Groceries are easily one of our highest bills, but also one of the places I look first when we need to save. Any place you shop, there are ways to save on groceries.
The best budgeting advice for groceries I’ve heard is $100 per person for month, with a minimum of $200. So if you are a three person household your budget should look like $300 a month. If you are single, still budget $200, although less is certainly always better. I’m aware this doesn’t work for everyone, so if this doesn’t work for you pick a budget that does work!
Aldi is my favorite place to get groceries, but it’s an hour away from me. So even though I can save a LOT on my groceries sometimes it’s not practical for me to get there. Walmart is my second go to, but if all else fails I will shop at Harps. Sams Club has free delivery for plus members so I can order some staples such as flour from there! (Bonus tip: my membership was a Christmas gift so I saved on it also, and my mom and I share it. Ask for it as a gift of split the cost with someone!)
Yes, 7lbs of powdered sugar is a ton, but with the holidays coming up I am all set! I keep it in my freezer.
So how do I save money on groceries? I make as much as I can from scratch. Yes, it takes longer. But, it saves money and is healthier for us than all the additives. I try to keep my pantry stocked with staples for baking- flour, sugar, powdered sugar, brown sugar, and cooking oil.
Add fillers into your meals- rice and beans, beans and rice. That’s the Dave Ramsey way, but even those not following the financial guru can heed that advice. Potatoes, rice, beans, and lentils beef up a meal without beefing up the cost.
When you are at the grocery store look for yellow tags! Yellow tags are your friends! This is meat that is on clearance, it is not bad meat. It’s a couple days away from the FREEZE by date, which means it needs cooked or frozen after you buy it. Don’t shy away from these, there is nothing wrong with them, the store will just have to throw them away if they do not sale so they have put a discount on them. Shopping early in the morning gets you the best selection on these meats!
Sell by 11/4, saw on 11/1! Lots of time to cook or freeze!
Walmart often discounts overstocked items such as yogurt as well! Check the use by dates before purchasing, but checking those yellow tags can save a lot of money.
Shop the sales ad! Make yourself a list of what you need to keep your must haves stocked, and any good deals that will equal meals. I keep my staples on hand, and buy beef, chicken, and pork when I find it on clearance. Harps has great sales on chicken drumsticks fairly often. Aldi has a fresh meat sale every Wednesday and their prices are always great.
Another thing to keep in mind and build a pantry supply so you aren’t buying things not on sale is one for now, two for later. A step beyond this is know your pricing. I know if I find canned vegetables at 50 cents or less that’s a good deal. So instead of just buying one can and needing another one next time I am at the store I would grab 3. We use one can at a time, if you use more get more.
Don’t be afraid to shop around for the best deals! I have went to three stores on several occasions to take advantage of all the sales.
Feeding your family is expensive. It’s sad that once all other bills are paid many will struggle to provide food for their families. But having a plan when you walk in the store and setting a budget is a great starting place.
After a grueling battle with Booneville last Friday for the conference championship in 3A-4, the Paris Eagles now move on to close out the regular season at Danville with the conference’s second seed in the state playoffs at stake. With their victory over Paris, the Booneville Bearcats have won the conference no matter the outcome of their game this week versus Perryville. The Bearcats will be the top seed from the 3A-4 conference in the state playoffs.
Resident Press File Photo
The state playoff brackets are still undecided as of the publication date of this story. In a memo obtained by Resident Press, the Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) has notified schools that: “1) Regardless of the reason (COVID, injuries, poor record), opting out is required if you cannot participate. The deadline is 8:00 a.m. Saturday, November 7. This is necessary to ensure we begin with the best possible bracket, 2) Standings are the order of finish in the conference. Playoff seedings are the adjusted standings after it is determined which teams are participating in the playoffs. For example, for seeding purposes, if a 3rd place team in the standings opts out (COVID), the 4th place team moves to 3rd, 5th moves to 4th, etc., 3) We are averaging 16 cancelled games per week. Things are going to happen throughout the bracket so it is imperative that we start with the best possible bracket, 4) Teams that do not qualify for the bracket and opt-in will be the visiting team in the play-in game, and 5) Do not be tempted to manipulate the standings by using COVID. Please understand that any declaration of COVID issues that prevent a team from playing week 10 may also be considered as “opting out” of the playoffs due to a 14-day quarantine period.”
The memo from the AAA may indicate that there in fact has been some “gaming” of the COVID policy allowances that has allowed teams to cancel or avoid playing games. This may or may not be the case, but it has apparently risen to a high enough level of concern of the AAA that some schools may have attempted to cancel in week 10. In this scenario, the 14 day required quarantine period would not allow players to play in week one of the state playoffs on November 13. As a reporter, I have been reporting on this concern in both the sports of volleyball and football, and this is the first written acknowledgement that this could have happened, or, it is just a concern that it could happen in week ten. Either way, it is a shame that a virus that has the potential to kill people may have been used by some schools across the state to manipulate their standings or seedings by using the excuse to manipulate their schedules.
Image Credit: Arkansasonline.com
But moving forward with Paris’s game this week with Danville, the Eagles must take a “business trip” to Danville to take care of the Little Johns and secure the second seed. A loss at Danville could put the second seed in jeopardy and could lower the Eagles to a three seed in the playoffs. A win at Danville this Friday could mean that the Eagles will possibly host the Salem Wolverines at Eagles Stadium in week one of the high school playoffs. Resident Press hopes to obtain a copy of the final playoff bracket this weekend after the superintendents’ deadline has passed and the AAA publishes a final playoff schedule. As of publication time of this story, it is still uncertain as to if the Eagles first playoff game will be on November 13, or November 20. That depends on the total number of teams across the state that decide to opt-in to the playoffs. Stay tuned.
Resident Press File Photo
After Paris head coach Tyler Clark and his staff had a chance to review Friday’s film of the Booneville game, he and the rest of the coaches expressed pride in their team’s performance. Coach Clark commented, “The big takeaways from that game were the facts that Booneville is a really good football team, and we are too. We shot ourselves in the foot a few times, but then I thought we had some errors that Booneville forced. We leaned on our defense all night; they played well. We had two turnovers that we converted into touchdowns, and that is always big. It was just a tough game. But when you look at all of it…matter of fact, my coaches and I were just talking about this, our kids got put in some situations that they have not been put in (in games) and I think we got some valuable experience that will help us down the road. Everyone out of that group (defense) played their tails off. Offensively, there were a few times we got some things going, had a little bit of momentum, and then all of the sudden we would get a hold and it would be third and 17. Things like that, you can’t do things like that against a good team like Booneville.”
Resident Press File Photo
One of the unsung heroes of this year’s Eagles football team has been sophomore kicker James Yang. Yang took over the kickoff and placekicking duties early in season and has been remarkably consistent with point-after-touchdown attempts. According to Max Preps (data may be incomplete) Yang has attempted 14 extra points on the year and has made 11. In addition to the scoring of extra points, Yang’s dependability has enabled the Eagles to stay away from attempting two-point conversions after touchdowns. In high school football, a place kicker who can consistently make extra-points is worth gold, and Yang has been golden this season for the Eagles. Ironically, it was a blocked Yang extra point late in the game that kept the Eagles from tying the game late. An issue with blocking a corner from going inside and blocking the kick was the difference. Yang will continue to be an important part of the Eagles success as the team enters the playoffs.
As conference teams enter the last week of the regular season, the standings in the 3A-4 conference are (according to Max Preps):
Booneville 4-0
Paris 4-1
Atkins 4-2
Perryville 4-2
Mayflower 2-2
Danville 1-3
Baptist Prep 0-4
Two Rivers 0-4
Games played around the conference in week ten are:
Paris at Danville
Perryville at Booneville
Atkins at Mayflower
Two Rivers at Baptist Prep
For Paris, a loss at Danville coupled with an Atkins win will drop the Eagles to third place and Atkins would take over the two seed due to the Red Devils having played all of their games. That is one scenario; perhaps the conference would keep Paris as the two seed due to the manner in which Paris defeated Atkins. But for sure in this uncertain year, the Eagles just need to take care of their business Friday night so none of this comes into play for the Eagles. This is potentially the same situation the Paris volleyball team found themselves in at the end of their season. Loss games played ended up costing the Lady Eagles the district championship, and in football, the lost game with Two Rivers could cost the Eagles the number two seed in the football playoffs.
So the stage is set for the topsy-turvy football regular season to come to an end this Friday night. The Eagles need their fan base to make the 52 minutes trip to Danville to support Paris in this important conference game. The 2020 edition of the Paris Eagles is a football team of high character and knows how to win. I believe they will take care of business early and give the coaches a chance to rest starters for the upcoming playoffs. But the Eagles must respect Danville and show up and give 100% effort against the Little Johns. If they do, we may see the Eagles hosting the Wolverines on November 13 at Eagles Stadium in the first round of the state playoffs.
It has been quite the season for the Cedarville Pirates. When they’ve won, they’ve won big. When they’ve lost, it’s been merely by the fine edge of the sword. But if there was one game that they didn’t want to be a close one, it was against their 3A rivals the Mansfield Tigers last Friday night. The Tigers swapped spots with Cedarville last season taking the final playoff spot from the Pirates. Not this time though. Not…..this…..time! The Pirates took the Tigers on a magic carpet ride that left Mansfield feeling woozy with a final score of 60-20 Cedarville. “With the win, we improved our playoff seeding and improved our record for the 4th consecutive season,” stated head coach, Max Washausen. “I am very proud of our football program!” After Friday’s match, Cedarville improved to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in conference play with the two losses only being by two-points.
#7 Kelin Mitchell
Not only did the O-line score 60 points in the game but they also earned over 500 yards in total offense. Junior, Darryl Kattich, has been on fire all season long. He leads the entire state in rushing with 183 carries for 1,809 yards and 24 TDs. In Friday night’s match, Kattich earned 20 carries for 227 yards and 3 TDs. Hayden Partain made 9 carries for 46 yards and 2 TDs. Hayden Morton got 9 carries for 47 yards and a TD. Bruce Turney earned 1 carry for 29 yards and a TD. Kelin Mitchell made 4 carries for 53 yards and a TD that was acquired after dodging not one, not two, but three separate takedown attempts by Mansfield. Bradley Perkins got one 40 yard reception. Tommy Metcalf had 1 carry for 8 yards. And QB, Cody Dickens, got 4/8 passes for 86 yards and 9 TDs.
#51 William Henson
Defensively, the Pirates kept the Tigers at bay almost the entire night choppin’ and blockin’ every Mansfield player that came their way. Getting in on the tackling glory was Tyree Mongold who was also quick to get to the backfield putting plenty of pressure on the Tigers QB. Luke Mallow, Bruce Turney, Levi Johnson, Bradley Perkins, and Greyson Polk were passing out tackles like they were presents on Christmas morning with Mallow also recovering a Mansfield fumble and Polk blocking a Tiger extra-point kick. Jace Baker had more blocks than the Great Wall of China. And Partain, Austin Bentley, and Levi Hightower each snagged interceptions.
#35 Hayden Partain
Cedarville is riding the high waves of another blowout victory and although the victories are bountiful, the seas are always shifting. The Pirates will have to prepare for another daunting task on Friday, November 6th as they host the Wolves of Lincoln. Lincoln has been a 3A-1 force since moving down from the 4A this season. Unfortunately for Lincoln, it will be Sr Night in the Pirates cove and Cedarville is determined to not be beached from the playoffs this year.
It was the rematch that high school volleyball fans wanted to see in Class 3A. It was the Hackett Lady Hornets and the Paris Lady Eagles meeting for the third time this year; this time at Bank OZK Arena in Hot Springs. And this time, it was for a state championship, but the match was won by Hackett in the same dominant fashion as their second meeting in the finals of the 3A West conference tournament.
Resident Press Photo
Hackett swept Paris 3-0 in a match that was never really close until Paris attempted a comeback in the third set. But the dominant Lady Hornets squelched any attempt by Paris to make a game out of the championship match in the third set, and went on to win their second consecutive state title and its first in Class 3A. Hackett, in its first year in class 3A, finished the season as both district and state champions with just one loss on the season.
Hackett’s Rain Vaughn (15) and Jamye Durham (11) Block a Shot at the Net Against Paris (Resident Press Photo)
Hackett started the match with a run in the first set that forced Paris to play from behind for the entire match. Although Paris had played extremely well in the first three rounds of the state tournament, it was Hackett who carried their momentum from Little Rock into the championship game in Hot Springs. Hackett contested every point and rarely let a ball hit the floor on the return for the entire afternoon. Paris seemingly had no answer for the Hackett front line, and the return of Hackett serves.
Resident Press Photo
Hackett, the defending Class 2A champions from 2019, entered the 2020 season as a member of the Class 3A West. The Lady Hornetts were a championship-expreienced team that looked at home on Saturday on the bright stage of the championship game. The Lady Hornets brought a level of energy and confidence that Paris could not match.
Hackett’s Madeline Freeman (10) Was Named Tournament MVP (Resident Press Photo)
Although Hackett will graduate seven seniors who have been instrumental in winning two state titles, coach Bridget Freeman has built a powerhouse program that has a good junior high program that is developing into the next varsity team that will undoubtedly keep the Hackett tradition going with respect to being very competitive at the state level. The Lady Hornets, according to the State Finals program, will return seniors Madeline Freeman, Kenadi Wright, Shayla Foster, Kadence Glass, and Sarah White in 2021. Hackett will again be a force in the 3A West in 2021.
As the Lady Hornets ran onto the floor and jumped into a big dog pile to celebrate another championship, Hackett senior Madeline Freeman was awarded the tournament’s most valuable player award. Freeman’s award and the state title wrapped-up a near perfect season for the Lady Hornets and made the statement that Hackett can be argued as one of the best volleyball programs in Arkansas across all classifications.
Resident Press
Hackett fans can be extremely proud of this outstanding group of seniors who have brought state championships to their community. This group of seniors will always have the distinction of having won state championships in two classifications, and in doing so, have paved the way for the future of the program. In a volleyball program that is still relatively young, Coach Freeman and her program have made a huge impact in a very short period of time in the sport of high school volleyball in Arkansas.
Resident Press Photo
For the Paris Lady Eagles, the 2020 season was an up and down experience that started with a very young team in August that had very little experience playing together on the varsity level. The Lady Eagles gained momentum throughout the season as the team began to gel and form a cohesive unit. But as it has been well-documented this fall, the team was forced into quarantine for two weeks during the final month of the season.
Resident Press Photo
The Lady Eagles played three very tough non-conference opponents in Fort Smith Southside, Mena, and Hot Springs Fountain Lake. The team took losses in each of those matches against larger classification schools, but the experience paid off for Paris as they became “tournament-tested” in the non-conference games and was set to make a run through the state tournament.
Resident Press Photo
And a run they did make…the Lady Eagles marched through Little Rock with three straight wins, not losing a set during the first three rounds of state. Their conference rivals, the Hackett Lady Hornets, were busy running through their side of the bracket, and when the week was over, both Hackett and Paris were set for an epic showdown in Hot Springs for the state title.
Resident Press Photo
But the young Lady Eagles were a little inconsistent throughout the year, which is characteristic of a young, inexperienced team. And in two of three matches played against Hackett, the Lady Eagles were dealt devastating losses that were not close. By doing so, Hackett has sent a message to Paris that they are now the dominant program in both the 3A West and across 3A, and the Lady Eagles will have to go back to work to prepare for another season next year, and for a chance to measure themselves again against the Lady Hornets. Paris will return key seniors Alyssa Komp, Kasse Appleton, Jacee Hart, Akira Robinson, and Melodie Lo in 2021. Juniors Maggie Richey, Brailey Forst, Rachel O’Neal, and Reagan Lowery will form a solid Paris Lady Eagles team that gained valuable experience and will give the Lady Eagles a chance to make another state run in 2021.
Resident Press Photo
Paris fans should remember that other programs, such as Hackett, have not won state championships until their teams have been made up of predominantly juniors or seniors. The exception this year was in Class 2A with the Mansfield Lady Tigers who were undefeated and made short time of their match with Lavaca for the state title. In fact, with the graduation of seniors at Hackett, and the underclassmen of Paris, one could make a strong argument that Mansfield could be the best volleyball program in classification below 4A heading into 2021. The Lady Tigers were undefeated with largely a sophomore group of players, and the “word on the street” is that the Lady Tigers have more top-level talent coming up from junior high next year to join the team. Mansfield could be a very strong contender for a state title over the next three to four years.
Paris’ Brailey Forst (13) and Alyssa Komp (3) Will be Key Returners for the Lady Eagles in 2021 (Resident Press Photo)
But that is a story for another time. The 2020 volleyball season was one of the most unusual in its history as teams navigated the COVID virus and the week-to-week uncertainty of if they would even be able to play. Other than the disappointments of the fans and players who lost state championship games in all classifications on Saturday, it was a celebration of having had the opportunity to play a season that very well could have been canceled and never played. And for the seniors for the Hackett Lady Hornets, what a tragedy that would have been.
Congratulations to the Hackett Lady Hornets who have won the 3A state championship, and congratulations to all of the state tournament teams for a great season!
I hope you have enjoyed the season as much as Resident Press has enjoyed bringing it to you!
Mansfield athletics saw a surge in their collective championships with a bag full of treats on Halloween. On the morning of October 31, the Mansfield cross country teams won three of four district titles at the 2A-4 Conference Finals. Later that night, the MHS Lady Tigers won the 2A State Volleyball Championship.
For the cross country teams, it was phase two of their postseason schedule after a Southwest Regional bid a week earlier. Their third phase will be a return trip to Hot Springs where the volleyball team won their state title. This time the Tigers will travel for a run at the Class 2A State Cross Country Championships.
Darby Jones
The final leg of the 2020 cross country season will take place on November 5 at 11:30 AM at Oaklawn Park.
As for the Halloween district competition, the Tiger distance teams won the junior girls, junior boys, and senior girls conference championships at Magazine. The senior boys won a runner-up trophy leaving the squads with a remarkable three of four district titles.
Mansfield’s senior girls doubled down with a Regional Championship plaque as well. Since the Magazine hosted conference meet served as a dual district competition with another league, a regional title was also up for grabs.
Jadelynn Wood
The Lady Tiger senior high runners dominated the intimate event with a perfect score of 15. In consecutive order, Darby Jones, Jadelynn Wood, Katlynn Moore, Hope Rainwater, and Alyssa James crossed the finish line for their sectional win.
In the combined regional scoring, Jones was the overall individual runner-up with a career-best 23:23. The lanky junior held a slim lead headed into the final 200-meter stretch before a faster non-conference opponent caught her to take the tape.
“No doubt, Darby ran a terrific race,” explained Mansfield’s head Coach John Mackey. “She knows she has to maintain a pace most runners can’t handle. She reminds me of Hannah Holstein, our 2012 State Champion. Not the fastest Tiger on the trail but one that has to keep her distance so a faster runner can’t catch up.”
Laney Wood
Wood also ran a terrific race finishing second in league play and fourth overall. She narrowly missed the 23 minute and some change status with her second consecutive 24:01 timing.
Wood’s younger sister also performed well. In the shorter 1.5-mile junior girls’ race, little Laney Wood inched out a Mount Ida Lion for the overall first place award. The eighth grade Wood reached the finish in an amazing time of 9:33.
Trinity Triska, Raine Hecox, Addie Bowman, and Azlynn Stover completed the scoring five for the Jr Lady Tigers. As a group, the younger prep team wrangled the Rattlers of Magazine by a narrow three points for the team trophy.
Triska was second in the league standings and third overall with a time of 10:11. Hecox (9), Bowman (10), and Stover (11) along with Wood and Triska all collected medals in the 2A-4 conference division.
Trinity Triska
For the men’s events, a modified scoring system took place as reduced numbers in the Covid era lightened the overall number of competitors. As a result, Mansfield’s roster against the other teams’ abbreviated rosters outran the competition to take two trophies.
The Mansfield junior boys with four Top 10 scorers hauled home the championship plaque over Lavaca, Magazine, and Johnson County Westside. The MHS senior men captured the runner-up team award with two Top-10 finishers.
John Branche off the high school team was fourth in the league standings and eighth overall. The eleventh grader chopped a minute off his personal best to sprint past the finish in 20:22.
John Branche
For his efforts, Branche collected an All-District medal and a Regional Top 10 individual plaque. Teammate Ethan Streets also collected an All-District medal.
Josiah Fildes (2), Rylan Nichols (4), Jonah Martin (5), and Joseph Carter (10) all earned All-District medals out of the 2A-4 league. As a unit, the four seventh-graders amassed a better team total to win the outright league championship.
The district finals marked the end of the junior high season. The senior high will proceed to the state championships on Thursday.
Mansfield’s junior girls win by three points over Magazine
The Tigers all seventh grade lineup wins the 2A-4 District Championship
Mansfield senior girls cross country runners at District
Sr Tigers Branche and Streets
Mansfield cross country runners show a legion of awards earned at the 2020 2A-4 District Championships on October 31
Anyone who wondered if the Magazine Sr High Rattlers could maintain their winning ways after losing key talent and head coach after last season can set their minds at ease. The Rattlers have proven that they are not merely a one and done program. With a 61-24 thumping of Conway Christian last Friday night, the Rattlers improve their conference record to 5-1 and are poised for a great playoff run. “We will be the 2 seed in the playoffs but right now we are only focused on JC Westside,” explained head coach, Ryan Chambers. “Like I’ve told the guys all year, the most important game of the year is the next one.”
If you stepped outside at any point last Friday you’d notice the frigid temperature. It was cold for sure, but the Rattlers chose their charcoal-colored uniforms. But why the charcoal ones you ask? Because charcoal burns hot for a long time and against Conway Christain, so did Magazine. To start the game, and be a play that will definitely go down in Rattler history as one of the fastest and most epic touchdowns, Magazine kicked off to the Eagles who then scooped and ooped the ball in a fumble caused by Kobe Faughn and was then quickly recovered and scored upon by Rattler, William King for 5 yards.
Senior, Cole Gilbert with his first career interception!
From there, things continued to go south for the Eagles who just could never quite get off the ground. Magazine finished the game with 496 rushing yards and 19 passing yards whom QB, Tatum Scott acquired with one pass to Cameron Raggio. Ashton Droemer was the lead rusher with 14 for 228 yards, and 3 TDs. He was followed by Kobe Faughn who made 16 rushes for 189 yards, and 3 TDs. Tatum Scott got 5 for 50 yards. Brad Price made 4 for 15 yards and 1 TD. Cameron Mattson got 4 for 7 yards and a touchdown. Connor Ryan made 1 for 5 yards. And Colton McConnell got 1 for 2 yards.
Defensively, Faughn led with 8 solo tackles, 4 assists, 1 sack, and 1 TFL. Mattson got 4 solo and 6 assists. Droemer made 5 solo and 3 assists. Price got 3 solo and 5 assists. Scott made 3 solo and 2 assists. William King earned 3 solos and 1TFL. And Terrence Thurman, Ethan Vasquez, and Colton McConnell each made 1 solo tackle and 2 assists. “I do think we are a better team now than when we played Bigelow. Unfortunately, that’s not how it works though. We had our opportunity and didn’t make the most of it. Our guys didn’t let it get them down though instead letting it motivate them to work harder and get better.”
Kicker Trace Nicholas
Although Magazine is eyeing the playoffs, they still have one more game to play. The Rattlers will host the JC Westside Rebels on Friday, November 6th. “They really don’t do anything different than the other teams we’ve played this year. They look very similar offensively as Conway Christian. We need to sure up our front 7 and we will be fine.”
The following polling places have been set up by the election laws of the State of Arkansas. The polls will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Listed are the Voter Centers.
Mansfield Fire Dept (01-Mansfield) 200 N. Sebascott Ave., Mansfield, AR 72944
Packsaddle Church (02-Packsaddle) 9865 Hwy 71 N., Waldron, AR 72958
Blue Ball VFD (03-Blue Ball) Hwy 80 East, Waldron, AR 72958
Harvey-Nola VFD (04-Harvey-Nola) 28600 E 28, Gravelly, AR 72838
Parks Community Center (05-Parks) 11021 Lynnwood Loop, Parks, AR 72950
Solid Rock Pentecostal Church (06-Mill Creek) 19075 Hwy 71 S, Boles, AR 72926
Blackfork VFD (07-Blackfork) 34655 Blackfork Trail, Mena, AR 71953
First Baptist Church (08-Waldron) 57 West 6th St., Waldron, AR 72958
Winfield Baptist Church (09-Winfield) 9768 W Hwy 248, Waldron, AR 72958
Bates First Baptist Church (10-Bates) 28754 Hwy 28 W, Waldron, AR 72958
Nella VFD (11-Nella) 16692 Nella Rd., Mena, AR 72953
Mt. Pleasant Community Bldg. (12-Mt. Pleasant) 8539 Greenridge Rd., Waldron, AR 72958
The Butterfield Stage is one of the most recognizable names from old westerns. Virtually every movie had a scene where wild Indians or wilder outlaws chased after the poor travelers huddled within the coach, often one with an injured driver holding on for dear-life. Few realize that part of that storied history passed right through the small towns and villages of the Arkansas River Valley.
John Butterfield started the line in 1858, primarily to deliver mail to California but carried passengers to increase the profit margin. Two feeder routes carried passengers into Fort Smith, the jumping off site to those traveling to California. One originated in St. Louis, Missouri with stops in Rogers, Fayetteville, and Northwest Arkansas. The second arm of the stage began in Memphis, went through Little Rock and along present day I-40, crossed the Arkansas River near Dardanelle, and followed the old military road into Fort Smith.
The stage line, began in 1858, employed over 1,500 men who maintained local stations, drove the coaches, fed the passengers, and took care of the horses and mules required to pull the stage coaches.
The ticket cost around $200 which would be equivalent to several thousand dollars in today’s money. Travel in the coaches was uncomfortable; often the coach carried as many as nine passengers in an area about the size of a modern car. Passengers rode three to a seat, facing each other with legs dovetailed. On steep grades such as the Boston Mountains, they had to get out and walk.
The stage averaged between five and ten miles per hour with stops to change horses or mules every ten to fifteen miles. In our region, stops were made at Conway, Morrilton, and then the large station at Pottsville. The stage then crossed the river by ferry at Dardanelle and continued up the Military Road. The Stinnett family maintained a large station near Delaware, a station existed at Shoal Creek, then Creole station near Subiaco, Moffet’s station near Short Mountain at Paris, just north of Charleston, and the station in Lavaca. The final leg ended on Third Street in Fort Smith. At Fort Smith, passengers disembarked and waited to join with the passengers coming from St. Louis and then continued the two-thousand mile, twenty-five day trip to California.
Traveling the route today, one can still see remnants of that history. The beautiful and historic Potts Tavern still stands. I passed the old barn on Shoal Creek every morning on my bus route and watched over the years as it slowly disintegrated into dust. Foundation stones can still be seen at Creole station, and historical markers are found at Stinnett’s station and in Lavaca.
Senator Boozeman office has recently expressed an interest in making Butterfield Stage an historic route. Walking through the dust on the old military road as a youth, I would never have dreamed that the old road contained so many secrets and stories of our past.
In their final football game of the 2020 season, the Cedarville Jr High Pirates played away at Mansfield on Thursday, October 29. This group of players has gone above and beyond on and off the field since this past summer. From intense practices to hardcore Thursday night matches, the Jr Pirates have pushed themselves mentally and physically in hopes of steering their ship to greatness and established as a program that no longer gets overlooked and underrated.
In their game against the Tigers, they knew it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park. But they were ready to go big or go home the moment they entered the stadium. To get the battle going, the Pirates kicked off to the Tigers. Right out of the gate Braxton Bentley came in with a huge hit leaving the Tiger receiver wishing he had not caught the ball. Chasyn Oden got in on the tackling action as well and after failing to do anything with the ball, Mansfield gave the field to Cedarville. After a few offensive attempts by the Pirates, they too took a turnover on downs.
Again the Tigers ball, Mansfield made every attempt to get on the board but Noah Waterman was quick to put a freeze on the Tigers offense with his unwavering counter-attacks. With minutes left in the first quarter, Mansfield’s QB was primed for a pass and as he launched the ball to his intended receiver, Dylan Adkins came in with the smack-down intercepting the Tigers ball and proving his point that Cedarville meant business. Freshman, Colton Arnold, was the Pirates offensive human dynamo the entire night running routes faster than the Road Runner on a treadmill. As the first quarter ended with a score of 0-0, it was Cedarville’s ball to start quarter number two.
The Tigers barely had time to get their feet under them for the Pirate’s first play of the quarter when Arnold blew Mansfield’s socks off with a 62-yard running TD. Dylan Atkins solidified the two-point conversions and the scoreboard lit up 8-0 Cedarville with 7:50 left in the first half. The Tigers responded with their own TD at the 3-minute mark placing the score at 8-6 Cedarville. After some nice yardage acquired by Briley Small from Mansfields kick, that would be the only excitement the Pirates would get in the remainder of the first half. With a turnover on downs, the Tigers were able to capitalize on their turn with the ball as they laid down another TD. The second quarter ended with a halftime score of 14-8 Mansfield.
#51 Alex Heaton
The second half of the game opened with nice runs by Arnold and Waterman coupled with the tackling skills of Knowlton Christian. This combo did the trick as Arnold was able to drop-ship a rushing TD tying up the score 14-14 at the end of the third quarter. Talk about a finger-nail chewing battle. It was very evident at this point that neither team was going to lay down quietly. The fourth quarter opened with Cedarville possessing the ball. Things were looking good for the Pirates as Arnold helped move his team downfield when it happened. The Pirates fumbled the ball but the Tigers were unable to get anything done offensively as they turned the ball back over to Cedarville. With 2:25 left in the game, the Pirates fumbled again. And again, Mansfield fell short as well opting to punt the ball to the Pirates.
With time quickly running out, the Tigers punt was taken by Dylan Adkins who along with coverage by Braxton Bentley, set the Pirates up nicely for victory. But as fate would have it, with 18 seconds left on the clock, Cedarville’s ball was intercepted by Mansfield for a TD finishing the game and the Pirates season with a final score of 22-14 Tigers.
#3 Colton Arnold
“The Jr Pirates finished with a final record of 2-5,” said coach, Max Washausen. “I thought they played really hard all season and in the final game as well. Colton Arnold had 26 carries for 162 yards and 2 TDs against Mansfield. He earned 148 carries, 948 yards, and 8 TDs total on the season. I have really enjoyed this group’s attitudes and I believe they have a really high ceiling for improvement over the offseason. I know I have said this before, but I’m proud of this group of 20-22 7th-9th graders. A lot of kids can choose to do a lot of other things and these guys are learning great life lessons through the game of football.”
Freshman, Colton Arnold, chatted with me about his thoughts going into his final game as a Jr High player. “It was a pretty emotional game for me if I’m being honest. I have worked so hard my entire Jr High career and this being my last game wearing number 3 and playing on the Jr High squad, I was ready to go in and get a win. I wanted it, real bad. I had a goal of getting at least 1000 yards this season and came close but didn’t quite achieve it..that was on my mind a lot going into the game and throughout the entire contest. I also didn’t want to let my team down or my program. I go 100 percent until the whistle blows. All game long.”
#19 Dylan Adkins
To say this was an intense and physical match between Cedarville and Mansfield would be an understatement. But Colton has a way to stay cool under pressure. “I believe that it’s all a mindset. If you have a mindset that you’re gonna go in there, play hard and win, that greatly increases your focus and positivity on the field. I’ve learned over the years of playing football that you can’t go into a game already defeated. You have to keep a level head and keep your mind on the game. I know that if I stay calm and positive my teammates follow by example. That’s my drive and push to finish and win the game.”
As a 9th-grader, Arnold is already as polished and refined as his older counterparts. But how is his success made possible? “Hard work! If you want to be successful, you have to have a “want to attitude”. There’s no other way around it. If you don’t have the drive to do something, you just aren’t going to achieve it. My success is credited to my years of hard work and dedication. Bryson Turner, Briley Small, and Braxton Bentley are the reason I was so successful this year. It’s also thanks to an excellent line. They made me look like an excellent athlete.”
#1 Kendal Hightower and #3 Colton Arnold
Next season, Colton will be joining an over-the-top and most likely unstoppable Sr High Pirate crew consisting of Cody Dickens, Darryl Kattich, Bruce Turney, Hayden Partain, Hayden Morton, Bradley Perkins, Levi Hightower, Tyree Mongold, and Jace Baker. But as always, it’s never too early to start planning for the future. “My number one goal is to become a starter as a sophomore although I know it will be tough. I want to be part of the winning program that Coach Washausen has built from the ground up.”
The Lady Bulldogs earned their championship birth after beating Lakeside (25-13), (25-8), and (25-13) on Thursday. Their straight wins against Sheridan and Marion in early tournament games gave Greenwood the green light for undefeated 5A bracket play.
Downtown Hot Springs, Bank OZK Arena hosted the finals where many hopes, dreams, and teary eyes would be fulfilled. Would it be the Bulldogs or the Jonesboro Golden Hurricanes?
First set – (W) Greenwood: 25-18
Greenwood came out to play and dominated the tempo on both offense and defense. The energy was electric from the game floor to up in the stands as parents, and plentiful students came to cheer on the Lady Bulldogs. That same energy boosted confidence as well as settled nerves.
Second set – (W) Greenwood: 25-20
Heading into the second set, the Lady Bulldogs were calm, focused, and determined to make a sweep of this and call it a day. And they did just that. The win poised the Bulldogs for the third set.
Third set – (W) Greenwood: 25-21
NERVES of steel. That’s the defining words which illustrates this set as these ladies headed into what they hoped were their final play, to hoist the trophy on court, and bring it home.
Bring it home they did. As play commenced, a win was all they wanted. That’s all they had to do, was just win! Win together as a team as they have proved to do, and have done so well.
In the final points of the game, it was a tense environment. The thoughts of earning (not given) the 5A STATE Finals trophy was apparent, but the Bulldogs went to fight, and earn that trophy.
And, earn they did. The Lady Greenwood Bulldog Volleyball team are your 2020 5A State Champions.
