The cold, rainy weather may not have seen like softball weather, but the Paris Lady Eagles played like they were in mid-season form on Friday night when they hosted the Dardanelle Lady Lizards in the season opener for Paris. Rain earlier in the day did not prevent the game from being played after a lot of work on the infield by the Paris coaching staff and community volunteers. The field remained covered right up until the two teams took infield practice before the 5 p.m. start.
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Paris senior Jadyn Hart was virtually unhittable in her 2021 debut. In seven complete innings, Hart struck out 17 hitters. And if this was not enough, the Paris star hit a two run homer early in the game to break a 0-0 deadlock in what was ultimately a great pitching battle between the two schools. The win was huge over the Class 4A Lady Sand Lizards for the young and talented Lady Eagles.
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After the game, Paris coach Donald Hart said, “It was good to get the season started. Was proud of how we came out in the opener and played through the elements. Dardanelle had a quality pitcher, but we were able to put enough on the board to get by. Lots of potential in this young team. Looking forward to the rest of the season.”
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Coach Hart’s comments sum up the feelings of softball players, coaches, and fans across the state. Everyone is glad to get started, and everyone will be happy to see the complete season played, unlike the COVID-shortened season of a year ago.
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Paris will return to the field again on Monday when they host the Magazine Lady Rattlers. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m., and the weather forecast is much more favorable than last Friday’s. It should be a beautiful afternoon for a game, and the Lady Eagles will try to win their second game of the early season.
The baseball Eagles will also play at home on Monday against Magazine in their season opener. So come out and watch some great baseball and softball on Monday, and enjoy the nice weather!
Additional photos of the Lady Eagles softball game with Dardanelle are available on Facebook at Paris Eagles Sports. Fans from both schools are welcomed to view or copy the photos at no charge.
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Resident Press will bring you coverage of the Eagles baseball game versus Magazine on Tuesday afternoon in the online edition of Resident Press.
If you are like me and have no dishwasher the thought of “how the heck do I disinfect plastic toys” may have crossed your mind. Well, I have excellent news for us, my friend! Your washing machine is how!
That’s right, the machine that washed your clothes can wash your kids plastic toys! Woohoo! Of course magnetic, wooden, and battery operated toys should not go in the washer.
All you need to do is run your washer on a hot setting with or without the spin cycle. I added about a tablespoon of Thieves cleaner to mine. Vinegar or bleach can also be added to really clean. Once the cycle is done simply spread the toys out on a towel to dry.
If you have had a sick kid or just don’t remember the last time you cleaned toys now is the time to do it!
Grabbing a mesh bag to put the toys in is an excellent idea to make removing the toys from the washer a breeze. Another option is to tie off a pillow case. Of course simply tossing toys in loose will work fine!
The Mansfield/Huntington Chamber of Commerce met in regular session on Thursday afternoon, March 4.
2021 officers were elected, and are as follows: President – Sheri Hopkins; Vice-President – Becky Walker; Treasurer – Beverly Lyons; Secretary – Tammy Teague.
Hopkins called the meeting to order at noon at Mansfield City Hall. “As you all know we lost Rick McDaniel. He was such an asset and will surely be missed.” Hopkins also acknowledged a $200 donation to the chamber by McDaniel’s brother and sister-in-law, James and Linda McMahon.
After some discussion about the checking account bearing McDaniel’s name, it was decided to appoint Lyons as the new secretary, as she was already on as a secondary signer. Chamber members took an official vote to remove past President Joseph Dinar from the checking account.
Hopkins reported a chamber of commerce balance of $2,423.27 with several outstanding checks to be deposited.
The decision was made to nix the annual Easter Egg Hunt with the unknowns of the governor’s directives and the insufficiency of time to plan. Plans remain, however, for the Community Cookout tentatively slated for Saturday, April 24 at 5 p.m. The event will take place at the parking lot of the Mansfield Senior Center. Everyone is asked to observe social distancing, wear a mask when being served and to bring a lawn chair. The $5 meal will consist of a hamburger or hot dog, chips, a drink, and dessert. The band Nickeltown Road will be playing.
The chamber will be planning for the Independence Day Celebration, and also for the Kid’s Fishing Derby slated for August 7. More details on these events will be discussed at upcoming meetings.
If you are interested in becoming involved with the chamber, you are invited to attend the next meeting on Thursday, April 1 at noon, Mansfield City Hall.
In my February article to Resident Press I made the case that there are many problems in today’s culture, society, and political climate; indeed in every area of life. This should not come as a surprise to anyone as trials and tribulations eventually come to all of us. It seems this past year has had its full share.
Nevertheless, I have always remained an optimist, choosing to define a “problem” as an “opportunity” for a solution.
Could it be that our inability to solve many of our problems stems from our inability to accurately identify and DEFINE them? I suspect that many problems remain unidentified, undefined, and unsolved because of an inability to property, truly, and accurately communicate.
We think that our ability to communicate is enhanced and made so much better with today’s technology. Why, we have internet websites, I-phones, I-pads, (is there such a thing as an I-pod?) Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Google and I don’t know what all else.
But stop and think and ask yourself if words on a screen (with-out punctuation) actually do any more than just transmit information.
Whole communication is both verbal and non-verbal. Even though you are “technically” (double meaning) engaged in “non-verbal” (double meaning) communication, absolutely no “non-verbal” (double meaning) communication takes place in a text or e-mail.
Nonverbal communication involves much more than the spoken word (and some say conveys more). Some aspects of non-verbal communication are: eye contact (or not), inflection, tone, volume, gesture, posture (leaning forward or back, shuffling feet, shrugging, turning head), and pauses. I cannot think of any way to effectively use any of these eleven means of communication in a text or e-mail.
And are you being totally honest in your communication if you are using Skype and one or both are sitting in front of a camera showing waist up only, and are in Pjs or underwear. You wouldn’t (hopefully) meet in a coffee shop, on the street, or in each other’s homes (undressed that way) to talk about an issue or problem.
I think that if two common sense individuals met eye to eye to verbally discuss an issue or a problem, using a common language and an understood vocabulary (use a dictionary if necessary) with full non-verbal interaction, chances are they would come up with an accurate definition as well as multiple possible ideas to solve the problem.
Arkansas waters saw a spike in the number of boating accidents last year compared to 2019, according to data compiled by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s annual Boating Accident Year-end Report.
Seventy-five boating accidents were reported from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2020, twice what was seen the previous year. These accidents resulted in $297,274 in property damage, 35 injuries requiring treatment beyond first-aid care and 13 fatalities. Injuries requiring medical attention also increased substantially from nine in 2019 to 35 in 2020.
Capt. Stephanie Weatherington, AGFC Boating Law Administrator, says the increases likely are the result of unprecedented increases in boating last year in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Tackle stores sold out of equipment and lakeside boat rental outfits, and outfitters on some of Arkansas’s streams saw amazing numbers interested in visiting lakes and rivers in The Natural State.
“With all of those additional boaters, we knew we would likely see an increase in accidents,” Weatherington said. “When you add the fact that a lot of these added vessels were piloted by new boaters, it clearly had an impact. Operator inexperience was listed as the most common primary cause of accidents last year.”
Fatalities caused from boating accidents also saw an increase last year, but to a much smaller degree. According to the report, 13 people lost their lives on Arkansas waters last year, compared to 10 in 2019. All 13 fatalities were caused by drowning, which is a common trend year-over-year in the report.
Weatherington says the percentage of reported accidents is still very low when compared to the number of boats on Arkansas waters.
“We have more than 200,000 registered boats in Arkansas, but that doesn’t even come close to the actual number of boats out there statewide,” Weatherington said. “Many boaters come from other states to enjoy Arkansas’s waters, and paddlecraft do not need to be registered unless you put a sail or some sort of electric- or gas-powered motor on them.”
Only six reported accidents involved paddlecraft, but five of the six resulted in fatalities.
“Paddlesports has been a growing trend, and we know manufacturers could not keep up with the demand for kayaks and canoes last year with everyone rediscovering their love for the outdoors,” Weatherington said. “The accidents reported in this category were all tragic results of operators misjudging the conditions and their abilities to handle them. There’s a big difference between paddling on the still water of a pond and trying to navigate a Class V rapid, and some of Arkansas’s streams can get very dangerous very quickly after a big rain. It’s always best to go with someone who is familiar with the water your first time there and consult with paddling groups and outfitters about safe river conditions.”
Weatherington said that even though it is not required to operate a paddlecraft, completing a boater education course can give newcomers the background to be more knowledgeable about the rules of the water so everyone can return from a day on the water safely.
“Boating education is mandatory for anyone born after 1985 who is operating a motorboat or sailboat in Arkansas,” Weatherington said. “But it’s just smart to take the time to take the course even if you’re paddling a canoe. Of 89 operators that were involved in the 75 accidents, only 28 had previously taken some sort of boater education course. We have a lot of room for improvement.”
One silver lining Weatherington has noticed is the increased use of life jackets among boaters who were involved in accidents.
“We still have work to do, but overall I think the message is getting out how important life jackets are to everyone, even people who are adept at swimming,” Weatherington said. “I know there’s been a conscious effort by many manufacturers and dealers to promote life jacket use, and with the influx of new boaters we’ve seen in paddlesports I think that message is growing.”
The complete report, as well as information on how to enroll in a Boater Education Course is available at www.agfc.com/boatered.
On Wednesday, March 3rd, the Waldron Bulldogs checked another goal off their list as they defeated the Green Forest Tigers in the first round of the 3A-1 Regional at Bergman. The win qualifies the Bulldogs to take part in the 3A state tournament next week at Clinton. Only the top 16 teams in the state earn their way to play in the state tournament, but that’s not what the Dogs are thinking about. The Regional Tournament continues today and tomorrow for seeding at State and Waldron shows no signs of slowing down.
“Really proud of all of these guys who have stepped up and showed out all year. It really feels like somebody different puts us over the top each night,” said Waldron coach Josh Brown. Coach Brown is referring to the spectacular performance of senior guard Jaden Hutchens. Hutchens took over on the offensive end for the Bulldogs, especially in the 3rd quarter, and finished the night with 29 points on 11 of 19 shooting. Jaden netted 7 three-point baskets and added 4 assists as well.
Similar to all season, the Bulldogs weren’t a solo act, however, with Gada Wagner adding 15 and Isaac “The Real” Villarreal scoring 13. “These guys have put in the work and now it’s their time to start seeing that work pay off. We appreciate Bulldog nation supporting these guys, but we ain’t done yet!”
The Bulldogs face the Pirates of Cedarville tonight at 7:00 pm in the semi-final match-up. This will be the 3rd time these two teams have squared off with the Bulldogs taking both of the previous games. “When it comes to post-season basketball, records get thrown out. We are just trying to go 1 and 0 tonight and Fly the W!”
Thursday evening, March 4, Greenwood took on 6A Fayetteville and won 3-0.
It was a perfect night for baseball in Greenwood as Fayetteville came to town to square off against the Bulldogs. While the hits were low on the Greenwood side, they brought the runners in. Bryce Morgan got a hit and a run. Matt Munday’s hit ended with 2 RBI’s with Reed Carroll and Caiden Brown crossing the plate.
Harrison Adams slides back into 1st
Landry Jurecka went 4 innings throwing 59 pitches. Three Fayetteville batters got hits, 1 walk, and 5 strikeouts. Chance Eoff took the mound and threw 48 pitches in 3 innings. 2 hits came off of those pitches, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts.
The Bulldogs will be in action this weekend against Owasso in Owasso.
The Lady Bulldogs fell to the Vilonia Lady Eagles in the Conference Championship game, 77-69, on Wednesday evening, March 3.
Ally Sockey drives to the basket in the 1st quarter.
Just 24 hours off of a dominant performance against Greenbriar, which included a 31-7 run in the 2nd period, the Lady Bulldogs went up against a very physical Vilonia squad.
The game against the Lady Eagles was originally slated for the week before the winter weather hit. The matchup would be a showdown between the top two teams in the conference.
Shea Goodwin looking on as the offense gets set up.
The lead would change multiple times between the two teams. In the final seconds of the 2nd period, Vilonia drives down the court and pulls up at the 3 point line, and sinks it. Vilonia up 39-37 over Greenwood.
Going into 2nd half action the lead would once again change hands several times, with Greenwood going up 6 points at one point. Ally Sockey and Mady Cartwright would end up in foul trouble in the 4th. The two defenses of Greenwood and Vilonia would trade great defensive plays throughout the 2nd half.
In her last game at H.B. Stewart, Senior Kinley Fisher left it all on the court in an incredible game with 30 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal. Abby Summitt had 9 points, 2 steals, 2 rebounds. Sockey and Cartwright both had 7 points a piece.
Kinley Fisher awaiting a pass
The Lady Bulldogs will be in action next week at the 5A State Tournament in Hot Springs.
If you live in the Cedarville area, you probably know Danny Fuller as a teacher and former coach at Cedarville High School or as the owner of Full Throttle Fitness, but you might be surprised to learn that Fuller has also written and published four books.
Danny says he started writing at a young age. “I started writing little stories in elementary, but really started focusing on writing more about the seventh grade. I started off writing these short stories about a group of superheroes called the Freedom Fighters. In the tenth grade, I started writing my first novel attempt, which was a fantasy story. Some of my books are inspired by friends and people that I have met along the way over the years, and others are just these ideas that will randomly pop into my head. They might stem from a question I have about shows that I watch or just a completely random thought. As I’ve aged and learned new perspectives, my characters have grown as well. As much as I love to write, I chose teaching history as my major when I went to college because it had better job opportunities, but I was always writing on the side throughout college.”
After college, Fuller began teaching Social Studies at Cedarville High School and has now been there 13 years. He also coached football and softball for five years but left coaching so he could spend more time with Jalah, his wife, and their children, Alexis and Reed. He still needed a coaching “fix”, so he opened Full Throttle Fitness.
Jalah Fuller says her husband is “very humble and private”, but she is proud to share his accomplishments. “Last year he received the History Teacher of the year award from the local VA chapter in Van Buren as well as district and state VA. He’s been Teacher of the Year at Cedarville High school at least 3 times. For ‘Who’s Who’ each year he is voted as most caring or most influential (sometimes both) by the students. We had a shoebox full of letters from former students who write him after they graduate telling him how his class prepared them like no other for the real world and how his back story and influence on them made a huge impact. He’s even had foreign exchange students write him and thank him for being the best teacher they have ever had.”
Along with teaching, fitness coaching, and writing, Danny also loves to play flag football and has been playing in the Fort Smith league for at least 15 years. Jalah admits, “Not sure how he finds time to write, but he does! He enjoys it so it’s not a set amount of time each week and sometimes he writes more days than others, depending on if he thinks of something randomly and doesn’t want to forget it.”
Danny explains his strategy, “These days I try to balance teaching, running a business, and family, while trying to find a little time here and there to write.”
Danny Fuller’s books are available on Amazon and include Coming of Age, The Exile’s March, Worlds Apart, and The Reckoning.
The Charleston basketball program had good seasons this year, but it may be a while before Tigers fans want to make the long trip to Bergman again. It was not a good week for Charleston as the girls were defeated in a lopsided win by the host school Bergman Lady Panthers, and yesterday, the Tigers fell to the Elkins Elks in similar fashion. Yes, it was a tough week, but it has been a successful season for a young team that will return many of its players for next year. And before I get started, let me give a shout out to the many faithful Charleston fans who made the “cross-country” drive of almost three hours through hilly terrain to support their Lady Tigers and Tigers in the regional tournament. Charleston had a presence at the tournament, and next year should be even better for Tigers fans.
Charleston and Elkins are very familair with each other’s programs. The Elks and Tigers were in the same conference one year ago before the reallignment. This year, Elkins was the third seed from a very tough 3A-1 conference. In fact, in both the boys and girls brackets of the 3A West regional, the 3A-1 has dominated by nearly eliminating all of the top seeds from the 3A-4. For the most part, it will be 3A-1 district tournament part two as they move into the semifinals and finals. So there were no secrets going into Charleston’s game with Elkins.
And part of that “no secret” was the outstanding guard play of Charleston’s Brandon Scott. The Elks clearly went into the game with the intent of taking Scott out of the game by double-teaming him for much of the game, and letting its big inside presence take care of the basket. It is a strategy that Charleston has seen its opponents do in the past, but this time, Elkins had the inside game to make the strategy work.
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In the first quarter, Elkins came out defensively denying Scott the basketball. The Elks dominated under the basket, getting easy inside shots and blocking Charleston drives to the basket. Charleston found a way to keep the game close with key outside shots, and when the quarter ended, Elkns had a 13-9 lead over Charleston.
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Elkins broke the game open in the second quarter by outscoring the Tigers 24-12. The Elkins defense was playing smothering defense on Brandon Scott, and the inside game of Elkins was dominating anything that went inside. In a key moment of the quarter, Scott was fouled in three point territory and was given the chance at three free throws that would have significantly narrowed the lead and kept Charleston within striking distance. Scott, uncharacteristically, missed all three free throw attempts. Perhaps this was an effect from the tough defense he was facing on every trip down the floor, but it illustrated at the time the need for other Tigers shooters to step up and take off some of the scoring pressure from Scott in the game.
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The Tigers struggled to find scoring from other players on the floor, especially with the inside dominance by Elkins. Senior Trenton Goodson played a good game, but he was also facing tremendous inside defense from Elkins. The Elks were successfully slowing both Scott and Goodson, and it forced the Tigers to struggle to score for the rest of the game. At the half, the Elks had extended their lead over Charleston to 37-21.
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In the third, Charleston continued to play hard but could not slow the hot Elkins outside shooters. The Tigers were still being dominated inside, and when the quarter ended, Elkins had extended their lead to 53-34 over Charleston.
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The fourth quarter was a continuance of the third, and by approximately three minutes to go in the game, both schools emptied their benches to give playing time to those players who have also worked so hard during the season. It was a tough way to end the season, but nevertheless, it was a successful season for a young Charleston team. The game ended with a final score of 79-50, and Elkins moves on to the second round of the regional tournament.
After the game, a proud Charleston coach, B. J. Ross said, “They (Elkins) had a little bit more in their tank. They got us with their depth and they shot it better than we did. I am proud of our team; they played hard from start to finish. Young team, a lot of promise coming back, and we are always proud to be a Tiger.”
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I asked Coach Ross about Elkins’s strategy to denying Scott and letting their inside game shut off anything under the basket. Coach said, “People have tried that all year against us. But the people we have played do not have anyone as tall as he is at 6’5″ and as long as that guy is, but they did a great job. They denied Scott the ball, made us give it up, and when we went to the basket, we were going into 6’5″ under the basket with long arms. They did a good job and we got a little out-matched today, but I am so proud of them.”
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So it is on to baseball, basketball, and track for area high schools. Resident Press wishes all of the remaining schools the best of luck in the regional and state tournaments. Our hats are off to the coaches, players, and school administrators who overcame the COVID obstacles and gave high schools a chance to play a complete season of basketball. The lessons learned from basketball should pay off with spring sports being able to start and complete their seasons, as well.
For me, I will move on to softball today with coverage of Dardanelle at Paris, weather permitting. But to all of the Charleston student athletes, parents, administration, and fans, I would like to say how much it has been a pleasure covering the Tigers, and I look forward to more coverage of Charleston sports this spring in baseball and softball seasons.
Additional photos of this game can be found on Facebook at Charleston Tigers Sports. Fans from both schools can view / download photos from the game at no charge.
Congratulations to the Charleston basketball program for a successful year in boys and girls basketball. Your futures are bright, and fans will be anxiously awaiting the upcoming seasons in 2021-22!
