The Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) recently made their conference re-adjustments in basketball for the 2022 through 2024 seasons. Since the AAA has Mansfield in the 3A for Football and 2A for all other sports, this particular shake-up will have an influence on the 2A basketball portion of Mansfield athletics. The Tigers and Lady Tigers will see their hardwood arch-nemesis, the Acorn Tigers, traded out for the Hector Wildcats in the 2A-4 conference in basketball. The rest of the 2A-4 conference will remain the same as Lavaca, Magazine, JC Westside, Future School and Mountainburg will still be conference opponents for 2022-24.
Tiger alumni from the 80s and 90s know all too well about the rough and tumble Hector Wildcats. Back in the day, Hector was one of those opponents that Mansfield players knew they were in for a physical matchup and would have to fight to survive. For all the youngins out there though who didn’t even know Hector existed, the Wildcats are a 2A blue blood who has always had a competitive athletic program. Hector sits 101 miles from Mansfield in Pope County just north of Russellville. That will put a two-hour drive ahead of the Tigers when they travel to Wildcat country for away games so fans may want to pack a lunch before they head that direction. When you get there, don’t let Hector’s population sign fool you as you enter town. Although the home of the Wildcats only has a population of 450, that’s 450 people which creates a fan base that lives for cheering on their royal blue and white Wildcats.
Hector was previously in the 2A-5 where they faced the likes of St Josephs, Bigelow, Quitman, Conway Christian, Marshall, Maumelle Charter, South Side, and Lisa Academy North. The 2A-5 has been known to have pretty tough athletic programs and has produced some of the 2A’s best teams over the years, so the Wildcats are used to facing the stiff competition in the 2A-4. The toughness of the 2A-5 was evident this past season as the Hectors boys’ basketball went 2-19-1 in 2021-22 while the Lady Wildcats went 19-8 finishing fourth in the conference. This means that although the Tigers and Lady Tigers will be losing a solid opponent in Acorn, they very well could be picking up a Hector program that is capable of being just as good on the courts.  For those who will miss seeing Mansfield take on Acorn on the courts, don’t fret too much. Acorn will be moving to the 2A-7 and will surely still be in the hunt each and every year for conference, district, regional, and state championships. This means that Acorn and Mansfield will still have a chance to face off each year since Mansfield’s basketball program continues to be a top competitor in the 2A also. Just don’t overlook Hector in the upcoming years. The Wildcats will definitely provide some wild games for the Tigers and Lady Tigers in the future.
