center. All of a sudden, the line just popped into my mind: ‘It all begins on a November morn…’ It just kind of took off from there."
Hartsell’s video essay first debuted as the final segment in the 2022 Ouachita Sports Digital Network Gameday pregame live show. The video features archival footage and photos from past years’ Battles of the Ravine and footage from the 2021 BOTR. It also includes voice overs from Dr. Jeff Root, dean of Ouachita’s Schools of Humanities and Education, and Dr. Kevin C. Motl, dean of the Sutton School of Social Sciences at Ouachita and the Voice of Cliff Harris Stadium for Tiger football and Bill Vining Arena for Tiger basketball.
“A November Morn” is available to view at https://youtu.be/lyymnNoipsM.
As a sports media major and the child of two Henderson graduates, Hartsell said the tradition of BOTR is close to his heart. “My favorite thing about Battle of the Ravine is what it means to the community of Arkadelphia. It is something that everyone looks forward to and circles on their calendar. While there is this idea that Battle of the Ravine divides friends and families for the day, it ultimately brings the town together in a giant celebration.”
After graduation, Hartsell plans to work in sports broadcasting or sports administration.
Henderson will host the 95th Annual Battle of the Ravine at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 12, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for students K-12, and free for children five and under. They can be purchased online at hsusports.com/tickets or at the stadium ticket booths up to two hours before kickoff on Saturday.
Lead photo by Abigail Blankenship
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