After a rough 52-6 loss against Lincoln last Friday night, Mansfield Sr High Tigers head coach, Tim Cothran, fills fans in on what to expect from the Tigers as they gear up to host the Lavaca Golden Arrows on October, 23. Lavaca will be entering this game with a 0-3 conference record and 0-5 overall record while Mansfield will kick off the night 0-4 in conference and 1-6 overall.
How is your roster looking going into this Friday’s contest? “We still have several starters out with quarantine so we are not at full strength yet.” What is the biggest strength the Tigers will be bringing to the field in their game with Lavaca? “The seniors are playing well so hopefully that is a strength that we can count on.”
What do you feel has been the biggest problem up to this point in conference play and what can be done to fix it? “The execution of our offense has been a struggle for us. We tried some different things early but we found that our best chance is to stay with who we are. If the execution continues to improve in practice, hopefully, that will transfer out to the game field. There is an old saying “practice makes perfect” but in reality, it is “perfect practice makes perfect”. We have to strive for perfection.”
When it comes to Lavaca’s running, passing, or defense, what will need to be done to stop them? “Lavaca has a balanced offense with a talented group of athletes. We have to play assignment football. And we have to control our gaps and have better coverage in the secondary. If we will play to our abilities, it should be a very good game.” And what is the one thing you are looking forward to on Friday’s match-up? “We are just thankful that we have been able to play another game. There are a lot of teams that have had to cancel games because of Covid and we consider ourselves very fortunate to get to continue to play.”
As summer fades some may think good fishing days are fading with it, but that’s not the case. Fall is an excellent time to continue fishing and reel in some monster fish. Cooler weather does, however, change a few strategies for catching large mouth bass.
The best baits are always the baits similar to what the fish are hunting, naturally. During the fall as bait fish are what is on the menu tying on baits like shad, minnows, and sunfish will catch your desired catch’s attention. Lipless crank-baits reeled at a slightly slowed speed with little jerks are also a great option for fall fishing.
This is a Storm brand Wild Eye Live Eye Minnow, and it is what is currently on my fishing pole and spends a lot of time on my husband’s as well!
Fish will chase their food, especially in preparation for winter. Following schools of shad jumping is generally a sure fire way to get in a shoal of bass. Look for small fish jumping out of the water and sometimes you can even catch a glimpse of a bass jumping after them.
If you’re out for monster fish, fall is really a better time than the spring. Fish aren’t waiting on nests, rather waiting on food!
Large fish are more often in covered areas such as submerged trees and brush, water vegetation, docks, etc. than with a large group. To catch large bass, remember to throw a large bait!
A low hanging limb over our pond, it has great potential as a hiding spot for fish!
Some day’s the fish just aren’t biting, but there are always memories to be made and fun to be had by the water. Be flexible, patient, and willing to try a different bait or a new location.
On Tuesday evening, Mansfield Mayor Buddy Black issued a statement in response to the recent discovery of an error in the way the city was making retirement fund deposits. This matter of business was presented to the city council last Thursday evening, October 15, after Mayor Black was informed by the auditor that the funds going into the retirement plan could not come from either street or water, and that the monies must be paid back. -see related story
Mayor Black stated he made the discovery “during my review of the retired elected official’s retirement fund and in trying to find a solution to the problem of said fund being unsustainable in the future when all eligible elected officials are drawing a pension from it.” Black went on to add, “I started with how we had been making deposits into the retirement fund. We have been depositing $1000 into the retirement fund from each of four funds, general fund, street fund, water fund and waste management fund for a total of $4000 per month. Deposits began in June 2013 at a total deposit of $2000 and increased to $4000 January 2018.After reviewing this I discovered that we could not be using monies from the water and street funds to fund this retired elected officials retirement fund.“
It was then, Black stated, that he immediately contacted the auditor, who further investigated the matter. “The auditor found a precedent had been set and ruled on by then Arkansas Attorney General Winston Bryant in 1996. The auditor advised us to pay the money back to street and water immediately. The amount was $60,500 each for a total of$121,000. The council voted to take $ 60,500 from retirement fund and $ 60,500 from waste management fund and return to street and water.”
Black stated that this was done on Friday October 16. “The new amounts and a new budget will be presented to the city council at the November meeting,” explained Black. “Even though this is called an elected official’s retirement, it also includes our city attorney who is appointed not elected. This is all explained in Ordinance 2008-2 which was adopted in December 2008.”
Black concluded by stating, “this was a bookkeeping error and since the money has now been paid back, no further action is needed. The city council will be meeting over the next few months to try to come up with some better ideas on how to fund to pension plan.”
Owning a horse for the first time is an exciting part of any aspiring rancher’s life. After you’ve gotten all your equipment and have prepared your horse’s home, it can be overwhelming to think about what you need to do next. Be aware of these care tips for a new horse owner while you settle in with your new equine companion and work to build a trusting relationship.
Be Careful What You Feed Your Horse
When you own a horse, it becomes your responsibility to know what your horse is eating and how much they eat. Including too many treats in a horse’s diet can cause obesity or digestive issues that are hazardous to your horse’s health, such as colic. While you can be extremely careful with your horse’s diet, be wary of people who may walk by your pasture intending to feed your horse “treats” without your permission. Make sure any visitor (whether expected or not) who wants to give treats to your horse does so only with your approval. You may need to make a sign, depending on how many people walk past your property regularly. There are many things that horses cannot eat, so stick to your own horse treats, forage, and grain.
Know How Much To Feed Your Horse
High-quality hay and forage are essential parts of a horse’s diet. You should never eyeball how much you need to feed them. Know how much forage you need to give your horse daily before you bring them home. Forage provides your horse with both nutritional value and chewing enjoyment while keeping your horse’s digestive tract healthy. During warmer seasons, make sure to account for how much they graze outside when deciding how much to feed them. Problems with their digestive tract can result in obesity, colic, or laminitis, so take care that everything is moving along smoothly.
Exercise Your Horse Regularly
Horses require exercise to stay healthy, even during the winter. Before you own a horse, you need to be aware of how much care and attention they’ll need every single day. A horse that stays out to pasture often will need slightly less exercise than one that stays inside all day, though these horses will still need some routine exercise. One of the most important care tips for a new horse owner is to know that you must exercise your horse for it to stay healthy. They are not just pretty animals to look at and pet. Be sure to ride your horse a few times a week. Even if you’re just riding around the perimeter of your ranch, it’ll be enough activity to satisfy a freedom-loving horse.
The Hackett Sr High Hornets have censored most critics about their being moved from 2A to 3A this season. So the Hornets let the numbers do the work for them. Hackett beat their two non-conference opponents with a combined score of 80-49 then kicked off their new 3A run with a dominant performance over Lavaca. Although the Hornets fell to Cedarville, it was by merely a single score to one of the 3A up and coming programs.
QB, Ethan “Superman” Slavens
The true 3A test though came last Friday as the Hornets traveled to Charleston to face the Tigers. Hackett knew that Charleston is one of the premier 3A programs holding over a dozen 3A-1 championships and five state titles, but they also knew they were going to fight all the way until the final buzzer. That fight started within ten seconds of the game when on Charleston’s first offensive play, the Tigers sent a pass downfield to an open receiver to score. Quickly down 8-0, Hackett went to work as power runs by Weston Winters gashed at the Tigers defense. Pound as they may, the Hornets couldn’t tie the game up and Charleston wound up on offense again. The Tigers again took the pigskin down for another touchdown and tacked on a two-point conversion to boot jumping their lead to 15-0 with 7:36 left in the first quarter.
The Hornets Bodyguards
Scoring once is one thing, but doing it twice? Well, that just poked the Hornets’ nest and Hackett wasn’t about to just kick back and watch. With quick passes to the flats and the continuing thumping of the Tigers defense by Winters, Ethan “Superman” Slavens was able to find the mighty Tigers’ weakness. Slavens lasered a hot pass to Peyton Hester who burnt Charleston’s coverage and took the Hornets into the end zone. The score was 15-8 and it was game on as the Hornets began to come alive. Hackett’s defense stepped up to the plate and began swarming the Charleston backfield. With solid hits that packed a punch, Charleston was sent back to the huddle with stingers in every joint of their bodies. Big hits cause players to make mistakes and the Tigers quarterback rushed an ill-advised pass in which Shipman was there waiting as he tipped the ball allowing Slavens to snag the interception giving the Hornets offense another shot to put points up. Before the Hornets could score, the wild first quarter had sounded with Hackett only being down 15-8.
Hackett Cheerleader Lilly Slavens
This Cinderella story would begin to take a turn for the worse for the Hornets though. Not only was Hackett playing against Charleston…..in Charleston…..but it was Charleston’s homecoming too. The Hornets attempt to dethrone the 3A-1 kings started to slip as the Tigers racked up three unanswered scores on Hackett before the end of the second quarter setting the game at 36-8 at halftime. Once the half was over, Hackett’s woes began just as quickly as they did when the game started as Charleston kicked and recovered an onside kick giving them the ball to start the second half. Hackett struggled to get warmed up in the third and fourth quarters as their offense sputtered off and on. The Hornets defense was able to hold Charleston to only two scores in the second half, but couldn’t keep up with the Tigers’ high-powered and fast-paced offense. In the end, Hackett would fall to Charleston 48-8.
Fischer Shipman
QB, Ethan “Superman” Slavens made 10 passes for 129 yards, 1 TD, and 2 INT. Weston Winters had 21 carries for 80 yards. Fischer Shipman made 6 catches for 96 yards. Peyton Hester snagged 3 catches for 27 yards and 1 TD. Isaiah Carter had 3 pancakes. Luke Gann got 2 pancakes. Juan Fajardo and Mason Oelke each made 1 pancake. Peyton Hester earned 12 tackles. Ty Smith picked up 6 tackles. And Weston Winters scored 7 tackles.
“It was a tough game,” explained head coach, Michael Meador. “We made too many mistakes to beat a good team. We have to learn from it and get better. We can always get better and it’s all about clicking at the right time come playoff time. We still can make a run and we plan on doing that. Our front 6 did a good job putting pressure on their quarterback. We were close several times. Jesse Esparza, Isaiah Carter, and Tyler Pittman got a push in the middle to flush them outside the pocket. Our ends Mason Oelke, Luke Gann, and Ty Smith helped get our pressure off the edge. We still have a lot to work on and we will get there!” Next up for the 1-2 Sr Hornets, Hackett will play at West Fork against the 2-2 Tigers on Friday, October 23.
Pictured: Mansfield’s senior girls finish their regular season cutting down times
For cross country kids, the clock is the enemy. The Mansfield senior girls are well aware of that fact. Now that championship season nears, the Lady Tigers are approaching it with a collective mission to shave time.
Mansfield’s oldest and most experienced long-distance team made a slight shift in practice last week. Transitioning from high mileage and building conditioning, the group turned their attention to faster paces and speed training. Those formulated practices led to a half dozen season-best just a few days later.
Jadelynn Wood of Mansfield uses her stride training to pass a Bentonville run along the Van Buren trails
Mansfield mirrored those practice plans to gain ground at the Magazine Rattler Run on October 13. The results were a runner-up team trophy and new standards for six individual runners.
Led by Faith Rainwater’s 22:55 mark over the 5K, Lady Tiger teammates crossed one by one with season-best performances. Darby Jones sprinted by in 23:57. Jadelynn Wood wheeled past in 24:35. Hope Rainwater rolled for 24:40. Katlynn Moore clocked 24:53, and Alyssa James crossed in 28:32.
“They’re starting to trust their conditioning,” stated Mansfield coach John Mackey. “Cooler temperatures gave them an invitation to run fast and they responded.”
Lady Tiger Darby Jones leads a second wave at the Van Buren Classic
The Rattler Run was the opening frame of a two meet week. The second stanza occurred a few days later with another 5K race in Van Buren on October 17.
The Van Buren Cross Country Classic didn’t quite produce the same speedy results as in Magazine, but there were still solid numbers on a slightly more difficult course.
“Saturday’s course was a little more diverse with ups and downs,” confessed the coach. “We’re still excited for the progress especially since three of our runners got back very late from Lincoln after cheering the previous night’s football game.”
Faith Rainwater turns in the Tigers’ best 5K time this season at 22:55
Again, Faith Rainwater led the pack. The tiny junior navigated the three-loop course in 23:30. Jones (24:43), Wood (25:01), and Moore (25:36) followed in their typical top-five team order. This time James (27:38) who cut nearly another minute off her meet measure was in the scoring five. Hope Rainwater was unable to make the trip.
The Lady Tigers weren’t the only ones to make gains or rather losses for the week. The two senior boys, John Branche and Ethan Streets, also posted their most effective runs of the season.
Branche pushed past the pain for a 21:41 clocking at Magazine. It was his season-best. Then at Saturday’s Van Buren 5K, the junior nearly equaled that time by running 21:43.
Tiger John Branche pushes past a Waldron Bulldog at a recent cross country meet
“Again, we’re pretty happy with the effort,” said Mackey. “John (Branche) played football the night before, rolled in at 1 AM, then jumped on the cross country bus at 7 AM to go run another 3 miles.”
Streets, who has been building his stamina since joining the team in August, was able to complete his first career 5K at Magazine. The senior was excited to finish the 3 lap course in 28:12. He did not attend the Van Buren meet.
Both the men’s and women’s teams will begin their championship series starting Wednesday, October 21. The long-distance runners will travel to Mena’s Lions Club for the Tom Sturthard Top 25 Regionals hosted by Acorn. They will run the 2A West Conference meet on Saturday, October 31 back at Magazine. Then, the series will conclude with the 2A State Championship on Thursday, November 5 in Hot Springs.
John Branche and Ethan Streets await the last race at Magazine. Streets completed his first career 5K race at the Rattler Run
Happy for personal records, six of Mansfield’s senior high runners shaved time off their 5K marks in Magazine. Glowing from left to right are Darby Jones, Jadelynn Wood, Hope Rainwater, Alyssa James, Faith Rainwater, and Katlynn Moore
Although the Waldron Sr Bulldogs took a loss last Friday against the Pottsville Apaches, it most definitely wasn’t from a lack of trying. Most thoughts at the conclusion of the match were, What.A.Game! This battle was filled with intense back and forth action like no other. Each team spent quarter after quarter playing tag and tying up the game on more than one occasion. With 18 seconds left in the contest, the scoreboard was tied up at 42-42 with Pottsville having possession of the ball at their 4-yard line. The Apaches would score with 14 seconds left on the clock ending the game with a final score of 50-42 Pottsville.
Offensively, the Bulldogs pulled in a total of 339 yards. Trenton Hunt was first to put points up as he punched the ball in from 1-yard out placing the score at 12-6 Pottsville. QB, Braden Williams, was next as he connected a pass to Isaac “The Real” Villarreal for a Bulldog TD upgrading the score to 20-12 Apaches. Gabino Grano was then able to tie up the score 20-20 with a run from the 25-yard line. Pottsville scored right back but then Gabino was back in action from 2-yards out delivering another TD. After a successful PAT from Leo “Left Foot” Lopez, Waldron had its first lead 27-26.
Continuing to push forward, Braden Williams then connected with Caden Fuller for an 8-yard score along with Williams connecting with Bryson Bailey for the 2-point conversion and the tally would sit 35-34 Waldron. Pottsville answered back but Gabino Grano was on fire with another run for a TD. Lopez made the PAT and the game was tied for a second time at 42-42 with 1:53 left on the clock. As hard as the Bulldogs tried to get the lead, their fate was sealed with another Pottsville TD ending the game. Waldron would walk away with a total of 411 defensive yards.
“The game was hard fought by both sides,” expressed head coach, Doug Powell. “But we did not get the small details taken care of defensively. As a result, Pottsville gained additional amounts of yardage each play. Their offense and scheme require precision to stop them. We had opportunities on several drives but one of their backs would gain 6-8 yards and give them a manageable conversion to continue their drive. As of late, our defense just hasn’t been consistent.”
“Hopefully this Friday both sides of the ball will gain trust in each other as well as trust in the system. We need it to be successful not only against Dover but also in every game going forward. Although we have put ourselves in a bad position conference wise, we can still finish strong and earn a conference seeding for the playoffs. If we can take care of the small things that go unnoticed, we will get over the hump and find victory!” The Waldron Bulldogs currently sit 3-3 overall and 0-3 in conference play. On October 23, the Bulldogs will host the 0-5 Dover Pirates.
Pictured: Trinity Triska and Laney Wood (from L to R) lead the Mansfield junior girls along with Aidan Fildes, Azlynn Stover, Summer Frazier, Addison Bowman, and Rileigh Parker
Over the years, Mansfield runners have established great credentials. District, regional, and even a state champion have emerged from the Tiger Den. That list looks to grow as a pair of Mansfield middle schoolers have quickly established names for themselves.
Laney Wood and Trinity Triska have pulled away from the pack to become contenders each week for the Mansfield cross country team. As the two toe starting lines race after race, their confidence grows knowing they have a chance to be among the best there.
In eight cross country meets this season, Wood has five Top 5 finishes including two small school wins. She was also the overall winner at the Buck Fever Invitational in Mena on September 29.
Through seven regular-season meets this year, Triska also has five Top 5 finishes. She was an eyelash away from having another Top 5 score in Van Buren on Friday. She was the Southwest Regional Champion in 2019 as a seventh-grader.
On Friday, October 16 both runners were again in contention against small-school rivals at the Van Buren Classic. Triska led the Mansfield roster for nearly the entire 2-mile race until teammate Wood caught her in the final stretch.
Mansfield’s Trinity Triska, bib number 544, pushes towards the final stretch at Van Buren. Teammate Laney Wood, lurking just behind, closes fast to move ahead before the tape
Wood crossed the blue matted chip sensor in 14:02.59 for fourth place among class 1A-4A contenders. Triska stepped across in sixth only 1.31 seconds behind her teammate and 0.26 seconds from the fifth place achiever.
Three days earlier at the Rattler Run in Magazine, Wood took sixth place. The race was only 1.5 miles and Wood finished in a time of 10:03. Triska was excused from that race as she stayed in Mansfield helping the undefeated volleyball team secure a semi-final win in the 2A West District Tournament.
In Magazine, the Lady Tiger supporting cast consisted of Addison Bowman, Aidan Fildes, Azlynn Stover, and Summer Frazier. The four did their best by reducing their collective times by an average of 2 minutes and 14.5 seconds. That was in comparison to their first race of the year also staged at Magazine.
Newcomer Rileigh Parker contributed as the fifth Mansfield scoring member at the Rattler Run along with Bowman, Fildes, and Stover. The latter trio meshed with Wood and Triska in Van Buren to produce the team’s score.
Joseph Carter, Rylan Nichols, and Joey Fildes of Mansfield prep for the Van Buren Classic. Fildes takes home a 15th place medal with a 2-mile time of 13:44.98
For the junior boys, Rylan Nichols and Joseph Carter also saw marked improvement. Nichols cut his Rattler time by 1:10 while Carter reduced the clock by 1:25.
The two seventh graders were joined by newcomer Joey Fildes for both races last week. Fildes turned in a 10:05 along the 1.5 mile Rattler race. He went 13:44.98 for the 2-mile Van Buren stretch. It was at Van Buren he earned his first career medal with the 15th best time among class 1A-4A runners.
Wood, Triska, and the rest of their running party look forward to another Mansfield product making history with a postseason victory. The middle school team is scheduled to attend Mena on Wednesday, October 21 for the Tom Sturthard Top 25 Regionals. Ten days later they will attend the 2A West District Championships in Magazine.
The end-of-the-year holidays are just around the corner, along with all the tempting goodies – from Halloween candy to Thanksgiving pies to Christmas cookies. With all this high-fructose cheer, maintaining a healthy diet can be difficult, especially for people with diabetes.
The Cooperative Extension Service, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, is offering two options for learning to navigate the holidays with diabetes. Living Well with Diabetes, a 4-week program, will meet during November. This class will include general diabetes education, suggestions for increasing physical activity, and food tastings of diabetes-friendly recipes. Contact Debbie Miller, Family & Consumer Science Agent at Scott County Extension Service to register. There are four classes and cost for the program is $5 per session. COVID-19 prevention practices will be in place. Facemasks are recommended.
“Food is a big part of many of our holiday traditions and staying on track can be a challenge,” Pope County extension agent Pamela Luker said. “Day to Day with Diabetes offers a place for people to connect with others with similar goals and to share strategies that work for them. Weekly virtual meetings will be offered each Monday, Oct. 26 – Dec. 18, during lunch hour through Facebook Live and ZOOM, with additional resources posted throughout the week. Registration is at https://www.facebook.com/groups/DaytoDaywithDiabetes.
November is Diabetes Awareness month. Nearly 15 percent of Arkansans – about 360,000 have diabetes, and 800,000 more residents have pre-diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association’s Arkansas Chapter.
Extension is happy to offer these two options during November. “The good thing about the virtual setting is that everyone can be as active in the group as they want to,” Rachel Chaney, Yell County extension agent said. “You can watch the meetings live or you can watch the recording later. You can participate at your own pace.” For more information about the virtual class, contact Pam Luker at (479) 968-7098 or pluker@uaex.edu or Rachel Chaney, (479) 495-2216 or rlchaney@uaex.edu.
“For those who prefer in-person classes and an opportunity to taste-test the recommended recipes for the class, the class will be offered on Mondays, Nov. 9 to Nov. 30, 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at the Waldron campus of Rich Mountain Community College.” For more information about the in-person class, contact Debbie Miller at (479) 637-2173 or dmiller@uaex.edu.
We are profiling the candidates for Greenwood City Council, Ward 3 Position 1. Alderman Ralph Meeker currently holds that seat.
City Council Candidate Profile: Lora Lea Rice
Who am I? I am a Greenwood girl and have built my life around this special place we call home. I, along with my parents and my children, are Greenwood High School alumni. Two of my grandchildren currently attend Greenwood Schools.
Why do I want to sit on the Greenwood City Council? As Americans, I believe we have a civic duty and responsibility to improve our neighborhoods and our nation. It is also my desire to serve and give back to this community that raised me and was so very good to me a few years ago when I suffered through and survived an acute illness. I care about this place and the people who live here and want to see good things for Greenwood.
Why should you vote for me?
I have organizational and analytical skills that I have honed during my 35+ years as a bookkeeper and controller. I have spent those years dealing with budgets, agreements, policies, financial decisions, and long range plans. I think these skills make me an ideal candidate for this position.
I am fiscally conservative and will apply my conservative values to the city’s resources and finances.
I will advocate best practices to improve quality of life for Greenwood residents. I want to see Greenwood thrive.
I am pro law enforcement
I may not have all the answers but I am willing to research and listen. I am open to hearing opposing views. I believe in accountability and transparency in government and promise to listen to citizens and prayerfully make well-informed decisions.
I will speak up and stand up for keeping Greenwood the treasure that we all know, love, and enjoy.
I ask for your vote in November and thank you in advance for your support- Lora Lea Rice
