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SR Tigers Roar Back With Stunning Win Over Lavaca

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6:24 pm

SR Tigers Roar Back With Stunning Win Over Lavaca

The Mansfield SR Tigers started out super hot running the table with an impressive 4-0 start to the 2022 season. Impressive victories over Magazine, Paris, and Waldron followed by a nail-biter win against West Fork had Tigermainia running wild in Mansfield. As with every season though, the Tigers hit the “Skid Row” section of their conference schedule. A close loss to Greenland nipped the Tigers in the tail for their first loss of the season. Then came games against the top two teams in the entire 3A where Mansfield fought valiantly but still failed against Charleston and Booneville. The Tigers 4-0 went to 4-3 overnight it seemed and just like that the honeymoon was over. After losing three straight games, things didn’t look to be any easier for Mansfield as they headed into their game against the 6-1 Lavaca Golden Arrows on Friday, October 21st.

Photo courtesy of Shelly² Photography Videography and Design

The stakes of the game versus Lavaca were pretty cut and dry. Win and have a chance at making the State Playoffs. Lose and all chances of making the Playoffs would be out the window. To make matters worse for the Tigers, they stepped onto the field missing starters on both sides of the ball, and those who were suited up were still banged up pretty badly from previous games. This would be a game of who wants it more. Early on it seemed as if Mansfield was going to just lay down and accept defeat as Lavaca jumped out to a 14-0 lead on the Tigers. Mansfield’s offense continued to struggle as they did in their previous losses and their usual high-end defense was nowhere to be found.

Time to chalk up the “L” for the Tigers right? Not so fast. With Lavaca rolling downfield again, Mansfield’s defense finally took charge. The Golden Arrows put the ball on the ground and defensive end, Trey Vaughan, came up with the recovery. The Tigers then found an offensive groove in their run game as Tyler Woolbright and Fisher Willsey found gaps in Lavaca’s defense and exploited them for yards. With the Golden Arrows focused on the Tigers new found run game, quarterback Cole Kindle hit Clint Stovall on a 26-yard pass setting Mansfield up at the one-yard line. Fisher Willsey proceeded to punch the ball through for a would-be Tiger touchdown, but a flag negated the score. Cole Kindle then hit Peyton Martin at the one-yard line to again set the Tigers up for a possible score. But Mansfield again would be flagged and lose more ground. Mansfield Head Coach, Tim Cothran, didn’t want to give Lavaca’s offense any more chances so he opted to run the clock down to one second before calling a time-out. The Tigers stepped out of their time out facing fourth down at the six-yard line with one second left in the half. That’s all it took too as Cole Kindle found a double-covered Daniel Burton on a slant route for a Tiger touchdown. Just like that, the Tigers were back in the game as they headed into the half down 14-7.

Remember earlier in the article where it said that this would be a game of who wants it more? Well, Lavaca showed how much they wanted it as they started off the second half with the ball and marched downfield like a tank to score on the Tiger’s defense. The Golden Arrows couldn’t come up with the extra point but still stretched the score out to a 20-7 lead over the Tigers. This could have been the point that the Tigers submitted and accepted their fate. But fate had something else in store for Mansfield. Tyler Woolbright kickstarted the Tigers offense with a pair of big runs right down the pipe of Lavaca’s defense. Mansfield continued to pick apart the Golden Arrows defense but just as the offensive momentum was building, a fumble gave Lavaca the ball right back. Mansfield’s defense stepped up again and this time poured on the pain. Samuel Burton pinned his ears back and stuffed Lavaca on back-to-back plays and then sacked the Golden Arrows quarterback on fourth down to give Mansfield’s offense another shot. The Tigers ran two positive yard plays before the third quarter ended with a 20-7 score.

It all came down to the infamous fourth quarter. Mansfield’s offense came out with a playoffs-or-bust attitude as Tyler Woolbright again attacked the center of Lavaca’s defense for positive yards. That set up a Fisher Willsey run around the corner for a 15-yard Tiger touchdown. Jeremy Strozier split the uprights for the extra point putting Mansfield only one score away from upsetting Lavaca. The Tigers defense began to look like the Mansfield fans are used to seeing as they again shut down the high-powered Lavaca offense forcing the Golden Arrows to punt. Mansfield went back to the ground and pound game that had been successful up to that point. Woolbright and Willsey took turns plowing their way with a fierce determination down to the 15-yard line. The Tigers had been in the position to put points on the board all season but couldn’t execute most of the time. Most of the time wasn’t this time though as Cole Kindle found an open crease in Lavaca’s defense and zipped the pass to Peyton Martin for a Tiger touchdown with 5:51 left in the game. Jeremy Strozier kept his perfect extra-point streak alive as he again kicked the ball through putting Mansfield ahead 21-20.

Lavaca went right back to work though and threatened the Tigers possible win by getting downfield quickly. That’s when disaster struck. Lavaca’s quarterback fumbled a snap on second down and dove for the ball at the same time as Mansfield defenders Kindel Noblitt and Braxton Byers. The three heads simultaneously struck sending all three players to the ground. The game came to an abrupt halt as fans and players from both sides sent prayers up for those involved. When things kicked back up, the ball was Lavaca’s at midfield. The Golden Arrows connected on a pass for the first down setting themselves up for a go-ahead victory. With time running out and Lavaca down by one point, the Golden Arrows took aim and put the ball in the air. There are moment’s that move in slow motion and an eternity passed as the ball was in the air. All or nothing. Playoffs or bust. Who wants it more? Mansfield senior cornerback Tyler Woolbright showed without a shadow of a doubt that he wanted it more as he intercepted the slow-motion pass. The pick gave Mansfield the ball again and the Tigers offense lined up in victory formation and took a knee to run the clock out. When the clock hit 0:00, the Mansfield Tigers were victorious 21-20, broke a three-game losing streak, and kept their State Playoff hope alive.

The win sets Mansfield up in a favorable position to earn the four seed in the State Playoffs. Favorable, but not guaranteed. Mansfield will face Cedarville and Hackett to end the regular season. Both teams have combined for one conference win on the season and that one win was Cedarville beating Hackett. But don’t let the records fool you. Cedarville and Hackett are rivals and anything can happen in rivalry games. The Tigers still sit behind Charleston, Booneville, Greenland, and Lavaca in conference play so they will have to win out to have a chance at being State Playoff bound for the first time since 2019. That being said, Mansfield proved against Lavaca that they’ll leave every once in their being on the field to win. The Tigers will travel to Pirates Cove on Friday, October 28th to again lay it all on the line for a coveted Playoff birth.

Historic Race Results Energize Tiger Titles

Sports

Tammy Teague

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4:42 am

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Historic Race Results Energize Tiger Titles

Mansfield takes all four divisions of the 2A-4 District Cross Country Championships on Saturday.

Magazine Coach Randy Bryan has been the meet director of the 2A-4 District Cross Country Championships since 2007. Since that time he has yet to see a school sweep all four divisional races. That ended on Saturday as Mansfield conquered all by winning every team race at the conference showdown.

Lady Tiger Raine Hecox leads a second wave of Mansfield runners at Saturday’s conference meet.

Not only did Bryan admit to never seeing a school sweep the league titles, he also admitted that no male runner has ever won both the junior high and senior high races on the same day. That too changed.

MHS freshman Joey Williams take the lead all day long as he wins both men’s event at the 2A-4 Conference Championships.

Tiger freshman sensation Joey Williams ran away with the 1.5 mile junior boys race in a remarkable 8:08 clocking. After about a 45 minute break, Williams moved up to the senior high division to take that 5K course in a winning time of 18:07.

“It was an emotional day to say the least,” expressed Mansfield Head Coach John Mackey. “In particular, it really meant the world to our lone senior, Jadelynn Wood. She offered her heart and soul to this championship day. And, Joey’s two runs were phenomenal. To do something that hasn’t been done in at least 15 years is pretty remarkable.”

Joey Williams lead temamates Braxton Bartlett and Joseph Carter at Magazine.

Mansfield’s title sweep began by winning the closest contest of the mid-morning race slate. The junior girls took down host Magazine with a 47 to 52 margin. Despite only placing two players inside the Top 10, Mansfield prevailed against the depth of the Rattler racers.

The momentum swelled as the Mansfield junior boys tallied a near perfect score en route to their team victory. Bringing home six players inside the Top 10, Mansfield’s youngest men’s squad ran roughshod over Johnson County Westside to the tune of 17 to 47.

Saturday had a star power sighting as Ouachita Baptist cross country runner Darby Jones makes a visit to her old teammates as Mansfield’s senior girls ready for the district meet.

“This was a veteran group as far as junior high teams go,” explained Mackey. “Four of these boys were on our previous district championships. Today, it was a 3-peat for them.”

Both MHS senior teams followed suit winning their races in similar dominating fashions. The Lady Tigers easily topped runner up Western Yell County. The senior boys took over Johnson County Westside in a near rematch of the junior high race.

MHS junior girls take a timeout from warming up for the district finals in cross country.

The first ten finishers in each race at the conference meet earned All-District status. Mansfield filled its collective coffers with 14 athletes with such acclaim.

Count Laney Wood (2), Jadelynn Wood (3), Raine Hecox (7), and Trinity Triska (9) as recipients of those conference credentials for the senior high girls. The first three of those Lady Tigers all posted season best times for the 5K race.

Laney Wood went 22:11 for the individual runner-up finish at the conference course in Magazine. Jadelynn Wood completed the district race in 23:13 which dropped her career best by 28 seconds. Finally, Hecox shaved another minute and a half for the third consecutive meet with a 24:52 marker at the conference showdown.

Mansfield’s junior Tigers win the conference XC meet for the third consecutive season on Saturday.

For the junior girls, Rylan Jones (4) and Abby Smith (7) made that All-District category. Jones went 10:21 to better her September Magazine effort by a minute and ten seconds. Smith was 16 seconds behind that at 10:37.

The Mansfield All-District lists for the junior and senior high boys teams were very similar. The Tiger freshmen were elevated to the senior high upon the conclusion of their earlier junior high race so their top finishers were nearly identical.

Tiger freshmen Joey Williams (1), Jonah Martin (4), Alex Hecox (7), Braxton Bartlett (9), and Joseph Carter (10) made the junior list before doubling up in the varsity event. Eighth graders Gunner Williams (3) and Holden Powers (8) worked within the mix as the Mansfield junior high sported seven of the ten medal winners.

Senior Jadelynn Wood gets support form former teammate Darby Jones as Mansfield preapres for the cross country sweep at district.

Sophomore Austin Ruiz (3) climbed into All-District position among Williams (1), Martin (4), Hecox (5), Bartlett (7) and Carter (8) who continued domination even at the senior high level.

“It was good to have complete team rosters for a change,” noted the coach. “The full time cross country players prepare everyday and are seeing huge results. We don’t see all of our athletes on a daily basis because of the schedules of the dual sport kids. So, this was really special putting all the pieces together in one place.”

Austin Ruiz and Joey Williams await the start of the senior boys race.

Addie Bowman completed the senior girls scoring five at 11th place. Ashley Martin and Carter Whiley served as blockers. Carrisa Vaughan ran her first 5K of the season to boost the MHS Lady Tiger depth.

Adeline Bray (15), Lilly Young (16) and Miley Clopton (22) completed the junior girls scoring five. Whitley Boyd (27) was their lone blocker.

Raihan Islam (19), Matthew Knight (21) and James Drews (22) ran as alternates for the first place Mansfield junior boys team at the district meet.

Top Tiger Laney Wood approaches her All-State time form a year ago at this season’s conference 5K.

Mansfield Assistant Coach Susan Martin and Head Coach John Mackey display all four divisional champinships their teams earned at the district XC finals.

Dramatic Win Enjoyed By Honorary Captain

Sports

Tammy Teague

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4:41 am

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Dramatic Win Enjoyed By Honorary Captain

Mrs. Sue Ward assists in the coin flip as honorary captian of the Mansfield verse Lavaca football game.

Friday night’s dramatic come from behind football victory was not the first nor will it be the last enjoyed by Mansfield’s most recent honorary team captain.

Mrs. Sue Ward has witnessed many such contests over her 49 year teaching career at Mansfield High School. This however, was her first donning the digs of the team’s honorary captain.

Last week’s nailbiter between the home town Mansfield Tigers and the visiting Lavaca Golden Arrows was indeed one for the ages. Junior Cole Kindle connected with birthday boy Peyton Martin in the fourth quarter to secure a pivotal conference matchup 21 – 20 in favor of the Tigers.

Honorary Mansfield team captain Sue Ward wears jersey 49.

What was unique from the start was that Mansfield head coach Tim Cothran and athletic director John Mackey asked Ward to be a part of the show. The two men have headed a committee that’s invited notable Mansfield patrons to walk with the traditional coin captains each home contest this season. This past week, it was Ward’s turn to be so honored.

Signifying her 49 consecutive years of service to MHS before her retirement last May, Ward sported a number 49 captain’s shirt.

Typically asked to stop at the hash mark as the true team captains move to midfield, this most recent honorary captain was allowed by the “white hat” official to proceed all the way to the coin toss area. In fact, Ward was allowed to flip the ceremonial coin.

Perhaps a hint of good luck, Mansfield won the coin flip. After that, Ward enjoyed the rest of the marquee matchup from the stadium rim among family and friends that came to celebrate her moment under the lights.

Ward was recognized in the pre-game announcements as not only a Mansfield graduate but also one of the first women’s basketball players at Arkansas Tech University. She spent two years after that working in Washington D.C. for the FBI. From there she returned to Fayetteville, Arkansas and earned her bachelor’s degree in Home Economics at the University of Arkansas.

Beginning a teaching career after college graduation, Ward taught Home Economics, sponsored the award winning FCCLA membership at Mansfield, and served as the school’s varsity cheer coach for 10 years. During all that time, this was the first time she walked onto a football field as a captain of the team.

To date this season, Mansfield has invited little league football coaches Steven Moore and David Moore as honorary captains. 2020 T. Franklin Boyd award winners Layton Howard and Maggie Strunk joined the list of dignitaries. “Concrete guy” Butch Martin has also made the list.

Mansfield will announce its last honorary captain of the 2022 season on November 4 when the Hackett Hornets come to town on senior night.

VB Fans Reminded Online Tickets Only

Sports

Tammy Teague

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4:40 am

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Mansfield will host the 2022 Class 2A Centennial Bank State Volleyball Tournament presented by Everett Buick on October 25 – 27. As such, local fans are reminded that only online tickets will be available for purchase for entrance into the games.

Patrons will need to visit GoFan.Co to order daily tickets. There will absolutely be no money transactions for tickets at the door. Only AAA passes will be honored.

An online ticket is only good for one admission for one day. Anyone leaving the venue will be required to purchase another ticket. New tickets are required for each new day of competition.

First round games begin on Tuesday at noon. The 8 opening round games will be split between the Mansfield High School Gym and the Mansfield Middle School Gym. Quarter finals and semi-finals action will continue the follow two days exclusively at the high school gym.

Tournament host and 2-time defending state champs, Mansfield, will play on court one at MHS. That contest will begin at 4:00 PM versus Magnet Cove.

2A West Conference Runner-up, Lavaca, begins its tournament on court two at the Mansfield middle school campus. That contest will be against England at 2:00 PM.

For complete bracket updates visit ahsaa.org and search for volleyball state brackets.

JR Tigers Break Golden Arrows And Losing Streak

Networks

Adam Hecox

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5:43 pm

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JR Tigers Break Golden Arrows And Losing Streak

Nelson Mandela once said “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” The Mansfield JR High football team started out their season 5-0 before stumbling against Charleston and Booneville. Many saw the losses as just that, losses. But a select few saw a Tigers team that battled with all they had and even improved during the two-game losing streak. The schedule still didn’t favor Mansfield as on Thursday, October 20th the Tigers traveled to Lavaca to take on another top-notch conference opponent in the Golden Arrows.

Tigers defensive end, Matthew Burton (#4), takes down Lavaca’s quarterback for the first sack of the game.

Unlike every game the Tigers previously played, Mansfield lost the coin toss and had to open the game by kicking off to Lavaca. The Golden Arrows had a quiver full of bigger players on the field than Mansfield and used that advantage to drive the ball down to the Tigers 32 yard line. Mansfield finally forced a fourth down on the Golden Arrows offense and Lavaca went for the fourth down conversion, but Tiger defensive ends Braxton Bartlett and Matthew Burton cut down the Golden Arrows quarterback for a turnover on downs. Now with the ball in their hands, Mansfield wasted little time getting momentum going. The Tigers started their drive with a pass from Cooper Edwards to Ethan Martin who rumbled 36 yards downfield into Lavaca territory. Zander Walters and Cooper Edwards made a couple of powerful runs to set Mansfield up at the five-yard line, but the Tigers couldn’t capitalize and turned the ball over on downs. Lavaca would gift the ball right back to Mansfield though with a fumble at the two-yard line and defensive lineman Logan Ore was there for the recovery. Again with the ball, the Tigers gave a quick handoff to Zander Walters who popped into the endzone for a Tiger touchdown. Walters tacked on the two-point conversion setting the Tigers up with an 8-0 lead over Lavaca at the end of the first quarter.

Mansfield’s Zander Walters (#6) shucks off a Golden Arrow defender en route to a Tiger touchdown.

The Tigers started off the second quarter much better than the first as Manfield’s defense forced a three-and-out on Lavaca’s offense. It only took two plays by running backs Ethan Martin and Zander Walters for Mansfield to find the endzone again, but unfortunately, a holding penalty negated the score. No matter though, the Tigers pounded their way downfield again and this time capitalized with a score by Zander Walters from nine yards out. The Tigers two-point try came up unsuccessful leaving them with a 14-0 lead over the Golden Arrows. With the lead in their favor, the Tigers seemed to soften up their effort as Lavaca ate up yards and the clock by driving the ball 62 yards on nine plays to score. The Golden Arrows couldn’t add on the two-point conversion but still, put Mansfield on notice by making it a one-possession game. Once Mansfield got the ball back, Cooper Edwards zeroed in a pair of passes to Ethan Martin with racked up 25 yards and 17 yards on his receptions to get the Tigers in scoring position. Unfortunately, the Tigers ran out of time in the half before they could score again as Mansfield entered halftime with a slim 14-6 lead.

Tiger Coaches Tim Cothran and Keith Stovall coach up Mansfield’s defense before halftime.

Mansfield received the opening kick of the second half and showed that they wouldn’t go down without a fight. Lavaca’s kick went to returner Gunner Williams who played a slide-of-hand trick on Lavaca as Williams ran with the ball in one direction and then handed the ball to Ethan Martin on a reverse. Martin rumbled, bumbled, and stumbled down the field for 54 yards on the return setting Mansfield’s offense up with great field position. The Tigers then used their triple threat in the backfield as they targeted the Golden Arrows with runs by Zander Walters, Ethan Martin, and Dawson Robinson to get down to the one-yard line. Ethan Martin was the one to cross the goal line from one yard out behind the lead blocking of Dawson Robinson for a Tiger Touchdown. Cooper Edwards zipped a pass to Joseph Carter for the two-point conversion to jump the Tigers lead to 22-6.

Mansfield running back, Ethan Martin (#24), works for extra yardage after catching a pass from Cooper Edwards (#1).

The Tigers defense finally shook off the rust and started shining in the second half. Lavaca was unable to get past Cadien and Logan Ore, aka the “Brothers of Destruction”, as the Ore’s created chaos in the Golden Arrows backfield on each snap of the ball. Mansfield’s linebacker corps consisting of Ethan Martin, Alex Hecox, and Dawson Robinson also chewed up Lavacas running backs and receivers seemingly at will. Missing in the Tigers linebacker corps though was Mansfield’s star running back and linebacker Zander Walters. Walters was injured on the Tigers previous drive so Tigers head coach, Tim Cothran, plugged up the void with ninth grader Logan Newman. Newman came into the game with a point to prove and boy did he excel in doing so as the freshman tallied up multiple solo and assisted tackles in the second half. Although the Golden Arrows didn’t pass deep much, defensive backs Cooper Edwards and Dominic Shores were on the spot when they did knocking down any passes in their direction.

Logan Newman (#16) sizes up his next Golden Arrow victim for a tackle.

With the Tigers defense rallying and the Golden Arrows off target, Mansfield’s offense was able to zone in on the endzone again. The Tigers took over possession after a Lavaca turnover on downs and in just one snap of the ball, Cooper Edwards slung a 29-yard touchdown pass to none other than Ethan Martin for another Tiger touchdown. Mansfield couldn’t score the two-point conversion which set the scoreboard at 28-6 in the Tigers favor. The closing touchdown may have been by the hands of the Tigers offenses, but the true game closer came from the defense. Lavaca’s offense worked their way down to the Tigers 20-yard line and set up for a shot at the endzone. As the Golden Arrows quarterback dropped back for a pass, Matthew Burton came in for a big hit which sent the pass sailing into the waiting arms of Mansfield’s Joseph Carter for a Mansfield Tigers interception. The turnover allowed the Tigers offense to chip away at the clock and end the game with a 28-6 final score for the victory.

Mansfield’s Joseph Carter (#2) heads downfield after intercepting a Lavaca pass.

Mansfield’s win over Lavaca not only broke a two-game losing streak, but it also set the 2022 JR High team to do something that hasn’t been done in almost a decade. The JR Tigers now sit with an overall record of 6-2 on the season and a 4-2 conference record making them one of the winningest Mansfield JR High teams in recent memory. Mansfield will look to solidify their record-setting claim when they host the Cedarville Pirates on Thursday, October 27th for the final game of the season.

Meet City Attorney Candidate Alex Gustafson

Tammy Teague

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1:46 am

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Meet City Attorney Candidate Alex Gustafson

Hey Greenwood, my name is Alex Gustafson, and I am running for Greenwood City Attorney. I am married to my wife Stephanie and am a proud stepfather to her son Colton. I grew up in Dallas Texas and moved to Fayetteville in 2010 further my education at the University of Arkansas. I moved to Greenwood in 2018 and joined the Walters Law Firm. During my time at Walters, I handled a wide range of legal matters and was able to learn from prominent attorneys in the area and gained important relationships. My experience at Walters helped me understand how to successfully try cases and to vigorously represent clients.

After discussions with my mentors about my future, it was determined that my talents could be best suited in representing the City of Greenwood where I live. Thereafter, I started my law firm, ALEXGUS LAW, LLC, where I currently share office space with Michael Hamby who has served as the Greenwood City Attorney for the last 30 years. I have shadowed Mr. Hamby for the past year, learning the ends and outs needed to adequately represent the City.

As City Attorney, I feel that I am obligated to protect the integrity of Greenwood and to keep its interests as my main priority. I aim to help the City be transparent and to adequately advise the local government concerning any important issues.

I am the most qualified candidate because I get things done. Throughout the past year, I have helped spearhead the sidewalk litigation and successfully obtained an order allowing the City to begin the much needed sidewalk construction. Further, I aided in the annexation of the Curve at the corner of Hwy. 10 and 71, which expands Greenwood’s borders and allows for future businesses to take foothold. Currently, I am serving on a special committee for the Water Commission to help negotiate and draft a new contract with James Fork.

The City Attorney position is a multifaceted role that I have spent my legal career preparing for. For me, having my family in Greenwood, working in the City, and serving the people of my community is a great honor that I hold near and dear to my heart. That is why I ask that you vote for me, Alex Gustafson, for Greenwood City Attorney so that I may truly focus on Greenwood’s future and making it the cornerstone of the River Valley.

-Submitted by Alex Gustafson, candidate for Greenwood City Attorney

Greenwood City Lake’s Cuthbert Bridge Project: Part 2

Tammy Teague

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3:47 pm

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Greenwood City Lake’s Cuthbert Bridge Project: Part 2

Editor’s Note: When the opportunity arose to share this historical piece, full of emotion and family ties–I jumped at it. It is an exciting project, and we invite you, our readers, to be a part!

Installment 2/3 – In part two of this three-part series we discuss the current progress of the Cuthbert Bridge Project. In part one, we discovered the history behind the project. In the final installment, the future, and how you can be a part of Greenwood’s history in the making!

As with any project this size, construction plans have been divided into phases. Daniel McDaniel, the city councilman spearheading the project, has formulated a plan.

“I’ve put together a phased plan that would complete all work at the lake site with the bridge abutments, concrete work and piles driven so that we’re ready for the bridge to be set in place. We have enough money in hand to get that completed in phase I. For phase II, we will have to wait, pray, hope, and beg for additional funding through charitable donations, grant awards or perhaps some form of reallocation from the city, parks, A&P or ARPA funds. As it stands at this time, we would not expect to hear back on a grant award until probably summer of 2023.”

To date, Tom Cuthbert (read more about the history of the Cuthbert family) has made a generous donation to get the project started.

“When the idea of the bridge came up I contacted Randy Coleman with Mickle Wagner Coleman engineering,” added McDaniel. “Randy was the chief engineer for the city water projects back in the day and greatly admired Dr. Cuthbert. He offered his time and expertise at no cost and has kept…his firm’s cost for inspectors, drafting and other necessary work to a minimum to help us out.”

PHASE I

With the initial funds in place, and some amazing project engineers willing to donate their time and expertise, it will give Jacob Burton the green light to begin the earthwork. Burton, a Greenwood native, is the developer for the Curve project and has donated all of the fill material needed. He is also providing the hauling, dozier work, and excavating at a fraction of the cost. “Heavy equipment is expensive to operate and he has been very generous with his time and keeping the cost as low as possible,” McDaniel continued.

The initial phase will also include acquiring steel pilings, installation, trucking, and bids for concrete work.

McDaniel has recommended that gravel and a new parking area be constructed before winter. “Doing the work before winter would make the area useable for the trail and other visitors to the lake.”

Phase I will conclude with concrete and wing walls.

Phase II

The transition to the fabrication phase will begin and will include all material, labor, and equipment necessary to complete the bridge. This stage requires a great deal of logistical planning. From transporting the bridge to the fabrication yard, the labor, materials, and assembly, all before the bridge is completed and is ready to be moved to the lake location, is an enormous undertaking.

Once in place, the flooring will be installed. McDaniel commented that he is aware of unanticipated problems with a project of this size, but is budgeting for those costs.

In phase II, McDaniel stated they will be seeking the assistance of the Sebastian County Road Department for the parking lot, and culverts.

Lastly, signage and safety railings will be installed. “Two signs will be installed,” concluded McDaniel. “One with the bridge’s history, the other one will be a Cuthbert tribute.”

In the third and final installment of the Cuthbert Bridge Project, learn how you, your business, or your organization can get involved in this truly historical campaign.

Centerpoint Defeats Paris, 42-7

Resident News Network

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5:37 am

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It was a long trip to the South Arkansas town of Amity for the Paris football program to play the Centerpoint Knights in a 3A-4 conference game. Symbolically, the long trip there and back is not unlike the 2022 season for the Eagles. It has been a long season that will culminate next week at home with a final conference game against Magnet Cove.

Paris once again played hard and competed with the Knights who entered the game undefeated both overall and in conference play. In fact, the Eagles were within striking distance until very late in the second quarter. Paris had narrowed the lead to 14-7 before giving up a touchdown about midway through the second quarter, and then again just before the half to stretch the Centerpoint lead to 28-7 at the half.

Early in the first half, senior running back Jace Clark of Centerpoint eclipsed the single season rushing record for the Knight’s football program. Clark’s running highlighted the Centerpoint offense that appeared to be very conservative in handing the ball off to Clark who could not be stopped by the Paris defense. Occasionally, the Knights would throw the ball down field to receivers who were left open by a defense desperate to stop the run.

Centerpoint would score twice more in the second half, sending the game clock into sportsmanship rule mode (continuous clock) for the remainder of the game. Paris was unable to score again, and the Knights cruised to a 42-7 win at home over Paris.

With the win over Paris, Centerpoint remains undefeated in conference play and will end their regular season with two huge games against Bismarck and Glen Rose. The final top three seedings from conference 3A-4 will be greatly impacted by the Knights’ games with the other two conference leaders.

Due to the cancellation of the Danville game in Week Ten of the Paris schedule, the Eagles’ regular season will conclude next week, October 28, at home versus Magnet Cove. It will be Senior Night and both Paris and Magnet Cove will be playing for the fifth and final state playoff berth from the 3A-4. For Paris, it will be win or go home for the 2022 season when they host the Panthers.

Watch for photos from the Centerpoint game next week on Facebook at Paris Eagles Sports. RNN Sports will be in Searcy next week to cover the Lady Eagles in the state volleyball tournament, and will return home on Friday to bring you coverage of the Eagles’ final regular season football game.

So, Eagles fans, enjoy your weekend, and get ready for a big week of Paris sports next week! RNN Sports will be there to bring you all of the action!

Around the Boathouse – Blue Mountain Lake

Outdoors

Tammy Teague

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8:32 pm

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Around the Boathouse – Blue Mountain Lake

Yearling threadfin shad were recently stocked in several central Arkansas lakes, including two that studies showed were very much in need of the forage.

Lake Beaverfork (75,400 shad stocked) and Brewer Lake (118,080) were stocked by the staff from the AGFC’s Charlie Craig State Fish Hatchery in Centerton in northwest Arkansas.

During population sampling conducted over the previous two years, it was noted that game species that were sampled (largemouth bass, crappie and channel catfish) in these two lakes had below-optimal relative weights (or “plumpness”). This is an indicator that not enough forage was available for optimal growth and condition of the game fish.

This stocking effort was made in the hopes that the threadfin shad will overwinter and have several spawns next summer that will contribute to the overall forage base in the two lakes. The photo at top right shows AGFC staff using a stocking truck full of threadfin shad at Lake Beaverfork.

As much as we try to get a consistent Fishing Report from anglers around Blue Mountain Lake, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lake just south of Mount Magazine, those reports don’t come often enough. Maybe some people are holding out on us, considering the results of a recent sampling by the AGFC that indicated there are nice, healthy largemouth bass in the lake.

A recently completed fall electrofishing sample on Blue Mountain Lake in Yell and Logan counties showed catch rates and size structure indicative of a well-balanced population of largemouths, according to AGFC biologists. Relative weight values (an indicator of the “plumpness” of the fish) were excellent, with many fish exceeding the optimum level of 100. This means the fish were very fat and well-fed.

If you’re looking for a few bass to bend your rod this fall, check out Blue Mountain Lake. The lake is surrounded by mountains, you’re not far from the spectacular Arkansas State Parks’ Mount Magazine Lodge (if you can land a vacancy in October), and the beautiful scenery will add to your fishing experience.

Yeast Diaper Rash Help

Lifestyle

Madison VanRavensway

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8:25 pm

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My grandma had a collection of newspaper clippings with useful information. There is a scrapbook in my buffet cabinet that holds them all, she compiled them. I’ve not read them all, but chances are there is a remedy for most all issues I could face.

Maybe this is still common other places, an ask so-and-so column where nothing but useful information is shared. I’m not here to change the world, or start that article for Resident Press. An Ask Madison advice column would be a lot of “I don’t know” and probably no helpful advice.

But this one! I have some advice for those parents who have kiddos prone to yeast, or even not. When a yeast rash hits it’s a pain, and they can be boogers to get rid of. Of course, there are prescription meds or even over the counter, but when you need quick relief for your little there isn’t time to find it.

To begin with we did an oatmeal bath. Google was not the most helpful with if this would help or feed the yeast, so I did it as a trial and error. Immediately upon getting the baby from the oatmeal bath the redness had already subsided and the rash looked less angry.

Next I put plain yogurt on the rash. Baby girl protested for a minute because it was just out of the fridge and very cool, but it seemed to add to the soothing effect. The next time I changed her I slathered on coconut oil with a teensy drop of lavender essential oil. Then the next I did more yogurt. Really, coconut oil and yogurt could be applied at the same time but I swapped.

Her yeast rash has improved greatly!

To do an oatmeal bath and not make a ginormous mess in your bath tub put the oats in a sock or wash cloth and tie with a rubber band or pony tail.

R

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