ST. JOSEPH, MO- Teams across the National Football League (NFL) will open training camps starting next week. Of local interest, RNN Sports will highlight regional teams in our company’s footprint that include the Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, and the Tennessee Titans.
The defending World Champion Kansas City Chiefs, 38-35 winners over Philadelphia in Super Bowl LVII, will go back to work next week on July 18. Chiefs rookies will report on this date and veterans will report on July 25. The Chiefs’ training camp is located in St. Joseph, Missouri and will be held on the campus of Missouri Western State University. Kansas City is coached by Andy Reid who was most recently named as “The Best Head Coach in the NFL” by Pro Football Focus.
The Dallas Cowboys, whose last Super Bowl appearance was in 1996, will open their training camp on July 25. Rookies as well as veterans will report on this date. The Cowboys Training Camp has traditionally been held in Oxnard, California with the team residing at the Marriott Residence Inn. Media outlets are predicting that Dallas will be in the playoff hunt again this season, but there is a feeling that they will once again not be a Super Bowl contender again in 2023. It will be a big year for quarterback Dak Prescott and their head coach, Mike McCarthy.
To the northeast, the Tennessee Titans’ rookies will report on July 22. Titans veterans will report a few days later on July 25. Tennessee is one of a few teams in the NFL that do not leave home for training camp. The Titans will hold camp in Nashville at the Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park. Tennessee faces hard decisions in the direction the Titans will take in 2023 and in the near future. The team’s offense has revolved around former Alabama running back Derrick Henry, but the aging Henry has a limited time left in the prime of his career. The Titans will have to decide how long they stick with Henry and other aging veterans before they begin to look to younger players and rebuilding for the future.
All in all, it should be another great season in the NFL. Personnel questions will play out throughout the league in July and August preseason camps and games leading up to the start of the regular season on September 7. The “NFL Kickoff” game officially starting the 2023 season will feature the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs vs the up-and-coming Detroit Lions at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
Stay with RNN Sports as we periodically update you on NFL teams of regional interest.
FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas softball’s head coach Courtney Deifel announced the hiring of former Razorback Danielle Gibson Whorton as assistant coach Friday. The program’s first two-time NFCA All-American, Gibson Whorton will assist with the program’s offense and defense.
“I could not be more excited to announce Danielle Gibson Whorton as the newest member of our Razorback coaching staff,” said Deifel. “Danielle not only represented Razorback softball at the highest level both on and off the field, she has also quickly made a name for herself as one of the brightest young coaching minds in the game. Getting to bring Danielle home and work alongside her is one of the proudest moments of my coaching career. She is the perfect addition to complete our staff, and I cannot wait to get to work.”
Gibson Whorton spent the 2022 season as a volunteer assistant at Georgia. While in Athens, Gibson Whorton guided Georgia hitters to four All-SEC honors, four NFCA All-Region accolades and two NFCA All-America selections.
“I’m ecstatic to be returning to Fayetteville in a new and exciting role. Joining Coach Deifel, Coach Meuchel and Coach Gasso is an experience I couldn’t pass up,” said Gibson Whorton. “It’s home for my husband and has become home for me. It all made sense. How fortunate am I to have an opportunity to push this amazing program forward outside of my playing days? New opportunities come with new challenges, and I cannot wait to get started. We will Call the Hogs on The Hill once again.”
Gibson Whorton assisted with the Bulldogs’ offense in 2023, helping Georgia sit among the nation’s best in several categories. On a national scale, Georgia ranked second in slugging percentage (.578), fourth in home runs (92), sixth in home runs per game (1.61), 12th in scoring (6.18) and 14th in batting average (.318).
Gibson Whorton had a prolific four-year playing career for the Razorbacks from 2019-22. She set single-season school records in batting average (.445), hits (81), RBI (70) and total bases (155) as a senior in 2022. She was named a Top 10 Finalist for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year along with racking up NFCA First Team All-America, NFCA First Team All-South Region, First Team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive team honors in her final year. The Murrieta, Calif., native’s 70 RBIs and 155 total bases paced the SEC. Gibson Whorton led the SEC in RBI (33) and total bases (65) during conference play while sharing the conference lead with 10 home runs and ranking second in hits with 32. Piecing together a team-best 26 multi-hit games, she powered a dangerous Razorback offense that achieved several single-season program records in 2022. She became Arkansas’ all-time RBI and total bases leader during her senior season.
As a junior in 2021, Gibson Whorton earned NFCA Second Team All-America status. In addition, she reeled in Second Team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive Team honors.
Gibson Whorton was drafted by Athletes Unlimited in spring 2022 and recently concluded her second professional season in Rosemont, Ill.
She completed her bachelor’s of science degree in Psychology from Arkansas in 2022. Gibson Whorton married her husband Mallie in 2021.
For schedule updates and other news, go to ArkansasRazorbacks.com, or follow @RazorbackSB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
– ArkansasRazorbacks.com || On Twitter @ArkRazorbacks || Facebook.com/ArkansasRazorbacks
Note to Our Readers: The previous story was sourced directly and in its entirety from the University of Arkansas Office of Communications, Grace Tafolla.
The way you sleep affects how you feel every day. If you can’t get a good night’s sleep, you can’t set yourself up for success the next day. Unfortunately, achieving quality sleep isn’t always easy. But there are a few things you can do to help your body and mind relax so that you can fall asleep easier and wake up feeling well-rested. Achieve better physical and mental health with these tips for improving your quality of sleep every night.
Create a Consistent Routine
Consistency is key to a good night’s sleep. Going to bed and waking up at drastically different times throughout the week can disrupt your body’s circadian rhythm and lead to poorer sleep quality.
Do your best to find a routine that works for you and stick with it. Establish a consistent bedtime and set your alarm so that you wake up at around the same time every morning. Do this even on weekends or days when you don’t have any plans in the morning. Consistency builds a habit and trains your body into a healthier sleep routine, which will make it easier to fall asleep and wake up on time.
Look for Underlying Issues
Sometimes, it’s hard to fall asleep no matter what kind of bedtime routine you have. If you struggle to fall asleep quickly, stay asleep at night, or sleep until the morning, there might be an underlying issue that’s causing insomnia. Insomnia is a sleep disorder that can stem from a wide variety of issues, including daytime habits, stress, life changes, or mental health disorders. Understanding where insomnia comes from and how it’s affecting your sleep can help you address the issue and improve your sleeping habits.
Pay Attention to Light Exposure
Light exposure affects your circadian rhythm and the way your body keeps time. Sunlight tells your body that it’s time to be awake, while darkness tells your body it’s nighttime. Artificial lighting can throw a wrench in your body’s timekeeping, though. If you don’t get enough bright light exposure during the day, you might not feel tired when it’s time to go to bed. Similarly, if you experience too much blue light exposure in the evening, you can trick your body into thinking it’s still daytime.
Paying attention to light exposure throughout the day is one of the most important tips for improving your quality of sleep at night. Seek out bright light exposure during the day through natural sunlight or artificial bright light. At night, reduce blue light exposure by limiting the time you spend looking at electronic screens, such as your phone or laptop. These habits will support your circadian rhythm and help you follow a natural, healthy sleep pattern.
FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas women’s golf’s 2023-24 schedule has been unveiled, as announced by head coach Shauna Taylor on Thursday. The Hogs will play three fall tournaments, including hosting the Blessings Collegiate Invitational, as well as five spring events before postseason play.
“We are excited about our upcoming schedule and the opportunity it affords our team to compete at some of the best golf courses and fields in the country,” said head coach Shauna Taylor.
Arkansas’ season will start the same way it did last year, as the Hogs will play in the Carmel Cup at the beautiful Pebble Beach Golf Links. Played at the site of the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open, the tournament will be held from Friday, Sept. 1 to Sunday, Sept. 3 in Pebble Beach, California.
The Arkansas men’s and women’s teams are set to host the fourth annual Blessings Collegiate invitational Presented by Tyson Foods, set for Monday, Oct. 2 to Wednesday, Oct. 4 at Blessings Golf Club. This tournament’s format will remain the same with each team playing in fivesomes across 54 holes of stroke play.
The ten schools, both men’s and women’s programs, set to play in this year’s Blessings Collegiate are Clemson, Mississippi State, North Carolina State, Kentucky, Minnesota, North Texas, South Carolina and Washington. Coverage of each day of the tournament will be broadcast on the Golf Channel. The Hogs will look to win their third Blessings Collegiate Invitational title in the past four years after finishing third last season.
Closing out the fall season, Arkansas will play in the Jackson T. Stephens Cup from Monday, Oct. 9 to Wednesday Oct. 11 at Trinity Forest Golf Club. Arkansas has played in the annual tournament since its start three years ago. The teams will play 54 holes of stroke play on the first two days with the four highest placed teams moving on to Wednesday’s match play. The other teams in the women’s field includes Duke, South Carolina, Stanford, Texas, Texas A&M and 2023 NCAA Champion Wake Forest.
“Our fall schedule is the exact same as last year,” said Taylor. “We start at Pebble Beach, the host of the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open, and it’s a great place to showcase our team. We then turn to a home event with the Blessings Collegiate, which has become an exciting opportunity for the NW Arkansas community and for Razorback Nation to watch the men’s and women’s golf programs compete on national television on our world-class golf course.
“We are only playing three events in the fall and will end with the Jackson T. Stephens Cup in Dallas. Our fall schedule will be a great test to see our team compete at the highest level,” added Taylor.
The spring slate will get rolling in the Island of Enchantment at the Puerto Rico Classic from Sunday, Feb. 4 to Tuesday, Feb. 6. This tournament will be played at the Grande Reserve Golf Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.
Arkansas will then play three staple tournaments with two week breaks in between. This stint starts at the Moon Golf Invitational on Sunday, Feb. 18 to Tuesday, Feb. 20 at the Suntree Country Club in Melbourne, Florida. The Hogs’ appearance in the tournament is the fourth straight year, fifth overall. Arkansas is coming off a seventh-place showing last season with a 9-under 855 (285-284-286).
The Hogs will make another return to the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate from Monday, March 4 to Wednesday, March 6 at Long Cove Golf Club in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. The Hogs will play in the tournament for the 10th time in program history with its best team finish coming in 2018 with second place and Maria Fassi winning with a 3-under 210 (70-71-69).
For the third straight year, fourth overall, Arkansas is set to play at the MountainView Collegiate at the MountainView Golf Club in Tucson, Arizona from Friday, March 15 to Sunday, March 17. Kajal Mistry won the event in 2022 with a 10-under 206 (68-67-71).
Arkansas will finish the regular season spring schedule at The Bruzzy, hosted by North Texas at the Dornick Hills Golf & Country Club in Ardmore, Oklahoma from Saturday, March 30 to Sunday, March 31. This will mark Arkansas’ first appearance in this tournament.
“As we head into the spring, we start in Puerto Rico and then head to many staple events that we have played in for several years,” said Taylor. “Moon Golf Invitational, the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate and the MountainView Collegiate will be great tests as we head to the last leg of our season. We have added The Bruzzy in South Central Oklahoma to end our regular season spring schedule.”
The SEC Championship will be played away from Birmingham for the first time since 2013, as the 2024 championships is set for Friday, April 12 to Tuesday, April 16 at the Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida. Postseason then continues on to NCAA Regionals to be played at host sites of Auburn, Washington, Texas A&M, Michigan State, UNLV and Wake Forest from Monday, May 6 to Wednesday, May 8. The top five teams from each region advance to the NCAA Championship that will take place from Friday, May 17 to Wednesday, May 22 at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California. This year will mark the first of three NCAA Championships that will be played in Southern California through 2026.
Arkansas is coming off its 20th straight NCAA Regional appearance, 21st overall. The Hogs bring back eight returners and two freshmen, as 17th-year head coach Taylor will look to guide the Hogs to their 12th NCAA Championship appearance, second SEC title and 30th tournament win.
“We did not lose anyone from last season and gain two great freshmen in Abbey Schutte and Maria Jose Marin,” added Taylor. “We have depth and a schedule that will prepare us for a deep run into the postseason.”
2023-24 Arkansas Women’s Golf Schedule:
DATES
TOURNAMENT
GOLF COURSE
LOCATION
Sept. 1-3
Carmel Cup
Pebble Beach Golf Links
Pebble Beach, Calif.
Oct. 2-4
Blessings Collegiate Invitational
Blessings Golf Club
Fayetteville, Ark.
Oct. 9-11
Jackson T. Stephens Cup
Trinity Forest Golf Club
Dallas, Texas
Feb. 4-6
Puerto Rico Classic
Grande Reserve Golf Club
Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
Feb. 18-20
Moon Golf Invitational
Suntree Country Club
Melbourne, Fla.
March 4-6
Darius Rucker Intercollegiate
Long Cove Club
Hilton Head Island, S.C.
March 15-17
MountainView Collegiate
MountainView Golf Club
Tucson, Ariz.
March 30-31
The Bruzzy
Dornick Hills Golf & Country Club
Ardmore, Okla.
April 12-16
SEC Championship
Pelican Golf Club
Belleair, Fla.
May 6-8
NCAA Regionals
Site TBD
TBD
May 17-22
NCAA Championship
Omni La Costa Resort & Spa
Carlsbad, Calif.
More Information
Keep up with all of the latest news and information and get behind the scenes looks into our program on our social media accounts. Follow us on Twitter at @RazorbackWGolf and check out our Facebook page “Razorback Women’s Golf.” Stats, news and player information can be found at ArkansasRazorbacks.com.
Note to Our Readers: The previous story was sourced directly and in its entirety from the University of Arkansas Office of Communications, Kylie Magar.
CHARLESTON- He will go down in history as one of the best, if not the best, quarterbacks in Charleston football history. And for everyone who had the privilege of watching him play, everyone knows that former Charleston quarterback Brandon Scott is a winner. He is a winner both on and off the field. And now that he has graduated and played in his last game, Brandon Scott is moving forward to be a winner in life.
There is an addiction to watching Brandon play. He is a natural talent in any sport that he plays, and when you had the opportunity to watch him play, you knew you were watching a great athlete do what he enjoys the most. His tenure as a high school athlete came to an end all too soon for the many fans who watched him play, but Brandon is much more than a talented athlete. And now, Brandon looks to the next phase of his life, preparing to be great at whatever he chooses as his life long passion. And in true Brandon Scott fashion, whatever he chooses to do, I know he will be great at it.
Brandon Scott drops back to pass in a 2022 state playoff game vs Centerpoint (RNN Sports File Photo / Jim Best)
After a huge basketball win at Cedarville a few years ago, I referred to Brandon as “Great Scott!” in the RNN headlines. Greatness is the only way I can describe him; from his “yes sir, no sir” respect that he pays others, to his play on the field, Brandon is a class act.
Last week, I had the pleasure of visiting with Brandon on the phone to interview him for this story. It was a special occasion for me. I, along with the many others who watched him play over the past four years, had grown to admire his play and the type of person that he grew to become. And our time on the phone for me was the culmination of having watched him play and was a final opportunity to share with him just how special I think he is, and how much I enjoyed watching him play. He may be, one of the greatest quarterbacks in Charleston football history, taking his place with Ty Storey and others in the rich tradition of Tigers football.
Brandon Scott (12) on his way to being named MVP of the 2022 Class 3A state championship game (RNN Sports File Photo / Jim Best)
To begin our interview, I had to get the big question out and on the table. So many fans looked forward to Brandon playing college sports. So, I asked him about his decision not to pursue college athletics. When I asked him if college sports were on the horizon for him, Brandon began by saying, “No sir, I don’t think so. Mainly, I’m just ready to move on with my life. I’ll still be playing pickup games and all of that, but I guess I’m just ready to move on.”
His feelings may be hard for some to understand. When we watched him play, he always seemed to be right at home and in a place where he wanted to be. The field or the court seemed to be his sanctuary, where he was free to do what he enjoyed doing best, and make no mistake, he was the best both on the floor and on the field. Brandon explained, “I’ve played basketball and football pretty much my whole life, and I felt really comfortable out there. I just had fun; I loved football and basketball so much. So, I really enjoyed being out there with them (teammates).”
Brandon, in this writer’s opinion, is a natural leader on the field and on the court. But he did not lead by yelling, getting in his teammates’ faces…he led by example. He led by his play. When I asked him about his approach to team leadership, Brandon shared, “It’s what I strived to be. My mom, growing up, that’s what she taught me, lead by example…don’t say too much, let your play do the talking. That’s what I always remembered, and that’s what I always tried to do.” That has been a breath of fresh air in today’s world of athletics. Brandon would seemingly make one great play after another, and he would not take advantage of the opportunities to go overboard with celebrations, pointing at the opponents, etc. He would just come back and do it again. There was not a lot of trash talking on the field; he would just go out and beat the Tigers’ opponents.
Brandon also gave credit for this approach to his head coach, Ricky May. “It also has a lot to do with Coach May. He is such a great dude. I feel like all of us (Tigers teammates) as a team were kind of like that. We were confident in ourselves, but we were not too cocky. We didn’t really play like we were cocky.”
That confidence that Brandon spoke of was apparent in what I think may be the most impressive run through the state playoffs on the way to a state title. Charleston took a narrow lead into the locker room in their first-round game against Gurdon, but from that point on, they were never seriously challenged for the rest of the way to a state title. The Tigers played in cold, rainy weather, bitterly cold weather, on the road, and in a rain delayed final in Little Rock, but none of those factors seemed to phase the Tigers. Perhaps their most impressive victory was a shellacking of the Rison Wildcats in Rison in the state semifinals. Charleston scored on the first play of their first offensive possession, and the rout was on. It was never close against a very good Rison team on their home field. “I felt like in the playoffs we were a different team. We played together so much better, and we just played better overall. It was really fun.”
Brandon Scott goes to the basket in the 2023 Class 3A state basketball tournament (RNN Sports File Photo / Jim Best)
During our telephone conversation, one thing that became clear was his relationship with his former head football coach, Ricky May. Not surprisingly, Brandon speaks very respectfully and fondly of Coach May. So, I asked Coach May for his comments on Brandon, telling him that I was writing this story. Coach May responded by saying, “Brandon…the best way to put it, is he is a winner. No matter what he does, he will excel because of his work ethic. He is probably the most natural athlete I have ever coached. He started the All-Star game the other night and had a great game. I told him a couple of weeks before the game that he would be the best player on the field. He ended up being named the All-Star game MVP.”
Brandon’s All-Star Game MVP award was his second in the past seven months. In December of 2022, he was named the MVP of the Class 3A football state championship game. Quite an accomplishment for such a talented, yet modest player.
After all of his success and the teams’ successes over the past four years, I asked Brandon what his favorite memory was of playing at Charleston. I asked him to do this without considering their state championship, and he said, “Mostly, just like a practice, just hanging out with my teammates. We were all so close and we had so much fun to do in practice…we just laughed together. I just enjoyed it so much. I think that is why we had so much success in our games; we had so much fun in practice.”
During the epic playoff run in 2022, the Charleston Tigers may have been the most unselfish group of players I have ever watched play together. And that unselfishness translated into a laser focus that made them unbeatable in the state playoffs. It didn’t seem to matter who the star was going to be each game, they just wanted to win the game. “I felt like no one cared about stats. And that also was because of Coach May. Because I think, last year (2021 season) someone had said something about stats. Coach May really tore into that person about how the stats didn’t matter; it was not about any single person, it was about the team. So, I think when we got into the playoffs (2022) we were all just focused on winning, and that was all that mattered.”
I began covering Charleston in their 2019 football season, and that year, I have said many times, may have been Coach May’s best coaching job up to the state championship in 2022. Charleston that year was devastated by injuries, and Coach May managed the team and kept them playing hard each week until they eventually secured a state playoff berth. That year, Brandon Scott was a freshman, and the freshmen Tigers were a talented group that everyone had placed great expectations on their future potential. The word was that this freshman group had set a high goal for themselves over the next four years. When I asked Brandon about this, he said, “I guess, we knew that we had a chance to be pretty good. And we definitely didn’t want to end our senior year the way the 2019 season ended (losing to Prescott in the first round of the state playoffs). Our first two years, (a first round loss in 2020 at home vs Glen Rose, and a 2021 first round loss to Glen Rose in the state playoffs) provided the motivation for this year (2022 state playoffs). We felt like state championships were the standard at Charleston. That’s what we always talked about, was playing in and winning a state championship.”
One aspect of the Charleston football program that Brandon described was the feeling of obligation by the underclassmen for the success each year for the seniors. In a day when many players think of their senior years’ being “their turn” and underclassmen thinking about themselves, the tradition of Tigers football is much different. Brandon expressed disappointment of sending off the 2020 and 2021 seniors with first round losses in the state playoffs. “I felt really bad for those guys that they didn’t have the opportunities to go deeper into the state playoffs.” It is all part of the since of family in the program. This past season, as Charleston played the first three rounds of the state playoffs at home, several alumni players returned to Charleston to root on their Tigers. “It’s just the pride that Charleston has. It is just what everybody expects. Seeing all of those guys there to cheer for us…we just wanted to do it for them and all of the fans.”
Another variable in the program is that each Tigers player knows they are a target for every opponent. Due to their long term success in the Charleston football program, every Tiger knows that every opponent they play will bring their best effort against Charleston. No matter what their season record is going into their game with Charleston, the Tigers expect the best effort of the year against them. “Coach May tells us pretty much everyday that our opponents are going to play their best game against us; it doesn’t matter what the record is, they are going to bring their best against us. So, we are more prepared and ready to go for that game.” Perhaps the greatest measure of respect of a program by an opponent is how seriously they take you in their game preparation. And Charleston has a tradition of going into battle knowing that their opponents want to beat them badly. The Tigers embrace this, and this is, in part, a big factor in their success as a program.
The 2022 regular season ended on a stormy night in Lavaca. Brandon referred to this game as the pivotal point in the season when he thought the Tigers had a chance to go far in the playoffs. The game had been delayed due to a torrential rain storm that hit the field about 6 p.m. that night. The game was delayed and did not start until approximately 9 p.m. Brandon described that night by saying, “It was pouring down rain and was really cold. We took a step forward and played really well that night. We were basically just getting ready for the playoffs. From that point, we didn’t look back. That’s when we started playing really good.” And Brandon is right…the state playoffs started the next week on a cold and rainy night against Gurdon at Alumni Field. The second week of the playoffs, the weather was dry, but the temperatures were frigid. Eventually, the state championship game would be played at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock on another cold and rainy night, and after a long delay before kickoff. Brandon continued by saying, “I don’t think it affected us that much (cold, rainy weather in the state playoffs and the championship game), but even the Lavaca game in the regular season was played with tornado watches or warnings, and we didn’t get to play until like 9 p.m. I remember Coach May telling us that this could just be setting us up for a future game in the playoffs, and we will be ready. And we played three games in the playoffs where we had to play in the rain and cold. So, he was absolutely right that it was just getting us ready for the playoffs. So, I don’t think the weather affect us too much in the playoffs; we were focused and ready to go.”
Before the state title game, I asked Coach May what preparations he was making to prepare for a possible wet championship game. Was he using wet footballs in practice to prepare for the rain? In classic Coach May fashion, he answered my question by saying, “We played in a monsoon in Lavaca…I don’t think the rain in Little Rock will phase us.” That confidence and motivation was shared by Brandon and his teammates, and Coach May was right…the rain in Little Rock didn’t phase the Tigers.
One of the things Brandon will take from his playing career at Charleston will be his relationship with his coach. “I absolutely love Coach May. He’s such a good guy. He’s a defensive coach, but our defenses always played so good, so he is amazing as a coach. From the standpoint of being a man, he is one of the best I have ever met. He has helped us become better and I feel like he has shaped our futures. I don’t think we would be the guys that we are without him. He’s just such a good dude.”
Under Coach May’s tutelage, Charleston continues to improve as not only a good football program, but as a program that develops good young men. The Tiger football program is a program that any parent would want their child to play in.
Brandon Scott was a talented football player and basketball player for Charleston. In 2022, Scott led the Tigers to the second round of the state playoffs, earning All-State honors along the way. Scott is the type of athlete that is good with any sport he plays. Whether it is football, basketball, or golf, Brandon is a talented athlete. In fact, many have said that Brandon can really hit a golf ball!
So the Charleston career for Brandon Scott is in the history books, and I suspect we will see Brandon returning to Alumni Field over the years to support the future Tigers who will carry on the tradition of Tigers football. I also expect that he will, at some point, be invited back by coach Ricky May to speak to future Charleston teams as part of May’s “Uncommon Man” series of talks with his teams. The “Uncommon Man” visits by former players, community members, and others who are connected to the program are all part of Coach May’s mentorship program.
Brandon is now turning his sights on going to the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith as a freshman student. He has not declared a major as of now, but he eventually will, and he will discover what his new, lifelong passion will become. And whatever he chooses to do, he will be good at it.
RNN Sports would like to thank Brandon Scott for visiting with us for this story, and to his coach, Ricky May, for his contribution to this story, as well. We will all miss Brandon on the playing field or on the court, but he is not gone. I am sure we will see him on Friday nights, sharing his example of what it takes to be a good person, and to be, a winner.
Good luck Brandon Scott! We know that whatever you ultimately choose to do in life, you will be a winner.
When a new era arrives in any kind of program, there is a lot of excitement mixed in with a lot of questions. When new Mansfield Head Coach Whit Overton came in, he made it clear that there would definitely be some changes being made. Coach Overton was announced as the Mansfield Head Coach on June 7th which was just a couple of weeks before the AAA mandatory dead period. It didn’t give Overton much time to instill his changes, let alone time for the Tigers to adapt to those changes.
The Tigers offense lines up against Danville in their first snap of 2023. Photo courtesy of Danielle Overton
While other programs in the state were polishing up their skills with multiple practices and camps before the dead period, Mansfield hadn’t even snapped on a chin strap. But finally, after just three days of actual practice after the dead period, the Tigers traveled to Lavaca for their first camp of 2023 against the Golden Arrows and the Danville Little Johns. The Tigers stepped onto the field for the first time in 2023 with a new coach, new offensive plan, and new defensive plan, but the same Mansfield Tiger tenacity. With Mansfield and Lavaca both playing in the 3A-1 and Danville in the 3A-4, the programs had a chance to weigh each other out early for conference play and possible State Playoff matchups.
Defensive linemen Ethan Martin & Dakota Deer zero in on Lavacas quarterback. Photo courtesy of Danielle Overton
The scrimmage plan was that each team would send out their defense to face the other two teams’ offenses for three plays each (six plays total) and then take a five-minute break. Mansfield started with offense first and busted out of the gate quickly as senior Tyler Turnipseed ran up the gut for big yards. The Tigers ground-and-pound mentality was very effective which eventually opened up their passing game. The “Flying Tigers” receivers chewed up chunks of yards which balanced out an already dangerous offense. Even with just a hand full of days to grasp their new game plan, Mansfield saw success on nearly every play against the Golden Arrows and Little Johns defenses.
Mansfield’s offensive line opens up a battleship-sized hole for their incoming running back. Photo courtesy of Raine Hecox
While the offense was rolling all over the field, Mansfield’s defense was eager to get rocking. The Tigers defense finished 2022’s regular season ranked 6th in the state overall which put a lot of eyes on them to repeat that success in 2023. Those eyes had to be covered with safety goggles in the scrimmage though as Mansfield not only showed they could still stuff opponents, they locked and bolted down the doors of their scrimmage opponents offenses. There was no one stand-out player for the Tigers defense either as Mansfield was watertight in every position even with rotations coming in and out. The defensive linemen cut through offenses like butter and the linebackers mauled the run-and-pass game of the offenses, while the defensive backs swarmed the ball like madmen.
Coach Overton gives Mansfields players instructions to prepare them for their next series. Photo courtesy of Danielle Overton
Overall, the Mansfield Tigers have a lot to be proud of in their first scrimmage. In just three days of actual practice, the team has shown that they can hang with other teams who have had full productive offseasons. Coach Overton praised his players for their impressive scrimmage performance, but also reminded his team to not be content with it. “I saw a lot of good things out there today,” said Overton, “I also saw several things we need to work on”. Mansfield has a lot more than just three days left before the 2023 schedule kicks off which will give the Tigers ample time to polish themselves up with more practices, camps, and events. As good as Mansfield looked today, one can only imagine what’s to come once they learn all of the new ins and outs of their playbook.
If you look on iNaturalist, you’ll find all sorts of surveys where people can record sightings of their favorite wildlife species to help with projects conducted by researchers and biologists around the world. One such study, Moles of Arkansas, may require a little more digging, as it is asking participants to record sightings of eastern moles in The Natural State. But what’s a “Wanted” sign worth if it doesn’t tell you a little background about the critter you’re searching for? Once you learn a little about these subterranean cousins of the hedgehog, you might discover they’re worthy of some added interest.
First off, moles are not related to gophers, so cast aside those thoughts about Carl from “Caddyshack” being part of the survey. This is a citizen-science project being conducted by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Nongame Mammal Program coordinator, Blake Sasse, and a student from the University of Central Arkansas. And the purpose of the survey is to get more information about all of the places the species occurs in the state. Eastern moles, the only species found in Arkansas, ranges across the eastern U.S. all the way to portions of Wyoming and can be found from parts of southern Canada to portions of northern Mexico.
Adults are typically about 5 to 7 inches long and covered with a soft, fuzzy fur resembling felt or the trademarked “moleskin” often used in footwear to prevent blisters. A nubby, naked tail juts out about a half-inch to an inch from its rear, and its oversized, pink front paws dominate the front of its body. The head lacks any obvious ears that could catch dirt, and even the eyes are overshot with a covering of fur. The eyelids are fused, and an extra membrane over the corneas protects from falling dirt and debris while the animal does the hard job of burrowing.
Most of the tunneling people notice from moles aren’t for their main burrows, but from their near-constant search for their favorite meal: earthworms and insect larvae hidden in the soil. The average mole can dig between 10 to 20 feet of tunnel in an hour, using its massive front paws. Deeper burrows, sometimes a foot and a half under the surface, are used for escape routes, rearing of young and foraging when the surface is either too dry or cold to harbor the worms and grubs that tempt the animal’s taste buds.
The tunnels themselves can act as a bit of a worm trap, and the mole’s keen sense of feel can sense when an earthworm falls into the tunnel, having burrowed above. Instead of simply eating every worm as it appears, the mole will store its food in an underground “larder” for later. The animal’s saliva has a special toxin that will paralyze the worm but keep it alive so that it stays fresh for later consumption. Some researchers have found underground caches of moles containing more than 1,000 earthworms inside. Because worms are full of dirt and other substances, the mole has an ingenious habit of squeezing the worm through its paws before eating it, pushing the dirt out before it gets to the animal’s mouth.
Unfortunately, the only time most people even notice these interesting animals is when they’ve made themselves unwelcome guests on golf courses, under landscaped lawns or near homes where they are getting close to a house foundation. Their surface burrows often damage root systems of grasses and push up the dirt, crisscrossing people’s yards with streaks of dead grass or bare soil. They also tend to push small mounds of dirt out from underneath the surface to add ventilation for their deeper nesting and breeding burrows. It’s often only the surface tunnels and mounds that even clue landowners in on the mole’s presence, but when they show up, many people don’t appreciate their handiwork.
Sasse recommends the number one thing NOT to do is try poisons, toxins or chemical repellents.
“Not only are they usually ineffective, they’re illegal to use in Arkansas,” Sasse said. “All sorts of other animals you’re not targeting can ingest the toxins.”
Even if toxins were effective, they would still pose the same sort of danger as using rat poisons for house vermin. The poison still exists in the carcass of the animal, which could then be consumed by a scavenger or predator, such as an owl, bobcat or domestic animal, causing it to become sick or die as well.
Pinwheels, sonic emitters and other sorts of “mole chasers” also tend to fail in their jobs of driving away moles for the long term. They may cause a temporary change in the mole’s behavior, but the animals soon become used to the constant disturbance and ignore the nuisance.
Trapping is the best, and really only truly effective, method to control a determined digger. A few different models of traps will snap down on a mole when placed in an active surface tunnel, dispatching it quickly and humanely. For people who don’t want to kill the critter, digging a space into the tunnel and placing a small live trap will work; just be sure to cover the opening you created with a board to block the sunlight so the mole will continue to use the tunnel. One method to catch moles is to dig a hole in the floor of the tunnel large enough to place a large pickle jar or large coffee can in the space with the ground flush to the edge of the opening. Again, cover the top of the tunnel with a board to block light from entering. Ideally the mole will travel down the tunnel, fall into the opening and be unable to dig its way out. Its powerful paws aren’t much use for climbing or jumping, so the mole will remain in the jar until you come to retrieve it and relocate it to a more suitable location for excavation.
Even if the mole has been trapped, adding a listing to the iNaturalist survey can be helpful for the research project.
“The UCA student will start looking at mole distribution this fall and she will probably be using this data as part of her work,” Sasse said. “We may use other methods to obtain mole records from the general public, but it’s still early on.”
Visit iNaturalist.com to learn more about contributing to citizen science projects like the Moles of Arkansas Survey.
The Greenwood City Council met in regular session on Monday, July 10. All members of the council were present, including Daniel McDaniel, Rod Powell, Roger Rainwater, Tim Terry, A.C. Brown, and Ralph Meeker. Also present, Mayor Doug Kinslow, City Clerk/Treasurer Sharla Derry, and City Attorney Travis Plummer.
After the approval of the June meeting minutes, the council moved on to other items on the agenda, including the citizen forum.
At that time, City Clerk/Treasurer Sharla Derry addressed the council, seeking their consideration to remove the current signage at the Cuthbert Bridge on Greenwood’s City Lake and replace it “to reflect the full elected body of the city of Greenwood.”
Derry stated that McDaniel proceeded with the sign that excluded her, even though he was asked not to install it until it was corrected.
“The plaque purchased was with city funds and should not display only the select ones that were chosen by Mr. McDaniel…attempts were made by myself and by the mayor to correct it…Mr. McDaniel resorted to name calling such as childish, manipulative and self-centered…I have faithfully been employed here for 25 years. I do not understand why I am being treated this way. I find it appalling, extremely disrespectful, and an insult to my position. I am a part of this body…it (the plaque) is incomplete and should be corrected.”
Derry acknowledged that the mayor had offered to purchase a second plaque to be installed on the opposite side of the bridge to include her, but that it “doesn’t get there for me.”
“Mr. McDaniel’s actions to me during this process are unacceptable…it is my hope that this body, will do what is right.”
Councilman McDaniel then offered a response to Derry’s comments.
“As you all know this was a very long process…the plaque thing, I thought, would be the most simple pieces of the whole half-million-dollar bridge. It turned out to be very complicated…very expensive, $5,000 for the two plaques. My original intent was to have one plaque, a simple thing on a stand…but the printing company says you can’t put all of that on one plaque…But, yes, I sent it to Casey (Craig – Parks Director) and had him proof it. I wanted everybody’s name on it. Travis Plummer (City Attorney) is an elected official, Tom Marsh (Finance Director) spent a lot of time and effort on this, I thought Tom Marsh’s name should be on it. If it’s about elected officials, Mike Hamby and Lance Terry were here all of last year, so there’s a lot of people that did things and I wanted their name to be on there (the plaque). It was not about Sharla, I never picked Sharla out of the crowd to keep out…The printers said ‘you can’t do that, you’re going to have to make two plaques.’ They (the printers) sent it back and said here’s what will fit, one is smaller than the other, and so I just said, this (the plaque) is about this project, so I am going to record people who were apart of the project and try to get them all on there, but there’s some I can’t get on there. So, I never singled Sharla out. I never intended to single anybody out. Yes, Sharla called the printing company and asked them to put her name on the plaque and the printing company called me and told me…I told Sharla I thought she was being childish to go behind my back and call the printing company. I still think that, but I don’t care. I told the mayor, I did what I did, I did the best I could, I wasn’t trying to offend anybody about anything, it was a big project. It was about the Cuthbert family and this was all a black cloud over it, over one individual…If you guys want to go redo the plaque, I told the mayor, I’ve done my part, I am turning it over to the parks department and the city. If you want to replace the plaque that is fine with me. I have no problem with whose name you want to put on it…”
Following McDaniel’s response, other members of the council were provided an opportunity to ask questions or make comments. However, there were none. Mayor Kinslow offered the following statement on the matter:
“…To reiterate, I have suggested that we purchase another plaque and place it, Daniel knows this, Sharla knows this, I’ve talked to Tom about it, my suggestion is…I think it is fitting that we purchase another plaque with all the elected officials on it, including Mr. Travis. That’s my consensus.”
Derry followed up with exhibits to the council from Tom Cuthbert from years past when she first ran for office, offering his support and referring to her as the “jewel of Greenwood.”
No official action was taken by the council but did reach a consensus to allow the mayor to get a price for purchasing another plaque.
The Cuthbert Bridge project was a project of passion by Tom Cuthbert (son of Dr. Thomas and Ernestine Cuthbert) and Daniel McDaniel, who volunteered countless hours spearheading the project in a span over a year and a half.
The regular monthly meeting of the Waldron School Board was held in the Central Office Building Monday, July 10, 2023; at 6:30 p.m. Board members present were Clay Woodall, Mac Davis, Stan Cottrell and Konnor McKay. Board member Angela Hunsucker was not present. Others present were Superintendent Daniel Fielding, Misty Owens, Chris Lipham, Kim Solomon, Zack Taylor, Keith Brigance, Randi Hickman, Ryan Walker, Tonya Cluck, Darla Jeffery and Kristi Sigman.
President Woodall called the meeting to order at 6:33 p.m.
Mr. Woodall welcomed everyone.
Mr. Konnor McKay began the meeting with a word of prayer.
Mr. Mac Davis led the Pledge of Allegiance.
A motion was made by Konnor McKay and seconded by Mac Davis to approve the Consent Agenda items: A) Approval of the June 12th Minutes; B) Approve Financial Reports and Expenditures; C) Approve Purchase Order to zSpace; D) Approve Purchase Order to Wilson Language; E) Approve Contract for Private Pay ABA Services. Motion carried 4-0.
A motion was made by Mac Davis and seconded by Stan Cottrell to add items B) Discuss Bank Proposals and C) Approve ASBA Insurance Invoice. Motion carried 4-0.
A motion was made by Mac Davis and seconded by Konnor McKay to approve the ASBA policy recommendations and updates. The following policies are recommended for approval: 1.9, 1.14, 1.17, 1.21,1.22, 1.24, 3.0, 3.1, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.19, 3.25, 3.32, 3.32.1, 3.36, 3.40, 3.54, 3.54F, 3.57, 4.1, 4.2, 4.4, 4.5, 4.5F, 4.5F2, 4.5F3, 4.5F4, 4.7, 4.8, 4.13, 4.25, 4.31, 4.35, 4.37, 4.40, 4.45, 4.45.1, 4.45.2, 4.55, 4.56, 4.56.2, 4.61, 4.62, 4.63, 5.3, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.11, 5.18, 5.19, 5.20, 4.21, 5.27, 5.29, 6.4, 6.5, 6.11, 6.12, 7.3, 7.5, 8.0, 8.13, 8.19, 8.23, 8.23.1, 8.30, 8.31, 8.34, 8.44, 8.47.
Discussion was made on the Bank Proposal results and a vote will be made in the August board meeting.
A motion was made by Stan Cottrell and seconded by Konnor McKay to approve the ASBA Insurance Invoice. Motion carried 4-0.
Kristi Sigman spoke to the board members about three grants that the school will be receiving. The first grant will be in the amount of $160,000.00 for a School Based Mental Health Specialist for a time frame of three years. The school has also received grants for performance attire for the choir and one that will help to purchase band instruments.
Assistant Superintendent Chris Lipham informed the school board members that the district is still short two bus drivers. Also, this weekend will be the 1st Annual Dog Days of Summer. Athletes will compete against each other in friendly competitions and on Saturday there will be a huge fundraising event with a car show, vendors and food trucks.
Superintendent Daniel Fielding stated that July is here which means we are all gearing up for the new school year to start. He mentioned that several had participated in the CSSO program and that the feedback of the experience was very positive.
A motion was made by Mac Davis and seconded by Stan Cottrell to approve the corrected Special Education Supervisorsalary schedule. Motion carried 4-0.
A motion was made by Mac Davis and seconded by Konnor McKay to approve the resignation of Jody Woodard as High School English Teacher as of the end of 2022/23 SY. Motion carried 4-0.
A motion was made by Konnor McKay and seconded by Mac Davis to hire Madison Allen, Crystal Gaines, and Levi Woodard as Food Service cooks for the 2023-24 SY. Motion carried 4-0.
A motion was made by Mac Davis and seconded by Stan Cottrell to hire Peyton Clark as Middle School Special Education Teacher for the 2023-24 SY, pending the receiving of a provisional license. Motion carried 4-0.
A motion was made by Stan Cottrell and seconded by Mac Davis to hire Kristy Yarbrough for Middle School Science Teacher for the 2023/24 SY. Motion carried 4-0.
A motion was made by Mac Davis and seconded by Stan Cottrell to hire Sarah Brown as 9th Grade Literacy Teacher for the 2023-24 SY. Motion carried 4-0.
A motion was made by Mac Davis and seconded by Konnor McKay to transfer Soribel Baza to High School Special Education Teacher for the 2023-24 SY. Motion carried 4-0.
A motion was made by Stan Cottrell and seconded by Mac Davis to adjourn. Motion carried 4-0.
Fayetteville recently dedicated a memorial and renamed a street with the name of Nelson Hackett. As an historian not familiar with the name, I began to unravel the story behind the event and what a story there was to tell!
In 1841, Arkansas was a pioneer state only five years removed from introduction into statehood. Fayetteville was a frontier town of 425 people, 120 of whom were enslaved people. The town consisted of a few mercantile stores, government buildings, law offices and other businesses who served the needs of the small yeoman farms in the surrounding hills. Most of those enslaved worked on small farms, the construction trades, or as domestic servants. Nelson Hackett was one of the latter; described as a handsomely formed, well-dressed 24-year-oldman of prepossessing address. Purchased first in 1840 by Willis Wallace for the price of an another slave and a grey mule, he was later sold to Wallis brother Alfred for $1,000. Little is known about his early life but it was well known that the Wallace brothers were trouble. Willis was said to have murdered a groom at an altar in Georgia and then was accused of killing at least two men while in Fayetteville. The entire Wallace family were described by one of their political opponents as avaricious, cruel, and of passionate impulses.
Hackett obviously had the trust of the Wallace family. It was said that on several occasions, he was left unsupervised for periods of time ranging from a few days to weeks. The story of his escape varies from one version given by the Wallace family and one given by the abolitionist. The abolitionist version states that Hackett had attended a horse race with Wallace and was directed to take the horse and other missing items back to Fayetteville alone. Given the horse and a chance to escape, Hackett decided to escape north out of slavery. The Wallace family claimed Nelson had stolen a coat, a quantity of money, and a horse from a neighbor and absconded to Canada. What is certain is the desire Nelson Hackett had for freedom. Hackett crossed Missouri, into Illinois, and covered more than 650 miles before reaching what he viewed as freedom in Chatham, Canada; a community 50 miles east of Detroit.
Wallace, knowing he could not force Canada to release Hackett as an escaped slave, followed Hackett to Canada and filed charges of robbery. Canada, not wishing to return a slave, felt compelled to return him when Archibald Yell, the governor of Arkansas and a colleague of the Wallace family, asked for extradition on charges of theft. Charles Bagot, Governor General of Canada reluctantly conceded–“would have involved us in disputes of the most inconvenient nature with the neighboringstates… I therefore ordered Nelson Hackett to be delivered up to the authorities of Arkansas, to be dealt with according to law. Hackett was the first and last enslaved person that Canada would return. The country latter became a haven for those that were enslaved.
Hackett was subsequently returned to the Wallace family where he was repeatedly punished and whipped. Eventually sold to slave-owners in Texas, it is feared that he may have been worked to death by vindictive owners who saw the marks left from his beating as a sign of a troublemaker. Hopefully, as some legends state, he successfully escaped to freedom in Mexico.
Hackett’s story is a testament of man’s spirit to obtain freedom at all cost. The story of Hackett’s quest for liberty was some of the biggest news events of 1842 and was no doubt an inspiration to Dred Scott, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglas and other black abolitionists.
It is ironic that the street that was once named for the governor that signed the papers for Hackett’s return has now been renamed for the former slave; a man that was determined to seek liberty and equality at all cost.
