STILLWATER, Okla. – University of Arkansas – Fort Smith Cross Country continued its 2023 season Saturday morning by running in the Cowboy Jamboree.
Both teams started seeing improvement as they approach the halfway mark of the season in their buildup to the conference meet. The women finished 13th with 389 points while the men placed 17th with 525 points.
“This weekend’s racecourse was a big challenge for both teams,” Head Coach Mason Rhodes said. “We raced very smart and focused on beating as many runners as possible. We are starting to seeour hard work from summer and early fall show up. This is the perfect point of the season to start seeing improvement.”
Rachel Malik led the Lions in the 6k event with a time of 24:36.7 to finish 79th while Zoe Nesbitt placed 114th in 25:46.7. Hailey Malik was not far behind in 118th in 25:58.2.
Rounding out the top five for UAFS were Madison Thurston in 131st in 26:29.3 and Quincy Efurd in 158th in 27:24.9. Cecilia Perez finished one spot behind Efurd in 27:25.5.
Corey Maxwell paced the men’s team in the 8k race with a 125th-place showing in 28:06.1. He was followed by Parker Brown in 150th in 28:41.0 and Isaac Teague in 162nd in 28:59.5.
Luke Bledsoe (174th) and Vincent Gonzales (205th) completed the top five for UAFS in 29:24.9 and 30:34.5, respectively.
“We now look forward to this two-week training block we have to iron out some rough spots as we get prepared for our final regular season meet,” Rhodes added.
UAFS will run its final regular season meet October 7at the UAH Chargers Invitational in Huntsville, Alabama.
FORT SMITH, Ark. – University of Arkansas – Fort Smith Volleyball moved to 1-0 in Lone Star Conference play by defeating Lubbock Christian, 25-19, 15-25, 25-15, 25-20 at Gayle Kaundart Arena at the Stubblefield Center Friday.
The Lions got big performances from the middle of their lineup, as middle blocker Hannah Watkins hit .727 with eight kills while also adding seven blocks. Angelina Hardison added nine kills on a .364 attack percentage with three blocks.
UAFS started fast, hitting .378 in set one. It led 17-8 after the Lions used a 12-4 run to break the set open. LCU rallied within four late before the Lions put the set away.
Lubbock bounced back in a big way in set two by hitting .405, but the Lions quickly responded with a 7-0 run to start set three. The Lions slowly grew the lead as they hit .257 while holding the Chaps to .065.
It was déjà vu in set four, as the Lions raced out to an 8-1 lead after five LCU errors. The Chaps answered with a 6-1 spurt and would later even the set at 13-13. After a back-and-forth few points, UAFS took the lead for good with a 3-0 run and closed the match on a 6-2 run.
Right-side hitter Reagan Macha led the Lions with 13 kills and a .367 attack percentage while outside hitter Caelyn Gunn added 12 kills.
Libero Paola Fragalle had half of her 26 digs in set one to lead the Lions’ back row, with setter Chloe Price, Gunn and outside hitter Nyia Anderson also recording double-digit digs.
Price dished out 41 assists to go with five kills, as well.
UAFS had an 11-5 advantage in blocks and outhit the Chaps, .268-178. Anderson had three of the team’s five assists.
The homestand continues Saturday as the Lions host Eastern New Mexico at 2 p.m. at the Stubblefield Center.
When it comes to the first conference game of the season, coaches and players alike have a lot on the line. Of course, you want the win, but you also want to put on a dominant show for the rest of the conference to see. The Mansfield Tigers tripled that pressure though on Friday, September 22nd as they welcomed the West Fork Tigers to the Jungle for homecoming. West Fork has created quite the Tiger tussle against Mansfield over the years beating the Tigers in 2020 and 2021 before Mansfield was able to edge them out for a win in 2022. But with all of the detractions and pressure put on the shoulders of Mansfield for this years game, could they pull off the win?
West Fork opted to start the game by receiving the opening kickoff to try and get a jump on Mansfield. That move proved to be fatal for them though as it played right into Mansfield’s strength, their defense. The Tigers mauled West Fork’s run game pinning them back early with a third down and nine yards before forcing a fumble which gave the Tigers offense an opportunity to shine. Two plays later, Daniel Burton blinded West Fork with a 41-yard scamper into the end zone for a Tiger Touchdown. Jeremy Strozier tacked on the extra point kick and just like that, the Tigers were up 7-0 on West Fork. With Mansfield’s defense only off the field for two plays to catch their breath, the Tigers defense decided they would give West Fork no choice but to let them rest. On West Forks’ second play of their second drive, Mansfield got their second turnover of the game with a Tyler Turnipseed interception. The Tigers offense slowed down the pace a little running behind Andrew Burton and Tyler Turnipseed to wear down West Forks massive-sized defensive line. The game plan panned out too as West Fork tightened their defense which allowed quarterback, Jeremy Strozier, to find Peyton Martin on a nine-yard pass for another Tiger touchdown. Strozier would add an extra point with an extra point kick giving the Tigers a 14-0 lead with plenty of game left to play.
Junior, Dakota Deer, led another defensive stance for Mansfield with the speed and tenacity of a true Tiger which created chaos for West Fork at every turn. The pressure led to a punt attempt by West Fork, but instead, the snap was bobbled and defensive lineman, Ethan Martin, came up with the Tigers third consecutive turnover in the first quarter. With a short field and all of the momentum in the Tigers corner, Andrew Burton took a handoff on the Tigers second offensive play after the turnover and roared 20 yards for, you guessed it, another Tiger touchdown. West Fork was able to block the Tigers extra point kick, but Mansfield was still left with a commanding 20-0. Mansfield’s defense as a whole again proved that they’re both the rock and the hard place that opponents get stuck between as James Bausley, Zander Walters, and Jeremy Strozier shut down the black and gold Tigers to force another West Fork punt. West Fork bowed up a little bit putting Mansfield in a third and long position, but that didn’t last long as Daniel Burton bounced outside on West Fork’s defense and jetted downfield 68 yards for a Tiger touchdown. The two-point conversion was unsuccessful leaving the score at 26-0. Mansfield’s defense remained in control, but the offense sputtered a little bit for the remainder of the second quarter. The Tigers were able to stuff West Fork at their own one-yard line for a turnover on downs, but that pinned the Tigers back into their end zone which resulted in a two-point safety for West Fork at the end of the half. Even with a minor slip-up, Mansfield was in full control going into the half with a 26-2 lead.
The second half of the game was dominated by Mansfield’s defense and unfortunately, some penalties and mental mistakes too. For nearly every big play, there seemed to be a flag to follow leaving the game at a relative stalemate between the teams. It was a back-and-forth battle as West Fork was able to put together some good drives in the second half but couldn’t break through on Mansfield’s defense. The Tigers were able to punch through late in the third quarter to take a 32-2 lead on West Fork. Both teams would cross into the end zone in the fourth quarter, but Mansfield still rolled out with the homecoming victory by defeating West Fork with a 38-8 final score. The victory gives Mansfield a 4-0 overall record and more importantly, puts them at 1-0 in conference play. Mansfield now faces a gauntlet on their schedule as they travel to Greenland, host Booneville, go to Charleston, and then will square off with an offensive onslaught in Lavaca. But the Tigers one game at a time mentality doesn’t tell the future, it only tells who’s next. The Greenland Pirates have held the Tigers’ number over the years as the Pirates have defeated Mansfield the past four years straight. Greenland currently sits with a 1-3 overall record after losing 51-9 to the defending State Champion Charleston Tigers. All bets are off when Mansfield plays Greenland though as both teams play hardnosed football, and both are eager to prove themselves to the entire state of Arkansas. It’ll be a game of the ages on Friday, September 29th as Mansfield travels to northwest Arkansas to face the cannons of Greenland.
The Greenwood Bulldogs defeated the Van Buren Pointers 61-17 in 6A West Action.
If there were any questions about this Greenwood Bulldog team and how they would handle their conference games with Kane Archer injured, the game last week should have been an indicator.
Van Buren would take the opening kick out to midfield but stall and punt. On the first drive for Greenwood, a would be L.J. Robins touchdown was called back due to a penalty. The Bulldogs would get to work and drive down the field with Senior Brayedan Davis finding the end zone, the Body Steinfeldt kick was blocked leaving the score 6-0. Van Buren punted on their next drive after a dropped pass on 3rd down. The Pointer punt had the Bulldogs starting on their own 3 yard line. Greenwood would make it close to midfield after runs by Davis, but also could not capitalize on 3rd down and would punt. The Pointers started putting together a drive into Greenwood territory when Junior Cash Archer would apply the pressure that lead to a Senior Brady Mackey interception. Cooper Goodwin would find Grant Karnes for the 34 yard touchdown two plays later. Steinfeldt’s kick was good 13-0. Van Buren would run out the clock on the 1st quarter.
Starting the 2nd quarter, Van Buren stalled out and punted again. A pass from Goodwin to Grant Karnes set up a 1 yard touchdown run by Brayedan Davis, Body Steinfeldt was perfect again 20-0 Bulldogs. Van Buren punted on their next drive. Cooper Goodwin took to the air on the next Bulldog drive and found a leaping Grant Karnes at the back of the end zone for the touchdown, point after was good 27-0. A penalty on the Pointers next drive put them driving toward Greenwood territory, the drive would stall out and the Pointers settled for a Field Goal that was good making the score 27-3. The Bulldogs answered back after two catches by L.J. Robins and Grant Karnes, Brayedan Davis took it in from 11 yards out. Kick was good, 34-3 in the 2nd quarter. Van Buren punted on their next drive. Cooper Goodwin was intercepted in the red zone and it was returned for a Touchdown. Point after was good, Van Buren 10, Greenwood 34. Van Buren would recovery the kick off then stall out attempting a 43 yard Field Goal that was no good ending the half.
Opening the second half Cooper Goodwin would find L.J. Robins down the home sideline for the touchdown, point after good 41-10. Junior Zack Zitzmann would come away with a QB sack on 3rd down setting up another Pointer Punt. An interception on 4th down stopped the Greenwood drive. Greenwood would return the favor when Cash Archer would tip the Bryce Perkins pass into Brayden Skaggs hands. Skaggs would take it in for the touchdown, Steinfeldt’s kick was good 47-10 Bulldogs. Van Buren would be intercepted again on their next drive with Junior Kaylor Jasna taking it back across the field and dragging defenders into the end zone. Hudson Meeker’s point after was good 54-10. Van Buren would run out the rest of the time in the 3rd quarter driving down to the Greenwood 21 yard line.
The Pointer offense would make it on the board in the 4th quarter with a 5 yard run. Point after was good. 54-17. Next series, QB change, Junior Scott Holland finds Sophomore Benton Hossley down the Van Buren sideline for a 41 yard touchdown, Sebastian Fernandez point after was good making it 61-17 Greenwood. Van Buren would run out the clock ending the game.
Greenwood moves to 5-0 on the season and will face Greenbrier at home next week. Kickoff at 7pm.
GLEN ROSE- The Paris Eagles traveled to southeast Arkansas on Friday night to take on last year’s undefeated 3A-4 champs, the Glen Rose Beavers. And on the last day of summer, it was too much experience, too much talent, and… too much Glen Rose for the young Paris Eagles. Glen Rose jumped out to a commanding first quarter lead, scoring on their first offensive possession to begin what would become a rout. The Beavers defeated the Eagles in Glen Rose on Friday by the score of 52-6. Glen Rose did not lose a conference game in 2022, and on Friday, that streak has now extended into the 2023 conference season.
Glen Rose went immediately to work on the defensive corners of the Eagles, taking advantage of physical mismatches of the tall and athletic Glen Rose receivers over the Paris secondary. The Glen Rose running game was equally impressive, breaking tackles at the line of scrimmage and producing explosive plays for touchdowns. In the words of one person at the game, the Paris disadvantage was characterized by playing a group of sophomores against a team comprised of many talented and experienced seniors. Paris was simply overwhelmed, but better times are ahead for this group of Eagles as the young team continues to gain experience that will pay off in the future.
With the win, Glen Rose improves their record to 2-2 overall and 1-0 in conference play. Paris’s record drops to 2-2 overall and 0-1 in the conference. The Beavers will travel to Jessieville next week, and the Eagles will return home to host the Bismarck Lions for homecoming. Next week continues a tough two-week stretch for Paris as the Eagles play the top-two teams in the 3A-4.
The Beavers led tonight at the half by the score of 45-0. As a result, the Paris coaching staff pulled many of the starters in the second half, playing young reserves in the sportsmanship rule-shortened second half. On a positive note, it appeared that the Eagles escaped the game without injuries that will impact next week’s homecoming game, and, perhaps more importantly, a stretch run in October where the Eagles have several legitimate opportunities to win conference games. A successful October stretch could land the Eagles in the state playoffs that begin November 10.
Glen Rose is one of the largest schools in the 3A classification. In fact, the Beavers were originally slated to move up to Class 4A in the next cycle, but eventually found themselves remaining in 3A. As a result, the 3A-4 may be one of the tougher conferences in the 3A classification from top to bottom throughout the conference.
RNN Sports will have a preview of the Eagles’ upcoming game with Bismarck in the RNN Logan / Franklin County weekly newspaper next week. And watch for photos from this game that will include a special album of the Paris band’s halftime performance, on Facebook at Paris Eagles Sports on Monday.
So, have a great weekend, and get ready for a fun week of homecoming activities, and we will see you at Eagles Stadium on Friday for the Eagles’ game with Bismarck.
Managing your finances and investing for your future are important tasks — and they can be challenging. But you don’t have to go it alone. Many people benefit from working with a financial advisor, someone who knows their needs and goals and makes appropriate recommendations. If you’re considering getting some help, you’ll want to ensure a particular financial advisor is right for you, so it’s a good idea to ask questions. Here are some to consider: • Have you worked with people like me? All of us are unique individuals. Yet, you do share certain characteristics with others — age, income, family situation and so on. And you might feel comfortable knowing that a financial advisor has worked with people like you and can readily understand and appreciate your needs and specific goals: college for your children, a certain type of retirement lifestyle, the kind of legacy you’d like to leave and others. The more information you can provide about yourself upfront, the better your chances of finding a good match. • Do you have a particular investment philosophy? Some financial advisors follow a particular investment style, while others might focus on specific investments or categories. There’s nothing inherently wrong with these types of approaches, but you might be better served by working with someone who takes a broader view — one that emphasizes helping clients meet their goals over any particular philosophy or strategy. • How will you communicate with me? Open and frequent communication are key to a successful relationship with a financial advisor. So, you’ll want to know what you can expect. Will you have annual or semi-annual reviews of your accounts? In between these reviews, can you contact your advisor at any time with questions you may have? How will an advisor notify you to recommend investment moves? Is the financial advisor the individual you’ll communicate with, or are other people involved? • How do you define success for your clients? Some investors track their portfolios’ performance against that of a specific market index, such as the S&P 500. But these types of benchmarks can be misleading. For one thing, investors should strive for a diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds and other investments, whereas the S&P 500 only tracks the largest U.S. stocks. So, when you talk to potential financial advisors about how they define success for their clients, you may want to look for responses that go beyond numbers and encompass statements such as these: “I’m successful if my clients trust me to do the right things for them. And, most important, I’m successful when I know I’ve helped my clients reach all their goals.” • How are you compensated? Financial advisors are compensated in different ways — some work on commissions, some charge fees, and some combine fees and commissions. There isn’t necessarily any best method, from a client’s point of view, but you should clearly understand how a potential advisor is compensated before you begin a professional relationship. These aren’t the only questions you might ask a potential financial advisor, but they should give you a good start. When you’re trusting someone to help you with your important financial goals, you want to be completely comfortable with that individual — so ask whatever is on your mind. This article is provided by Jeffrey O’Neal, Financial Advisor Edward Jones 20 N Express St, Paris, AR 72855 479-963-1321 jeffrey.o’neal@edwardjones.com edwardjones.com/jeffrey-o’neal Edward Jones, Member SIPC
Billie Katherine Bottoms, 91, of Waldron, Arkansas passed from this life on Tuesday, September 19, 2023 in Waldron, Arkansas surrounded by her loving children. Billie was born March 17, 1932 to Jack and Josie (Coleman) Flynn in Waldron, Arkansas.
Billie was married to the love of her life, George “Bud” Lee Bottoms for 50 marvelous years before Bud went on to Heaven to wait for her. Together they raised three amazing children and played a huge role in their lives. Billie enjoyed gardening, sewing and cooking. She was a nurturer at heart and wonderful at all the things she did. She loved to be on the water skiing at Lake Ouachita and was still skiing in her later years. Billie was a kind and caring person who enjoyed spending time with her family. The memories made with her loved ones will forever be treasured.
Billie leaves behind to cherish her memory her three children: Linda Cole of Greenwood, Arkansas; Jerry Bottoms of Waldron, Arkansas; David Bottoms and Lisa of Cave Springs, Arkansas. Grandma will forever remain in the hearts of her five grandchildren: Steven Cole and Dana of Fort Smith, Arkansas; Lance Cole and Tara of Rogers, Arkansas; Brent Cole and Tifanie of Van Buren, Arkansas; Donna Dyer and Doug of Fort Smith, Arkansas; and Travis Bottoms of Cave Springs, Arkansas. Billie will be missed by her thirteen great-grandchildren: Weston, Sara, Ethan, Maleah, Kenly, Keller, Carter, Owen, Easton, Jake, Luke, Tristan and Atticus.
Billie was preceded in death by her husband George “Bud” Bottoms, her parents Jack and Josie Flynn, two grandchildren: Aaron Bottoms and Lisa Bottoms. She is also preceded by her brother and three sisters: Clayborn Flynn, Nada Maxwell, Thelma Playford and Bernice Goddard.
Billie’s life celebration will be at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, September 23, 2023 at the Bush Community Cemetery in Waldron, Arkansas with Rev. Bracken Sheldon officiating. Arrangements are being entrusted to the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas.
Billie’s pallbearers will be her great-grandsons.
You may leave words of remembrance for Billie’s family by visiting: www.heritagememorialfh.com
Hello everyone! Rain is headed out way, much needed for sure. Fall is in the air.
Did y’all watch soap operas growing up? I wasn’t a soap fan, but I did watch the Guiding Light everyday with my mom and sister, Pam. They were hooked. I look back and those were the most mixed-up families. Most grandmas and moms had to watch soaps. The first soap was Peyton Place. For some reason, I remember watching this. It went off the air when I was five. I remember Dark Shadows with Barnabus Collins, he’s the only one I remember. There was As the World Turns, Another World, and “like sands through the hourglass, so are the Days are of Lives.”
Most of y’all don’t know my middle name, I just keep it to myself. The reason I’m telling it now is because I was named after a soap opera star. My name is Sheri Paulette. I have no idea what soap she starred in.
After all those daytime shows here comes a sitcom with this theme song, “love and marriage, goes together like a horse and carriage.” Yes, Married with Children. Al and Peggy Bundy were the husband and wife. This was no typical family, Peg wore leopard pants and sat on the couch watching TV all day and Al worked as a shoe salesman. On this particular episode, the doorbell rings and Peg answers the door and it’s one of Al’s buddies. He asked Peg, “is Al home?” Her reply was, “No, I’m cooking feet.” Another funny line of his was when he was talking about his driver’s license expiring and he says, “why can’t a marriage license do that?” There was another time when a plus size lady came in the shoe store where Al worked and they were not paying any attention to her and she says, “excuse me, am I invisible?” In Al Bundy fashion, he says, “possibly from Pluto.” That show was so funny to me for some reason. Poor Al had a hard life.
Then there were some nighttime soaps, Dallas, Knots Landing, Falcon Crest and Dynasty. Remember “Who Shot JR?” We all wanted to shoot him. He was so mean. We were glued to the TV on Thursday and Friday nights to watch Knots Landing and Dallas. I would always make us some popcorn for the occassion.
I had an older lady that lived in Lavaca, and I cleaned her house. She said, “honey, when you are my age, all men are looking for is a nurse and a purse.” Makes sense I reckon. She was a hoot. I learned a lot from her. Nothing wrong with love and marriage, they go together like a horse and carriage. Let me tell ya brother, you can’t have one without the other. If your married tell your husband or wife you love them every day and never take for granted the time you have with them. Take some advice from a widow woman. We used to call my aunt the widow Kemp (pronounced wider Kemp) and now I’m the wider Hopkins. Have a great week and be thankful and grin at someone in the words of Granny Clampett, “grin like a fox eating yellow jackets.”
This week’s recipe is for Ugly Duckling Cake 1 yellow cake mix 1 can 16 oz. fruit cocktail in syrup 2 1/2 cups of sweetened coconut 2 eggs 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 can evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed milk) Preheat oven to 325 degrees and spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick cooking spray. in a bowl mix with an electric mixer the cake mix, fruit cocktail with syrup, 1 cup of the coconut and the eggs. Mix on medium speed for two minutes, pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake 45 minutes until set but don’t overbake. While cake is cooking, make the topping by heating the butter, sugar and milk on medium low in a saucepan, stirring occasionally. Once it boils, boil for two minutes, remove from heat and stir in the coconut. Pour over hot cake when removed from the oven. Serve warm or cold, a little scoop of ice cream makes everything better.
It’s that time of the week when we try to predict the future.
Last week I went 100% correct on the winners, not so much on the Lock of the week. That should have gone to Charleston and Nashville or Yellville-Summit and Mountainburg. New week! New predictions!
RNN Sports Stone Cold Lock Of The Week
Paris @ Glen Rose
Paris is coming off a bye week, while Glen Rose is coming off a 38-7 win over the legendary Fordyce Red Bugs. The Beavers have played a tough non-conference schedule taking on the reigning 4A State Champions Malvern and their MaxPreps Arkansas player of the year Running Back Jalen Dupree. This could be a close one in Hot Spring County.
The Rest
Greenwood @ Van Buren
The Greenwood train makes a stop at Blakemore Field Friday Night. The defense is allowing just one touchdown a game this season. Could Van Buren’s Bryce Perkins become a thorn in the defenses side? Several Greenwood players were out in the 55-14 rout of Siloam Springs and look to be back and ready to take on the Pointers. Van Buren started out hot against Greenwood last year and had them down early until the Bulldogs came out the second half and showed who the top *sigh* dogs were in that game.
Booneville @ Hackett
Booneville took a long road trip to Harding Academy and took a loss, but the Bearcats will not be down for long as they start conference play this Friday. They’ll take a trip down Highway 10 into the Hornets nest to take on Hackett. Hackett hasn’t played since September 8th against Panama and will be well rested and looking to defend their home field. Booneville scores early and often in this matchup.
West Fork @ Mansfield
Well…. Mansfield has given up just 15 points this season kind of like their neighbors to the north Greenwood. They are also averaging 50 points kind of like their neighbors to the north. In the battle of the Tigers, Mansfield will reign supreme as king of the pride. All eyes are looking down the schedule at the back to back to back weeks of Charleston, Booneville. and Lavaca.
Lavaca @ Cedarville
Cedarville is on a three game skid going against the Golden Arrows. To me Lavaca is going to be the sleeper in the 3A Region 1. They obviously are overshadowed by Mansfield, Booneville, and Charleston’s exploits, but they rolling right now as they start conference play. They have a gauntlet to run through the last threw weeks of the season. If they can stay healthy they will surprise the rest of the Conference. The Golden Arrows find their target and stop the Pirates.
Bigelow @ Mountainburg
Bigelow is rolling into Crawford County with a 4-0 trailer load of wins. Mountainburg is sitting at 2-1 after dropping a close one against Yellville-Summit, which almost was the Stone Cold Lock of the Week last week, except I thought Yellville would have done more damage. Ehhh, you live and you learn. Bigelow takes this one.
Ozark @ Berryville
Ozark has been chomping at the bit to get back to action and they head North…really really North to Berryville. As both teams begin Conference play in the 4A Region 1, it is obvious the Hillbillies have no issues putting points on the board averaging 32 points in 3 games. Both teams are facing 2-1 records but someone has to go home with a .500 record of 2-2.
Charleston @ Greenland
Charleston dropped a close one to Nashville last week, this the first time the Tigers have faced a 0-3 start since 2019 when they finished 4-7 on the year. Ricky May will have that team ready on Friday night and will bring home a victory down I-49
Ashdown @ Waldron
The Panthers come to Waldron after a 27-0 loss to Idabel. Things do not get easier from here for the Waldron Bulldogs. Malvern, LR Hall, Arkadelphia, and Nashville await the Bulldogs in coming weeks.
Some Others
Bryant @ FS Northside
The 0-3 Grizzlies host Bryant. The Grizzlies have struggled in the turnover department against Fayetteville and Greenwood. Bryant showed they are beatable but at the hands of a Little Rock Parkview team that could give some of the smaller colleges like Lyon and Hendrix a run for their money. Parents are calling on fans to come out and support the Grizzlies as they take on the 5 time defending State Champ Bryant. So if your team is out of town and you want to hang out at the historic Mayo-Thompson Stadium head on up. Fair Warning all their tickets are digital only.
Rogers @ FS Southside
Or if you want to see two 3-0 teams put their undefeated seasons on the line…. Here is the one for you! While undefeated and wining handedly except against the above mentioned Grizzlies, Southside is sitting outside the Top 10 rankings in 7A. A win against the #4 in 7A Mounties could make that happen. This will be a huge test for the Mavericks and something I have struggled with this season, “How good is Southside?” and “What are the predictors seeing about the Mavericks?” Those questions will be answered Friday.
Hit those concession stands and buy some Nachos and Drinks! Help these schools! In the comment section on Facebook tell us who has the nicest concession stand and food!
Game
Ross Fujibayashi
Adam Hecox
Paris @ Glen Rose (LOTW)
Glen Rose
Glen Rose
Greenwood @ Van Buren
Greenwood
Greenwood
Booneville @ Hackett
Booneville
Booneville
West Fork @ Mansfield
Mansfield
Mansfield
Lavaca @ Cedarville
Lavaca
Lavaca
Bigelow @ Mountainburg
Bigelow
Bigelow
Ozark @ Berryville
Ozark
Ozark
Charleston @ Greenland
Charleston
Charleston
Ashdown @ Waldron
Ashdown
Ashdown
This marks the first week that Adam and I were in agreeance on picks.
For many high school football fans, a team’s non-conference success or lack thereof is a telltale sign for their season hopes. The Mansfield Tigers breezed through their non-conference schedule with a 3-0 record for the second straight year. Not only did the Tiger’s defeat Magazine (2A), Paris (3A), and Waldron (4A) but they did so in a dominant fashion by outsourcing their non-conference opponents 151-15. That’s a great start to the Tigers season, but it’s no guarantee of conference success as Mansfield prepares to go through the treacherous 3A-1.
The Tigers first step of 2023 was their impressive scrimmage against Mena. Photo courtesy of Joey Bolin
Mansfield sits atop the conference with Lavaca as the only two 3A-1 teams to go undefeated in non-conference play. But if you look at the other 3A-1 teams’ non-conference schedules, you’ll see that there’s more to it than just the W’s & L’s. The term “strength of schedule” is always a factor to figure in and the 3A-1 was a bag of mixed nuts in that category with their non-conference play. Take the defending 3A State Champion Charleston Tigers for example. Charleston went without a win in their 2023 non-conference run but, if you look at their schedule, those losses came to three premier 4A programs in Elkins, Ozark, and Nashville. Last season’s State Runner-Ups, the Booneville Bearcats, went 1-2 in non-conference play but faced Ozark and Harding Academy from the 4A while even taking on Camden Fairview from the 5A. Basically, the two teams favored to win the 3A-1 faced some pretty stiff competition prior to the start of conference play.
Samuel Burton rockets downfield in Mansfield’s 56-0 Week1 victory over Magazine. Photo courtesy of Megan Hecox
Going north to northwest Arkansas, the 3A-1 has Greenland and West Fork who tend to be upset makers each year. Greenland has been an ever-growing threat to the whole conference over the years. The Pirates 2023 non-conference schedule wasn’t easy by any means as they went 1-2, but they showed plenty of fight against three 4A schools along the way. Greenland was dunked by Lincoln 47-12, got better in a narrow 56-52 loss to Green Forest, and then earned their first victory with a 14-7 victory over Berryville. West Fork almost flipped the same script as Greenland by facing two of the same teams but with different results. The Tigers rolled past Green Forest with a 20-7 win but fell to Berryville 16-13. West Fork ended their non-conference run with a 34-21 loss to the Paris Eagles (3A). Both teams’ non-conference schedules provided tough tests while also showing that they could present a heavy threat to fellow 3A-1 teams in 2023.
Daniel Burton finds a hole to dart through in the Tigers 47-9 win against Paris. Photo courtesy of Megan Hecox
Although Mansfield plays Waldron as their Scott County rivals, the Tigers have a pair of Sebastian County rivals that always give them fits. The Hackett Hornets and Lavaca Golden Arrows have traded wins and losses with Mansfield for years and will likely give the Tigers all they can handle again in 2023. Hackett went 2-1 in non-conference play by throttling a 3A-4 powerhouse, Centerpoint, 53-6 before crossing the border into Oklahoma where they fell against Pocola 42-26 but bounced back against Panama with a 26-16 win. Lavaca took a different route as the Golden Arrows whipped a pair of 2A teams in Magazine and Mt Ida while also defeating Horatio (3A). Although Lavaca’s non-conference schedule was the only one in the 3A-1 that didn’t have a 4A team, the Golden Arrows still proved a big offensive point by outscoring their opponents 127-34. Mansfield will have to travel to both Hackett and Lavaca this season which will surely be a coin flip games against these high-powered offenses in hostile environments.
The entire Mansfield defensive unit stepped up big against their Scott County foes en route to a 48-6 win over Waldron. Photo courtesy of Joey Bolin
The last 3A-1 team to keep an eye on is Cedarville. The Pirates have made it a routine to be a thorn in Mansfield’s side over the past decade. Cedarville played the same card as Mansfield by taking on a 2A, 3A, and 4A team, but the Pirates had different results on their side. Cedarville went 0-3 against Perryville (3A), Green Forest (4A), and lost the ever-important Treasure Chest to Mountainburg (2A). Don’t blink on the Pirates though as they can pull one out of the bag at any point in time. Cedarville is in a rebuilding process with a new coach and a very young team which means once it all clicks, they could shock a few teams in the 3A-1.
Head Coach, Whit Overton, reminds the Tigers to not be content with their recent wins after the Waldron game. Photo courtesy of Joey Bolin
Looking through the non-conference schedules of their 3A-1 foes, Mansfield has an idea of what to expect, but nothing is guaranteed. With a new coach and the rebuilding of the program in progress, there are still plenty of questions that will be answered in conference play. The Tigers boast one of the most impressive defenses in the entire state and their offense is slowly making progress. That has led them to the 3-0 record and as they continue to grow as a team, they will only improve. With all of the state’s focus placed on the shoulders of Booneville and Charleston as well as the brutal 3A-1 schedule facing the Tigers, it could be easy to overlook Mansfield as a true contender. All of that is just noise for the team though. The Tigers are focused on the here and now. Non-conference schedules, past scores, and chances to win future games are something for fans to look at, not the players. The Tigers will take on each team with the sole focus of “we’re going to win” and will hold that mindset into every game until the final tick of the scoreboard clock.
