Resident News Network

Lions roar past Golden Suns in pink match

Sports

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1:41 am

Lions roar past Golden Suns in pink match

FORT SMITH, Ark. – University of Arkansas – Fort Smith Volleyball hit a season-high .356 in a 25-16, 25-14, 25-14 sweep of Arkansas Tech Tuesday at Gayle Kaundart Arena at the Stubblefield Center on Pink Out night.

The Golden Suns’ defense was no match for outside hitter Nyia Anderson, who registered 14 kills on a .667 attack percentage without committing an error. Fellow outside hitter Caelyn Gunn joined Anderson in double-digit kills with 11.

Arkansas Tech led 9-7 in the first set before the Lions flipped the switch with a 6-0 run. Up 18-15, the Lions went on another 6-0 run with three kills by Gunn to break the set open. UAFS hit .375 in the set.

UAFS methodically took down Tech in set two, letting the Golden Suns only score consecutive points twice while posting a pair of 4-0 runs and a 3-0 run.

The Lions put set three out of reach with a 6-0 run that extended to 10-1 to break open a 6-4 lead. Gunn had a pair of aces while Anderson had three kills during the spurt. UAFS concluded the match by hitting .469 in the final set.

UAFS was strong defensively, as well, as the Golden Suns’ .072 attack percentage is the second lowest by an opponent this season. The Golden Suns hit -.026 in set two.

Libero Paola Fragalle led the defensive effort with 13 digs, while defensive specialist Taylor Lintz had 11 and Gunn 10.

Setter Chloe Price passed out 37 assists in the match.

UAFS will enjoy an off weekend before returning to Lone Star Conference action at No. 5 West Texas A&M October 20.

Arrest Reports 10/1

Police Reports

Tammy Teague

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1:56 am

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Arresting agency – Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office:
Holly Spring Blevins of Huntington was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 2 at 8:01 p.m. and released on signature bond October 3 at 12:46 p.m. Blevins was charged with two counts of Failure to Appear – Class B Misdemeanor.

Eric Kyle Chestine of Huntington was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 5 at 4:46 p.m. and remains at the SCADC. Chestine was charged with Possession of Controlled Substance – Schedule I/II Felony <2g., and Possession Drug Paraphernalia – Felony.

Wesley Don Cumbie of Huntington was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 5 at 1:03 p.m. and remains at the SCADC without bond. Cumbie was charged with ADC commitment hold.

Christopher Fry of Lavaca was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 5 at 4:36 p.m. and released on cash bond October 6 at 4:29 p.m. Fry was charged with Contempt of Court–(child support), FTAS, FTRespond Subpoena, FTComply WCO.

Hanna O’Ryan Harshall of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 4 at 4:25 p.m. and released on signature bond October 5 at 12:30 p.m. Harshall was charged with Theft of Property <$1k.

Joseph Kenneth Johnson of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 1 at 3:18 p.m. and remains at the SCADC without bond. Johnson was charged with Petition to Revoke – Felony, Failure to Appear – Class C Felony, Assist Outside Agency-Felony, and Return To Testify.

Jason Ray Layne of Hartford was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 6 at 12:43 p.m. and remains at the SCADC without bond. Layne was charged with absconding, parole violation, Petition to Revoke – Felony, and Failure to Appear – Class C Felony.

Taisha Sheyann Martin of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 6 at 1:20 p.m. and released on bond October 6 at 8:18 p.m. Martin was charged with Possession of Controlled Substance – Schedule IV / V Misdemeanor <28grams, Possession of Controlled Substance – Schedule I/II 2-28g Felony, and Contempt-willful disobedience (Failure to Pay Fine).

Michael Aaron Mcwhorter of Booneville was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 6 at 9:31 p.m. and released on signature bond October 7 at 2:49 a.m. Mcwhorter was charged with Failure to Appear – Class C Misdemeanor, and Contempt-willful disobedience (Failure to Pay Fine).

Landon Matthew Roberson of Booneville was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 5 at 8:36 p.m. and remains at the SCADC. Roberson was charged with Driving on Suspended or Revoked DL – DWI.

Timmy Don Scrivner Junior of Hartford was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 2 at 8:35 p.m. and remains at the SCADC without bond. Scrivner was charged with Failure to Appear – Class B Misdemeanor, Criminal Trespass – Premises, parole violation, absconding, ADC commitment hold, and Theft of Property <$1k.

Amber Noale Vanmeter of Charleston was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 5 at 4:40 p.m. and released on cash bond October 6 at 12:54 p.m. Vanmeter was charged with Failure to Appear – Class C Felony.

Taylor Raee Wheeler of Hackett was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 5 at 4:43 p.m. and released on signature bond October 6. Wheeler was charged with two counts of Failure to Appear – Class B Misdemeanor.

Arresting agency – Greenwood Police Department:
Derek Logan Carry of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 6 at 3:49 p.m. and released on legally sufficient bond October 6 at 8:25 p.m. Carry was charged with Domestic Battering in the Third Degree – Purposely.

Shiloh Belle Dutton of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 6 at 12:52 p.m. and released on legally sufficient bond October 6 at 3:55 p.m. Dutton was charged with Interfering With Emergency Communications – 1st Degree Misdemeanor, and Domestic Battering in the Third Degree – Purposely.

Arresting agency – Fort Smith Police Department:
Michael J Mars of Hackett was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 3 at 8 p.m. and remains at the SCADC. Mars was charged with Petition to show cause, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Ingest Meth/Cocaine.

Antonio Young of Hackett was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 2 at 5:05 p.m. and cited and released on October 2 at 9:35 p.m.

Arresting agency – Mansfield Police Department:
David Wayne Stover of Hartford was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 3 at 12:10 a.m. and released on legally sufficient bond October 3 at 11:24 a.m. Stover was charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Minor in the Third Degree, and Domestic Battering in the Third Degree – Purposely.

Arresting agency – Arkansas Game and Fish:
Trenton Ellis West of Booneville was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 1 at 5:10 a.m. and released on legally sufficient bond October 1 at 8 a.m. West was charged with Driving While Intoxicated 1st Offense.

Arresting agency – Logan County Sheriff’s Office:
Charsley Keller, 32 of Paris, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on October 3 at 1:02 p.m. Keller was charged with failure to appear.

Triston Justice, 27 of Ozone, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on October 4 at 12:14 p.m. Justice was charged with hold for U.S. Marshals.

Cheryl Varnell, 63 of Paris, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on October 6 at 12:32 a.m. Varnell was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a schedule I or II controlled substance with purpose to deliver, and possession of a controlled substance.

**The charges against those arrested are allegations and the cases are still pending in the courts.**

Start Moving Toward Retirement Security

Business

Tammy Teague

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1:00 am

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It’s not as well-known as Halloween, but National Retirement Security week happens every October – the third week, to be precise — and while it doesn’t involve ghosts and goblins, it does deal with something even more frightening: the risk of not being able to enjoy a comfortable retirement. Through various events, this occasion highlights ideas about building retirement security. What steps can you take?

Here are some suggestions:

• Don’t underestimate your longevity. Consider this: 65-year-old men can expect to live another 20 years, while 65-year-old women can anticipate almost 22 more years, according to the Society of Actuaries. And these figures are just averages, meaning you could well exceed these ages, perhaps by many years. So, in thinking about how much money you’ll need as a retiree, be aware that you could spend two, or even three, decades in retirement.

• Don’t underestimate health care costs. When you retire, some of your expenses — such as transportation, wardrobe and other costs associated with your career — will drop. Others will not and may even increase. Health care is a prime example: Many people assume that Medicare or their Medicare Advantage plan will take care of virtually all their health care costs in retirement, but that’s not the case. Generally speaking, you could plan on spending $4,500 to $6,500 per year on health care costs during retirement, excluding the large expenses connected with long-term care. Your actual costs could be higher or lower, depending on your health, prescription drugs and supplemental insurance coverage, but make sure you plan for sizable health care costs in your projected retirement budget.

• Contribute as much as you can afford to your retirement plans. Try to put in as much as you can afford to your 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan and try to increase your contributions whenever your salary goes up. You may also be eligible to contribute to a traditional or Roth IRA, which offers tax benefits and a wide variety of investment options. (Contributions to a Roth IRA may be limited based on your income.)

Once you reach retirement, you can still make some moves that could help boost your financial security:

• Maintain an appropriate investment mix. When you retire, you might be tempted to shift most of your portfolio into highly conservative investments to “lock in” gains and avoid being over-exposed to market volatility that could cause short-term losses. Yet, even in retirement, you should still own some growth-oriented investments that can potentially help keep you ahead of inflation. In fact, it’s important to periodically rebalance your investments back to your preferred mix to avoid taking too much or too little risk, so you may want to consult with a financial advisor.

• Identify a suitable withdrawal rate. You don’t want to take out so much from your portfolio each year that you run the risk of outliving your money. So, you’ll want to determine an annual withdrawal rate that can reduce this danger. A common withdrawal rate to start retirement is 4%, but your own rate should be based on several factors: your age, size of portfolio, other sources of income and so on.

It can be challenging to make all the moves necessary to help achieve retirement security — but it’s worth the effort.

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

Missed Opportunities Catch Up To Tigers In 14-7 Loss

Sports

Adam Hecox

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4:34 pm

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Missed Opportunities Catch Up To Tigers In 14-7 Loss

In boxing, you win by either a knockout or the judges scoring card. A quick knockout is always nice but a good back and forth fight, now that is what draws everyone’s attention. Mansfield came into the 2023 season with a new coach, new look, and a new program feel. The Tigers quickly set out to make a name for themselves as a new conference and state contender. Of course, to achieve that would consist of facing off against some serious competition. That competition just so happens to be Arkansas football blue bloods Charleston and Booneville. But could an upstart Mansfield team even compete with these perineal powerhouses, let alone win? The first step to finding out was when Mansfield traveled to Charleston on Friday, October 6th to take on the 2022 defending State Champions.

Mansfield’s first shot at an opportunity came on the opening kickoff when the Tigers were able to catch Charleston off guard with a short kick and the opportunity to recover but over ran the recovery. Charleston shipped out their high octane offense onto the field at the 37-yard line and away they went. Before the Charleston’s first snap of the game, the Tigers jumped offsides giving Charleston freebee. Mansfield’s defense finally settled down, but Charleston took their early momentum downfield in ten plays to get into the endzone first. The extra point was good, and Charleston took the early 7-0 lead over Mansfield in the first quarter. The ensuing kickoff left Mansfield’s offense pinned deep at their own ten-yard line to start their first offensive drive. Charleston showed that they still have State Championship qualities as they stuffed the Tigers for a three and out forcing Mansfield to punt. Charleston now had all of the momentum and only half a field to work with and again drove downfield on the Tigers, this time on eleven plays before scoring. Down 14-0, this is where many teams would just lay down or throw in the towel. Mansfield isn’t your normal team this season though and the Tigers continued their fight.

As the second quarter began, Mansfield began to take momentum back from Charleston little by little until Andrew Burton took a big chunk back when he telegraphed a Charleston pass for an interception at the 30-yard line. Two plays later, running back Daniel Burton gashed Charleston’s defense for a huge 37-yard run up the gut. With Charleston taken back by the big play, Mansfield pulled the ol’ be kind rewind move and sent Burton again up the middle again, this time for 22 yards which set the Tigers up in prime territory at the 5-yard line. Mansfield capitalized two plays later with a 5-yard run by Andrew Burton into the endzone for a Tiger touchdown. The Tigers split the uprights with an extra point kick which cut Charleston’s led to 14-7. Mansfield’s defense would again stand tall on Charleston’s next possession as pressure from Trey Powell led to an off-balance pass by Charleston’s quarterback that went straight into the hands of Samuel Burton. With just a couple seconds on the clock and both teams playing lights out defense, Mansfield went for the safe bet and ran the clock out to go into the half down 14-7.

When the second half began, both fan bases were ready for their team to explode out of the locker room and take full control of the game by scoring touchdown after touchdown. Those fans would be in for a surprise though as both Tiger teams leaned heavily on their ultimate strength. Defense. Mansfield gained yardage on their heavy hitting rushing attack, but nearly every other play would be called back on a penalty. Charleston marched down field a few times in the second half, but they had issues with a few missed opportunities. The Tigers did put together a solid drive behind running backs Tyler Turnipseed and Daniel Burton which got Mansfield within 20 yards of the endzone, but the drive stalled out and they couldn’t convert on a fourth down which turned the ball back over to Charleston. Back and forth the defensive blows went between the Tiger titans as the game remained 14-7 well into the fourth quarter. Mansfield put another good drive together and was picking up speed before disaster struck. Jeremy Strozier completed a 15-yard pass downfield but as the receiver was trying to gain every inch of turf for more yards, the ball was knocked out. The fumble gave Charleston the ball back but again, but Mansfield still just would not give up. The Tigers defense kept the defending State Champions out of eth end zone for the remainder of the game, but Mansfield ran out of time offensively as the Tigers fell 14-7 to Charleston.

To answer the question of can Mansfield compete against the best of the best, the answer was sealed with a definite yes. If the Tigers can hold Charleston to a mere 14 points on their own turf, then they can hang in there with just about anyone in the 3A. The Tigers loss was a tough one to swallow as they fall to a 5-1 overall record and 2-1 conference record but swallow it they must. With the rebuilding of a program comes the ups and downs. The down for this week was the loss. The up on the other hand was the grit and determination of the players to be able to go into hostile territory against a program who is known to be a dominant force in the state and give them all they want and then some. Now the Tigers focus must shift to another 3A powerhouse as they move out of the pot and into the fire against another powerhouse. Mansfield will host the Booneville Bearcats next week on Friday, October 13^th. Booneville has blown past their 3A-1 conference competition up to this point, but the Tigers won’t be looking at any past scores of the Bearcats. They’ll be looking at another opportunity to prove themselves to the conference and state as a serious contender.

Obituary – Thomas George Eckle, Jr. (1965-2023)

Obituaries

Tammy Teague

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2:26 pm

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Obituary – Thomas George Eckle, Jr. (1965-2023)

Thomas George Eckle Jr., 58, of Waldron, Arkansas passed from this life on Wednesday, October 4, 2023. Tommy was born August 28, 1965 to Thomas George Eckle Sr. and Virginia Sue (Elmore) Eckle of Mansfield, Arkansas.

Tom was married to the love of his life, Judy for 40 marvelous years. These teenage sweethearts could not wait to get married, but only after his parents signed permission for 17 year old Tom to marry his 18 year old bride. Soon after marriage Tom joined the United States Air Force where he traveled to other countries such as Saudi Arabia and Germany. While stationed in Germany, they welcomed their first daughter.

Together they raised two amazing daughters, Lacey and Summer, and played a huge role in the lives of their precious grandchildren. Tom enjoyed being on the road driving his truck all over the country. Tom was always up for a hunting trip with his special buddy, Jim Stewart. He also enjoyed spending time with his family and the memories made with his loved ones will forever be treasured.

Tom leaves behind to cherish his memory, his wife Judy (Carnahan) Eckle of the home and his two daughters Lacey Fletcher and husband Danny of Kimberling City, Missouri and Summer Taake of Fort Smith, Arkansas. Pappy will forever remain in the hearts of his six grandchildren: Ally Fletcher, Jaxen Fletcher, Caroline Fletcher, Booth Fletcher, Penelope Taake and Mila Taake. Tommy will be missed by all that knew him and the many lives he impacted including many friends and loved ones dear to his heart.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Sr. and Virginia Eckle and one brother; Ty Eckle.

A private family memorial service will be held at a later date. Arrangements are being entrusted to the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas.

Lions take down Javelinas for second time

Sports

Tammy Teague

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3:06 am

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Lions take down Javelinas for second time

FORT SMITH, Ark. – University of Arkansas – Fort Smith Volleyball defeated Texas A&M-Kingsville for the second time this season Friday, topping the Javelinas 25-16, 25-20, 20-25, 25-22 at Gayle Kaundart Arena at the Stubblefield Center.

Setter Chloe Price approached triple-double territory with 36 assists, 10 digs and seven kills while hitting .412 as the Lions outhit the Javelinas, .248-.170.

UAFS came out of the gates hitting .424 in the opening set, breaking open a two-point set with a 5-0 run behind three kills by right-side hitter Reagan Macha. A 4-0 run ballooned the lead to nine, which would end up as the final margin in the set. Macha had seven of her team-high 12 kills in the first set and hit .391 for the match.

A back-and-forth start to set two, the Lions erased a 17-16 deficit with a 7-1 run before Price helped close out the set with a kill and an assisted block with middle blocker Hannah Watkins.

After a slight delay, the Javelinas hit .297 to storm back and take set three. UAFS bounced back defensively in set four, holding TAMUK to just .073, their lowest percentage of the night.

Texas A&M-Kingsville had grabbed the early lead in set four, but UAFS came back from down 11-5 with a 9-1 run which extended to 13-3 before the Javelinas settled back in. UAFS had four blocks during the run.

While TAMUK pulled within one multiple times, the Lions never wavered before Watkins finished off the match with a kill and a block with Macha.

Outside hitter Caelyn Gunn matched Macha’s 12 kills while outside hitter Nyia Anderson added 10 kills. Both Gunn and Anderson had nine digs each. Libero Paola Fragalle had a team-high 20 digs with defensive specialist Taylor Lintz collecting 12 digs.

UAFS totaled 13 blocks on the night, seven by middle blocker Angelina Hardison and six by Watkins. Price and Anderson were also in on four blocks each.

The Lions next host Texas A&M International Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Stubblefield Center.

“Just Roll with It” Serving up Recipes and Humor

Lifestyle

Tammy Teague

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12:27 am

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“Just Roll with It” Serving up Recipes and Humor

By Sheri Hopkins, Lifestyle Contributor

Hello everyone! Happy fall! I love this time of year. When I tell y’all a story, I may repeat myself, but they are all true. I wouldn’t be me if they weren’t.

There is a certain judge in Greenwood, he is kin to me, and he decided to tell this story to some folks at his church. It’s ok with me. I have plenty to tell on him.

He was a deputy prosecutor before he ran for judge. One would think he would help his aunt out in her time of need. Most of y’all know this story, but for those who don’t, enjoy it.

I got pulled over in the City of Greenwood and I was headed to Michael and Tonya’s house. So right in front of their house, I am pulled over by this not very nice policeman. He was all serious, no joking around at all. My mom is with me, and she has Alsheimer’s and has no clue what’s going on, or so I thought. As usual the cop asked me for my driver’s license, registration and proof of insurance. I’m looking through my glove box just a digging stuff out and low and behold there is a pair of my underwear. My mom yells, “those are not mine!” Still, not even a smile from the unfriendly officer. I had to text Michael to come out and help me, and he just stood on his porch watching the show. I get out and start rummaging through my trunk, going through mail to see if it’s in there and no such luck. I get a ticket for no proof of insurance while Michael Wagoner stands on the porch. Good thing Judge Parker was in office, because he reduced my ticket. Michael told me after he became judge that if I got a ticket in his area that he would double it. I’m not bitter, I’m over it! Ha, ha! So, I have already made up my mind not to tell my husband, Chuck. I didn’t want a lecture. So, as soon as we get home and get in the house, Jacob walks in the door from work and the first words out of my mother’s mouth, the one with Alzheimer’s, is “your mom got a ticket.” Jacob says, “mom, nanny says you got a ticket.” I told him that she didn’t know what she was talking about. I knew Jacob would tell his dad all about it if he knew. They were buddies and I knew he would love to tell on me.

To stay with the fall theme, let’s do an apple spice dump cake.
1 package spice cake mix
2 cans (21 oz.) apple pie filling
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon white sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, pour the apple pie filling in a 9×13 pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Mix cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and sugar in a small bowl, then sprinkle over the pie filling. Pour dry cake mix over apples, dot with the butter and scatter the nuts on top. Bake until the cake is brown on top and bubbling (about 45 minutes). Always check sooner, some ovens cook hotter than others.

Final Round of Blessings Collegiate Invitational in Fayetteville Canceled Due to Rain: Razorbacks Sweep

Sports

Resident News Network

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2:12 pm

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FAYETTEVILLE- The Arkansas women’s and men’s golf teams swept all awards at the 2023 Blessings Collegiate Invitational presented by Tyson Foods. Round three of the tournament was cancelled due to weather, making scores after 36 holes the final results. The final results are as follows:

Men’s Team Title: Arkansas (-13, 563)
Women’s Team Title: Arkansas (-11, 565)
Men’s Individual Medalist: John Driscoll (-8, 136)
Women’s Individual Medalist: Maria José Marin (-10, 134)
Combined Team Title: Arkansas (-24)
Best Ball: Maria José Marin/John Driscoll (-20)

Note to Our Readers: The previous information in this story was sourced directly and in its entirety from the University of Arkansas Office of Communications, Kylie Magar.

Eagles Return to the Road on Friday to Play Crucial Conference Game at Jessieville

Sports

Resident News Network

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2:11 pm

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Eagles Return to the Road on Friday to Play Crucial Conference Game at Jessieville

PARIS- The scheduling onslaught of the 3A-4 conference continues this Friday when Paris travels to Jessieville for an important conference match-up for the Eagles.

After opening the 2023 conference slate with the top two predicted finishers in the conference, Paris will travel to Jessieville with the intent to return the favor of last year’s loss in Paris by the score of 57-21.

Last year’s game result was a little misleading for the Eagles. Paris, coming off of a lopsided loss at Bismarck, was missing key players going into their game the following week with Jessieville. As a result, the Eagles were even more limited with what they could do on offense for the first half of the game with the Lions. This year, Paris faces a road challenge to go into Jessieville that has a reputation of being a hard place to play for opposing teams.

The Eagles’ game at Jessieville is the first of four games in the remaining five game stretch that Paris has an opportunity to be competitive in with hopes of making the state playoffs. Remaining games with Jessieville, Two Rivers, Centerpoint, and Danville will determine the Eagles’ fate. Magnet Cove, who will represent the Eagles’ final regular season road trip, is ranked in the top ten in Class 3A along with Glen Rose and Bismarck.

Jessieville entered the current season predicted to finish fourth in the conference according to Hooten’s Arkansas Football publication. But as the season has progressed, the predicted third place finisher, Centerpoint, has not lived up to their preseason prognostication. An Eagles win at Jessieville could cause a major shake-up in the final standings, should Paris go on to defeat Centerpoint, Two Rivers, and Danville. Such a scenario would actually propel the Eagles into a fourth-place finish in the conference. RNN Sports predicted in August that Paris would finish fifth in the conference; a fourth-place finish would be an outstanding finish for a young program that is rebuilding and looking forward to the next two seasons. To finish third, the Eagles would have to win these games and upset Magnet Cove. Both Jessieville and Paris may be playing on Friday to perhaps finish as the conference’s fourth seed going into the state playoffs.

As of September 25, Jessieville has a record of 2-2 with wins against Mount Ida (47-6), and Atkins (48-33). Their two losses have been against Mineral Springs (20-8) and Bismarck (46-6). Again, at publication time, Jessieville was preparing to take the field against Glen Rose.

At deadline for this story, the Eagles were preparing to host Bismarck for homecoming. Next week, the Eagles’ road trip will continue with a visit to Two Rivers to play the Gators. Jessieville, who was playing at Glen Rose last week, will be at Centerpoint on October 13.

Kickoff in Jessieville is set for 7 p.m. RNN Sports will be there to bring you all of the action in pictures, as well as in our post-game story on Saturday. Just go to our website at residentnewsnetwork.com on Saturday to read our story!

And, as always, we will see you at the stadium on Friday!

Charleston Hosts Mansfield in 3A-1 Showdown

Sports

Resident News Network

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2:10 pm

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Charleston Hosts Mansfield in 3A-1 Showdown

CHARLESTON- Each season, there are pivotal games on the schedule that have a big impact on the success of the season. And for both Charleston and Mansfield, one of those weeks is this week.

The Charleston Tigers will return home this Friday to Alumni Field to host the Mansfield Tigers in an epic 3A-1 showdown. The game could be for the eventual two seed or higher in the conference going into the state playoffs in November.

At press time for this story, the Charleston Tigers were preparing for a conference road trip to Cedarville on September 29. Charleston started the season 0-3 against tough 4A schools; two of those games were away from home. The Tigers won their conference opener on September 22 by defeating Greenland, 51-9.

Mansfield began the season undefeated, and at press time, the Tigers were preparing to make the trip to Northwest Arkansas to play the Greenland Pirates. Mansfield defeated Magazine by the score of 56-0, Paris by the score of 47-9, and Waldron by the score of 48-6. Mansfield opened conference play on September 22 with a 38-8 win over West Fork. As of September 22, Mansfield’s record overall was 4-0 and 1-0 in conference.

The Mansfield Tigers, under first year coach, Whit Overton, have a bevy of running backs that fuel their awesome rushing attack. Under former Booneville junior high coach Overton, the Mansfield offense resembles Booneville in its power rushing game.

The Tigers have two talented quarterbacks: Cole Kindle, who was last year’s starter, and Jeremy Strozier who is a dual-threat quarterback who can beat you with his legs running the football.

The Charleston Tigers seemed to have turned the corner in their final non-conference game at Nashville. Sophomore quarterback Carter Little had his best game against the Scrappers and continues to develop at the position. Charleston head coach Ricky May is doing one of his best coaching jobs this season with a predominately sophomore team playing their first season of varsity football. And as the season continues into its second half, those sophomores will begin to play more like juniors with the experience they have gained playing a tough schedule in the first half of the season.

As of September 22, Mansfield, Lavaca, Booneville, and Charleston all won their opening conference games. Those four schools will likely battle for the remainder of the season for the top seeds in the state playoffs. One of the remaining schools who did not win their opening conference games (Hackett, West Fork, Greenland, Cedarville) will likely be the five seed in the conference. Of course, there is a lot of football to be played, and head-to-head games will have a dramatic effect on the final seedings.

For the Mansfield Tigers, assuming they won at Greenland at press time, the game at Charleston is one of the biggest for their program in several years. RNN Sports predicted Mansfield to finish third in our preseason special, with the additional note that the October 6 game at Charleston could be for the two seed for both schools. The outcome of the game at Alumni Field will send the winner to another showdown with Booneville for the possible one seed in the state playoffs. Mansfield will return home on October 13 to host Booneville, and Charleston will host Booneville the following week on October 20. So, all three contenders, Booneville, Charleston, and Mansfield, will play back-to-back weeks against each other to determine what most probably will be the final seedings from the 3A-1 going into the state playoffs.

The stadium at Charleston should be packed on both sides for this one, and we recommend that you arrive at the stadium early to get a seat. This game has all of the earmarks of the 2019 game in Charleston when the Tigers were driving late to put the game away when Mansfield’s Layton Howard intercepted a pass in his own end zone and raced over 100 yards with approximately 45 seconds remaining in the game to defeat Charleston 28-24. This year’s game could be just as exciting.

Watch for our postgame story on our website on Saturday at residentnewsnetwork.com. RNN Sports photographer Ronni Tate Young will be on the field to bring you the action in pictures next week. Just go to RNN Sports’ “Team Press Pass” Facebook page to view and share the photos at no charge!

Good luck to both schools…it should be one heck of a game!

R

RESIDENT NEWS NETWORK