Resident News Network

Waldron School Board Meets

News

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12:42 am

The regular monthly meeting of the Waldron School Board was held in the Central Office Building Monday, February 20, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. Board members present were Tammye Sherrill, Clay Woodall, Angela Hunsucker, Mac Davis and Konnor McKay. Others present were Superintendent Daniel Fielding, Chris Lipham, Misty Owens, Kim Solomon, Darla Jeffery, Keith Brigance, Kristi Sigman, Toni Dozier, Josh Atchley, Tonya Cluck, Zack Taylor, Randi Hickman and Cheyenne Smith.

President Clay Woodall called the meeting to order at 6:33 p.m.

Mr. Konnor McKay began the meeting with a word of prayer.

Angela Hunsucker led the Pledge of Allegiance.

A motion was made by Mac Davis and seconded by Tammye Sherrill to approve the Consent Agenda items: A) Approval of the January 9^th Minutes; B) Approve Financial Reports and Expenditures; C) Approve Invoice to ASBA for Worker’s Compensation Insurance; D) Approve Invoice to Plumb Construction; E) Approve Invoice to Cadence Insurance for School Board Legal Liability Insurance; F) Approve Purchase Order to Lexia Learning Systems, LLC.; G) Approve Purchase Order to ITSAVVY; H) Approve the Service Agreement for Progressive Technologies. Motion carried 5-0.

A motion was made by Angela Hunsucker and seconded by Konnor McKay to adopt and approve the 2023-24 School Calendar. Motion carried 5-0.

A motion was made by Tammye Sherrill and seconded by Mac Davis to Adopt the Proposed Budget of Expenditures with Tax Levy for Fiscal Year Beginning July 1, 2024 to and including June 30, 2025 and to approve the related Sample Ballot. Motion carried 5-0.

Each of the school principals reported on the happenings at their buildings and upcoming events. Mrs. Jeffery reported that the Elementary School is getting ready for the Living Wax Museum and next week is Literacy Week. During Literacy Week the Elementary will have several volunteer readers that come and read to the classrooms. Mr. Jeffery also reported that the 4^th graders will be competing in the Quiz Bowl at Guy Fenter Co-op on February 28^th. Mr. Taylor stated that the Jr. High Quiz Bowl won their tournament on January 10^th. He also recognized the FBLA District top 5 finishers who qualified for State. They are: Laklynn Falconer, Kazyah Kinney, Chloe Richmond, and Justi Hunsucker. With Kimberly Defoor and Brayden Green being in the top 5 finishers as well. Mr. Taylor announced that the Parent Teacher Conference went really well at the Middle School. He also informed the board that Middle School will be touring the Live Museum on March 8^th. Mrs. Solomon informed the board that the Juniors will be taking their ACT on February 28^th, and they have scheduled field trips for the other grades on that day. The Career Technical Teachers are being highlighted this month. This is also FFA week and the students in FFA are doing things throughout the week to celebrate. Lastly, Elementary, Middle and High School Archery students will be competing on March 3^rd and 4^th. Assistant Superintendent Chris Lipham reported that the Sr. High Basketball Boys were the tournament runner-ups at District and the girls came in 5^th place. There will be a Baseball Benefit game on February 21^st at 4:00. Mr. Lipham informed the board he will be advertising for bus drivers very soon. He also reported that the interview committee has started the 2^nd round of interviews for Head Football Coach.

Superintendent Fielding recognized the administrators for how they get students motivated during testing week and make sure each student is fed and ready for the test. Tammye Sherrill was honored for receiving over 200 hours of training during her years of being a school board member.

Adjourned to Executive Session: 7:00

Returned from Executive Session: 7:57

A motion was made by Angela Hunsucker and seconded by Tammye Sherrill to accept the resignation of Jeanetta Byford as of January 31, 2023, from HS Paraprofessional. Motion carried 5-0.

A motion was made by Mac Davis and seconded by Konnor McKay to accept the resignation of Karen Foster as of February 21, 2023, from ES Paraprofessional. Motion carried 5-0.

A motion was made by Angela Hunsucker and seconded by Mac Davis to accept the retirement of Robin Bowles from WES Special Education Teacher as of the end of the 2022-23 SY. Motion carried 5-0.

A motion was made by Tammye Sherrill and seconded by Konnor McKay to hire Lauren Davis as Middle School Special Education Paraprofessional as of February 27^th, 2023. Motion carried 5-0.

A motion was made by Angela Hunsucker and seconded by Mac Davis to rehire Administrators for the 2023-24 school year. Motion carried 5-0.

A motion was made by Tammye Sherrill and seconded by Angela Hunsucker to adjourn. Motion carried 5-0.

Meeting adjourned at 7:58 p.m.

Auxiliary Sponsors “Hero Care Packages”

Featured

Tammy Teague

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12:19 am

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The heart of the Harris-Hannah VFW Post 6527 Auxiliary has always been for our veterans and the community, but a new program is putting that conviction into action.

The project “Hero Care Packages” is a way for the community to send care packages to local troops who are currently serving.

Although the auxiliary for the post is relatively new, President Gina Gustafson is seasoned in providing support to our military men and women. “We are working on locating active-duty military families in the area,” shared Gustafson. “The goal is to start sending care packages to our local troops that are currently serving.”

Gustafson went on to add they want to ensure that soldiers receive packages, especially around the holidays. There will be a need for donations for the program, both for the items in the care package, and for the postage.

Some of the items include:

(2) cup of noodles or top ramen
(2) package baby wipes
(1) Beef stew /canned chili
(1) hand sanitizer
(1) can Sloppy Joe or ravioli
(2) playing cards
(1) package beef jerky
(1) deodorant (non-aerosol)
(1) canned tuna with crackers(singles)
(1) travel size foot powder
(1) canned chicken with crackers (singles)
(2) travel shampoos/conditioners
(2) cans of soup
(2) toothbrushes/paste
(2) cans diced peaches/fruit
(6) 3 blade disposable razors
(1) can Vienna sausage
(3) breath drops
(3) breakfast/energy bars
(3) travel size soaps
(3) dried fruit (1) Non aerosol shaving cream
(1) bag hard candy/chocolate in winter
(1) throat lozenges/cough drops
(5) packets instant oatmeal
(1) black beanie cap (winter)
(8) packets instant coffee with powder creamers
(1) bottle eye drops
(4) packets hot cocoa mix
(1) bottle ibuprofen
(8) packets crystal light singles
(2) muscle heat patches/rub
(4) packs gun/breath mints
(3) Magazines/paperback books
(1) cracker jack
(2) pocket notebooks/pens
(1) package sunflower seeds
(1) package bungy cords/zip ties
(4) single serving peanut butter cups
(8) AA batteries
(4) small energy drinks
(1) military black socks
(2) single serving trail mix/peanuts
(3) ChapSticks
(1) crossword puzzle/game book

The Auxiliary is currently searching for those parents, spouses, siblings, etc. of active-duty personnel in Southern Sebastian, Franklin, Logan, and Scott Counties. If you know of any active-duty troops, or if you have questions about donations, please call Auxiliary President Gina Gustafson at 928-404-3841 or email her at vfwaux6527@gmail.com.

Arkansas Wins Home Opener 9-7 Over Grambling

Resident News Network

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5:10 pm

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Arkansas Wins Home Opener 9-7 Over Grambling

FAYETTEVILLE – No. 9 Arkansas (3-1) overcame a five-run deficit and survived a scare against SWAC foe Grambling (1-3), pulling out a 9-7 win on Tuesday afternoon in a rare midweek home opener at Baum-Walker Stadium.

Playing at home for the first time in 282 days, the Razorbacks came out flat. Grambling scored two in the first, one in the third and three more in the fourth, cracking open a 6-1 lead before Arkansas could begin to find its rhythm offensively.

The Hogs showed signs of life in the bottom of the fourth, thanks to leadoff single by Kendall Diggs. Diggs advanced to second on a wild pitch before Jace Bohrofen’s double to right center brought him home, and Bohrofen would later score on Parker Rowland’s groundout as Arkansas started to trim its deficit.

Trailing by four in the fifth, the Razorbacks scored runs on reigning SEC Player of the Week Jared Wegner’s RBI single and Brady Slavens’ RBI double to make it a two-run game. Tavian Josenberger, who went 2-for-2 with two runs scored, two runs batted in and two walks, kept the pressure on in the sixth with his RBI double to cut the gap to one.

The Hogs would even the ballgame at seven apiece in the bottom of the seventh, when Bohrofen’s sacrifice fly to center brought home Wegner from third. The hard-earned comeback was completed in the eighth with Josenberger’s go-ahead RBI sacrifice fly followed by Stovall’s RBI sacrifice fly, putting Arkansas up, 9-7, for good.

Arkansas totaled four sacrifice flies, their most since recording four against Mississippi Valley State in a 20-0 win on Feb. 24, 2016. Wegner, Bohrofen, Josenberger and Stovall each picked up an RBI sacrifice fly in Tuesday’s victory.

On the mound, right-handers Koty Frank (2.2 IP, 3 SO) and Brady Tygart (2.0 IP, 4 SO) worked together to pitch the final 4.2 innings of the game. The duo silenced Grambling, limiting the Tigers to just two hits while combining for seven strikeouts as Tygart earned his first win of the season.

Their strong performances out of the bullpen were a stark contrast from the work of the Razorbacks’ first three pitchers of the game, who combined to allow seven runs on 11 hits and four walks.

The Hogs, who had not played a midweek home opener since 2003, are now 2-0 in such games under Dave Van Horn. That season, Arkansas hosted Creighton on a Tuesday (Feb. 11, 2003) at what was formerly known as Baum Stadium and defeated the Bluejays, 9-5, in Van Horn’s first game as the Razorback head coach.

Arkansas’ 18-game homestand continues with a three-game set against Eastern Illinois in the first home weekend series of the season. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24, on SEC Network+.

Note to Our Readers: The following story was sourced in its entirety from the University of Arkansas Office of Communications, Oliver Grigg. Featured photo for this story is courtesy of John D. James.

Arrest Reports 2/12

Police Reports

Tammy Teague

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10:19 am

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Arresting agency – Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office:
Cavin Dale Allison of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on February 15 at 11:44 a.m. and remains at the SCADC without bond. Allison was charged with ADC commitment hold.

Mason Stanley Clay of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on February 12 at 3:48 a.m. and released on signature bond February 12 at 12:36 p.m. Clay was charged with Public Intoxication – Danger to self or others.

Brandon Alan Crabtree of Huntington was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on February 15 at 4:22 p.m. and released on appeal bond February 16 at 4:13 p.m. Crabtree was charged with petition to revoke – misd.

Billy Fimple of Lavaca was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on February 17 at 12:38 p.m. and released on cash bond February 17 at 4:37 p.m. Fimple was charged with Contempt of Court–(child support), FTAS, FTRespond Subpoena, FTComply WCO.

Lisa Saldana of Charleston was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on February 12 at 8:24 p.m. and released on February 20 at 8:43 a.m. Saldana was charged with Failure to Appear – Class B Misdemeanor, Failure to Appear – Class A Misdemeanor, Assault On Family Or Household Member-3rd Degree, Criminal Mischief in the First Degree – $1,000 or less, Possession of [Schedule I/II Controlled Substance] <2g-inmate, and Possession Drug Paraphernalia – Felony.

Jerry Scallions of Charleston was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on February 13 at 8:08 p.m. and released on cash bond February 18 at 10:58 p.m. Scallions was charged with Contempt of Court–(child support), FTAS, FTRespond Subpoena, FTComply WCO.

Alexander Starr of Hartford was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on February 14 at 11:05 a.m. and released on legally sufficient bond February 14 at 1:49 p.m. Starr was charged with Registered Offender Living Near School or Daycare Prohibited Felony.

Gabriel Wilson of Lavaca was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on February 12 at 2:16 a.m. and released on signature bond February 12 at 12:28 p.m. Wilson was charged with Disorderly Conduct – Fighting.

Arresting agency – Greenwood Police Department:
Bryan Mark Beachem of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on February 15 at 6:40 p.m. and released on legally sufficient bond February 16 at 12:50 p.m. Beachem was charged with Failure to Appear – Class C Felony.

Jonathan Mickel Moody of Booneville was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on February 14 at 8:59 p.m. and released on February 16 at 8:33 p.m. Moody was charged with Failure to Appear – Class B Misdemeanor.

Tianna Tucker of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on February 17 at 11:54 p.m. and remains at the SCADC. Tucker was charged with Failure to Appear – Class C Felony.

Arresting agency – Fort Smith Police Department:
Travis Freeman of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on February 14 at 6:48 p.m. and remains at the SCADC without bond. Freeman was charged with two counts of Failure to Appear – Class C Felony, parole violation, absconding, Fleeing -foot-serious injury, Refusal To Submit To Arrest Misdemeanor, and Theft by Receiving >$5k.

Kyle Godfrey of Charleston was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on February 14 at 2:23 a.m. and released on February 16 at 5:28 p.m. Godfrey was charged with Obstructing Governmental Operations-ID.

Larry Godfrey of Charleston was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on February 17 at 2:47 p.m. and released on signature bond February 17 at 3:52 p.m. Godfrey was charged with Contempt-willful disobedience (Failure to Pay Fine).

Truman Hardy of Hackett was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on February 16 at 12:47 p.m. and remains at the SCADC. Hardy was charged with Delivery of Methamphetamine or Cocaine >2g, Possession of Controlled Substance – Schedule I/II (10 -200), Delivery of Methamphetamine or Cocaine >2g, and Failure to Appear – Class C Felony.

Sidney Hayes of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on February 18 at 12:39 p.m. remains at the SCADC. Hayes was charged with two counts of Battery in the Second Degree – Health Professional, Terroristic Threatening in the First Degree, and Criminal Mischief in the First Degree – $1,000 or less.

Rachael Dawn Poor of Booneville was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on February 18 at 7:46 p.m. and released on legally sufficient bond February 18 at 11:31 p.m. Poor was charged with Robbery Felony.

Stephen Poor of Booneville was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on February 18 at 7:48 p.m. and released on legally sufficient bond February 18 at 10:41 p.m. Poor was charged with Robbery Felony.

Arresting agency – Bonanza Police Department:
Staci Leann Neu of Bonanza was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on February 15 at 10:43 p.m. and released on legally sufficient bond February 17 at 5:03 p.m. Neu was charged with Possession Drug Paraphernalia – Felony, and Possession of Controlled Substance – Schedule I/II Felony <2g.

Antonio Tugg of Fort Smith was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on February 15 at 5:01 p.m. and remains at the SCADC. Tugg was charged with Terroristic Threatening in the First Degree, and Petition to Revoke Bond.

Arresting agency – Logan County Sheriff’s Office:
Josh West, 37 of Magazine, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on February 13 at 12:01 a.m. West was charged with body attachment.

Kevin Swafford, 22 of Paris, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on February 14 at 11:23 a.m. Swafford was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and parole hold.

Clayton Rice, 38 of Paris, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on February 15 at 3:04 p.m. Rice was charged with probation revocation, criminal mischief in the first degree, and theft by receiving.

Anthony Green, 28 of Magazine, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on February 16 at 2:09 p.m. Green was charged with body attachment.

Melissa Lang, 55 of Mansfield, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on February 17 at 2:01 p.m. Lang was charged with warrant served.

Toni Edwards, 44 of Cabot, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on February 17 at 11:03 p.m. Edwards was charged with body attachment.

Jason Stockman, 30 of Blue Mountain, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on February 18 at 12:13 a.m. Stockman was charged with criminal mischief in the second degree.

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

Lady Tigers Survive Hector For District Championship

Sports

Adam Hecox

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2:54 am

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Lady Tigers Survive Hector For District Championship

There’s something about big cats that always tend to leave onlookers in awe. Lions, leopards, jaguars, and mountain lions just seem to have that majestic yet powerful aura about them. When two big cats get into a tussle though, it can create a primal fear that rattles your stomach. The Mansfield Lady Tigers have seen their fair share of big cat conference battles over the years with classic rivalries against teams like the Charleston Tigers and Acorn Tigers. But when the latest conference shakeup came around, there were no big cats to be found. Instead, Mansfield saw something a little bit on the “wilder” side. The Hector Lady Wildcats.

Each program lit up the scene in the regular season with Mansfield winning the opening game at home while Hector thumped the Lady Tigers on the road. At the end of the regular season, Hector and Mansfield shared the conference title but the Lady Wildcats earned the right to hold the 1Seed going into the District Tournament due to the points spread of their previous matchups. The Lady Wildcats did exactly what a 1Seed should do and flew through Western Yell in the semifinals to earn a shot at the District Title while Mansfield edged past Lavaca to reach the Championship game. This set up a third matchup between Mansfield and Hector that not only both teams wanted, but fans as well. This time though it would be for the 2A-4 District Championship.

The Lady Tigers struck first with a Seven Sanderson board bucket, but Hector would not be denied as they dropped in two points on the other side of the court to tie the game up early. Mansfield then went on a 6-0 run with Kynslee and Kaylee Ward leading the way to force the Lady Wildcats to call a time-out at the 3:43 mark. Once the break was over, Kynslee Ward extended Mansfield’s lead with a long-range three-point shot but again, Hector answered with a three-pointer of their own to set the game at an 11-5 score. As with the first two meetings between the programs, both teams were very aggressive and the foul tally in the first quarter stood with each team holding three fouls each. Alyson Edwards drew a foul and put in one of her two free throws to close out the scoring of the first quarter as the Lady Tigers heard the buzzer sound while holding a 12-5 lead.

While the first quarter may have seemed as if the defenses would hold the game hostage, the second quarter was all offense. Natalie Allison put the Lady Tigers up 14-5 right off the bat with an offensive rebound and putback. Hector went on a 4-0 streak against the Lady Tigers by putting defensive pressure on Mansfield which created turnovers that led to points for the Lady Wildcats. That’s when Mansfield decided to set the nets on fire. Seven Sanderson snagged the first points of the Lady Tigers run with a hook shot which was followed by Kynslee Ward and Natalie Allison putting up a couple of three-pointers of their own. Hector called a time-out to regroup after the Lady Tigers stretched their lead to 22-11 with 4:02 left in the second quarter. Although the Lady Wildcats hit a three-pointer after the break, Natalie Allison doubled down and sank two three-pointers in retaliation and was followed by Skylynn Harris with another three-pointer to boot. Points were not a problem as each team seemed to be scoring at will while both defenses were racking up fouls as Mansfield committed ten fouls and Hector held seven. Kaylee Ward showed her defensive prowess though as she ended the half with a blocked shot sending Mansfield into halftime ahead of the Lady Wildcats, 36-20.

With an all-defensive first quarter and an all-offensive second quarter, it was a coin toss as to what would be in store for the teams in the second half. This time it was the Lady Wildcats who came out to score first with a nothing but net three pointer. Kynslee Ward hit a three-pointer to match Hector, but the Lady Wildcats began to put a lockdown defense on Mansfield which caused the Lady Tigers to begin to make mental mistakes. With the Lady Tigers offense nailed down, Hector soaked up all of the momenta of the game with an 11-0 run on Mansfield making the Lady Tigers call a time-out with 3:35 left in the quarter. The time-out only worked for a slight second though as a Kynslee Ward layup was overshadowed by another Hector streak. The Lady Wildcats owned Mansfield in the third quarter as they outscored Mansfield 24-7 and closed the quarter out with a 44-43 lead. Although Mansfield and Hector split wins in the regular season and shared the conference title, there could only be one District Champion at the end of the night. The Lady Tigers and Hector traded heavyweight blows for three quarters and a mere point was all that separated them as the fourth and final quarter began. And…..here…..we…..go!

Alyson Edwards regained the lead for Mansfield with a quick offensive rebound and a putback, but a Hector three-pointer gave the Lady Wildcats the one-point lead back. Kaylee Ward tied the game up at 47-47, but the excitement was short-lived as Mansfield had their first payer foul out shortly after. The Lady Wildcats took the lead again with free throws until Seven Sanderson tied them again and Kynlsee Ward stole the lead back with a three-point shot setting the score at 52-49. Another Mansfield player fouled out at the 5:50 mark which allowed Hector to close the gap to a 52-51 lead. With two starters out and half a quarter left, it could have been over for Mansfield. But that wasn’t the case as the depth of talent on the Lady Tigers bench kicked in. Skylynn Harris drained a three-point shot and then gave a smooth assist to Natalie Allison for a layup. Hector had a player foul out on a Kynslee Ward reverse layup which caused the Lady Wildcats to call a timeout with just 4:51 left in the game. Everything went in twos from there as Hector would lose two more players to fouls while Kynslee Ward and Natalie Allison sank three-point shots. Kaylee Ward put the nail in the coffin with a free throw as the Mansfield Lady Tigers defeated the Hector Lady Wildcats 66-53 to become the 2A-4 District Champions.

That’s it, right? Wrong. The Mansfield versus Hector saga is far from over. Mansfield beat the Lady Wildcats at Mansfield in the regular season and at the 2A-4 District Tournament. Hector beat the Lady Tigers at Hector and will now host the 2A West Regional Tournament. The Lady Wildcats were the 1Seed in the District Tournament while Mansfield was the 2Seed. Now the Lady Tigers will be the 1Seed in the Regional Tournament and Hector will be a 2Seed. If you’re superstitious, then your mind is probably going nuts right now thinking of the outcome of these two top-tier teams meeting up again at Regionals. First, though, both teams have to get to the Regional Championship by facing teams from the 2A-1 Conference. Mansfield will play their Round1 game of the 2A West Regional Tournament against the Ozark Mountain Lady Bears on Wednesday, February 22nd at 4:00 pm in Hector.

Mansfield Gets Wild District Win Over Wildcats

Adam Hecox

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2:49 am

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Mansfield Gets Wild District Win Over Wildcats

The Mansfield Tigers have officially become the perfect “down, but never out” team. The Tigers have played every game this season holding a shot to either make a huge upset win or play it to the wire in a loss. As they entered the 2A-4 District Tournament, Mansfield knew they would have to play some stiff competition. The Tigers lost 66-59 in their Round2 game against JC Westside which knocked them out of the District Championship game. That was the “down”. They still had a shot at going into the Regional Tournament as a 3Seed though if they could beat the Hector Wildcats in the 2A-4 District Tournament 3^rd place game. And cue the “but never out”.

The Tigers started out strong with Peyton Martin jumpstarting the game with back-to-back breakaway layups to give Mansfield a 4-0 lead early in the matchup. Then both teams played keep away as the Tigers and Wildcats defenses stepped up to create chaos and turnovers which put a scoring lull on the game. Hector broke the defensive battle with a three-point shot but Daniel Burton drained a three-pointer of his own to help the Tigers maintain their lead. The Wildcats rebounding was dominant as offensive rebounds and put-backs helped Hector tie the game at 7-7. The tie must’ve lit a fire under Mansfield though as Zach Hayslip rolled under the basket for a reverse layup and was followed up by another Daniel Burton three-pointer. The burst of offense help Mansfield end the first quarter with a slim 14-11 lead over the Wildcats.

A 14-11 game at the end of the opening quarter isn’t a huge feat. That would soon be remedied by both teams in the second quarter as the offensive fireworks began to fly. Daniel Burton and Clint Stovall teamed up to get the Tigers up 19-11 off of board buckets and Peyton Martin sank a three-pointer from downtown to get The Jungle roaring. Hector would bounce back though with threes and layups to close the score to a narrow 24-23 lead for Mansfield. The Tigers were able to score a three-pointer, but so did Hector who then was fouled on their next possession and got a free throw to take the lead for the first time in the game. Daniel Burton slipped in a layup and was fouled with 0:21 left on the clock. After the free throw was made, the Tigers went into halftime only up 30-28.

Hector came into the third quarter and went to straight up ballin’ on the Tigers. The Wildcats knocked down two jump shots and a putback to quickly get a 34-30 jump on Mansfield. The Tigers first points of the second half came at the 4:12 mark when Peyton Martin made a layup and was fouled in the process giving Martin a plus-one on the free throw. The points did little to slow down Hector’s momentum though. The Wildcats were running wild over Mansfield by gashing the Tigers defense for buckets in the paint and holding the Tigers to a mere three points up until the last two minutes. Clint Stovall and Cole Kindle were able to combine for three points on free throws and Winston Allison sank a late three-pointer, but Hector still held on to a 42-39 lead at the buzzer.

As the fourth quarter started, both teams knew they would have to pull out all the stops and fire at will if they expected to win. Clint Stovall was fouled early and closed the score to a one-point game by making both free throws which in turn forced Hector to call a time-out with 6:46 left in the game. Both teams came out of the time-out staring at a one-point game and at seven fouls apiece. Hector didn’t back off of their game plan though and quickly rolled the score back up in their favor. Mansfield on the other hand was shooting themselves in the foot with turnovers and couldn’t buy a point with a silver dollar. The Tigers were finally down and ou…..not out! Peyton Martin stole the ball and was fouled on his way up for a score. Martin missed his free throw, but Samuel Burton made the quick rebound and put the ball through the net. Peyton Martin was still energized and sank a long jump shot to set the score at a Hector 47-46 lead with just 2:29 left. It seemed as if the only way this game would end is if the roof caught fire. Enter Drew Elmore. Elmore was the fire starter for the Tigers as he hit four free throws and put his own missed free throw back in which helped the Tigers to a 56-49 victory over the Hector Wildcats.

The Tigers have fought and battled their way to a second-place finish in the conference, third place in the District Tournament, and earned their way into the 2A West Regional Tournament as a 3Seed. Through all that the team has been through up to this point, they have always wound up proving that they cannot be taken lightly by anyone. The ultimate goal in their campaign is to make it to the Arkansas State Tournament. To get there though, they will have to defeat a salty Ozark Mountain Bears team in Regionals on Wednesday, February 23rd at 5:30 pm in Hector. The scenario is simple, win and they’re in.

MHS Men’s Team Take Third at ATCA

Sports

Tammy Teague

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1:40 am

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Maybe the most exciting part of Saturday night’s ATCA state championship for Tiger track fans came in the waning moments of the 1A/2A state indoor finals in the men’s division.

Mansfield was steadily picking up points here and there. A few highlight moments ensued including anything sophomore Trey Powell was involved in coupled with the youthful spirit of a flock of freshman boys at their first state meet.

Before most had realized, the Mansfield men were suddenly within 16 points of a state trophy. Sorry, it wasn’t quite the first place statue that the group obviously thirsted for, but rather the runner-up prize that was suddenly within reach.

To a program that has been void of state wide recognition, the secondary prize was a stepping stone worth the grasp. The final furious moments gave them a hint a state prize was possible.

Mansfield took a baker’s dozen to the Arkansas Track Coaches Association Indoor Track and Field State finals to compete for the men’s 1A/2A championship. Of the 13 Mansfield men attending, 10 were freshmen and only 3 upperclassmen. Those were the boys that almost got the job done.

With two unscored events remaining, Mansfield trailed Cross County by only 16 points.

Mansfield knew it had Powell’s 10 triple jump points coming as the sophomore track savant had just leaped a potential school record 42’ 2” to win the next to last event.

That would have potentially put the MHS boys within 6 points of the runner-up position going into the final 4x400m relay. Quitman, upon whom the Tigers originally set their sights, was already a shoo-in for the small school championship.

The Tigers, still unsure of how the other triple jump points were divided up, combined three of their top freshmen with anchorman Powell for a thrilling 4x400m relay finale.

The Mansfield women had all but officially been declared the state champions with a huge lead going into the finale race. The buzz about the school’s 14th state track championship suddenly switched over to the men’s side lending renewed enthusiasm towards a Tiger team now lurking within striking distance of notable significance.

Braxton Bartlett, who had shown real speed in his earlier races, would start the relay. It was obvious his confidence grew throughout the proceedings as he sprinted a third place 200m time and a fifth place 400m score.

Dominic Shores would receive the first handoff as the second leg. Shores had also built momentum with a fourth place finish and possible school record 11.12 in the 60m hurdles.

All-State cross country runner Joey Williams wanted a turn as the third leg despite already running 3.5 miles through a full schedule of distance races.

MHS long jumper Zander Walters files to a personal best at the indoor finals in track and field.

That left Powell, a short sprints racer, and horizontal jumper as the anchor.

Not the biggest fan of the 4x400m relay, Powell was challenged by Coach John Mackey earlier in the week with the possibility of a final’s scenario that might need Powell’s talents.

“He’s one of the top players in the area with an enviable talent for speed,” said Mackey. “I asked him if it came down to a state trophy wouldn’t you want the outcome in your hands as the anchor. He realized the wisdom of the decision days before it ever played out.”

Not knowing how the points would ultimately add up, the Tigers ran. They ran hard.

The rest of the boys, and girls too crowded the raised track for a proximal view and contagious yell zone. The Mansfield coaches including new men’s coach Ethan Bowman, girl’s coach Mackey, and assistant cross country coach Susan Martin covered strategic infield positions to offer encouragement. Then parents and friends stood on their feet too, stirring up a rally cry for the Tiger boys.

Yes, Mansfield ran hard winning their small school heat in a time of 4:04.36. An All-State effort indeed but it did not hold up for the 10 point prize. Cross County posted a slightly better time in another heat to win the event. Mansfield managed eight points after dropping to second.

As the relay times rolled in, so did the triple jump tallies. Cross County did well there too. Final results kept the gap strikingly close to the pre-rally margin.

Dominic Shores attacks the 60m hurdles. Shores believes his time of 11.12 is a school record in the event.

Quitman was the 1A/2A State Champs at 154 points. Cross Country maintained runner-up with 113 points. Mansfield closed in third with 96 points and a more mature understanding of the task at hand.

The numbers game didn’t favor the young Tigers. However, what’s encouraging is that additional track talent is waiting in the wings as the other winter sport concludes.

Mansfield saw large efforts from the jumps team. Zander Walters went nearly 3 feet above his practice average in the long jump to get fourth place with a mark of 16’ 9.25”. Powell went 16’ 1” for sixth in the same event.

Jonah Martin, Joseph Carter, Alex Hecox, and Williams started the night with 4x800m points despite lap count troubles by meet officials.

Mansfield faithful move towards the Tyson track to cheer on their men’s team in the 4x400m relay.

Shores and Hecox combined for 8 points in the 60m hurdles. The pair landed in fourth and sixth place respectively.

Ethan Martin and Dakota Langford combined for 9 points in the men’s shot put. Martin threw 36’ 3.25” for fourth place. Langford pushed past 34’ 3.75 “ for fifth place.

Ashton Hinkle offered distance points along with Jonah Martin, Cater, and Williams. Dawson Robinson competed in the 60m dash.

Freshman Joey Williams gives All-State effort at the 2023 indoor state track finals. Williams was also an All-State runner at the 2022 cross country finals.

State Champs Repeat With 2023 Indoor Title

Sports

Tammy Teague

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1:33 am

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State Champs Repeat With 2023 Indoor Title

Mansfield’s title town claim continues. With the MHS Lady Tiger’s most recent performance at the 2023 ATCA Indoor State Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville on February 18, the school’s bounty of state track championship trophies increased to 14.

Mansfield High School’s senior girls indoor track and field team repeated as the combined class 1A/2A state champions. With only seven starters returning from last season’s championship team, the rebuilt roster took home the first place trophy with a 54.5 point margin of victory.

Some strong individual efforts across the Lady Tiger grade levels sent Mansfield’s team total to 137.5 points. Carlisle broke away from a tight cluster of contenders vying for second place with 83 total points.

Sophomore Trinity Triska is Mansfield’s leading scorer at the ATCA Indoor State Finals in Fayetteville.

Mt. Ida (73) stayed in the hunt for an extended time but dropped to third place. Des Arc (55) and Magazine (54.5) followed, rounding out the classification’s top five scoring teams.

“We scouted the entries pretty hard before the Saturday’s championship event,” explained Mansfield’s long time head track coach John Mackey. “Our kids knew the scouting report. We had five teams on our radar that could be legit contenders. Our mentality has always been the same. Just do what we do and let the numbers work it out. That’s what happened and history repeated.”

The Tiger women produced value in all facets of the meet. The breakdown included 37 points in the sprints, 32.5 in the jumps, 18 in the distance events, 18 in the throws, 18 in the relays, and 14 over the hurdles.

Mansfield carried a crew of 19 players, entered 12, scored 11, and produced 10 All-State athletes.

Sophomore Trinity Triska was the leading scorer with 28.5 points. The multi-talented player competed in a team high 6 events. She produced four third place individual scores and anchored a first and second place in relay runs.

MHS seniors Skylynnn Harris, Jadelynn Wood, Seven Sanderson, and Saylor Steward join head coach John Mackey for the traditional senior walk and victory lap.

“The experience is always an amazing feeling,” offered Triska who has now achieved All-State credentials for the second consecutive season. “I had no doubt that these girls and I could do it. To compete against higher level schools and be able to hang with them is thrilling.”

Freshman Daisy Nelson was equally amazing as she balanced Triska’s jumps, middle distance, and relay points with hurdle and sprint value. Nelson won the 60m dash, 200m dash, and came within a slip of winning the 60m hurdles for 28 points of her own.

“Daisy was terrific,” noted Mackey. “She looked like a veteran and kicked it to the next level. Proud of her and all the girls that responded to the task at hand.”

Carter Whiley was the only other Mansfield player to take an individual victory. Whiley elevated her game literally by winning the high jump with a personal record leap of 4’ 10”.

“Carter was on fire at the high jump,” explained Mackey. “Coach (Ethan) Bowman and I both knew she was feeling it. We just stayed away and let her do her thing. Her 200m at the end was fantastic as always.”

Whiley and Nelson earned All-State honors for their individual victories. Senior Jadelynn Wood also claimed All-State status for an individual event. Her’s came from a second place mark in the triple jump.

Wood’s hop, skip, and jump measured 29’ 5.5”. The measure displayed fellow jumper Triska by 2 inches and gave the eventual team champions a 14 boost near the night’s end.

Mansfield’s Jadelynn Wood, Skylnn Harris, and Laney Wood covered up to 10 events for the state champion Lady Tigers.

Wood placed third in the 60m hurdles, sixth in the long jump, and seventh in the 400m dash. She too held a maxed out schedule with relay duties finishing off her formula.

“It definitely feels good to win even though I feel like I could have done better,” spoke the emotionally charged Wood competing at her last indoor state finals. “I’m still proud of myself and my teammates for everything we did. It was definitely a tough day and emotions played a very important part.”

Senior Seven Sanderson launches the winning shot put for the second consecutive season at the ATCA Indoor state finals.

Wood was one of three seniors to compete at their last indoor track event. Seven Sanderson and Skylynn Harris were the others.

Leading the team as seniors are expected, the trio each earned All-State honors based upon their individual performances. In Sanderson and Harris’s case, those credentials came via the shot put ring.

Harris was sitting on top of the shot put standings with a meet best 32’ 7” toss until teammate Sanderson got the last attempt and bettered the mark by two inches. The pair went 1-2 in the only throwing event included in the indoor schedule for a momentum building 18 points.

Freshman Daisy Nelson shines in the 60m hurdles as well as the 60m dash and 200m dash for the Lady Tiger state champions.

Freshman Kaylee Ward, who approaches her teammate’s best throwing efforts, was held out of competition due to player limitations. The ATCA games committee had a 2 player entry limit. Ward, a rising star in several sports, would have undoubtedly given Mansfield gold, silver, and bronze in the shot.

Remarkably, Mansfield’s senior throwers have owned the indoor event since their freshman season. Harris won in 2020. The pandemic canceled the 2021 campaign. Then Sanderson won in 2022 and 2023.

Trinity Triska close out the last race by anchoring the heat winning 4x400m relay team.

“It’s a great feeling to be able to come and win my event for two consecutive years, knowing I did my best,” spoke an excited Sanderson. “It’s an even better feeling to earn back to back indoor state championships. Everyone put in the work and did their part. It paid off.”

Mansfield’s only other senior to travel with the team was Saylor Steward. Steward recently joined the program and was still in training mode prior to the state finals and did not compete.

In the relay events, both Lady Tiger cooperatives finished top two. As a result, each relay member earned All-State certificates.

Sophomore Azlynn Stover, center, starts the first race for the Mansfield senior girls in their bid for a 14th state championship in track and field.

The combination of Azlynn Stover, Raine Hecox, Laney Wood, and Trinity Triska took the podium in the 4x800m relay.

Addie Bowman, Laney Wood, Jadelynn Wood, and Trinity Triska finished off the exhausting 10 hour day with a second place 4x400m finish.

“Azlynn was the first Mansfield athlete on the track,” said Mackey. “On a day that included 1,400 athletes, 85 schools, and 6 classifications, she was so steady. It really set the tone and brought the moment into focus.”

Laney Wood scored 11 of Mansfield’s distance points. Ashley Martin and Summer Frazier completed the distance team.

After the trophy presentations for all 6 classifications, Mansfield followed a well rehearsed routine. A team picture was taken against the Razorback wall, individuals got their chance with the trophy, and the seniors took a victory lap with their coach.

“The senior walk was something I’ve dreamt about since I was a freshman but actually doing it was so much different than watching it,” revealed Jadelynn Wood. “It’s definitely hard to know that my track career is coming to an end even though indoor is just the beginning of the season.”

Sanderson confirmed a similar sentiment to that of her senior classmate.

“Coming off the senior walk was both happy and sad,” allowed Sanderson. I was happy for the victory but sad to know this was the last time we would compete at indoor with this team and with Coach Mackey.”

Class 3A Region 1 Tournament to Send Eight Teams to Next Week’s State Basketball Tournament

Resident News Network

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10:54 pm

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Class 3A Region 1 Tournament to Send Eight Teams to Next Week’s State Basketball Tournament

The road to the state championship and the realization of the dreams of basketball players throughout Arkansas continues this week with regional tournament play. In Class 3A, the Region 1 tournament will be hosted by West Fork High School. Teams from the 3A-4 conference will do battle with teams from the 3A-1 for the highly coveted berths in next week’s state tournament. The Region 1 tournament will be played this week, Wednesday through Saturday, February 22-25.

The 3A-1 conference features schools from Northwest Arkansas, and in both the boys and girls brackets, the Bergman Panthers and Lady Panthers are the heavy favorites to secure number one seeds in next week’s state tournament. All other seeds in both brackets seem to be up for grabs with the home team West Fork Tigers contending in the boys bracket for the second seed along with the Booneville Bearcats and the Charleston Tigers from the 3A-4. On the girls side, Valley Springs from the 3A-1 will compete against Booneville and Paris for a second seed to state.

But as anyone knows who has followed post season basketball, anything can happen. And basketball fans know that just about every year, “Cinderella”, a team that is the surprise of the tournament, makes an appearance to upset the pre-tournament prognosticators. So, will Cinderella make her appearance at this year’s Region 1 tournament? We shall see.

RNN Sports is proud to bring you this preview of teams that will participate in the Region 1 tournament. Fans can keep up with the results and the round-by-round pairings by going to scorebooklive.com to view live bracket updates over the four days of tournament play.

GIRLS BRACKET

On the girls side of the tournament, the teams that will represent 3A-1 are: Bergman, Valley Springs, Flippin, and Elkins. Teams from the 3A-4 are Cossatot River, Paris, Booneville, and Hackett.

Seedings from the 3A-4 are: Cossatot River (1), Paris (2), Booneville (3), and Hackett (4). Seedings from the 3A-1 are: Bergman (2), Valley Springs (2), Flippin (3), and Elkins (4).

February 22

Bergman vs Hackett, 4 p.m.

Cossatot River vs Elkins, 7 p.m.

February 23

Paris vs Flippin, 4 p.m.

Valley Springs vs Booneville, 7 p.m.

BOYS BRACKET

The boys brackets on the Region 1 tournament include Booneville, Cossatot River, Charleston, and Paris from the 3A-4. From the 3A-1, teams will include Bergman, West Fork, Valley Springs, and Elkins.

The seedings from the 3A-4 are: Booneville (1), Cossatot River (2), Charleston (3), and Paris (4). From the 3A-1 the seedings are: Bergman (1), West Fork (2), Valley Springs (3), and Elkins (4)

February 22

Bergman vs Paris, 5:30 p.m.

Booneville vs Elkins, 8:30 p.m.

February 23

Cossatot River vs Valley Springs, 5:30 p.m.

West Fork vs Charleston, 8:30 p.m.

Winners in the first round of the tournament will lock up bids to the state tournament the following week. A first round regional victory advances teams to the semifinals in the regionals and no worse than a fourth place finish. The top four teams in the regionals advance to the state tournament, so all teams are focused soley on getting that first round victory in regionals. A loss in the first round of region ends the season.

The Bergman Panthers, according to Scorebook Live, won 33 games this year and were a perfect 12-0 in conference play. The Panthers ended the season with an overall record of 33-3. The Lady Panthers also had a stellar year in 2022-23, wining 31 games this year and 11 games in conference play. Bergman was 31-2 overall and 11-1 in the conference.

It could be a tough regional for the four teams from 3A-4, but, there certainly is no guarantee. All four teams from the 3A-4 will compete hard, and surprises happen nearly every year.

RNN Sports reminds fans that tickets to the tournament must be purchased in advance and online through the “GO FAN” website at gofan.co Just type your school’s name into the search bar on the site to find ticket information.

3A-4 District Tournament Crowns New Champions and Trip to Regionals

Resident News Network

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1:43 am

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3A-4 District Tournament Crowns New Champions and Trip to Regionals

In the thirtieth season since the opening of Paris Gymnasium, any of those previous 30 years would have to dig deep to find a week of basketball that was better than the last week when it played host to the 3A-4 district tournament. All of the teams played hard and competed well, and in the end, the large crowds that attended throughout the week were treated to great high school basketball. New conference champions and runner-ups were crowned, and a new contingent of teams were tabbed to represent the district in next week’s regional tournament that will be hosted by West Fork High School.

Cossatot River completed a dream season that included both the regular season and district tournament championship (RNN Sports Photo / Jim Best)

In the first game of Championship Friday, the top-seeded Cossatot River Lady Eagles were matched against the three seed Paris Lady Eagles. Paris, playing on its home floor, was the visiting team for the game. Both previous regular season games were close with Cossatot River having won both at home and in Paris. But both were very competitive, and the expectation going into this game was that it would be another close game. And both teams did not disappoint.

Paris maintained a small lead for much of the first half, but the well-coached and determined Cossatot Lady Eagles fought their way back to take the lead at the buzzer just before the half.

In the second half, it was a game that resembled a heavy weight fight between two good teams. Both teams left everything they had on the court, and in the end, Paris missed a last second shot that would have won the game. A gallant Paris effort had fallen just short, and Cossatot won the championship and will move on to the regionals as a top seed. The final score was 50-48.

Paris made a big turnaround in 2022-23 with a third place conference season finish and a runner-up finish in the district tournament (RNN Sports Photo / Jim Best)

In the boys championship final, the game featured two teams that had turned their regular seasons around and were playing great basketball going into the district tournament. Cossatot River, who spent time in the middle of the conference standings, was coming on strong and had upset the tournament’s top seed, Charleston, in the semifinals. The Booneville Bearcats, featuring a very young but talented team, had been on the same road as Cossatot, but were playing great basketball at the right time. The Bearcats defeated the tournament’s number two seed, Paris, in the semifinals.

Maybe the most improved team in the conference, the Cossatot River Eagles finished the season strong along with a runner-up finish in the district tournament (RNN Sports Photo / Jim Best)

So the stage was set for an exciting boys final, but, it did not turnout that way. Booneville’s talented young players quickly took control of the game, seemingly scoring at well on drives to the basket, jumped out to a double-digit lead for much of the game. Cossatot fought back with everything they had, and pulled within eight points late, but it was not enough. Booneville defeated Cossatot by the score of 80-67 for the tournament championship.

The Booneville Bearcats, who had experienced large deficit losses early in the season, had improved dramatically over the past month of the season, and are now district tournament champions and will be the top seed from the district in next week’s regional tournament.

So the regional teams from 3A-4 are set and will move on to play for a state tournament berth the following week. The 3A-4 teams going to the regionals are:

3A-4 GIRLS

Cossatot River, #1 Seed

Paris, #2 Seed

Booneville, #3 Seed

Hackett, #4 Seed

3A-4 BOYS

Booneville, #1 Seed

Cossatot River, #2 Seed

Charleston, #3 Seed

Paris, #4 Seed

RNN Sports will have a regional tournament preview on Tuesday evening. Watch for this story on social media and on our website at residentnewsnetwork.com

And watch for more photos from the 3A-4 tournament this week on Facebook at Paris Eagles Sports!

All of us at RNN Sports wish all of the 3A-4 regional teams the best of luck next week in their drive to advance to the state tournament! And….RNN Sports will be there to bring you all of the action!

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RESIDENT NEWS NETWORK