State Senator Terry Rice and State Representative Marcus Richmond were among the legislators who joined in the lawsuit filed against Dr. Jose Romero, Secretary of Health.
The civil case is being spearheaded by State Representative and Senator-Elect Dan Sullivan. Additional legislators include Senators Bob Ballinger, Alan Clark, Gary Stubblefield, and Kim Hammer, and Representatives Mary Bentley, Steven Meeks, Josh Miller, John Payton, Laurie Rushing, Brandt Smith, Richard Womack, Harlan Breaux, Bruce Cozart, Justin Gonzalez and Nelda Speaks.
“I and 10 other State Representatives co-signed onto this lawsuit,” stated Richmond. “I did not take adding my name lightly. After much consideration I felt that if I intended to represent the will of our district then there was no other choice. I cannot stand by and watch government agencies be weaponized to force people to do self harm to their economic well-being. The government cure has become more harmful to the vast majority of Arkansans than the disease. Efforts by me and my colleagues have fallen on deaf ears. Unfortunately it seems the length of this pandemic may very well be directly linked to the availability of federal dollars. We will have to wait to see what results we may achieve and must not have imaginary expectations. Government incestuous relationships run deep. However, I cannot just stand by and hope for things to get better as my friends and neighbors suffer more and more loss.”
The lawsuit, which was filed on Thursday, September 3, states that directives such as the requirement of face masks are “outside the scope of delegated power.” Additionally, that their rights and status as legislators were infringed by “administrative actions of the Director of the Arkansas Department of Health.” The petition is seeking to have all 43 directives deemed invalid.
The effects ripple far beyond that of the alleged unconstitutional actions, businesses such as restaurants, who cannot open at full capacity and infringements on human rights. Lawmakers and supporters gathered on Thursday in a rally to “Reopen Arkansas,” calling for the withdrawal of the mandates and emergency declaration.
Governor Asa Hutchinson issued a response during his press conference stating the actions he’s taken during the pandemic were based on what’s been approved by the General Assembly. He added, “I think it goes without saying that this is really not an attack on the Department of Health, but it is an attack on the broad executive authority that I, as governor, have acted under during this emergency.”
Hutchinson went on to add “. . . I don’t know any of them (members of the General Assembly) who are as qualified in public health matters as our epidemiologist and our public health leaders at the Department of Health.”
Hutchinson defended his response on failing to call a special session: “That is not how to act quickly during an emergency…When people are dying, you don’t need delay, you need quick action.”
The governor stated that legislators hold the power to end the state of emergency if they choose to do so.
Sullivan responded, “we can gather signatures for and pass (with 51%) a concurrent resolution. However he (the governor) can veto the CR. I believe he would veto without blinking an eye.”
Lastly, the governor stated the legislators should disclose every donor who has contributed to the lawsuit for full transparency. Sullivan stated that he is not tied to the financial side of the lawsuit, and that it is being funded by private citizens. “I do know they (Reopen AR and Northeast AR Tea Party) capped donations at $10k and turned down several donations.”
The governor was clear, he disagrees with the lawsuit. However for Sullivan and his constituents this is about those whom they were elected to represent.
The Mansfield Jr High team took one to the chin Thursday night as they fell to the Waldron Bulldogs 36-6. The Tigers knew they would face some hard-hitting adversity in this matchup of rivals but unfortunately could not keep up with Waldron’s smash mouth run game. To make things worse, as the Bulldogs bit at their tail, the injury bug chewed at them during the game as well.
#7 Jeremy Strozier, #77 Dakota Langford, and #61 Turner Wright
Mansfield started the game on offense and made everything seem like all was going to be fine. On the first drive of the game, the Tigers were facing fourth and long but were able to walk the line when Peyton Martin rolled out for a punt but decided to run it instead. Trick play and effort for a surprising first down? Yes please! Unfortunately, that is where the magic began to fade. Mansfield couldn’t recreate that magic for a second time giving the Bulldogs the ball. The Jr Tigers bowed up to the Waldron power run game and went blow for blow with the Bulldogs but couldn’t keep them from scoring first with 2:22 left in the first quarter. Holding strong, Mansfield kept the Bulldogs at bay as they closed out the quarter only down 8-0.
For the take-down was Peyton Martin, Austin Ruiz, and Zach Hayslip
The Tigers woes began halfway through the second quarter when the Bulldogs scored again off of another big run. In the ensuing kickoff, the Tigers were caught off guard with an onside kick which Waldron pounced on. The Tiger’s defense was beat up, but there was no quit in any of them. Mansfield’s defense gave all the heart and effort in the world but couldn’t shut down Waldron from rolling another score putting the game at 20-0 at halftime. Halftime was when reality hit the Tigers as they lost starting quarterback, Peyton Martin, running back and backup quarterback, Jeremy Strozier, and lineman, Dakota Lanford, to injury. Going into the second half, the Tigers were down but unwilling to be out. With key players sidelined, it was up to new players in new positions to keep things going.
Coach Cothran encouraging Tyler Turnipseed
Tyler Turnipseed went from wide receiver and running back and stepped up to fill the shoes at quarterback. With starting running back Trey Powell and star wide receiver Austin Oldham still in Turnipseeds back pocket for help, the Tigers went back to work. The quick feet of Powell gained yards and momentum for the Tigers while Oldham kept the Bulldogs’ attention on him due to his big-play capability. Add in Turnipseed’s pure athletic ability at any position, and the Tigers offense was on the move. With 1:40 left in the game, Turnipseed made a smooth play-action pass to a double-covered Oldham who clawed his way to catch the ball for a 32-yard touchdown. Mansfield couldn’t muster up the extra point attempt leaving them with six points on the scoreboard. Although it took the goose egg off the scoreboard, Waldron ran the ensuing kickoff back for a touchdown closing the gap again. Raine Hecox attempted to get momentum back in the Tiger’s favor when the Bulldogs kicked off allowing her to earn a 14-yard kick return. But soon after the buzzer sounded, ending the game with a final of Waldron 36 and Mansfield 6.
#23 Trey Powell and #2 Raine Hecox
“They were much more physical than us and we got beat up pretty bad. Depending on Dr’s reports, we could be out as many as 4 starters next Thursday night in Elkins. We had some players really step up in the second half, but we still have to continue to work to get better in all phases of the game” Coach Tim Cothran said about the game.
Jr High Tigers in prayer
Peyton Martin finished completing three passes for 19 yards before going out due to injury while Tyler Turnipseed completed two for 34 yards and a touchdown in the game. Turnipseed also led the team in rushing with 44 yards followed by Trey Powell who gained 32 yards off five carries. Austin Oldham led the team in receiving with two catches for 35 yards and a touchdown with Turnipseed snagging two passes for 20 yards.
Bobby Don Helms of Waldron, Arkansas passed from this life, Wednesday, September 2, 2020, at his home surrounded by his loving family. Bobby Don was born in Waldron, Arkansas to JC and Helen Helms. He was 52 years old. Bobby Don attended Unity Baptist Church at Lake Hinkle, Arkansas.
Bobby Don was born and raised around the Waldron area. He was a good ol country boy and loved to hunt, fish and run dogs. Bobby Don would help anyone he could and never expected anything in return. He was fun-loving and enjoyed giving his friends a hard time. Bobby Don was always getting himself, and anyone with him, into an adventure of some sort…but a good time and a lot of stories was usually the outcome. Bobby Don was a hard worker and loved his family. He treasured time he got to spend with each of them, hoping to share a little of his spunk and spontaneity. Bobby Don had a great love for kids. He mentored many throughout the years sharing his love of hunting and fishing, leaving many great memories for years to come.
Bobby Don leaves behind to cherish his memory, his loving wife, Ann Helms of the home, his children: Taylor Staggs, Rex Helms, Randi Brown, Jace Butler, Luke McEntire and Levi McEntire as well as his parents, JC and Helen Helms and one sister, Tammy Gardner. Papas Big Girl Ava and Little Coon Allie will have everlasting memories of their great Papa. Bobby Don will be missed by all that knew him and the many whose lives he impacted including nieces, nephews, extended family of cousins, aunts and uncles, and a host of friends, co-workers, hunting buddies and loved ones he held dear to his heart.
Bobby Don’s graveside life celebration will be at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 5, 2020, at the Center Point Cemetery in Hon, Arkansas with Rev. Jackie Smith officiating. Interment will follow. Arrangements are being entrusted to the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas.
Bobby Don’s pallbearers will be Lonnie McDaniel, Loyd McDaniel, Joe Hanna, Brian Root, Jerry Bob Metcalf and Eric Sandifer.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Bobby Don Helms, please visit our floral store.
The best teams work hard and learn from their mistakes. After falling to Mena 28-6 earlier in the week, the Mansfield 7th Grade Tigers needed a solid game against their Scott County rivals, Waldron, to get them back on track. But could back to back games in the same week against 4A teams be too much for the young Tigers? In short, no. Mansfield redeemed its loss earlier in the week by trouncing Waldron 24-0.
Dawson Robinson with the ball and Zander Walters with the block
The Tigers started off the game in dynamic fashion when Cooper Edwards handed the ball off to Dawson Robinson who juked and jived his was 51- yards for the first score of the game. Edwards punched his was in for the two-point conversion giving the Tigers a quick 8-0 lead in the first half. With the offense jumpstarting the team, Mansfield’s defense went on the hunt. On Waldron’s very first snap of offense, James Bausley exploded through the line to smother the ball carrier in the backfield setting the tone for the Tiger defense. The Tigers defense consisting of Bausley,Wyatt Boyd, Kanon Fisher, Logan Newman, Dominic Shores, and Caiden Ore were bulls in Waldron’s china shop all night long. Alex Hecox and Zander Walters ended the Bulldogs’ first offensive series as the duo blew up Waldron’s backfield on back to back occasions forcing the Bulldogs to punt.
Alex Hecox
With the Mansfield coaches still getting a feel for the talent on their 7th Grade team, they switched Walters from wide receiver to running back for one play. If Walters was looking to impress them, that one play was all that was needed as he took a pitch and roared 43-yards downfield setting the Tigers up in scoring position. Mansfield went three and out on the next set of downs putting the defense back on the field. To make sure that the good field position wasn’t lost, the Tigers D created chaos yet again in Waldron’s backfield forcing a fumble with Bausley recovering. Robinson pushed the scoreboard up higher in the next play with a six-yard touchdown while Edwards slipped in for the two-point conversion putting the Tigers up 16-0 with 2:44 left in the half. It was like déjà vu when the Mansfield defense took the field again. The Tigers put heavy pressure on the Bulldogs and Robinson forced the fumble and recovered it to give Mansfield yet another turnover. It was a make it take it from there as Robinson took the next handoff and rolled up 24-yards for another touchdown. With yet another Edwards successful two-point conversion, the Tigers took a commanding 24-0 lead into the locker room for halftime.
QB Cooper Edwards and Traevin Copeland
With the 7th Grade starters having a commanding lead, the second half was the opportunity the rest of the team needed to strut their stuff. Traevin Copeland became the Tiger’s offensive workhorse. Bobbing and weaving in and out of defender’s arms, Copeland made quite the impression picking up an average of three yards per carry. Edwards cut the edges off of the Bulldogs defense with multiple sweet quarterback runs to the outside also. Defensively players like Brandon Schwartz, Jacob Elmore, Chris Dickinson, Joey Fildes, and Charlie Collier, got in the mix helping the 7th Grade Tiger squad keep their Waldron rivals scoreless with a 24-0 victory.
James Bausley with the take down
The victory is a sweet taste as it puts them at 1-1 against their higher class 4A opponents with only one more to go before conference play. The 7th Grade Mansfield Tigers will travel to Elkins to attempt to hunt down another win on Thursday, September 10th.
The Mansfield Jr High Tigers are a team poised for success. On Monday, the Tigers traveled to Mena to take on a Bearcat squad that in all honestly could possibly beat anyone in the state. Did that phase the Tigers? Not one bit. Mansfield hung tight and went toe to toe with the Bearcats in a close game that was much closer than the scoreboard reflected. When the clock ran out, the Tigers were on the losing side of a 16-6 game.
#4 Peyton Martin
Mansfield started the game out with some big-time defensive hits and team tackles that put Mena on notice real quick. The Tigers spread out the speedy Mena team forcing them to play Jeopardy with their playbook. Jeremy Strozier, Austin Oldham, Tyler Turnipseed, were pure head hunters for the Tigers defense as they squared up and charged the larger running backs and receivers that Mena had on the field with no fear. Mansfield’s defensive line may have been outsized. But Sammy Sellers, Eli Garner, Trey Vaughan, Dakota Langford, Turner Wright, and James Olinghouse, took it to the Bearcats, shutting down their run game for most of the night forcing the bearcats to air it out. A confused Mena offense gave Mansfield the opportunity for Turnipseed to pick off a pass and Austin Ruiz to recover a bad snap late in the game. Unfortunately, Mena was able to get a few big plays in with their larger receivers to hang 16 points on the Tigers.
#10 Tyler Turnipseed
Offensively, the Tigers used a plethora of weapons to confuse Mena on multiple occasions. With players like Peyton Martin, Oldham, Turnipseed, and many more on the field at the same kind, the Bearcats defense couldn’t decide which pill was harder to swallow. Ninth-Grader and first-year starter, Peyton Martin, was 11 of 21 passing in the game for 151-yards and a touchdown in the game. To put up those kinds of yards in a game you have to have some solid receivers as targets and boy did Martin ever have those. Leading the receiving core was Turnipseed who averaged 20-yards per reception with four catches for an astounding 80-yards. Close behind him was Oldham who also got four passes and took them for a combined 50-yards and the Tigers sole touchdown of the game. Two targets are good, but Mansfield had weapons everywhere. Zach Hayslip and Trey Powell rounded up the receiving group with Hayslip catching two passes for 10 yards and Powell taking in one pass for 11-yards. Although the ground attack wasn’t on the heavy side, Mansfield was able to rake in a few runs to keep the Bearcat defense honest. Martin led that attack with 10 rushing attempts for 45-yards. Strozier, Powell, and Oldham rounded out the running game with a combined six carries for 19-yards.
Jr Tigers for the take down
Although the Tigers lost their game against a prominent 4A Mena school, they showed that they will be serious contenders in 3A-1 conference play this season. Film will be watched, mistakes will be corrected, and practice will continue for the sole purpose of improving each and every day. The Jr Tigers will be able to showcase what they have learned since their Mena game earlier this week tonight as they host the Waldron Bulldogs in a Scott County Showdown. Kickoff for the 7th grade Tigers will be at 5:30 pm and Jr High will be at 7:00 pm.
If you feel your home’s décor and overall atmosphere are blander than you would like them to be, a few easy changes can transform your house into a much more interesting space. You don’t need to make large-scale purchases or spend hours doing major renovations to revamp it. Here, we give you examples of simple ways to energize your home interior that you can try today.
Incorporate Plants
You probably already have some plants out in your front yard and backyard that make your home look more beautiful from the outside. Incorporating plants inside your house can also work to great effect because they literally bring life to your rooms. They produce clean oxygen as a byproduct of photosynthesis and decorate the space in which they sit. There’s also something comforting about having plants nearby, especially when most of your surroundings are filled with manmade objects. You can take your pick of a variety of plants that you think looks pretty or that will be easy to take care of.
Utilize Fragrances
When you’re mulling over ways to energize your home interior, you shouldn’t limit yourself to the visual realm. Pleasant fragrances can also make the ambiance brighter. You can go for air fresheners, candles, or essential oil diffusers to spread wonderful aromas around your home. Whatever method you select, you can switch between countless invigorating scents. Sharp mint and eucalyptus work to ward off lethargy, while citrus fragrances are both spritely and sweet.
Put Up Wallpaper
Painting your walls a new color can certainly rejuvenate your rooms, but have you ever considered putting up wallpaper? Unlike paint, wallpaper comes with complex designs that you wouldn’t be able to create easily on your own. Some designer wallpapers also have unique textures that set them apart from the plain, smooth walls you see in most houses. You can cover all the walls of a particular room with a certain wallpaper to instantly give it vigor with playful or quirky designs. If you enjoy a certain wallpaper but think it might be too much for an entire room, you could also cover just one wall with it to serve as an accent.
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. (September 2, 2020)–Arkansas Tech University released preliminary enrollment figures for the fall 2020 semester following the 11th class day of its 111th session on Wednesday, Sept. 2.
Preliminary headcount enrollment at ATU for fall 2020 is 10,866. The university is serving 10,137 undergraduate students and 729 graduate students.
“As the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic began to develop last spring, it became clear that this would be the most challenging recruiting season for higher education since World War II,” said Dr. Robin E. Bowen, ATU president. “The health concerns and financial hardships created by the pandemic prevented many students from beginning or continuing their post-secondary studies this fall. Our university pulled together and worked diligently over these past six months to develop a strategy that would allow us to continue delivering high-quality programs and services in a manner that protected the health and well-being of our students, faculty and staff. We also pledged no increase in tuition and mandatory fees for the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters.
“We are pleased that these factors, coupled with the reputation this university has cultivated over multiple generations, allowed us to recruit a freshman class larger than the one we welcomed to our campuses just two years ago, increase our student semester credit hours (SSCH) on the Ozark campus and generate the overall SSCH necessary to support our operations for the fall 2020 semester,” continued Bowen. “By maintaining focus on student access and student success, Arkansas Tech University will continue carrying out its mission as a responsive campus community providing opportunities for progressive intellectual development and civic engagement.”
Student semester credit hours for ATU-Ozark Campus college-level students are up 5 percent as compared to one year ago.
“Challenging times require higher education to be nimble and adaptable,” said Bowen. “Those traits are part of the DNA at ATU-Ozark Campus. Through a stackable model that extends to our Russellville campus, ATU-Ozark students attain credentials that lead to progressively increasing career and educational opportunities. It is important that we offer multiple entry points to higher education and serve lifelong learners as their training needs evolve in response to changing economic conditions.”
In addition to the pandemic, ATU’s demonstrated improvement in graduating students on a shortened timeline is also a downward pressure on its enrollment figures.
Arkansas Tech’s current four-year graduation rate for first-time freshmen is 43.7 percent, which is an increase of 15.8 percentage points as compared to two years prior.
ATU conferred 4,072 credentials during the 2019-20 academic year, which was most in university history.
Preliminary headcount enrollment by campus at ATU for fall 2020 is 8,892 through Russellville and 1,974 through Ozark. Those figures include concurrent students. ATU’s preliminary headcount enrollment minus concurrent students for both campuses is 8,146.
There are 1,773 freshmen enrolled at ATU for fall 2020. That is a 15.5 percent decrease as compared to the university’s record class of 2,098 freshmen in fall 2019. The fall 2020 Arkansas Tech freshman headcount is 46 students greater than the ATU freshman class of 2018.
Visit www.atu.edu to learn more about Arkansas Tech University.
Every American remembers where they were and what they were doing on September 11, 2001. I had just started my senior year of High School and was sitting in Psychology class. As my teacher was getting ready for her lesson, another teacher stuck her head in the door and told her she needed to get her t.v. cart out and turn on the news. And there it was. On every station, you saw a tower with smoke coming out of it. It took all of us a minute to realize what was happening. The silence that filled the school was chilling, to say the least. After 30 minutes of watching the horrors taking place, it was time for the next class period.
Nobody really talked the rest of that day. We all just kind of went through the motions with the same fearful look in our eyes. With so much confusion as to what was happening, the majority of us were waiting for another attack, worried that it would be us next. September 11, 2001, resulted in the largest loss of life on American soil by a foreign attack. That day, nearly 3,000 people died from the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and United Airlines Flight 93. But that day, something else happened as well. Every single American stood united arm in arm to show our enemies that we would not be broken that easily. It took nearly nine months for the Twin Towers site to be cleared of debris. For 24 hours day after day after day, Americans watched from their homes as brave men and women from all over the country, worked tirelessly to pick up the pieces.
In 2002, the Tribute of Light was constructed near ground zero which is where the towers used to sit. The Tribute consists of two light beams projected into the New York sky every year from September 11 until dawn on September 12 to represent the attacks that took place on that horrific day. But this year on September 11, something even more unpleasant is happening. Due to the fear of large group gatherings and spreading the coronavirus, the New York sky will remain dark. But there is one event that is still happening.
On September 12, 22 Shenanigans along with 9/11 Honor and Team Red, White, and Blue, will be hosting an Awareness Walk in memory of lives lost in the 9/11 attacks. Also being honored in this walk are the servicemen and servicewomen killed in action during the wars that make our freedom possible. Military personnel often have to deal with high-intensity, stressful, and dangerous environments for months or years at a time resulting in life-altering mental health issues. According to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, depending on the time of year, between 529,000 and 840,000 find themselves living on the streets suffering from drug and alcohol abuse along with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Another reason for having this walk is to bring awareness to a problem that is spreading through our military like a contagious disease. Suicide. 22 Shenanigans was organized after a local veteran’s brother committed suicide. According to the Office of Suicide Prevention, 22 veterans lose the fight to battle their inner demons and succumb to taking their own lives. The Awareness Walk is being done to spread awareness that a veteran never walks alone. Local Magazine resident, Jarrod Moore, was on board the USS Tarawa the day the towers fell.
“It was a day that changed my life as well as every American’s life. Yes, over time, the spirit has dwindled into the soup sandwich that we have today. I recently joined an organization of Veterans that try and keep united through exercise and fitness. Three years ago due to a flare-up of Multiple Sclerosis, I was wheelchair-bound for 5 months. I didn’t know if I was going to walk again. But because of a wonderful physical therapist, I did.”
“If a person wants to walk, all they need to do is just show up. Now they can walk at any point in the race they want to. They will need to find a way to make it to their starting point, but we will have someone to bring them back to their vehicle. We are asking if everyone can show up for the beginning ceremony and walk the final half-mile to the Paris courthouse. There will be a ceremony for paying awareness to 22 Shenanigans at the Paris courthouse afterward.”
Scott County Judge James Forbes issued a disaster emergency proclamation on Wednesday, September 2. This, following days of torrential rainfall and damaging floods.
Forbes has been working out in the county surveying damage and on the scene of multiple swift water rescues.
“I want to say how much I appreciate our law enforcement, county and state, Boles Fire Department, and the state wildlife officers. They accomplished a very difficult and long swift water rescue in Boles,” Forbes stated on Tuesday.
“Thankfully, there was no loss of life. We were lucky to have our first responders there within minutes. Everyone worked together and came up with plan to secure stranded woman. It could have had a much different outcome,” added Forbes.
He also credited the people of the county for heeding the warning to avoid water covered roadways.
Seven to twelve inches of rain fell in the Scott County area since last Saturday, and Forbes dubbed the county as the “epicenter” when it came to destruction from flooding.
Both county and city residents are asked to call their respective office so that damages can be further assessed. The initial assessment and damage reports prompted Forbes to issue an emergency declaration on Wednesday, September 2.
“One of the bridges will cost around $100k to repair.” Forbes went on to estimate the total damage to the county at a half million dollars.
As he continues making an assessment, Judge Forbes is prioritizing the work that needs to be done. County work crews are working to make roads passable. He concluded, “a lot of roads are unpassable, some are just rough but passable. So, we are prioritizing what work needs to be done.”
After surviving an injury-plagued 2019 season, the Charleston Tigers play in a new Class 3A-1 conference and should be contenders along with Cedarville for this year’s conference championship.
Second year Charleston head football coach Ricky May and his staff did a masterful job in keeping the 2019 team together during a rash of injuries that this reporter has never seen the likes of before. It was remarkable that the Tigers survived the wave of injuries and were able to make the state playoffs. This year, the Tigers have a wealth of sophomore talent that will join the team along with several key returning players who saw significant playing time last year. Charleston is young, talented, and has increased numbers in their senior high program, and the future for Tiger football is bright in Charleston.
Breckon Ketter (14) Returns for the Tigers in 2020 as a Possible All-Conference Running Back (Resident Press File Photo)
Last season saw the Tigers begin the year with preseason injuries and a key player transfer to another school. If that wasn’t bad enough, the Tigers endured a rash of injuries like no other school in recent memory. In last year’s trip to Dardanelle, the Tigers had 11 players on the sideline, including their entire starting defensive secondary who were out of the game due to injuries. Charleston, playing a tough non-conference schedule that included prior year Class 3A state playoff team Melbourne, and traditional Class 4A powers Dardanelle and Ozark, all on the road, limped through the non-conference portion of their schedule and focused on getting their players back for the conference season. The team was able to amass enough wins in conference play to secure a #5 seed in the state playoffs. An electrifying last minute loss to Mansfield prevented the team from finishing as high as #2 or #3 in the playoff seedings. As a #5 seed, the Tigers played at Prescott in the first round of the state playoffs. There, the Tigers season ended on a very cold night in Prescott.
But 2020 is a new season, and with it, brings new hope for a return to dominance that is what fans at Alumni Field are used to enjoying. The 2020 Tigers are young and talented with a sprinkling of talented and experienced veteran players. This year’s Charleston team will not be dominant, but the Tigers will contend for a conference title with the Cedarville Pirates. Hooten’s Arkansas Football publication has predicted Cedarville to win the conference and for Charleston to finish as the runner-up. The new Class 3A-1 conference includes Charleston, Cedarville, Greenland, Lincoln, Hackett, Mansfield, Lavaca, and West Fork. Gone are the Booneville Bearcats and the Lamar Warriors. Booneville will now play in a new conference that is focused on schools east of Charleston, and Lamar will play in Class 4A this year. The Lincoln Wolves drop down from Class 4A to 3A and will also be new to the conference. The Hackett Hornets and the Lavaca Golden Arrows are moving up from Class 2A and will join Mansfield, who is dropping down to Class 2A in all sports except football.
Hooten’s Arkansas Football has predicted the following order of finish in the Class 3A-1 football conference:
Cedarville
Charleston
Greenland
Lincoln
Hackett
Mansfield
Lavaca
West Fork
Charleston will have a key home game this year with Cedarville that could determine the conference championship and the #1 seed going into the state playoffs. The Tigers 2020 football schedule is:
Sept 4 at Dardanelle
Sept 11 Pottsville
Sept 18 Ozark
Sept 25 at Greenland
Oct 2 Cedarville
Oct 9 at Mansfield
Oct 16 Hackett
Oct 23 at Lincoln
Oct 30 West Fork
Nov 6 at Lavaca
In a scheduling quirk, the Tigers, who played at Dardanelle in 2019, will travel to Dardanelle again this year to play the Sand Lizards. Melbourne has been replaced by Class 4A Pottsville, and the traditional game for bragging rights in Franklin County against Ozark will be played in Charleston this year. So Tigers fans will be treated to outstanding football in 2020, and the Tigers hope to be a conference title contender for their fans.
The Tigers Brighton Ketter (34) carries the ball for Charleston in a scrimmage against Booneville (Resident Press Photo / Ronni Tate Young)
Coach May is excited about his young team this year. “I like where we are at right now. I feel better about this year than I did last year. We have spent a lot more time on special teams this year and I think that part of our game is better. We are deeper in the skill areas and that has helped. We are inexperienced on the offensive line. We have one senior there and the rest are sophomores and juniors. But, I like where we are at right now.”
The Dardanelle Sand Lizards are a team that is reloading from the loss of key personnel that lead the team to multiple victories over the past few years. But Dardanelle is not a team without talent; in fact, they are deeply talented at wide receiver and on the defensive line. They will be relying on new players in key positions such as quarterback. Coach May commented, “They’ve got some really good skill guys. They have, in my opinion, two guys who can play quarterback. They have two of probably the better receivers that we will see all year. They don’t have that massive defensive line that they usually have; but they’ve got some big ones. On the offensive line they are all big guys, but not as massive as in years past. They are well-coached and you can never count that out. They are sound at everything they do. They do stuff right.”
Dardanelle has a history of massive offensive and defensive linemen. (Charleston at Dardanelle, 2019; Resident Press File Photo)
Last week in a loss to Booneville, Dardanelle played Trace Gentry at quarterback for most of game. Coach May said, “Sophomore Drew Vega (son of the Dardanelle coach Phil Vega) played most of the game at receiver.” Hooten’s Arkansas Football reports that Drew Vega has 4.7 speed and was the second leading rusher on last year’s junior high team. “They put Vega into the game at quarterback and he did a really good job.”
Dardanelle turned the ball over four times against Booneville in a 35-14 loss to the Bearcats. No doubt, Dardanelle will be out to right the ship against Charleston. The Sand Lizards defeated Charleston 44-0 last year, and both teams should be ready for the return match on Friday.
I asked Coach May if the lopsided loss last year to Dardanelle was something he was reminding his team of going into Friday’s contest. Coach May said, “I haven’t mentioned it. The kids themselves really haven’t mentioned it. But, they do remember the score. But at the same time, we are just going to play whoever shows up and this is a new year. We are going to make it better this year.”
Charleston at Dardanelle 2019 (Resident Press File Photo)
So, Tigers fans, football is back and it is game week for the Charleston Tigers! The Tigers need their fans to make the trip down Highway 22 to Dardanelle to cheer for their team! Remember, AAA and Arkansas Department of Health regulations will be in effect during the game. Face masks will be required for entry and will be required to be worn by everyone in attendance throughout the game.
After a painful start to the 2019 season, this Friday could be the beginning of a great start for this year’s Tigers team. As always, Charleston does not shy away from competition. The tough non-conference schedule will payoff for the Tigers as they compete later in the season in conference play and in the playoffs.
Good luck to coach Ricky May and the Charleston Tigers, and Resident Press will be there to bring you all of the action on Sundays of each week in Resident Press. Watch for game recaps and previews of the next week’s game each Sunday in Resident Press.
