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Jr Tigers Train Bulldogs To “Turnover” In Win

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10:29 am

Jr Tigers Train Bulldogs To “Turnover” In Win

When most folks think of the Battle of Scott County, the first thing that comes to mind is the Sr High battles over the years between Mansfield and Waldron. The Jr High games tend to fall to the side in Tiger fans’ minds. Why? Simply because Bulldogs have owned the Tiger’s tails over the past few years, and nobody wants to remember losses. But that all changed on Thursday, September 2^nd as the Jr Tigers traveled to The Pound and routed Waldron 28-0.

The game kicked off with both teams sizing each other up. Mansfield went to work on offense first but was stunned by the bigger Bulldogs as Waldron stuffed the Tiger’s power run game. The Tigers returned the favor as they were able to shut down Waldron’s bread and butter runs to the perimeter of the field. With neither offense running on all cylinders, the game looked to become a slow defensive battle. Waldron was beginning to put a solid drive together with 2:11 left in the 1^st quarter when the Tigers defense went into attack mode. Mansfield flooded the backfield with white jerseys with Cisco Fildes forcing the Bulldogs to put the ball on the turf. Nose guard Toby Towe scooped up the fumble and screamed 37 yards downfield for a Tiger touchdown. And Zander Walters plowed his way into the end zone for the two-point conversion to give Mansfield an early 8-0 lead.

A defensive score is a great way to start a game, but Mansfield wanted to finish this one and finish it fast. On the Bulldog’s next offensive position, the Tigers again created chaos in the Waldron backfield forcing another fumble with Mansfield’s Jeremy Strozier recovering the ball and rolling downfield 39 yards for another Tiger touchdown with 0:43 seconds left in the 1st quarter. The extra point attempt was no good, but Mansfield closed out the 1st quarter with a 14-0 lead over Waldron. Although the defense was scoring for Mansfield, the offense would not be outdone. Trey Powell took a handoff and dodged black jerseys to the left and right for what would have been another touchdown for Mansfield, but the run was called back by a holding penalty. The Tigers shrugged off the penalty and shorty landed an offensive touchdown when Jeremy Strozier zoned in a laser dot pass to Toby Towe who took the ball 58 yards to the end zone. With the extra point attempt no good, Mansfield kicked off to Waldron again. Waldron almost gave the Tigers the ball right back as they ended the half with a pass that was nearly intercepted by Joey Fildes. The Tigers would walk into halftime with a commanding 20-0 lead over the Bulldogs.

The Tigers may have worn their all-white uniforms to Waldron, but they were red hot coming out of halftime. Mansfield’s defense continued to pound away at the Bulldogs and again forced the ball on the turf as Dawson Robinson recovered turnover number three for the Tigers. That’s when the offense put together a drive that would make even a NASCAR driver take a double look. With big runs by Trey Powell, Jeremy Strozier, and Dawson Robinson, Mansfield made it hard for the Bulldogs defense to figure out who the threat really was. That’s when Zander “The Zan-Dozer” Walters made his Sports Center Top10 appearance. At 2:28 on the clock, Walters took a handoff from Strozier and mowed over one defender, juked another in the open field, and stiff-armed another Bulldog en route to a Mansfield touchdown. Strozier tacked on a two-point conversion to end the 3^rd quarter with a 28-0 lead for the Tigers.

Mansfield closed the game out the way they started…….with defense. Aaron Person who contained the Bulldogs all night at his left linebacker position, racked up a few more tackles giving Waldron no choice but to run up the gut where the Tigers would again make the Bulldogs drop the ball but this time with Cooper Edwards recovering the ball for the Tigers sealing up the final score for Mansfield with a 28-0 shut out. Although the Tiger’s defense stole the show, their offense was good enough to stun most future opponents. Quarterback, Jeremy Strozier, was a perfect 2 for 2 passing for 34 yards and a touchdown. Wide Receivers Toby Towe and Trey Powell caught one pass each with Towe gaining his 23 yards for a touchdown and Powell zipping 11 yards with his catch. But it was the ground and pound game that was again the staple of the Tigers offense. Zander Walters had 9 rushes for 69 yards and a touchdown while Jeremy Strozier gained 26 yards off of 4 carries. Trey Powell made a positive 6 yards on his only carry of the game.

“Any win is a good win,” said Coach Tim Cothran. “We had most of our team back for that game and Waldron was shorthanded due to quarantines just like we were last week. Our players executed very well and made the best of the opportunities given to them. It was a great experience for our players and a good win.” The win over Waldron was a great motivator for Mansfield, but the Tiger’s grueling schedule doesn’t end quite yet. Sitting with a 1-1 record vs larger 4A schools, the Tigers aim to carve some tenderloin from their next 4A opponents, the Elkins Elks. The Jr Tigers will play their 3^rd straight larger 4A opponent as they welcome the Elkins Elks to The Jungle on September 10^th.

Paris Defeats JC Westside 34-6 to Improve Season Record to 2-0

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10:44 pm

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Paris Defeats JC Westside 34-6 to Improve Season Record to 2-0

It was mission accomplished for the Paris Eagles. Against a Class 2A Johnson County Westside team that was down to just 16 players dressed for their game against the Eagles, the Paris offense scored quickly and often in a long first quarter of play to put the game out of reach early. By doing so, Paris began mass substitutions with a little more than five minutes remaining in the first quarter. By agreement with the Westside coaches, the clock became continuous at approximately five minutes in the first to shorten the game and prevent possible injury to either team. With the victory, Paris improved their record to 2-0 on the season, and the Rebels record dropped to 0-1 on the season.

It was a difficult game for both schools. Westside was obviously outmatched in the game, but the Rebels played hard for the entire game. For Paris, the Eagles wanted to put the game out of reach and then pull their starters to protect against injury while giving their reserves a chance for playing time and development. Westside’s only score of the game came in the second half against the Eagles’ defensive reserve players. For Paris, many reserves played well; most notably, back-up sophomore quarterback, Maddox Watts.

Paris scored on its first possession of the game when senior quarterback Chase Watts hit senior running back Duke Walker for a touchdown pass at the 10:53 mark in the quarter. James Yang’s extra point attempt was good, and the Eagle led early, 7-0.

The Eagles defense was impressive again early in the game prior to the substitutions that began toward the end of the first quarter. The defense gave the ball back to Paris again, and it was Watts again throwing a touchdown pass, this time connecting to senior wide receiver Blake Martines on the first play of the Eagles’ second offensive possession. The extra point was good again, the Eagles extended their lead to 14-0 with 9:33 left in the quarter.

The defense continued its impressive play, shutting down the Westside offense. Again, the defense gave the ball back to the Paris offense, and once again, on the first play of the next possession, the Eagles scored. This time, it was Duke Walker running for 35 yards and a touchdown. Yang missed his first extra point attempt of the season, and with 3:52 left in the quarter, the Eagles had taken a 20-0 lead.

Then disaster struck again for the Rebels. On the ensuing kickoff, the Paris special teams created a turnover, recovering a Westside fumble inside their 30 yard line. After the fumble recovery, it was the Paris offense and senior running back Nate Henderson scampering into the end zone from approximately 12 yards out for another Eagles touchdown. The extra point attempt was good, and the Eagles lead was 27-0. Both teams went to the locker room at the half with Paris leading 27-0.

The reserves finished the game in the shortened second half. Westside managed to score against the Paris backups and went for two points on the after touchdown conversion attempt. The attempt was no good, and the Eagles led Westside 27-6. Late in the game, it was backup Maddox Watts rushing for a touchdown around the right side on a tough, and physical run to make his way into the end zone for the Eagles final score. And that is how the game ended with Paris winning the game by a score of 34-6.

Resident Press will take a look at this game on Sunday with comments from Paris coach Jeff Weaver, along with a look at next week’ opponent, the West Fork Tigers. Paris will return home next week for its first home game of the season, and final preseason game before it’s bye week on September 17. Look for this story on Sunday night in the online edition of Resident Press.

Photos from this game will be posted on Facebook at Paris Eagles Sports on Monday night. So, in the mean time, enjoy your Labor Day weekend, and…the first Razorback weekend of the new football season!

Happy Labor Day from Resident Press!

Timepiece: Dog Days of Summer

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5:28 pm

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A large and excited group exited the train as it came to a stop at the small town of Blue Mountain. Magazine Mountain, with its tree-clad slopes and steep cliffs, loomed in the distance. The passengers, many from the flat delta lands of the South, eagerly anticipated a week or more of vacation time in one of the several hotels located on the mountaintop. Hot summer weather, humid conditions, and mosquitos were great reasons to temporarily migrate to one of the mountain elevations found in western Arkansas. The elevations offered a temperature decrease of ten degrees or more from the surrounding areas; that coupled with nightly breezes attracted hundreds of visitors to the area.

The first order of business was transport to the mountain lodges. Most traveled up the mountain on small hacks and wagons pulled by horse and mule. On the west end, the road terminated at the base of the cliff. A small trail, wide enough only for the smallest of wagons, lead to the hotels located on the mountaintop. Passengers exited the wagon and, either carried their luggage or hired someone to carry their belongings to the hotel above. A road ran the length of the mountain above, allowing access to the golf course, croquet lawns, or (eventually) to the amphitheater. Other train passengers exited at Havana and traveled by hack over Barber Ridge and thus to the mountain. Either way, it was a rough and jarring journey with drivers clinging to wagon brakes to prevent runaways and frequent stops to allow rest for the animals.

The first known hotel was the Skycrest Hotel on the west end of the mountain. It was built by the Choctaw, Oklahoma, and Gulf railroad and was well-regarded for its elegance and hospitality. A pavilion was built nearby. During the summer months, traveling bands and actors performed for the entertainment of guests.

Perhaps the most successful business was the Buckman Inn, built near McGuire Springs. It consisted of several cabins, a restaurant, an ice house, a croquet court, and a swimming pool. The swimming pool, constructed of native stone and sealed with tar, held the chilly waters collected from the spring. To access the swimming pool, one wandered down the mountainside for a few hundred yards, changed at the bathhouse, and then enjoyed lounging around the pool or swimming.

Another motel was operated by the Greenfields. Hattie Carraway, the first woman to serve in the U.S. Senate, visited there and was impressed by the beauty of the location. F.C. Jones of Havana, the grandfather of Carol Burnett, often visited the area, bringing his family along.

Early advertisements offered rooms at two dollars a day or eight dollars and seventy-five cents per week. A menu from that period advertised a T-bone steak dinner with all the trimmings for one dollar and twenty-five cents. Most sandwiches were less than half that cost and coffee and other drinks were a dime. Even with those prices, which seem ridiculously low in our day and time, the mountain visits were only affordable for those from the upper-middle class. Relatives from that period of time recall living on the benches below the mountain top and seeing the lights and hearing the strands of music drifting in the night air and dream of what life would be like with a dollar in your pocket and a pair of shoes on your feet.

With the advent of automobiles, it became possible to take journeys to regions more distant. The lure of Disney land, beaches, and far-away sites drew people away from the mountain. By the 1930s, land on the mountain lost all value and the hotels closed. Today, only a few foundation stones and the remnants of the Buckman pool are all that remind us of those dog days of summers past.

Arkansas Blood Institute is Hittin’ the Road, Calling all Blood Donors

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5:22 pm

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Arkansas Blood Institute is Hittin’ the Road, Calling all Blood Donors

Arkansas Blood Institute is hittin’ the road and headed to a community near you. Don’t miss your chance to save the life of a fellow Arkansan when they make a stop through your town.

Join Mansfield / Huntington Community at a blood drive with Arkansas Blood Institute from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m., on Tuesday, September 14, at the Municipal Complex Community Center.

Successful blood donors will receive a free limited-edition, “Back on Tour”, t-shirt featuring a vintage Volkswagen van, plus one free admission to the Little Rock Zoo, Arkansas’s largest family attraction.

In addition, for a limited time only, all donors will receive Hemoglobin A1C blood sugar testing, which can help monitor diabetes risk.

“Blood donation has always been an easy way to help a neighbor,” said Dr. John Armitage, President and CEO of Arkansas Blood Institute. “Now, it’s also an easy and free way to test your average blood sugar level to be better informed about your health. We’re excited to offer this testing to our donors as part of their lifesaving blood donation.”

Anyone who is healthy and 16 years old* or older can give blood. Blood can be donated every 56 days. Platelets can be given as often as every seven days, up to 24 times a year.

Appointments to donate can be made online at arkbi.org or by calling 877-340-8777. While COVID-19 vaccination is not required of blood donors, those who have been vaccinated can donate immediately, assuming they are feeling well. Blood donation typically takes only about an hour, and one donation saves up to three lives.

*16-year-olds must weigh at least 125 pounds and provide signed parental permission; 17-year-olds must weigh at least 125 pounds; 18+ year olds must weigh at least 110 pounds. Photo ID required.

AGFC, AEDC Offer Nearly $770,000 for Education Grants from Wildlife Fines

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5:20 pm

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AGFC, AEDC Offer Nearly $770,000 for Education Grants from Wildlife Fines

By Randy Zellers Assistant Chief of Communications

LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas Economic Development Commission’s Division of Rural Services has more than $769,000 to give to Arkansas schools and educators for conservation education programs in the 2021-22 school year, thanks to fines derived from wildlife violations. Educators in every county are encouraged to apply for grants by the Oct. 26 application deadline to make use of these free dollars for education.

Fines from wildlife violations are not used for vehicles, salaries or other operations conducted by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. In fact, it never really leaves the county where it was collected. Instead, those dollars are given to the AEDC, which fulfills grant requests for conservation education in that county.

Any school or conservation district in Arkansas may apply for these grants, regardless of size or population.

AGFC Chief of Education Tabbi Kinion says the grants can really enhance learning opportunities for youth, especially in some of the rural areas of Arkansas, where education dollars are at a premium.

“Many of the special programs our Education Division promotes, such as Archery in the Schools, Project WILD, and Fishing in the Natural State, can be funded through these grants,” Kinion said. “But they can also be used to purchase equipment unique to conservation education and even help offset the costs of field trips to AGFC nature centers, education centers and other outdoors learning opportunities.”

Kinion says all AGFC nature and education centers are free to the public, and through these education grants, educators can even find funds to help offset some travel expenses to get the kids to their learning destination.

“We have even seen a school in Mountain Home work with an eagle scout candidate to create an outdoor classroom for their Kindergarten,” Kinion said. “It was a really creative way to make use of the money and benefit the kids in that school.” (Click here for story.)

More information on the program, a link to the application site and a county-by-county list of grant money is available at www.agfc.com/conservationgrants. Grant applications for Fiscal Year 2022 must be received by Oct. 26, 2021.

7th Grade Bulldogs Nip Past Tigers

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Megan Hecox

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5:06 pm

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Seventh-grade football has always been the great gap where young men sit between Little League and testosterone-fueled Jr High. Although awkward looking on the field at times with the stumbling and bumbling, seventh graders learn quickly through good coaching what it takes to make it at this level. The Mansfield Tigers and Waldron Bulldogs on the other hand didn’t look awkward at all. The players were solid in their single touchdown debut.

Both programs traded blows back and forth for four 6 minute quarters. Offensively, the Tigers Cordell Stone may have created his own nickname as he “Buzz Sawed” his way past and through Waldron’s defense for multiple big gains in the game. With the gains Stone made though, the Bulldogs were able to stuff Mansfield and kept the Tigers from scoring. Waldron Defenders Xavi Cruz and Phisher Brown set up shop in the Tigers backfield for most of the first half. With the Tigers doing good moving the ball and the Bulldogs defense doing a solid job of keeping Mansfield out of the end zone, the first half ended at a dead even 0-0.

Waldron kept the pressure on the Tiger’s offense after halftime and even created Mansfield to go stagnant for a while. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, the Tigers had a defensive weapon of their own. Defensive Lineman Levi Langford. Langford had quarterback sacks, tackles for loss, and multiple assists in the 3^rd quarter. If Waldron tried to run the ball to the outside of the field, Defensive Backs, Billy Sellers and Gunner Williams would turn the ball carriers back into the trash for their teammates to tackle. The defensive power and offensive struggles were all too real for both squads still though as the 3^rd quarter ended with the same 0-0 score as it started with.

The 4^th boded the same fate for Waldron and Mansfield as the first three quarters did. That is, up until Waldron’s final drive. Bulldogs Running Back Jackson Brown found some extra gas in the tank and ran a few powerful runs that cut deep into the Tigers defense. The runs by Brown built momentum, but the clock was winding down very fast for both teams. With less than 10 seconds left in the 4^th quarter, Bulldogs quarterback Eli Kluthe pulled a Hail Mary out of the bag. The pass seemed to be in the air for an eternity as teams and fans on both sides of the field held their breath. The clock ran to 4…..3……2……and BAM, the catch was made by Phisher Brown. Brown strolled into the end zone for the only score of the game and the Bulldogs victory sealing the score at 6-0 Bulldogs. Next up for Mansfield will be Elkins at home starting at 5:30 pm on Thursday, September 9 while the Bulldogs will travel to Ozark on Thursday, September 16 for a start time of 5:30 pm.

Cagle Crowned Sebastian County Fair Queen

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12:57 pm

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Cagle Crowned Sebastian County Fair Queen

The coveted crown, Sebastian County Fair Queen, was up for grabs on Saturday, August 21. From the Tiny Princess to the Queen, girls of all ages put their best foot forward in order to compete for the title.

Winners in each category included:
Queen- Abby Cagle
Teen- Belle Petrucci
Jr Miss- Klaire Holland
Little Miss- Kenzie Gattis
Jr. Princess Logan Koch
Princess- Keylee Shonebarger
Tiny Princess- Presley Spivey

This year’s pageant was under the direction of Suzanne McEvoy, and offered a $3,000 UAFS, and a $500 ATU-Ozark scholarship to the Miss Division winner.

Cagle, Miss Sebastian County Queen, and Petrucci, Miss Sebastian County Teen, will go on to compete at the Arkansas State Fair Pageant.

Jones Headlines Win As Tigers Dominate

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8:20 am

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Pictured: Mansfield’s Darby Jones nears the finish line at the Perryville Mustang Invitational cross country meet. The Lady Tiger senior won the event as her teammates supported with the team victory as well

Three seasons ago, Mansfield cross country runner Darby Jones took an entire season to score a medal. At the time, most of her freshmen teammates had moved up to the senior high squad for the last race of the year. That left a few extra medals up for grabs in the final junior high race of the season and Jones was elated to get the last one offered.

Fast forward to this past Tuesday afternoon. That same little kid that could barely run a half-mile at her first-ever cross country practice, was standing center stage in the winner’s circle at the Perryville Mustang Invitational.

Mansfield’s senior girls win the Perryville Cross Country race. Pictured are Hope Rainwater, Jedelynn Wood, Darby Jones, McKenzie Griffin, Faith Rainwater, and Katlynn Moore

Jones took that tiny moment of freshman motivation and turned it into high hopes for the future. Steadfast across the landscape of the past few seasons, Jones ascended in pace and performance. On the final day of August 2021, the long and lanky senior finally broke loose for her first-ever cross country individual victory.

Jones beat all runners in the 55 person senior girls division. Her winning time of 10:04.2 was 9.2 seconds faster than the nearest competitor. The win led to a wealth of Lady Tiger finishers who posted four players inside the Top Ten for the team championship as well.

Darby Jones closes the last 800m of the 2500m race at Perryville for the win on August 31, 2021

“Darby has been building for this moment for a long time,” stated Mansfield mentor John Mackey. “Her training schedule this summer has been incredible. Her running form and pace have caught up to her dedication and determination. She deserved the win and we are all so excited for her accomplishment.”

As a team, Mansfield’s senior girls totaled 28 points for first place. Joe T. Robinson cruised into second with 48 points while Pulaski Academy brought home third place with 59 points.

Four Mansfield seniors made the medal stand with placements at first, sixth, seventh, and ninth. After Jones’s first place crossing came Faith Rainwater, McKenzie Griffin, and Hope Rainwater to cover the Lady Tiger windfall.

Faith Rainwater’s time was 11:18. Griffin posted an 11:42. Hope Rainwater went at 12:00 even.

Junior Jadelynn Wood (12:20) pushed the pace early but fell shortcoming down the homestretch. The Tiger’s second-best finisher at last season’s state meet came across in 14th place at the Perry County course.

Eighth-grader Joey Fildes takes a break after finishing third at the Perryville 1.55 mile race

Senior Katlynn Moore (13:18) was 19th overall and Mansfield’s first displacer.

“We have been anxious to get out and finally compete,” revealed Mackey. “This was a good test to see where we are as a team. Next up we go the full 5K distance at Acorn. That should be a challenge this experienced group should look forward to.”

Mansfield did well in the other divisions as well. The junior boys took second place as a team. The junior girls captured third.

Individually, the younger Tiger squads collected three medals. Laney Wood and Trinity Triska picked up where they left off last season with stellar performances for the girl’s prep team. Joey Fildes did likewise for the boy’s group.

Wood ran a terrific race but couldn’t catch Bergman’s Jacey Halitza. Halitza blistered the course with a personal record of 9:55.7 for the 2500m race. Wood came in second at 10:37.10. Triska followed close behind her teammate at 11:05.20.

The two Mansfield freshmen followed each other for the silver and bronze medals at second and third places overall.

Mansfield junior girls Laney Wood and Trinity Triska both medal at the Perryville XC course

Tiger teammates Azlynn Stover, Addie Bowman, and Aidan Fildes completed the junior girl scoring. Collectively the top five qualifiers for Mansfield garnered a team score of 54 points for third place among represented teams.

St. Joseph out of Conway won the junior girls event with 33 points. Pulaski Academy took second at 45 points.

Fildes for the Mansfield men was third place overall. He was the lone Tiger to make the medal stand. However, his teammates were in strong support as the group’s combined team score solidly fit them into second place among team rankings.

St Joseph doubled up with the team plaques as they also won the junior boys division at 50 points.

Mansfield’s scoring five for the boy’s team were in order Fildes, Gunner Williams, Holden Powers, Joseph Carter, and Leland Powell.

What To Put On a Post-Off-Roading Checklist

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3:23 pm

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What To Put On a Post-Off-Roading Checklist

Going for an off-road adventure isn’t as adventurous as it looks. Breaking free of the pavement takes planning—and we’re not just talking about calling in sick at work. Whether it’s a short circuit or a long overland trip, getting an off-road vehicle such as a Jeep Wrangler ready for action requires you to get the tires ready and have all the necessary supplies on hand. You should also stop for a tune-up if it’s been a while. That’s when the fun begins.

After the party’s over, however, you can’t simply pull back into the garage, crash on the couch, and return to normal. Off-roading can take a lot out of your Jeep, and you should take the right steps to clean up and wind down after your big trip. Here’s what you should put on a post-off-roading checklist to make sure that your Jeep is ready for everyday driving and off-road trips to come.

Readjust Tire Pressure

Jeeps and other OHVs do best on rough terrain when their tires cover as much of that terrain as possible. We achieve that by letting some air out of the tires before embarking on off-road trails. This is advantageous for mud, rocks, and sand, but not for when you return to the roads. As soon as you can, get your tire pressure back within normal highway parameters—usually between 32 and 37 pounds per square inch—up from the 12 to 17 psi for off-road trails.

Clean It Thoroughly

Splashing mud, blowing dust, kicking up rocks—your Jeep makes a mess when it goes off the roads, especially if you’re a top-off-doors-off thrill seeker. Jeeps are considerably easier than other vehicles to clean, which means you have no excuse not to do so. It’s not just a matter of making sure your Jeep’s aesthetics are top-notch—this driving machine puts function ahead of form. It’s also integral to your Jeep’s operation, as accumulated mud from splashing around in puddles and streams can cake on, impede airflow, and cause the Jeep’s engine to overheat.

Restock Your Supplies

We’ll round out the list of what to put on a post-off-roading checklist with the tools it takes to get ready for the next journey. Did you have to use your first aid kit on the trails? Replace or restock it now before it slips your mind. Did any parts take critical damage on your adventure? Now’s the time to replace them. And though it seems a bit frivolous, if you happened to go through your emergency beef jerky supply in a not-so-emergency situation, you’d better stock back up on nonperishable snacks lest you forget before you head back out.

Groovy Times at Dalton’s Place

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2:07 pm

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The residents and staff at Dalton’s Place had a groovy good time at their disco event held on Monday, August 30. Everyone enjoyed a classic menu of cheese dogs!

R

Readjust Tire Pressure

Clean It Thoroughly

Restock Your Supplies

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