Danny Fuller, Cedarville High School Coach and History Teacher, has been named the Smart/Maher National Citizenship Teacher of the Year for VFW Post 1322. Coach Fuller was presented with this award at VFW Post 1322 on Monday night, January 13. Fuller now advances to the state and possibly the national competition. Congratulations, Coach!
Byers named Hackett Firefighter of the Year
City of Hackett Fire Chief James McCutcheon recently presented Colton Byers with the coveted Firefighter of the Year award.
According to McCutcheon, the volunteer of the year is chosen for their dedication and support of the department.
“The individual chosen has usually done more than asked…to include additional training, equipment upkeep and helping with special events,” shared McCutcheon. “It’s someone who is there, and gives their all when the pagers go off and duty calls.”
Congratulations to Byers on this recognition, your service and dedication is highly valued.
Paris Update: Lady Eagles Defeat Booneville 40-21 Tuesday Night
The Paris Lady Eagles continued their winning ways on Tuesday night with a home victory over the Booneville Lady Bearcats. Paris defeated Booneville 40-21.
For Paris, Harlie Watts led all scorers with 17 points. Jadyn Hart added 13 points and had 7 assists. Jacee Hart had 9 points, and Karsyn Tencleve had 1 point and 3 steals.
The Lady Eagles began the game with an 18-0 run and were ahead 27-7 at the half. Paris coach Dustin Williams said his team had not forgotten about the lopsided loss to Booneville before the Christmas break. “We had a little chip on our shoulders from the tough loss back in November. Our defensive intensity and emphasis on the offensive and defensive boards were key early. I thought we came out with determination and played well from the start. We executed well on offense and got the looks we wanted and knocked them down. Our team put a full game together on Tuesday night. This team has a high ceiling and we are going to continue to climb to get there.”
The Paris boys continue to improve, but lost a tough game to Booneville by the score of 46-38. The Paris boys and girls teams will travel to Hot Springs Fountain Lake on Friday, January 17 for an important conference match-up with the Cobras.
Stay with Resident Press for complete coverage of Paris Eagles and Lady Eagles basketball!
Big Night at Tiger Center as Charleston Sweeps Waldron
The stars were out in Charleston Tuesday night at Tiger Center. In front of the home crowd that included Charleston Great Ty Storey and college basketball scouts from such schools as Stephen F. Austin and Indiana State, the Charleston basketball program swept the senior girls and boys games each by more than 30 points. The wins vaulted both the Charleston girls and boys teams into first place in their respective conferences.
In the girls game, the Lady Tigers continued their defensive domination combined with a fast-break offense that exploited many scoring opportunities in the Waldron defense. Charleston coach Jason Rucker believes his team is finally playing the game in keeping with its personality and team philosophy as it focuses on the stretch drive of the season. “I really thought for the first time all year we played fast, so, hopefully, we can continue to build on that moving forward.” For the Lady Tigers, Payton Rucker led Charleston scorers with 16 points. Gracie Koch had 10 points, and Raegan Oldridge had 9 points. Charleston defeated the Lady Bulldogs 56-26.
The boys game included the much-anticipated match-up with conference-leading Waldron and their prolific player, Peyton Brown. But it was the Bulldogs’ Mason Ford who stole the show early. Early in the game, Ford broke lose for a spectacular slam dunk that left fans gazing upward with mouths open.
The boys game, at times, resembled a track meet as both teams pressed the ball offensively and played pressure defense. The Bulldogs were able to reach the paint early in the game with their athletic guards and forwards. Charleston seemingly adjusted with their low post players and began to stop Waldron’s offensive penetration to the basket. Tiger senior Brayden Ross had a big game for Charleston, both offensively and defensively. A lot was at stake for both teams, and the intensity level was at a fever pitch for the entire game. For the Bulldogs, the team got off to a fast start, but seemed to cool off offensively after Charleston began to block the lane. Waldron uncharacteristically missed shots that they normally make, and when it was all over, Charleston, behind a physical and relentless defense, and a good offensive performance from Ross and Jordan Fenner, proved to be too much for Waldron on this night. The Tigers survived a furious fourth quarter comeback effort from Waldron to eventually win the game 82-52.
Brayden Ross led Tigers scorers with 32 points. Jordan Fenner poured in 31. Tigers Trenton Goodson had 7, Brandon Scott 5, Geoffery Scott 4, and Dalton Curtis 3. The offensive explosion, combined with holding Waldron and their explosive scorers to 52 points was the story of the game.
Charleston coach B. J. Ross was excited over the team’s total effort on Tuesday night. “I thought we played a complete team basketball game. We executed our defensive game plan. I thought the difference in the game as the energy and intensity. Geoffery Scott did a great job on Peyton Brown. Big turning points in the game were Trenton Goodson’s three-pointer at the buzzer at half and Brayden Ross’s three pointer at the buzzer to end the third quarter. Jordan Fenner played his most complete game of the year. Brandon Scott (a freshman) has really handled the pressure well and did an outstanding job controlling the game.”
Make no mistake; Waldron is a great team, and Tuesday night, playing on the road, it was not the Bulldog’s night. The rematch in Waldron should be a barn burner, and it will be a game that fans from both schools will not want to miss. Waldron will be tough in their building given the desire to even the score with Charleston and what will be at stake for both schools in the conference standings.
With the win, the Lady Tigers maintained their hold on first place in the conference. Charleston is now 14-2 overall and 5-0 in conference play. The Lady Tigers are in first place with Elkins at 3-1, West Fork 3-2, Lincoln 3-2, and Cedarville 2-2. Waldron is now 2-3 in conference with Greenland 1-4 and Mansfield 0-4. Charleston will host Mansfield this Friday night at Tiger Center.
The Tigers win improved the boys record to 7-5 overall and 4-0 in the conference. The Tigers are tied with Elkins in league play; both with 4-0 records. Waldron drops to 4-1 on the season in conference play. Greenland is 2-2, Cedarville and Mansfield are 1-3, and Lincoln is 1-4. West Fork rounds out the conference at 0-4. The Tigers will play Mansfield this Friday and have a make-up game to be played with West Fork (postponed last Friday due to severe weather in West Fork.)
For the senior boys, there is a lot of basketball left to be played. The rematch with Waldron later in the season will be an important game for both schools with respect to the conference standings. Games with Elkins will also play an important role in not only who wins the conference but the eventual order of finish in the conference and seedings in the all-important district tournament. Last night’s win was huge for the Tigers, but they will have to come off of the win quickly to refocus on the next game coming up in the conference schedule.
Barring injury, the Lady Tigers appear to be hitting mid-season form on their way to the district tournament and beyond. Charleston is an experienced team, both in varsity play and in playoff experience. I expect Charleston to continue their march to the district title and deep into the state playoffs. If this team continues to hit their stride and play the way they are capable, Charleston should be a strong contender for another state title. There is a lot of basketball left in the season, and the playoffs are certainly no guarantee for any team, but this is a state tournament experienced team and they know what it will take to be successful in the tournament.
The Tigers played a tough non-conference schedule that, although it resulted in early season losses, has toughened the team and has prepared them to play their best in the conference. This was evidenced last evening against a very good Waldron team, and the boys have an opportunity to make a state playoff run of their own.
The next six weeks should be fun for Charleston fans. But first things first. The Tigers and Lady Tigers will need to simply focus on the next game up and not get ahead of themselves. But, this is what they know. It is part of the championship culture at Charleston High School.
Waldron City Council Votes to Continue Business as Usual
The Waldron City Council met in regular session on Tuesday, January 14 at 5:30 p.m. All members of the council were present. Also attending, Mayor David Millard and City Clerk/Treasurer Sherry Johnston.
After the approval and passage of the December meeting minutes, the council heard the city services reports.
Police Chief Jeremy Hunt presented the police report, as well as the department’s annual summary.
Next, Mayor Millard gave a general update on happenings within the city. He also expressed his appreciation to the community and employees at City Hall for making his first year in office a success.
In other reports, City Attorney Mark Johnson discussed district court fines and collections. Then, Johnston reviewed the financial reports and audit schedules.
City Superintendent Brandon Nelson discussed several large water leaks that have recently occurred, and the work within his department. He also reported on the progress at the City Park, flash flood damage, and gave an update on the water treatment plant projects.
Lastly, Fire Chief Ken Overturf provided an annual fire department report. He also discussed the needs of his department, grant applications, and other general business.
A resolution was unanimously approved to set the meeting date, rules and procedures for the Waldron City Council. It is reviewed annually, and was approved with no changes from the prior years.
Construction in residential areas outside of normal business hours was discussed, along with the possible need for a noise ordinance. After some discussion, it was determined that the problem had been resolved.
With no other items on the agenda, the meeting of the Waldron City Council was adjourned.
Greenwood PD Offers Service to Local Churches
On Wednesday, January 15, the Greenwood Police Department announced that it would be offering a new service to local churches in an effort to keep parishioners safe.
The department is offering extra patrols, including walkthroughs, and the presence of off-duty officers during service times. “The Chief and the Mayor also gave permission for those officers who are off duty to drive their units to church,” stated Lieutenant Brad Hobbs.
Hobbs, who is spearheading the effort, is also serving as a liaison and point of contact between the department and local churches.
Hobbs and Chief William Dawson learned of the idea from a sheriff’s office in Alabama. “It is something small that we can do that will have a big impact,” added Hobbs.
The service, which is free to those churches located within the city limits, began last week. In fact, five churches have already reached out to the department expressing interest. “We’ve had nothing but positive feedback,” concluded Hobbs.
If your church is interested in this service, please have your pastor call Lieutenant Hobbs at 479-996-4119.
Hackett Earns Sweet Digs In Tournament
Hackett Velocity has four volleyball teams representing their town and they are already showcasing their talent and making their community proud. On January 11th, the Lady Hornets took their skills to “Volley in the Ville” in Russellville and walked away with some nice bling. Their 13U team earned a fifth-place spot while the 14U team remains undefeated on the season after snagging the Champions title. The 15U group picked up a second-place title and the 17U squad was crowned Champions as well. Team Velocity 17U (pictured) is coached by Mandy Foster and represented by Kenadi Wright, Sarah White, Madeline Freeman, Jamye Durham, Kandace Byrd, Madi Taylor, Rain Vaughn, Shayla Foster, and Brooke Holt.
Team Velocity 15U is coached by Bethany Crosswhite and is formed by Olivia Bouse, Teonna Best, Abby McBride, Tori Blanton, Laci Cox, Kyleigh Hill, Lilly Slavens, and Mackenzie Mendenhall.
Team Velocity 14U is coached by Bridget Freeman and consists of Makenzie Freeman, Lexi Gann, Taylor Nichols, Prairie Vaughn, Aubree Ruggles, Alona Rothwell, Lilly Oxford, and Mallory Craig.
And Team Velocity 13U is coached by Audrie Chaney and her players are Jessie Mendenhall, Maya Carter, Payten Oliver, Addison Nemeth, Laitlyn Holbert, Camryn Stiles, Jenna Honkala, and Pate Jones.
All four teams will remain busy playing and dominating in tournaments all the way until March.
Jr Lady Tigers Claw Past Pirates Plank
Anytime the Mansfield Jr High Lady Tigers are on the court, a victory is expected. But on Monday, January 13th, the Lady Tigers were faced with an actual challenge as the Cedarville Lady Pirates pushed Mansfield to their limit. It took the Lady Tigers a full four quarters to finally sink Cedarville, but sink they did.
The first quarter was full of mental mistakes by both squads as bad passes were made and simple shots seemed daunting. Ending the quarter with a mere 8-6 score in the Lady Tigers’ favor, you could feel the tension in the air. Once both teams got a feel for each other, what was a sloppy offensive game soon became a solid defensive game. Steals, blocks, rebounds, and pure aggression was the name of the game. With all of that on the court at once, the Lady Tigers still held on to a small 18-11 lead at the half.
The third quarter was a mixer filled with a combination of the first half. But, as everyone knows, the fourth quarter is where games are won. The Lady Tigers came to life as they sent a title wave of Mansfield Lady Tiger basketball roaring towards Cedarville. Mansfield brushed off their offensive rust and laid down the law of Tiger court.
The break-out star of the night award most definitely goes to freshman Seven Sanderson who led the way with a season-high 11 points including going 5/6 from the free-throw line. Harlie Fuller and Natalie Allison made short work of the Lady Pirates with cat-like moves to score seven points each. Skylynn Harris used her keen precision to knock down four points.
Kynslee Ward made four points and seven of the 21 total steals. Ward is now just a slight handful of steals away from setting the junior high steals record in a season. Alyson Edwards played another incredible game where she yet again earned a double-double on the night with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
After Monday nights out of this world victory against the Cedarville Lady Pirates, the Mansfield Jr High Lady Tigers move full speed ahead in their season with an 11-2 basketball record. The junior high will play their makeup away game against Greenland on Wednesday, January 15th at 4:00 then turn around and play Charleston at home on Thursday, January 16th at 6:00.
Spikes For Days For Mansfield Team Velocity 15U
On Saturday, January 11, the girls from Mansfield Team Velocity 15U hustled their way through nine other teams in the “Volley in the Ville” held in Russellville. The girls went 7-1 in pool play and came out with a third-place win in the gold bracket. “There is always room to improve but the girls looked good all day long,” explained Coach Shannon Elmore. Coach Elmore along with Coach Tari Ward are beyond proud and excited about how far their girls have come.
Skylynn Harris finished the tournament with two aces, 39 digs, 50 kills, and 17 blocks. Natalie Allison ended with 53 assists, four blocks, 10 kills, 32 digs, and 14 aces. Brooklyn Adams earned three aces, 42 digs, and 16 kills. Alyson Edwards netted two assists, four blocks, 13 kills, 34 digs, and three aces. Cole Smith grabbed six aces, six digs, three kills, and 25 assists. Alayna Turner obtained three assists, one block, three kills, three digs, and five aces. And Kinsley Ward scored 26 digs.
“The girls play very well together. This is year five of club play for most of them. They put in the hard work needed to achieve the bigger goal which is a state title for the school. All these girls deserve that and continue to work hard to get there. The future looks very bright for these girls!” Team Velocity 15U will travel this weekend to Fayetteville to play in the Ozark Challenge.
Mansfield 14U Velocity Team Attacks V-Ball Tournament
Coached by Brandi Heydenreich, the Mansfield 14U Velocity volleyball team saw successful tournament play this past weekend on Saturday, January 11th. The girls spiked their way through four other teams at “Volley in the Ville” held in Russellville at the Tucker Coliseum. The team consists of Kaile Sysakyavong, Rachel Johnson, Katelyn Corson, Kynley Simpson, Trinity Triska, Presley Curry, Kaylee Ward, Harlie Fuller, and Shelbie Fuller.
Team Velocity fought their way through three teams, Paris, Fort Smith Juniors, and Alma, during pool play placing 2nd and placed third in the gold bracket. The girls lost in tournament play to Hackett. “We are pretty much a first-year team together. I have four returning players from last year. So to me, it’s pretty impressive that they are doing this well just out of the gate,” exclaims Coach Heydenreich. Team Velocity 14U will compete next on February 8th in the MidSouth Power League in Conway.
