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Jr Tigers Split Hairs In Close Loss To Lavaca

Last night, the 7th-9th Grade Mansfield Tigers hit the town for a guys night out as they landed in Lavaca for a three-game showdown against the Golden Arrows. The 7th Graders got things underway first but after a hard-fought battle, Lavaca took the win 33-28. Next up was a fast-paced face-off with the Jr High JV squads which resulted in another close final score of 28-24 Lavaca. Finally, to sum up the evening, the Jr High boys took to the court. And what would transpire, caused every fan to endure four quarters of heart palpitations.

Travis Tobey

The first quarter for the Tigers opened up with pitbull, Travis Tobey, sinking a three-pointer and from there it was game on. If either team had planned to run away with the game, that mindset was changed rather quickly within the first minute of the match. From start to finish, the name of the game was most definitely defense. By the end of the first quarter, the score was 9-8 Mansfield. But as the rest of the game would prove, each team would take turns leading the end of the quarter scoreboard.

Tyler Turnipseed

To end the first half of the battle, along with Tobey’s 3, Tyler Turnipseed and Dakota Langford earned 2 points each and Peyton Martin netted 6. Mansfield and Lavaca hit halftime with the Golden Arrows up 20-13. Although it was 30 degrees outside, you wouldn’t have known it inside the gym as the Jr Tigers and Golden Arrows turned the heat on the court up to 500 degrees in the second half. For every successfully dropped Lavaca basket, Mansfield would answer right back with a hoop of their own.

Dakota Langford

The third and fourth quarters were the perfect epitome of what a basketball match should look like with neither team backing down and each player playing to their full potential and then some. The Jr Tigers took back the reigns and the third quarter ended with a score of 26-25 Mansfield. As the court prepared to see the final quarter of this hardwood hand-to-hand combat, the intensity in the air was so thick that not even a chainsaw could cut through it.

Peyton Martin

For the next few minutes, it was a fight to the finish. But as the end drew near, it was the Golden Arrows who pulled ahead to take the win 42-35. Turnipseed picked up 10 more points in the second half and did so well that coaches were calling him out to their players. Langford made 6 more points and again had the strongest soft shots under the board. With Christmas coming up, Tobey (3) and Martin played the role of the “3 Kings”. And Zach Hayslip (3) was on fire rebound and steal wise especially in the fourth. The Jr Tigers will be back in action at the beginning of the new year when they travel to take on Monroe on January 4.

Zach Hayslip

James Jenkins

Austin Ruiz

7th Grade Tiger Joseph Carter

7th Grade Tiger Kanon Fisher

Common House Problems and How To Solve Them

Owning your own home comes with many advantages, such as enhanced privacy, a stable living environment, and the ability to receive a high return on investment. However, homes also come with a variety of potential issues that you’ll need to take care of to preserve your living space. Here are some of the most common house problems and how to solve them so that you can keep your place in tip-top shape.

Poor Surface Grading

Proper surface grading is essential to preventing water from pooling in your lawn or, worse, near the foundation of your home, which can cause cracks, leaks, and other types of damage. If you notice puddles of water beginning to form on your yard or around the base of your home, you likely need to improve the grading of your lawn. To do so, consider renting a skid steer and using it to add, remove, and smooth the soil in your yard until it forms a gentle slope away from your home. When renting a skid steer, make sure to choose one equipped with rubber tracks, which will provide minimal ground disturbance so that the heavy machine doesn’t end up tearing up your lawn. If you aren’t comfortable taking on this project on your own, you can always hire a professional company to regrade your lawn.

Inadequate Insulation

Poor insulation is another frequent issue many homeowners face. Negative effects of poor insulation range from substantial temperature differences throughout the house to extremely high monthly energy bills. If you’re experiencing signs of poor insulation, consider having a professional insulation contractor inspect your space and recommend the most beneficial insulation material for your home’s unique needs. 

Roof Leaks

Another common house problem is roof leaks. Roof leaks can occur for a number of reasons, from clogged gutters that cause water to pool along the edge of the roof and slowly seep through to damaged shingles and flashing. An improperly insulated attic, which increases the potential for harmful ice dams to form during the wintertime, can also cause roof leaks. To prevent pesky roof leaks from forming, make sure to clean your gutters regularly, inspect your flashing and shingles for signs of damage, and ensure your attic is properly insulated.

Condensation Around Windows

Condensation or moisture buildup around windows plagues many homeowners. Surplus condensation around window frames can cause the wood to rot or increase the potential for mold and mildew growth. To prevent excess moisture from accumulating, consider improving the ventilation in your home—especially in the bathrooms, kitchen, and laundry area—by installing storm windows or keeping window treatments that can trap heat, such as blinds and curtains, open.

4 Crucial Signs Your Home Needs a New Roof

A home’s roof plays one of the most important roles in protecting the condition of your property. From keeping water at bay to acting as a shield against harmful temperatures and storm conditions, these materials are designed to be sturdy. However, as strong as these components are, they don’t last forever. In fact, homeowners always seem to find themselves needing a new one sooner than they initially thought. These are some of the tell-tale signs your home needs a new roof and why you should waste no time in tackling this project.

Shingles are Damaged or Falling Off

Exterior damage to the shingles is the first major indicator that your roof is no longer effective. While any form of cracking or looseness is considered a problem, this is especially the case if it’s happening more and more often. If it is, this means that your roof’s materials can no longer handle the stress. In fact, you may even find that some shingles are breaking free and going missing—leading to additional issues.

Indoor Leaks or Water Damage

Any type of leak or interior water damage is also an important sign your home needs a new roof. When the shingles are no longer sealing out rain water, it will start sinking into the wooden frames of the home, forming leaks. Should this go unnoticed, it can start weakening the structure of your home and even result in the growth of mold. So, if your attic is feeling a bit damp or there are visible wet spots along the walls after a storm, make sure you get your roof replaced immediately.

Your Roof is Over 20 Years Old

Even if you don’t notice any blaring problems with your current roof, you may still want to replace it after a certain number of years. By the time your roof is around 20 years old, chances are high that most of the previously mentioned problems have already begun to occur. This is due to the fact that standard shingles eventually become brittle from the elements and lose their ability to properly protect the home. As such, it’s always wise to get a new roof every 20 years or so, just to play it safe.

It No Longer Fits with Your Home’s Style

You may want to get your roof replaced simply because you don’t like the way it looks anymore. A home’s design can change a lot over 20 years and, should you have recently done a remodel, you might find that it no longer looks right. Additionally, even specialized metal roofing comes in a series of different styles to choose from. So, you’re guaranteed to find something that meets your standards in both appearance and strength.

Sr Lady Tigers Play Grrrreat In Double Wins

As the basketball season continues full speed ahead, the Mansfield Sr High Lady Tigers are keeping pace right along with it. And with three games nearly every week, that says a lot about the hunger these girls have to succeed. Last week, the Sr Lady Tigers picked up three more wins for their stat book. Along with their Mulberry victory, Mansfield also secured wins against Valley Christian 58-8 and a conference crowning of 47-34 against Acorn which sets the Sr Lady Tigers at 2-0 in conference play and 6-3 overall.

Danielle Lillie

With the two nights combined, aside from the girls earning 105 points total, the Sr Lady Tigers also garnered 67 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 31 steals. Representing the sophomore squadron on the court for this two-game hoop fest was Natalie Allison, Seven Sanderson, Skylynn Harris, Lita Hecox, and Serenity Brunson. Last season in Jr High play this group was moving mountains and this year is no different. Allison, who snagged 8 points, plays her guard/shooting guard position with pristine focus as she can not only read plays two steps ahead but she can find open shots better than Sacagawea exploring the Louisiana Territory.

Makayla Strutton

The other four sophomores are able to use their height to dominate in the forward/power forward positions. Due to this fact alone, Harris, Sanderson, Hecox, and Brunson are the ultimate basket bodyguards standing so firm in their spots under the net that not even F5 tornado winds could waver them. Harris walked away with 11 points while Sanderson made 2.

Kiara Thomas

Holding down the junior genre is Kiara Thomas, Sadie Roberts, and Sarah Fisher. Combined, this deadly trio brought in 18 points from last week’s matches with Valley Christian and Acorn. Not only can these girls do damage offensively but they are lethal in the defense department as well. Not afraid to get dirty with their dives, jumps, and in your face coverage, the juniors make a game of hockey look like a round of golf.

Chloe Creekmore

And then you have the quartet section of seniors who are made up of Chloe Creekmore, Danielle Lillie, Brooke Wright, and Makayla Strutton who spend full matches mopping the floor with their opponents. Strutton was the offensive leader in both games netting 30 points total and bringing her total season points to 115 from a mere nine games. Brooke Wright secured 11 points while defensively she’s a bulldozer not afraid to plow over anybody that gets in her way. Because of her willingness to do whatever it takes to get the ball, Wright has already earned a total of 36 rebounds, 9 steals, and 5 blocks.

Halftime vs Valley Christian

Creekmore logged 9 points from this pair of games and thanks to her smooth moves like Jagger, she has been able to bring in a total of 63 points, 53 rebounds, and 10 steals and by the rate that she is going, these numbers will probably be doubled by the end of the month. And with a total of 13 points, is Danielle Lillie who with 26 steals on the season, her playing style is like steam from a tea kettle. There one minute and gone the next.

#24 Brooke Wright

The Sr Lady Tigers have two big conference games this week to prepare for. First up on Tuesday, December 15 at home is the Future School who the girls have already faced and beat 51-19. Then, the Lady Tigers will head to Lavaca to take on for the first time this season, the Lady Golden Arrows on Thursday, December 17.

There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays

By Brittney Schrick, PhD 
U of A System Division of Agriculture 

This year is weird. There, I said it. Nothing has been normal, and as the numbers of COVID-19 cases continue to climb, normal doesn’t seem to be coming back in the near future. Many of us had hoped the pandemic would be under control by the fall and winter holidays so we could see family and friends in a normal-ish way. Unfortunately, that’s simply not the case.  

All recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Arkansas Department of Health have been clear: Just stay home. 

Although this is disappointing, it doesn’t change the nature of the holidays. We have adjusted and readjusted our work, home, school, family and social lives all year long, and we can do it again to ensure our own safety and the safety of those we love (and those we don’t even know). 

Recent statistics have highlighted the lag time between exposures, hospitalizations, and deaths related to COVID-19. 

Based on the average time frame, those who are exposed during the holidays could greatly increase the death toll around Christmas time. We’re seeing this play out as daily death rates continue to climb nationally following the Thanksgiving holiday. Those sickened during the Christmas holiday are likely to continue or worsen this already awful trend, and lead to increased death rates in the new year.  

The CDC and the Arkansas Department of Health are strongly urging people not to travel for the holidays to avoid spreading COVID-19 across the country. With this in mind, it is important to consider that staying home and away from those you love this holiday season could be the kindest thing you ever do for them, and they for you. 

How can I stay safe this holiday season? 

The following people should not participate in any in-person holiday events to avoid the risk of exposing others: 

  • Anyone who has tested positive for the coronavirus and should be isolating, even if they do not have symptoms. 
  • Anyone recently exposed to someone diagnosed with coronavirus/COVID-19 and is in their quarantine period, even if they have tested negative during that time. 
  • Anyone experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, which may include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, or is otherwise feeling unwell. 

What can I do instead of a big extended family dinner? 

There are lots of ways to have a safe and happy holiday season this year, including: 

  • Having a small dinner with your own household. You can decorate and play games or make it very low-key. 
  • Hosting a virtual dinner with extended family and friends through Zoom or other video technology. Zoom even waived its 40-minute limit for free users during Thanksgiving.  
  • Even if holiday shopping together is a tradition, consider shopping online. You can even combine online shopping and Zooming by sharing your screen with a friend or family member to shop together. 
  • Look for online, outdoor, or drive-in options for worship services. 

Some “medium risk” activities include: 

  • Having a small group (fewer than 10 people) outdoor dinner with family and friends while maintaining physical distance of at least six feet and wearing cloth face coverings (masks). If you are meeting with anyone outside your household, masking and physical distancing are important precautions. 
  • Going to an outdoor holiday activity such as a Christmas tree lot or farm, walk-through holiday light display or other similar large outdoor venue where mask use is enforced and people can maintain physical distance. 
  • In-person shopping at times when stores are not busy, masking is enforced and physical distance can be maintained. 

The Arkansas Department of Health recommends avoiding these high-risk activities: 

  • Taking an elderly relative out of a nursing facility, hospital, or retirement community. 
  • Traveling outside the local area. 
  • In-person shopping during any peak times. 
  • Large indoor gatherings with people outside your household, including with other family or friends. 
  • Attending other indoor events like parties, movies, etc. where many people from many households are likely to attend. 

It’s not just about this year 

Even though it can be difficult to think about doing the holidays differently this year, it only takes one sick person at a gathering where precautions are not taken or are lax to spread the virus among your entire family, friend group, church, neighborhood, or whomever is present. It may help to think about it this way: It’s not just about this one holiday, it’s about all the Thanksgivings, Christmases, and birthdays to come. If even one person dies or their quality of life is severely impacted by this year’s gathering, you will be reminded of it every year going forward. 

Stay safe. Stay home.  

The Cooperative Extension Service has many resources to help individuals and families cope with stress. Be sure to contact your county extension office or visit https://www.uaex.edu/health-living/personal-family-well-being/

To learn more about extension and research programs in Arkansas, visit https://division.uaex.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk, @uaex_edu or @ArkAgResearch. 

About the Division of Agriculture 

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system. 

The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses. 

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. 

Obituary – Margaret Louise Williams (1928 – 2020)

Margaret Louise Williams of Waldron, Arkansas went to be with her Lord and Savior, Friday, December 11, 2020, in Waldron, Arkansas. Margaret was born December 12, 1928 in Elbing, Kansas to Louis Blair and Esther (Barber) Blair. Margaret was 91 years, 11 months and 30 days old. She was a longtime member of Union Hill Baptist Church in Union Hill, Arkansas. Margaret had strong faith and she lived by it daily.

Margaret was married to the love of her life, Ed for 65 treasured years. Together they raised their family and endured good times and bad but making each adventure a life lesson to learn from. Margaret was a sweet and kind lady with a love for the simple things in life such as front porch sitting and watching nature in its element. She enjoyed quilting, watching old western movies and travelling with Paw. But most importantly, Margaret loved her family and being surrounded by them. Family time together was priceless.

Margaret leaves behind to cherish her memory, her children: Johnny Williams and wife Loretta of Booneville, Arkansas, Bob Williams and wife Teresa of Greenwood, Arkansas, one sister in law, Ellen Mae Essman of McKinney, Texas and two nephews and three nieces. Grandma will forever remain in the hearts of her 16 grandchildren, 35 great grandchildren and 16 great great grandchildren. Margaret will be missed by all who knew her and the many whose lives she impacted including a host of extended family, friends and neighbors she loved dearly.

Margaret is preceded in death by her darling husband Ed Williams, her parents Louis and Esther Blair, two daughters, Linda Smith and Francis Waston, one son, Kennith Williams, one sister, Betty Patrick and one brother, Jes Blair.

Margaret’s graveside life celebration will be 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at Union Hill Cemetery in Union Hill, Arkansas with Rev. Jason Franklin officiating. Interment will follow. Arrangements are being entrusted to the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkanas.

Margaret’s pallbearers will be Raine Shigley, Tommy Metcalf, Carol Franklin, Joe Franklin, Henry Paul Metcalf and Robert Page.

Margaret’s visitation will be Wednesday, December 16, 2020, from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Waldron, Arkansas.

 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Margaret Louise Williams, please visit our floral store.

Hackett Football Not Fazed By 2020s Landmines

Going into the 2020 season, there was a lot of unknown items shadowing the Hackett Sr High Hornets. Moving up to a new conference in the 3A along with trying to figure out how or if they would have games and everything from practices to game days being up in the air. But this is Hackett Hornet football! Nothing would stop them from playing the game they love. Anyone, anyhow, or anyway, the Hornets were determined to play.  

Hackett started the season off with three dominant performances over Panama and Pocola then whipped up on Lavaca 40-13 in their conference opener. The Hornets even went toe to toe and blow for blow with a Cedarville team dubbed to be on the verge of greatness. Although the Hornets were edged out by a single touchdown against the Pirates, Hackett put the rest of the 3A on notice. Unfortunately, every team in the 3A1 has what is known as the midseason “Death Row” on their schedule where they have three to four games in a row against top-notch opponents.

The Hornets “Death Row” started against Cedarville followed by Charleston, West Fork, and Greenland giving them a four-game losing streak. That streak would come to an end though when the Hornets defeated their rivals, the Mansfield Tigers, in a 60-46 shootout for the final game of the regular season. “We were very proud of our guys’ hard work and effort this year. They stayed together through several close tough games. We had some bright spots and we showed we can compete in this conference,” head coach Michael Meador stated.

Ending the season with a victory over their rivals was a big boost for Hackett, but with a 2-4 conference record and a pandemic on the rise, the question was, would they be able to make the playoffs in their first year of being in the 3A. That answer was quickly answered when news broke that Hackett had a shot to earn their way in. In their playoff bid game, they squared off against Mountain View and proved yet again that they could get the job done as they scored a 38-20 win. “We had a big win against Mountain View to win our first playoff win in 3A. It was a long trip and our players stayed ready for the game the whole way. The players played and never gave up. That is why we were able to win our first playoff game.”

The Sr Hornets road to State would end in their next game though against one of Arkansas premier 3A programs, the Booneville Bearcats. Hackett may have been outsized and outmatched, but if you watched the game, you would notice they gave everything they had and never backed down. Ending the season with a 5-6 overall record and making it to two State playoff games isn’t something any team should be ashamed of. Especially when you factor in that this was their first year in a bigger conference along with the pandemic chaos that the Hornets faced each and every week.

This was a very crazy season. Every week we did not know until the game started if we would even play that week. We could get a call at any time and not be able to play. There were all kinds of distractions that could have pulled our players’ focus away, but they always stayed on the task at hand. We are very proud of our kids for continuing to fight all year. They never backed down once against any team we played this season. We will continue to build on the positives from this season and prepare hard this off-season for next year!”

Photos courtesy of Mandy Foster and Michael Meador

Jr Lady Tigers Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Refs

Pictured is Harlie Fuller

The Mansfield Jr Lady Tigers took to their home court Monday night against the Mulberry Yellowjackets. The Jungle was electric as the undefeated Lady Tigers and the Yellowjackets tore onto the court only to find out that the refs were running a little behind. No problem though. After some backup refs were found, it was game on! Mansfield took to the match and bulldozed their way into the heart of the Yellowjackets nest walking away with a 42-6 victory and remaining undefeated. The Tigers played so well, that all members of the team were able to get on the court and showed just how deep the talent really is on the Lady Tigers roster.

Shelbie Fuller

The Jr Lady Tigers’ very own game-day swift handed bandit, Kynslee Ward, was at her norm as she spent the game stealin’ and reelin’ with the basketball earning 15 points. Mulberry made it a point to keep Alyson Edwards at bay for most of the game but made the most out of every time she got the ball. Anytime the ball touched her hand’s points were sure to hit the scoreboard as she netted 9. Raine Hecox, who grabbed 2 points, was a pass and assist queen against the Yellowjackets as she read Mulberry’s defense with ease to shift the ball to open teammates.

Cole Smith

Throwing up 6 points was Kaylee Ward who as the tallest member of the team is able to use her height to an advantage snaggin’ and draggin’ every ball that graces the basket. Dropping three’s like it was nothing was sisters Harlie and Shelbie Fuller who landed 6 points combined. And with 2 points apiece was Cole Smith and Ellie Welch who each brings an energy to the court that opponents quickly take notice of.

Trinity Triska

The Jr Lady Tigers’ dominant performances this season have not only put all 2A teams on notice, but also every opponent on their schedule as well. The undefeated 5-0 Jr Lady Tigers will next face conference foes the Lavaca Jr Lady Golden Arrows on Thursday, December 17.  

Azlynn Stover

Kayaking Through the Winter

By Madison VanRavensway

The first official day of winter is December 21st. It’s a common belief that many outdoor activities cannot be done in such cold months. One of the main hobbies that could be forgotten until spring is kayaking. Hitting the water in freezing temperatures? No thank you. However, those who are die hard kayakers may still choose to attempt such feats.

1. Dress for submersion- even the most experienced kayakers can hit too rough rapids and end up in the water. In cold conditions a dry suit is imperative!

2. Check temperatures- the rule of thumb is air temp + water temp should be 120*, if not get that wet suit on!

3. Wet feet = cold feet, which means cold all of you! Neoprene booties allow your feet to stay warm and dry even if they get wet!

Kayaking in the winter can be a beautiful experience! But it’s important to prepare yourself for the cooler temperatures so a joyful experience doesn’t turn into a miserable one.

Lady Eagles Defeat Waldron in Conference Opener

The Paris Lady Eagles hosted the Waldron Lady Bulldogs on Friday night at Paris Gymnasium. After trailing at the half, Paris eventually pulled away, in part with clutch free throw shooting in the fourth quarter, to defeat the Lady Bulldogs. Paris will travel to Hackett on Tuesday night to play the Lady Hornets in their second game of the conference schedule.

Resident Press Photo

Lady Eagles coach Donald Hart was pleased to win the team’s first conference game, but was not pleased overall with his team’s performance. Coach Hart commented, “Was proud the team was able to pull out the win late, but was disappointed in our overall play. Poor team rebounding and too many unforced turnovers. Got to clean some missed defensive assignments up and continue to focus on improving offensively. Jadyn Hart and Brailey Forst were big for us down the stretch. Got to continue getting good numbers from those two heading into Christmas break.”

Although the Lady Eagles looked sluggish in the first half, the team did seem to come out of the locker room from the half with a little more fire and determination. Late scoring plays and clutch free throw shooting down the stretch were eventually enough to secure the win for the Lady Eagles.

Remembering that the core of this team that played volleyball in the fall was not an emotional or high energy team, the 2020-21 version of the Lady Eagles basketball team seems to be following the same pattern. For the long winter months of January and February where there is one important conference game after the other each week, Paris will have to find a higher level of energy and intensity to match and exceed their opponents’. The team cannot wait to pick up the intensity until they are behind in the second half of critical conference games. This team is relatively young and inexperienced on the varsity level, and they will continue to improve each week of the season.

Resident Press Photo

In the win for the Lady Eagles, Jadyn Hart and Brailey Forst led the team in scoring with 16 and 15 points respectively. Jadyn Wells added 5 points for Paris.

Resident Press Photo

In boys play, it was a dominating performance by the Waldron Bulldogs as they were in control for the entire night and handed the Paris senior boys a decisive lost at home in the first conference game for both schools. Paris had no answers for the Waldron pressure defense and the Bulldogs’ fast breaking offense that seemed to score at will against the Eagles. The loss was the third double-digit loss for the Eagles who must now regroup and fix some problems early if they want to be competitive in conference play.

Mequeil Ellingberg led the Eagles with 22 points. Sam Muldrow had 14, and Jesse Wells added 9 points for Paris. Eagles coach Blain Brewington said after the game, “Still trying to find our identity. Still too many turnovers. Defense was not where it needs to be in order to compete with top teams in our league. We are a work in progress.”

Paris has suffered their third straight loss by significant, double-digit margins, and the team, who started the season playing good basketball, seems to be having trouble integrating the new players from the football program into their rotations. But Eagles fans have to keep all of this in its proper perspective. The six football players have been on the basketball team for less than one week and have had very little practice time with the team. There is a lot of talent on the team, but there is also very little experience on the varsity level, and they have a new coach this year who is installing his system and expectations. It is very early in the season, and I expect this team to continue to have growing pains over the next few games, but will hit its stride in January. By post-season time, the Eagles could be a different team and could be a threat going into the district and regional tournaments. The core of this team is playing their first year of varsity basketball, but, they are very talented and will improve with each game.

Resident Press Photo

Waldron, who finished last year as tri-champions of their conference along with Charleston and Elkins, was impressive and appears to be set as a contender for the title in their new conference. Certainly, the Bulldogs will be even tougher at home, and the win at Paris was big for the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs, along with Cedarville and Charleston, will be very tough, and Paris must simply improve its game and find the right combination of players who can go to war with the conference schools that are expected to make a run for the title.

Paris basketball action will resume on Monday night when the Hackett Hornets junior high teams come to Paris to play the junior Eagles and Lady Eagles. Seventh grade girls, junior girls, and junior high boys games will be played starting at 5 p.m.

Senior high games against the Hornets will be played at Hackett on Tuesday. Senior girls and boys junior varsity games, as well as senior girls and boys games will be played starting at 5 p.m. Next week is the final week of conference play for Paris before the holidays break. Both the Eagles and Lady Eagles need to go into the break with two conference wins next week before they resume their conference schedule at Charleston on January 5.

Resident Press Photo

Have a great weekend and Resident Press will be in Hackett on Tuesday night to bring you coverage of the Lady Eagles and Eagles games with the Hornets. Look to Resident Press on Wednesday afternoon for a complete recap of Tuesday night’s games.