When it rains it pours for the Lady Tigers Softball Team. With wet weather all around the state, the Lady Tigers knew they needed to make a quick statement before it rained on their parade. Mansfield opened up the flood gates with a 12-1 washout of the Mountain View Lady Yellow Jackets in their first Regional game on Thursday, May 2.
Kiara Thomas
Defense wins championships and the Lady Tigers showed that they are championship material. Mansfield’s Caroline Nicodemus made pitching look effortless as she pitched a smooth game striking out three Lady Yellow Jackets only giving up one run in five innings. The Lady Tigers infield and outfield kept Mountain View clearly in sight shutting down every shot the Lady Yellow Jackets had at being in the game.
Rylea Weaver
Offensively Mansfield owned the show. Rylea Weaver and Kyli Davidson swung for the fences and in true overachiever fashion, each knocked out massive home runs. Kylie Eveld set up the bases scoring some opportunities for the Lady Tigers while Shyann McDowell and Caroline Nicodemus combined for 3 RBIs.
Kyli Davidson
Mansfield showed up to Regionals to make a statement and made it very clear they can play ball with anyone. The Lady Tigers now must face Rose Bud who has been the 3A powerhouse this year in Fridays Regional showdown. Prepare for a storm because tomorrows Regional game will be one for the ages. The Lady Tigers will play on May 3 in Fayetteville at 10 a.m.
As family members, classmates and Waldron High School Staff settled in to Bulldog auditorium this morning, Senior Madison Patrick, with pen in hand, sat poised for the next chapter of her cheerleading career.
Patrick, a three year cheerleader for the Bulldogs is an charismatic, polite, and energetic athlete who will now carry those valued traits into college where she is now an official member of the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith Cheer Squad member.
WHS Assistant Cheer Coach, Kristen Atchley stated, “I have got to know Madi over the last three years and witnessed her develop into the young woman, and cheerleader she has become. With her determination, and drive, I know she will excel in all aspects of her life. I am thrilled to see where this journey takes her.”
Lacking experienced upperclassmen,
Mansfield relied on a freshman and a sophomore to score points at the class 3A
state track meet.
Navigating a realigned conference,
Mansfield uncharacteristically advanced only four athletes out of the difficult
3A-1 West district meet to the class 3A state finals on April 30. Out of those
four athletes, a freshman and a sophomore led the way for the Tiger scoring.
Sadie Roberts, a freshman high jumper,
tied for fourth at the Green Forest hosted state track meet held on Tuesday
night. Coming in, Roberts’ conference ranking had her listed as the sixth best
jumper at the meet.
“Sadie did a good job of calming the
nerves and staying focused in the moment,” stated Coach John Mackey. “She just
about tied her own personal record at five feet. That would have guaranteed an
All-State spot and possibly first. Her heel just rolled the crossbar at the
last second.”
Roberts was among a log jam of jumpers
that cleared 4’ 10”. An early miss derailed her standings and pushed her down
the final rankings.
“We talked a lot the last few days of
practice about jumping clean,” continued Mackey. “State always seem to come
down to misses in an equal height scenario. There’s so many good jumpers that
it’s hard to just out jump all the other athletes. Regardless, Sadie was in the
mix and proved she’s one of the best high jumpers in our class.”
Bri Sanderson, the sophomore point
producer, did his best at the men’s discus ring. The large framed track athlete
turned his third throw of the day into his best ever. A 124’ 6” whirlybird
passed all but the final four competitors yet to through.
Guaranteed a spot in the finals with
three more tosses coming, Sanderson was all smiles. With his position coach,
Dustin Payne, at his side; the two realized scoring points in a state track
meet was a real possibility for the All-District tenth grader.
“The high jump and discus ran at the
same time within ten yards of each other,” noted Mackey. “Coach Payne kept his
watchful eye on Bri as I tutored Sadie. That didn’t stop either one of us from
bouncing back and forth at both venues to watch our two kids excel. All our
track coaches took real pride in watching Mansfield kids succeed.”
Sanderson ended the meet keeping his
preliminary toss of 124’ 6”. It placed him in sole possession of fifth place
and four points for the Tigers.
Mansfield’s other opportunities to score
came from their lone qualifying senior and another sophomore.
Makayla Strutton, a sophomore hurdler,
was the first to take the track for the Tigers at a 12:30 PM preliminary race
in the 100m hurdles. The objective was to make the finals with a top two finish
or be one of the remaining four best times overall.
Strutton landed just outside that
window. Her 18.48 clocking was good but not good enough to advance. When the
smoke cleared from the other heat, Strutton was left below the top eight. Her
time was the tenth best measure at state.
Sara Willadsen, the only senior Lady
Tiger to make the state meet, did so in the 100m dash. Her race was
approximately 15 minutes after Strutton’s go.
The clock was not Willadsen’s friend on
this day. Mansfield’s most productive athlete for the 2019 season fell victim
to saturated speed dripping from other parts of the state. Her 14.28 prelim
mark was slower than the 13.81 stoppage that sent her to the state.
“Sara and Makayla really did well, but
they both experienced the speed that lives and breaths outside Scott County,”
confessed their head coach. “Sara was thirteenth and Makayla was tenth in the
state. That’s nothing to sneeze at. It’s a tangible accomplishment and we look forward
to this pair representing Mansfield at the heptathlon in two weeks.”
Mansfield freshman Sadie Roberts take a deep breath before attempting the high jump at state.Sophomore Bri Sanderson enjoys his best day at the state track meet in the discus throw.Willadsen and Strutton will represent Mansfield at the state heptathlon on May 15-16.
Herman Speaks Junior, passed from this life Tuesday, April 30, 2019 in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Junior was 86 years old. He was born October 12, 1932 in Waldron, Arkansas.
Herman Speaks, Junior, always well-known as Junior, was the first of three sons to Herman and Nora Speaks of Waldron, Arkansas. He grew up, as he often called himself, “a country boy,” with his brothers – the late Jerry Dan Speaks and George Speaks. There were always plenty of aunts, uncles and cousins around and they worked hard and played hard in Scott County.
Junior eventually made his life in Fort Smith, and then ultimately in Greenwood. There he resided with his loving wife, the late Joyce Speaks, raised children, and built his business. He always enjoyed meeting people, making new friends, and taking care of his customers. He was married to Joyce for over 50 years and together they had two children – Susie Walker and the late Shaun Speaks. Ever a part of the Greenwood home was at least one cherished pet dog. Both Junior and Joyce spent their final days together at the Waldron Nursing Center, surrounded by friends and caregivers who were like family to him.
Junior is father to Pam Stebbins of Little Rock, Gary Speaks of Greenwood, and the late Larry Speaks of Fort Smith through his early marriage to Rita Frost McGrew who was also from Waldron, Arkansas. He is “Grandpa” to 7 children and blessed with 5 great-grandchildren.
Junior’s graveside life celebration will be 1:00 p.m. Saturday, May 4, 2019 at Duncan Cemetery in Waldron, Arkansas. Interment will immediately follow. Arrangements are being entrusted to the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas.
Junior’s visitation will be Saturday, May 4, 2019 from 10:00 a.m. until 12 p.m. at the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas where Junior’s family will receive friends.
The 29th annual Hartford “Hills of Fame” Gospel Songfest will be held on Mothers Day, May 12, beginning at 6 p.m. at Faith Chapel, 308 Hwy 45, in Hartford.
The featured group this year will be the Erwins. This siblings team is blazing new trails in Southern Gospel, proving to their industry peers and fans alike, that the future of Southern Gospel music is secure with a young group like The Erwins coming on the scene.
Come enjoy an evening of inspirational gospel
music in commemoration of the Hartford Music Co. once owned and operated in Hartford,
Arkansas. The Hartford Music Co. published such well-known songs as “I’ll
Fly Away,” written by Albert E. Brumley; “Victory in Jesus,” written by E.M.
Bartlett; and “Just a Rose Will Do,” written by J.A. McClung. All three
of these famous gospel composers have been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall
of Fame, and all were former owners of the Hartford Music Company.
You will enjoy the breathtakingly beautiful
drive just 30 miles south of Fort Smith on Hwy 45 and 20 miles east of Poteau
on Hwy 83. Bring your mother and your family and come out to hear and
participate in some good old gospel singing this Mothers Day.
Hold on we are still under a weather delay. The previous plans that were reported on have now changed again and there will NOT be any games played today. Harrison Arkansas is expecting another 2” of rain again today and Mr Eddington of Harrison Parks and Rec stated that “If we dont get tarps on, we wont be playing tomorrow. We will try to start games at 2Pm and 4:30 tomorrow.” See new brackets pictures below for times and fields.
Updated Tournament Info: The following is an email sent to the coaches regarding the 2A-West Tournament and field conditions. Attached are photos of the attached brackets for baseball and softball. There are two for each. The first is if the fields are playable on Friday, the second is the contingent plan starting on Saturday. The goal as stated is to get the tournament in by Sunday night. Stay tuned for more information as it comes out.
The Waldron Lady Bulldogs started their softball season with many goals set in place. After each of those goals was met, new ones were put in there place. Now here the Lady Bulldogs sit getting ready to play their first round in Regionals and the girls are speechless. They started with the goal of just wanting to end conference play better than last season. The girls went from a 5-5 record last year to 8-2 this year. Once they succeeded with that goal, the Lady Bulldogs wanted to see how far they could push themselves in the District Tournament.
Making it to the end to battle Charleston for the third place title, Waldron fell short 1-0 to the Lady Tigers. But it was still enough to secure a bid to Regionals as the fourth seed. With their District goal accomplished, the Lady Bulldogs are now determined to win the first round in Regionals. The girls know that the odds are stacked against them. The Lady Bulldogs will be facing the #1 Rosebud Lady Ramblers. The Rosebuds are sitting at 28-1 in total season play and undefeated 12-0 in conference play.
Waldron eighth grader, Hazel Buesing conducted the interview with softball coach, Bailey Moore. This is what Coach Moore had to say, “The girls are excited and nervous about going up against Rosebud. If they can keep their nerves in check and remember what they are there to do, then we have a chance to make a statement. The girls were plagued with confidence issues during the season but with true grit, they were able to see their worth and that they CAN bring in the wins and take it all the way to the top.”
The Lady Bulldogs will play in Fayetteville at Gary Hampton Park on May 2 at 10 a.m.
With Spring comes many new beginnings. Babies are born, flowers are in bloom, and cheerleaders are discovered. During the week of April 29-May 3, the Waldron Cheer Coaches are holding their Jr High cheer clinic. Try-outs will be on Monday, May 6. Coaching for the Bulldogs is Sr High Coach, Crystal Lipham, and newcomer Jr High Coach, Kristen Atchley. Although Kristen has been employed with the Waldron School District for three years, this will be her first time as a Bulldogs Cheer Coach.
Coach Lipham teaching proper technique
Coach Lipham and Coach Atchley will be rolling out a whole new cheer program for the Bulldogs. With the new changes, the coaches are hoping to take their Jr High and Sr High cheer teams all the way to the top of the cheer competition ladder. Both Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs understand that if they make the team, they will be required to put in the work and push themselves that extra mile.
Coach Kristen Atchley gives her thoughts on the new program, “Crystal and I work really well together and we are dedicated to lifting this program up. I’m excited about what’s in store for next year. Great things are happening in Waldron and I am blessed to get the chance to be a part of that!”
Need an easy crockpot recipe for supper that will still leave you with left-overs to enjoy throughout the week? Running from baseball game to baseball game? I know we are with two kids playing ball. We try to still do traditional dinners at the table everynight of the week; however when it is ball season I have to plan dinners ahead of time. We rush home from work and try to eat dinner all the while running out the door. So, I am always looking for something fast, easy, and something I can also pack in a brown bag special for the kids. They are so use to grabbing their brown bag walking out the door to head to the games that they don’t even complain about it now. Who wants to turn on the oven anyways while the temperatures are rising outside? Not me! Try my slow cooked pulled pork sandwiches! You will come home from work in a hurry to eat and then once you smell the aroma in the kitchen, you will think you are in heaven! It’s simple and easy to make up the night before to place in your crockpot, so dinner will be ready once you get home. It’s easy clean up too! If you have more time for sides, it’s great with some baked beans and slaw, but if you are short on time chips will be just fine. Sometimes, I throw a pickle on the side to make me feel like I’m at least feeding the kids some kind of vegetable, right?
Ingredients:
1 (4-5lb) Picnic Pork Roast
1 Package of McCormick Beef Stew w/ Herbs and Onions Slow Cooker Sauce (9 oz.)
1 Package of McCormick Grill Mates Garlic, Herb and Wine
1/4 Cup of Oil
1/4 Cup of Water
1 tablespoon of Cavender’s All Purpose Greek Seasoning
1 tablespoon of Lawry’s Season Salt
1/2 teaspoon of Garlic Salt
2 tablespoons of Minced Onion
3 tablespoons of Mustard
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire Sauce
BBQ Sauce
Buns
Directions:
In a small mixing bowl, mix together seasonings, minced onions, oil, and water. Next, add the packet of seasoning along with the beef stew sauce. Stir and then add the teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce.
Now, place a crockpot liner inside the crockpot. Spray it with nonstick cooking spray. If you do not have a crockpot liner, be sure and spray the innerwalls of your crockpot with the nonstick cooking spray to help with clean-up later. Now, set your pork roast inside the crockpot. I usually leave the netting on the roast. I poke holes with a knife in the meat so that way your mixture will get inside the meat while cooking. Next, pour the mixture that is in the mixing bowl on top of the roast. Place the roast on slow and cook over night and all the next day while you are gone. Roast will be tender and ready to shred by the time you get home for work! Grab your favorite BBQ sauce and some buns! You’re ready to make a sandwich! Enjoy!
Extra Info: If you have a smoker and enjoy smoking meat, you can use this same sauce to pour over your roast! All you will need to do is place your roast into a roasting pan, like a turkey roasting pan. Then, don’t forget to poke holes into the meat. Next, pour the mixture over the meat. Follow the instructions of your smoker on how long to cook the meat. This is super yummy! You will not be disappointed!
Tomorrow’s Arkansas 2A West Regional baseball and softball tournament games have been rained out. Tournament Director, Chuck Eddington told me that they will be making a decision at 3pm today as to when the games will be made up. With the State tournament starting next week, the pressure is on to get the games in as quickly as possible. There is no doubt that the grounds crews will be working diligently to get the fields playable as quickly as the weather allows. For the coaches and players, the challenge will be not getting caught up in the distraction of the waiting. They need to stay focused and be ready to play ball whenever they get the call to take the field.
