Resident News Network

Mansfield Sr Volleyball Overcomes Triple Trial

Sports

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12:32 pm

Mansfield Sr Volleyball Overcomes Triple Trial

Starting the season off playing in a new conference has the Mansfield Sr High Lady Tigers feeling like a breath of fresh air. And after a handful of matches already in 2A volleyball, it has them looking better than ever. Being led by head coach, Kaylie Pyles, the Lady Tigers have been hitting the court this season with confidence and ferocity that has opponents dropping left and right. After three intense matches this past week, Mansfield now holds a 5-0 season record and is 4-0 in conference play.

First up in the week, the Lady Tigers went toe-to-toe with non-conference foes the Waldron Lady Bulldogs. With three close and intense sets of 25-21, 25-18, and 25-20, Mansfield walked away holding the 3-0 trophy. Next up on their to-do list take-down, the Lady Tigers hosted conference nemesis, the Lavaca Lady Arrows. And after four nail-biting sets, it was Mansfield who was unbreakable in their 3-1 victory. Wrapping up their fast-paced week of volleyball, the Sr Lady Tigers hit the road to face first-time conference competitors, Thaden. Not sure what lay ahead in this new Barnstormer territory, Mansfield took on the challenge like pure champs by pulling in their third straight win of the week.

L to R is Kiara Thomas, Brooklyn Adams, and Skylynn Harris

During their three-day volleyball reign of terror, the Mansfield Sr Lady Tigers totaled some off the charts mind-blowing stats. “Killing” it and drilling it was Brooke Wright with 53, Sadie Roberts with 16, Brooklyn Adams with 23, Skylynn Harris with 15, Natalie Allison with 21, Alayna Turner with 5, Madelen Jones with 1, and Kiara Thomas with 1. “Acing” their court skills was Jones with 7, Harris with 7, Adams with 6, Wright with 6, Thomas with 6, and Allison with 4. “Blocking” out the opposing team was Roberts with 7, Adams with 2, Allison with 2, and Wright with 10.

With better “digs” than a paleontologist was Thomas with 61, Jones with 21, Allison with 24, Wright with 9, Harris with 8, Adams with 29, Turner with 1, and Haylee Helms with 12. And “assisting” in the Lady Tigers greatness was Thomas with 2, Jones with 72, Allison with 45, Wright with 3, and Adams and Turner with 1 each. Head coach, Kaylie Pyles, had this to say about her Sr High squad, “I was very proud of the girls and how they played last week. They played three tough games three nights in a row and earned well-deserved wins. They continue to fight hard while never giving up and improving day by day.” Next up for the Mansfield Sr Lady Tigers, they will be on the road to take on Life Way Christian on Thursday, September 10 at 4:30 pm.

Waldron Jr Bulldogs Bury Mansfield Tigers

Sports

Megan Hecox

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10:28 am

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Waldron Jr Bulldogs Bury Mansfield Tigers

Pictured is #23 Joseph Rogers

This season, the Waldron Jr High football team that marched onto the football field this past week to take on the Mansfield Jr High Tigers, was unrecognizable compared to last year’s team. Fans already know they will be getting a treat when they hear the words Waldron, Mansfield, and football in the same sentence. But with a new football program under a new Bulldog Top Dog in Doug Powell and Jr Coach Garett Lazenby maintaining his same position leading the Jr Bulldogs, the top to bottom changes were hard to miss. From the way they executed their plays like a well-oiled machine to the way they communicated, the Jr Bulldogs meant business. And this season, business was good.

The Bulldogs and the Tigers spent the majority of the 1st quarter testing the waters by getting a feel for each other’s strengths and weaknesses. But at the two-minute mark, Chris Lopez was done playing nice as he slammed out the first touchdown of the night. Followed by a two-point conversion and the Bulldogs got the scoreboard lights rolling 8-0 Waldron. 6:44 into the 2nd quarter, running back, Kason Davis, ran in the Bulldogs second TD for the night and with the two-point no good, the score was set 14-0 Waldron.

After the Bulldogs recover an onside kick, Joseph Rogers was written down in the stats book for his TD run, one minute left in the first half. Like a thief in the night, the Bulldogs steal their third interception of the game leaving the Tigers scratching their heads in confusion of what just happened. Before closing out the first half of the game, Davis punches downfield like a freight train securing a 45-yard run. Both teams exit the field with the halftime score reading 20-0 Waldron.

At this point, it’s very clear to the Tigers that they are going to need to step up their ground and pound game if they even want a chance at taking down the Bulldogs. The 3rd quarter was somewhat quiet, if you will, with not much action happening. As the clock winds down in the 4th quarter, the Bulldogs defense continues to mow over every player wearing red, while outdoing Mansfield physically with downright ruthlessness. With the timeclock slowing down, the Bulldogs keep heating up. Logan Young not only runs in a TD for Waldron but he completes the two-point conversion as well upgrading the score to 28-0 Waldron.

With 1:40 left in the fourth, Mansfield is able to get on the board with a TD of their own but their excitement is quickly silenced as Lopez delivered a kick return for a TD. Adding the PAT, the games ended with a final score of 36-6 Waldron. “Our offensive stand-out in the game was running back, Kason Davis, and our defensive stand out was linebacker, Logan Young,” stated Coach Garett Lazenby. “I really enjoyed the physicality my team played with. The offensive line created some huge holes for the running backs. They really set the tone on offense. Running backs ran with some authority by running through tackles and dragging defenders. The defense played like a pack of wild animals flying to the football and delivering one big hit after another.”

Bulldog line including #53 Taylen Bates, #54 William Atchley, and #55 Zayden Jones

Street Project Underway in Hartford

News

Tammy Teague

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3:56 pm

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The planned street projects for the City of Hartford are currently underway. Work is scheduled for East 4th Street, East 1st Street, South Pine Street, and Hartman Street.

Former Mayor Larry Hall announced before resigning office that several streets had been approved for repair.

The street projects are paid for by grants and locations are determined by the state. Interim Mayor Richard Hartsfield stated that those streets which did not make the list, will be submitted again for review at the next grant cycle.

Want to see more improvements to streets and bridges? Be sure and participate in the 2020 Census. It determines funding for infrastructure such as roads and bridges for your city!

Sr Lady Hornets Continue To Freeze Out Opponents Like A “Block” Of Ice

Sports

Megan Hecox

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2:05 pm

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Sr Lady Hornets Continue To Freeze Out Opponents Like A “Block” Of Ice

The Hackett Sr High Lady Hornets, have been slammin’ and jammin’ their way through one opponent after another in 3A volleyball. Green Forest, Elkins, Alma, and Lincoln have already felt the wrath of the Lady Hornets and there are a plethora of teams left waiting in fear for when it’s their turn to take on Hackett. This past week, the Lady Hornets raced off to Alma to take on the 5A Lady Airedales. The Airedale dog breed is known for its size and intelligence but when it comes to facing Hackett, all of that goes down the drain. A hornet might be small in size and keep to itself, but when they do decide to attack, it can be fatal.

And that’s just what happened on Monday, August, 31. The first set between Hackett and Alma showed the Lady Airedales having a hard time getting their legs under them with a score of 25-9 Hackett. But by the time the next two sets came along, Alma was good and warmed up. Although the matches left both sides of fans on the edge of their seats, the Lady Hornets took the wins 25-21 and 25-23 earning themselves a 3-0 victory. The “ace” of spades title went to Madeline Freeman with 5 and Kayla Richardson with 1. “Killing” the Lady Airedales with kindness was Freeman with 14, Shayla Foster with 4, Rain Vaughn with 10, Jamye Durham with 2, Kandace Byrd with 3, and Madi Taylor and Kenadi Wright with 1. No mental “blocks” happening here as Durham got 3, and Wright and Freeman each earning 1. “Assisting” with this winning endeavor was Freeman with 10, Foster with 3, Taylor with 12, Richardson with 2, and Vaughn, Durham, and Byrd with 1 each. And taking a “dig” at their opponents was Freeman with 12, Foster with 16, Vaughn with 1, Richardson with 13, Durham with 2, Byrd with 11, and Taylor with 6.

The next night on Tuesday, September 1, the Lady Hornets kept their volley party going as they temporarily put down roots in Lincoln. By the end of the night, the Lady Wolves were left dazed and confused as they tried to figure out what had just happened. In almost complete annihilation, Hackett pulled the rug right out from under the Lady Wolves as they won all three sets 25-7, 25-9, and 25-13. With plenty of “aces” up their sleeves Taylor and Durham each made 1, Byrd earned 5, and Freeman snagged 7. With a ton of time to “kill” was Wright and Byrd with 5, Mendenhall and Durham with 2, Vaughn with 12, Freeman with 9, and Foster with 4.

Proving there were no mental “blocks” happening in this match was Wright and Mendenhall with 1 each. Willing to “assist” whenever needed was Wright with 4, Richardson with 5, Taylor with 11, Byrd with 1, and Freeman with 18. And with plenty of “digs” left in their back pocket was Wright and Sarah White with 2 each, Richardson with 6, Taylor with 5, Brooke Holt, Emma Infalt, and Vaughn with 1 apiece, Byrd with 7, Freeman with 4, and Foster with 8.

The Lady Hornets will divebomb headfirst into the new week with a season record of 4-0. On Tuesday, September 8, Hackett will face the Lady Bulldogs in Waldron at 4 pm. And on Thursday, September 10, the Lady Hornets will stay home and host the Paris Lady Eagles with a 4 pm start time.

Photos courtesy of Mandy Foster

Paris Races to Crushing 62-6 Senior Night Victory Over Johnson County Westside

Sports

Resident News Network

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12:55 am

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Paris Races to Crushing 62-6 Senior Night Victory Over Johnson County Westside

After last week’s victory over Lavaca, Paris head football coach Tyler Clark was happy to get a win, but was very concerned over the mistakes and the effort of his team, particularly in the second half. Coach Clark challenged his team this week saying that the JC Westside offensive and defensive lines looked more physical than his team’s to that point. The Eagles must have taken the challenge to heart, because last evening’s game against Westside was over in about ten seconds. Senior Paris tailback Ely Fore took a short opening game kickoff and returned it all the way for a touchdown. Paris never trailed, and the Eagles were off and running toward a crushing win over the Rebels. The win improved the Eagles record to 2-0 on the season.

Paris capitalized on several Westside fumbles and seemingly scored at will against Westside. Paris showed their coach that they can be a physical team on both sides of the ball. And all though the Eagles did not roll up big chunks of yards for massive total offense numbers, the offense took advantage of breaks created by their defense. By midway through the second quarter, the game was far out of reach, and Coach Clark began to empty the bench. Reserves played for Paris from approximately six minutes to go in the first half and finished the game in the continuous clock format in the second half.

After the game, Coach Clark said he felt much better about his team than he did a week ago and was very pleased with his team’s effort. He gave a lot of credit to the JC Westside team for continuing to play hard. But perhaps most of all, he was grateful to end the game without any injuries to the team. In fact, Jude Simmons, who left the game early last week with an injury, started and played the entire game last night.

Late Friday night, or if you will, early Saturday morning, Coach Clark, like a lot of other high school football coaches, was up late. No doubt, he and his staff had probably just finished watching last night’s game film. But early Saturday morning (1:15 a.m.) the Paris coach took to Twitter and posted the following message for his team and their fans.

https://twitter.com/ParisEagles/status/1302128202085793792?s=20

So the Eagles appear to be in good shape as they now turn their attention toward their first road game of the season when they travel to Northwest Arkansas to play the West Fork Tigers.

The victory capped a memorable senior night ceremony that was held before the game. Approximately 26 seniors were honored. Paris senior football players, bandsmen, cheerleaders, golf, and tennis players were honored with their families. Senior night is traditionally held on the last home game of the season, but in this time of uncertainty due to the pandemic, Paris held their ceremony in week two of the season to insure that each senior participant would have the opportunity to be publicly recognized.

Paris will play at West Fork next week and then will have a bye week the following week on September 18. The Eagles open conference play on Friday, September 25 at home against Mayflower. Paris would like nothing more than to complete the non-conference portion of their schedule at 3-0 with a win next week, and have a week off to rest players and make adjustments before returning to play on September 25. The Eagles are starting to show glimpses of the team that everyone anticipated going into the season, but it also has to keep its focus as the quality of opponents will gradually increase starting next week at West Fork and in its first conference game with Mayflower. If Paris remains healthy and continues to improve with each week, the Eagles could make some noise in conference play and position themselves to return to the state playoffs for the first time since 2017. But it is one game at a time for Paris, and a big win over a Class 2A school that has not had a lot of success over the past few years is not enough alone to get the Eagles where they want to be. If the Eagles will take Coach Clark’s challenge to heart each week, they can be as good as anyone on their schedule.

Look for more on this game on Sunday afternoon in Resident Press along with a preview of the Eagles next game against West Fork. Resident Press will be here all season to bring Eagles fans the latest and most complete coverage of Paris football.

Senior night photos, along with additional game photos taken from the Eagles game with Johnson County Westside can be found later this weekend on Facebook at Paris Eagles Sports.

And from Resident Press, congratulations to all of the Paris seniors who were recognized last night on Senior Night!

Jr Lady Hornets Prove Their Sting Is Worse Than Their Buzz

Sports

Megan Hecox

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6:27 pm

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Jr Lady Hornets Prove Their Sting Is Worse Than Their Buzz

As the Hackett Jr High Lady Hornets continue to maneuver nicely through their new 3A conference, not only are they unfazed by any opponent they face but the Jr Lady Hornets are also proving that they are worthy to compete against any contender in any town, in any conference. To start this past week off, Hackett took their game to Alma to face the “Big Dogs” in the 5A. For most people, Mondays are a blah day where you just don’t want to do much. But for the Jr Lady Hornets, it is just another day for volleyball dominance.

#23 Makenzie Freeman and #20 Alona Rothwell

One other thing that Hackett doesn’t need in their unbreakable ride to the top, is time. In just two short sets, the Jr Lady Hornets were able to take control of the Lady Airedales leash and chain them back up to the doghouse. Hackett finished 25-17 and 25-9. “Digging” their way around the world was Alona Rothwell with 3, Makenzie Freeman with 2, and with one each was Prairie Vaughn and Michaelyn Freeman. “Assisting” in this victory was Jessie Mendenhall with 6, Vaughn with 5, and Rothwell and Aubree Ruggles with one apiece. Giving better “blocking” protection than sunblock was Ruggles and Rothwell with 2 each. Playing as the true definition of “Killing” It was Freeman and Freeman with 4 each, Vaughn with 3, Rothwell with 2, and with one solo each was Ruggles, Lexi Gann and Aaliyah Escoffier. And rounding out these Jr Lady Hornets volleyball “aces” was Vaughn with 3, Makenzie with 2, and Michaelyn and Rothwell bringing in 1.

With their first victory of the week in the bag, the Jr Lady Hornets kept their roadshow moving right along as they set up camp in Lincoln. When it came to Hackett’s match against the Lady Wolves in terms of difficulty, it could best be described as an appetizer. Although it’s a nice little treat to settle your hunger, you’re still left craving more. The Jr Lady Hornets made the two sets with Lincoln quick and painless like ripping off a bandaid when they won 25-7 and 25-9. Ending the night “acing” the court was Vaughn with 5, Rothwell with 4, Michaelyn with 3, Ruggles with 2, and Mendenhall and Makenzie with 1 each.

“Killing” it softly with their plays was Rothwell and Makenzie with 6 apiece, Vaughn with 5, Gann with 3, Freeman with 2, and Ruggles with 1. With more “digs” than a South Dakota prairie dog was Freeman with 5, and Rothwell and Makenzie with one each. Netting the Jr Lady Hornets with impeccable “assistance” was Vaughn with 12 and Mendenhall with 7. And coming in as the lone “block” barrier was Rothwell with 1. The Jr Lady Hornets will start next week’s play with a 4-0 record as they take on the Lady Bulldogs at Waldron on September 8th at 4 pm. Then on Thursday, September 10th, Hackett will host the Paris Lady Eagles at 4 pm.

Photos courtesy of Mandy Foster

Local Legislators Join Lawsuit Against Secretary of Health

Tammy Teague

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4:36 pm

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Local Legislators Join Lawsuit Against Secretary of Health

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.

View the petition in its entirety –HERE–

Jr Tigers Hit By Injury Bug As Bulldogs Scratch Them Off

Sports

Megan Hecox

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4:13 pm

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Jr Tigers Hit By Injury Bug As Bulldogs Scratch Them Off

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.

“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.

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.

Obituary- Bobby Don Helms (1968 – 2020)

Obituaries

Tammy Teague

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10:43 am

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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.

Teamwork Eases 7th Grade Tigers Past Bulldogs

Sports

Megan Hecox

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10:01 am

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Teamwork Eases 7th Grade Tigers Past Bulldogs

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.

With the Mansfield coaches still getting a feel for the talent on their 7^th 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.

With the 7^th 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 7^th Grade Tiger squad keep their Waldron rivals scoreless with a 24-0 victory.

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 7^th Grade Mansfield Tigers will travel to Elkins to attempt to hunt down another win on Thursday, September 10^th.

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