Month: January 2020

Heber Springs falls to Pottsville

Heber Springs senior Adam Martin makes a move against Pottsville during Tuesday’s game at the Panther Den. MICHELLE McCARTY PHOTO

January 7, 2020

BY LARRY “SCOOP” McCARTY

Pottsville opened the game by scoring seven consecutive points and defeated the Heber Springs Panthers 59-26 in a 4-4A Conference basketball game at the Panther Den.

The Panthers trailed 18-4 after the first quarter and 41-15 at halftime. Pottsville led 50-18 going into the fourth quarter.

Adam Martin scored 12 points for Heber Springs. Zach Byrum led Pottsville with 15 points. Matthew Moore had 14 points and Kade Mainhart finished with 10 points.

“We got open shots, but we had too many turnovers,” Heber Springs coach Chad Johnson said. “The turnovers limited our scoring opportunities. Pottsville was quick and utilized its speed, which caused us problems.”
Heber Springs had eight healthy players available, and Johnson said that also was a factor.

“Our depth again was a problem,” he said. “Pottsville had 17 players and put in new five players throughout the games. The lack of depth prevents players from getting a break when they need one.”

Heber Springs (1-2 in conference, 1-12 overall) will look to even its conference record at Subiaco Academy on Friday. The junior high game will start at 5 p.m., followed by the senior boys.

“Subiaco Academy has good athletes,” Johnson said. “It will be a tough road test.”

POTTSVILLE 59, HEBER SPRINGS 26
Pottsville   18 23 9 9 - 59
Heber Springs 4 11 3 8 - 26
POTTSVILLE SCORING (59): Zach Byrum 15, Matthew Moore 14, Kade Mainhart 10, Trevor Lyles 6, Trey Thurman 4, Jan Francis 3, Drew Rust 2, Cache Linker 2, Quinn Lee 2, Ethan Bradley 1.
HEBER SPRINGS SCORING (26): Adam Martin 12, Garrett Hudspeth 6, Dalton McCollum 5, Wyatt Sanders 3. 
4A-4 SENIOR BOYS STANDINGS
                 Conference Season
Pottsville           3-0      5-6
Morrilton            3-0     11-5
Dardanelle           2-1     15-1
Ozark                1-1      7-6
Heber Springs        1-2      1-12
Clarksville          1-2      5-10
Subiaco Academy      0-2      4-9
Dover                0-3      4-11  
HEBER SPRINGS SENIOR BOYS BASKETBALL
2019-2020 SCHEDULE RESULTS
RECORD: 1-12
4A-4 RECORD: 1-2
November 21 - Riverview 68, Heber Springs 36
November 26 - Clinton 71, Heber Springs 35
December 3 - Conway St. Joseph 44, Heber Springs 21 #
December 5 - South Side Bee Branch 50, Heber Springs 49 #
December 10 - Heber Springs 37, Dover 32 ^
December 12 - South Side Bee Branch 64, Heber Springs 53
December 13 - Marshall 69, Heber Springs 43
December 16 - White County Central 65, Heber Springs 43
December 20 - Ozark 69, Heber Springs 34 ^
December 26 - Rose Bud 68, Heber Springs 65 (OT) *
December 27 - Batesville 72, Heber Springs 60 *
December 28 - Mayflower 66, Heber Springs 41 *
January 7 - Pottsville 59, Heber Springs 26 ^
January 10 - at Subiaco Academy ^
January 14 - Dardanelle ^
January 17 - at Clarksville ^
January 21 - Morrilton ^
January 24 - Dover ^
January 28 - at Pottsville ^
January 31 - at Ozark ^
February 4 - at Dardanelle ^
February 7 - Subiaco Academy ^
February 11 - at Morrilton ^
February 14 - Clarksville (Senior Night) ^
February 17 - 4A-4 District at Dardanelle

(# - Denotes Conway St. Joseph Tournament)
(^ - Denotes 4A-4 conference contest) 
(* - Steve Landers' Cowboy Chevrolet Holiday Classic at Heber Springs)

Interviews for Heber Springs football coach continue Wednesday

January 7, 2020

BY LARRY “SCOOP” McCARTY

A second round of interviews with Heber Springs High School head football coaching candidates will be held on Wednesday.

The five-member search committee met last week after the initial interviews of six candidates in December.

Assistant coach Will Cox was named interim head coach in July, replacing Darren Gowen, who resigned in June.

Heber Springs finished the season at 4-7.

Superintendent Dr. Alan Stauffacher earlier said he expected a recommendation for the school board’s January 20 meeting. Stauffacher said the recommendation may be delayed.

Athletic director Brad Reese, high school principal Marc Griffin, former school board member Richard Whybrew, current board member Dr. Ryan Buffalo, coach Jay Bishop and Stauffacher comprise the committee.

Look back, and ahead, for Heber Springs volleyball

The 2019 Heber Springs Panther Volleyball Team. Front, from left, Jessica Blalock, Summer Brown, McKenzie Becerra, Abi Finkbeiner and Mayra Leal. Middle, from left, Pilar Monsivais, Cheyenne Bresnahan, Alaina Endicott, Mary May, Brieannen Cook, Divina Nixon, Summer Nolan, and Hope Gilchrist. Back, from left, head coach Andrea Riggs, Zoe Monroe, Ellie Skelton, Felicia Wildmon, Kiley Wilson, Katelyn Vanlandingham, Cheyenne Kent, Nichole Thayer and assistant coach Kim Johnson.

December 24, 2019

BY LARRY “SCOOP” McCARTY

Three Heber Springs players were named to the Class 4A-Central Conference all-conference volleyball team.

Seniors McKenzie Becerra and Katelyn Vanlandingham were selected to the first team. Becerra was also an nominee for the state all-star game. Zoe Monroe was an honorable mention selection.

Heber Springs (7-7 in conference, 10-15 overall) tied for fourth place with Lonoke, which qualified for the state tournament on a tiebreaker.

The Lady Panthers, who completed their eighth year of competition, attempted to earn back-to-back state tournament berths. Heber Springs qualified for the state tournament in 2018 for the first time in the program’s history.

“We came close to go back to the state tournament,” coach Andrea Riggs said. “We progressed throughout the year, but we were capable of doing better. The players played well when considering their level of overall experience compared to other teams. I wish we could have gotten back to state, but we will try and do that next year.”

Riggs said next season will be different with the graduation of six senior starters and searching for a new starting lineup.

“We served well for most of the season,” said Riggs when asked about areas of improvement. “The players developed more mental toughness. We will look to this year’s JV players and maybe some help from the junior high team. Offseason work will be very important in building next year’s team.”

Heber Springs had a junior high program for the first time in the program’s history, and Riggs said that will benefit future players.

“We had played ninth graders in the past, and they are important for the next year’s team,” she said. “Adding the upcoming eighth graders will help. The junior high school program will close the gap of players’ experience from other teams’ players. I’m looking forward in seeing what the younger players will do next season.”

Lady Panthers fall in third-place game

Mayflower’s Hailey Carney and Heber Springs’ Mary Shearer battle for a loose ball during the third-place game at the Cowboy Chevrolet Holiday Classic. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO

December 28, 2019

By LARRY “SCOOP” McCARTY

A week of no games may be coming at the right times for the Heber Springs Lady Panthers.

The Lady Panthers finished the Steve Landers Cowboy Chevrolet-Heber Springs Holiday Basketball Classic with a 58-37 loss in the third-place game to Mayflower at the Panther Den Saturday.

Heber Springs (10-4) started the tournament with a win against DeWitt before Friday’s loss to Pea Ridge in the semifinals. The Lady Panthers will not play again until resuming 4-4A Conference play by hosting Pottsville on Tuesday.

“We played fairly well in the first tournament game, played well in the second game until a bad fourth quarter,” Heber Springs coach Jamey Riddle said. “It seemed we didn’t get over Friday’s loss.”

Heber Springs had a good start and stayed close throughout the first quarter. The Panthers trailed 8-7 midway through the quarter and took a 9-8 lead on Libby Stutts’ field goal. Mayflower then seized control and outscored Heber Springs 9-4 for a 17-13 lead going into the second quarter.

Ellie Riddle, who led the Lady Panthers with 21 points, made two jump shots and 1-of-2 free throws to reduce Mayflower’s lead to 19-18.

Kamiah Turner, who also had 21 points for Mayflower and playing with a broken nose, scored on an inside move and the Lady Eagles followed with a 6-1 scoring run and increased their lead to 27-19 by halftime.

Mayflower returned for the third quarter and maintained control with a 13-9 scoring run and led 40-28 going into the fourth quarter.

“We didn’t shoot well and forced a lot of shots,” Jamey Riddle said. “Mayflower played well, especially the big post girls, and got good guard play. We didn’t do that.”

Shooting will become one of the areas the team will work on in practice, but Riddle said rebounding must improve.

“We need Ellie to play that way, but our rebounding must get better and that is one of her roles,” he said.

Riddle believes the extra practice time will benefit the team as it prepares to resume conference play.

“Sometimes coming off a tough loss and a game you didn’t play well, practices are what you need,” he said. “We need to get back into the gym and work on things.”

Heber Springs is 2-0 against conference teams and will play one of the contenders for its next game.

“It’s conference games for the remainder of the season,” Riddle said. “Pottsville is one of the top teams. We can’t play this way against them. We need to play like the first three quarters against Pea Ridge.”

HEBER SPRINGS SENIOR GIRLS 
2019-2020 SCHEDULE/RESULTS
RECORD: 10-4
4A-4 RECORD: 2-0
November 12 - Heber Springs 55, Nemo Vista 31
November 19 - Heber Springs 70, South Side Bee Branch 45
November 21 - Heber Springs 67, Riverview 27
November 26 - Heber Springs 56, Clinton 54 (OT)
December 3 - Conway St. Joseph 47, Heber Springs 44 #
December 5 - Heber Springs 53, South Side Bee Branch 34 #
December 7 - Heber Springs 44, Wonderview 43 #
December 10 - Heber Springs 59, Dover 56 ^
December 13 - Marshall 70, Heber Springs 52
December 16 - Heber Springs 51, White County Central 31
December 20 - Heber Springs 55, Ozark 42 ^
December 26 - Heber Springs 70, DeWitt 34 *
December 27 - Pea Ridge 49, Heber Springs 44 *
December 28 - Mayflower 58, Heber Springs 37 *
January 7 - Pottsville ^
January 9 - at Newport
January 14 - Dardanelle ^
January 17 - at Clarksville ^
January 21 - Morrilton ^
January 24 - Dover ^
January 28 - at Pottsville ^
January 31 - at Ozark ^
February 4 - at Dardanelle ^
February 11 - at Morrilton ^
February 14 - Clarksville (Senior Night) ^
February 17 - 4A-4 District at Dardanelle

(# - Denotes Conway St. Joseph Tournament)
(^ - Denotes 4A-4 conference contest)
(* - Denotes Steve Landers' Cowboy Chevrolet Holiday Tournament at Heber Springs)