Clinton downed Heber Springs, 32-15, in seventh-grade girls action at the Panther Den.
The Yellowjackets led 19-8 at the half and 25-13 at the end of three quarters.
Baleigh Burchfield paced Heber Springs with five points.
Heber Springs was scheduled to play host to Marshall on Thursday but the game was canceled due road conditions in northern Arkansas.
The Panthers will travel to Mayflower on Monday.
HEBER SPRINGS VS. CLINTON
Clinton 7 12 6 7 - 32
Heber Springs 2 6 5 2 - 15
CLINTON SCORING (32): M. Gresham 11, K. Keith 7, B. Collins 6, A. Shaver 6, M. McCoy 2
HEBER SPRINGS SCORING (15): Baleigh Burchfield 5, Kinnison Prince 4, Taylor Parker 2, Kaitlyn Pierce 2, Faelen Evans 2
HEBER SPRINGS 7TH-GRADE GIRLS SCHEDULE
Jan. 27 - at Mayflower
Jan. 30 - at Southside Batesville
Feb. 03 - Quitman
Feb. 06 - Cedar Ridge
The Heber Springs High School dance and cheerleading teams held a clinic for youngsters in Heber Springs.
At the end of the clinic, these young ladies performed at halftime of the senior boys game between Heber Springs and Dover Friday night at the Panther Den.
Here a just a few of the girls that participated. Photos copyrighted by Philip Seaton.
Heber Springs didn’t back down from 4-4A Conference co-leader Morrilton at the Panther Den Tuesday.
The Panthers (1-6 in conference, 1-16 overall) finished the game with a productive fourth quarter before falling to the Devil Dogs 58-43.
Heber Springs trailed 47-27 going into the fourth quarter when it outscored the Devil Dogs, 16-11.
Dalton McCollum scored 15 points for Heber Springs. Adam Martin, who missed the last two games because of a shoulder injury, had 14 points.
Devin Foster led Morrilton with 21 points and Darrius Allison had 19 points.
“We played well against the team which may win the conference championship,” Heber Springs coach Chad Johnson said. “They have the complete package. One of the motivating factors for the game was playing a team of its caliber. We played great defense in the first half, but turnovers and lack of rebounds hurt.”
Martin’s 3-pointer gave Heber Springs a 3-0 lead. Morrilton scored six straight points and maintained the lead for the remainder of the first quarter.
The Devil Dogs led 13-7 going into the second quarter.
Morrilton increased its lead to double figure midway through the second quarter and built it to 25-12 by halftime.
“We addressed our turnover and rebounding problems during halftime,” Johnson said. “We didn’t do that well at the start of the second half. That is why I called a quick timeout.”
Morrilton increased its lead to 47-27 by the end of the third quarter. The Panthers were outscored 20-15, but Johnson said the team’s play improved after the timeout early in the quarter.
“The effort was there and we played with a lot of enthusiasm,” said Johnson, referring to the team’s play after the timeout. “We needed better execution.”
Johnson said McCollum has played well in recent games. McCollum moved to point guard, with Martin to the shooting guard.
“Dalton cashed in after making the change,” Johnson said. “It was good to have Adam back on the floor again. We had missed his senior leadership.”
The Panthers will start the second half by hosting Dover Friday, a team they defeated in the conference opener.
“We won a tough game at Dover and did it by making big plays,” Johnson said.”We want to execute better and score more points. Dover has improved since that game, but we have improved, too.”
Friday’s game will start at approximately 7:30 p.m.
HEBER SPRINGS SENIOR BOYS BASKETBALL
2019-2020 SCHEDULE RESULTS
RECORD: 1-144A-4 RECORD: 1-4
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 47, Heber Springs 28 ^
January 14 - Dardanelle 70, Heber Springs 13 ^
January 17 - Clarksville 38, Heber Springs 32 ^
January 21 - Morrilton 58, Heber Springs 43 ^
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)
Morrilton seized the momentum midway through the second quarter, dominated the second half and pulled away from the Heber Springs Lady Panthers 52-32 in a 4-4A Conference basketball game at the Panther Den Tuesday.
The Lady Panthers (3-3 in conference and 12-7 overall) finished the first half of the season in a third-place tie with Dover and Pottsville.
Libby Stutts led Heber Springs with 14 points. A’mya Everette and Grace Brown each scored 12 points for Morrilton, followed by Cheyanne Kemp with 10 points.
The Lady Devil Dogs outscored Heber Springs 28-13 during the second half.
“Part of it may have been Morrilton’s defense, but we had a bad shooting game,” Heber Springs coach Jamey Riddle said. “We were getting wide-open shots and didn’t make a lot of them. We didn’t have good shot selection at times”
Heber Springs broke a 9-9 tie late in the first quarter on Jillian Herring’s field goal. Stutts made a 3-pointer, which was matched by the Lady Devil Dogs. Herring hit a 3-pointer as Morrilton scored in the final seconds. The Lady Panthers led 17-14 lead going into the second quarter.
Morrilton regained the lead on a 6-2 run and never trailed again. The Lady Devil Dogs led 24-19 at halftime.
Morrilton outscored the Lady Panthers 15-9 and took a 39-28 lead into the fourth quarter.
“I felt we would come out for the start of the second half and play better,” Riddle said.”I wish we have played with more intensity.”
Heber Springs will begin the second half of the conference schedule by hosting Dover Friday. The Lady Panthers won in the first meeting of the two teams in Dover.
“We need to put this game behind us and move forward,” Riddle said. “We can’t feel sorry about ourselves. We need to focus on what we need to do, not what our next opponent will do.”
The junior girls’ game will start at 4 p.m., followed by the junior boys, senior girls and senior boys games.
Heber Springs’ Conner Riddle goes up for a shot against Mount Vernon-Enola on Jan. 16 at the Panther Den. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
January 16, 2020
Despite a 28-point performance from Conner Riddle, Heber Springs dropped a 44-41 nonconference decision to Mount Vernon-Enola on Jan. 16 at the Panther Den.
Heber Springs trailed 16-4 at the end of the first quarter but bounced back to make it a 22-15 game at the half. The Panthers had a chance to close the gap further right before the half but missed a shot after holding the ball and the Warhawks were able to get another field goal to increase their advantage.
The Panthers cut the deficit to 28-27 at the end of the third quarter after closing the third on a 7-0 run on an Eli Riggs 3-pointer and a pair of baskets by Riddle.
The Warhawks led by five at 37-32 before a 3-pointer by Luke Greenwald and three-point play by Riddle gave the Panthers a 38-37 advantage with 38.1 seconds left in regulation.
The Warhawks were able to tie things up at 38-all after hitting one of two from the free-throw line with 24.6 to play. Heber Springs had a couple of chances to win the game in regulation but couldn’t get a shot to fall.
Heber Springs led overtime 41-40 after Riddle hit 3-of-4 from the free-throw line, the last coming at the 1:28 mark. Mount Vernon-Enola closed the game by going 4-for-4 at the line.
Riddle finished the night by going 10-of-15 from the line.
The Panthers were coming off a 43-17 setback to Dardanelle on Jan. 14 as Heber Springs trailed 22-4 at the half.
On Jan. 10, Riddle had seven points in the first quarter and finished with 11, including a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line as Heber Springs downed Subiaco Academy, 33-3.
Riddle scored 16, including hitting a perfect 8-of-8 from the free-throw line, on Jan. 7 in a 54-35 setback to Pottsville at the Panther Den.
Heber Springs led 14-12 at the end of the first quarter, but were outscored 37-10 in the second and third quarters as the Apaches pulled away for the 4A-4 victory.
Heber Springs’ Rylee Harrod dribbles past a Mount Vernon-Enola defending in junior girls action at the Panther Den on Jan. 16. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
January 16, 2020
Sophia Stone finished with 15 points while Jaylea Hooten added 10 in a losing effort as Heber Springs fell to Mount Vernon-Enola, 38-33, in junior girls action at the Panther Den.
The two teams were tied at the half, 20-20, while the War Hawks led 29-26 at the end of the three quarters in the nonconference contest.
Heber Springs pulled to within one at 34-33 with 3:18 left after at Hooten basket but the Warhawks went 4-of-4 from the free-throw line down the stretch to seal the win.
The junior girls return to action on Thursday when they host Marshall.
The Panthers have dropped three out of four contests to start the new year.
On Jan. 14, Stone finished with 16 points as Heber Springs fell to Dardanelle, 32-29, in a 4A-4 contest at the Panther Den.
On Jan. 9 at Newport in nonconference play, it was Hooten who finished with 16 as the Panthers downed the Greyhounds, 40-21.
Stone (15) and Hooten (10) both finished in double figures in a 34-31 setback to Pottsville in the Panther Den on Jan. 7.
Todd Wood, the defensive coordinator at Russellville High School since 2017, became the new leader of the Heber Springs Panther football program at Monday night’s school board meeting.
Wood was hired on a vote of 3-2. Kevin Thomas, Dr. Ryan Buffalo and Bryce Farmer voted in favor of Wood, while Judy Crowder and Jason Jones voted no.
Wood was one of six candidates interviewed by a five-member search committee and Superintendent Dr. Alan Stauffacher. Wood is expected to be on campus Wednesday and begin his duties on Feb. 3. He also will teach social studies.
Wood was the defensive coordinator at Pulaski Academy from 2003-2016. The Bruins won six state titles during that time frame. He also a baseball coach at Pulaski Academy.
Wood and five other candidates were interviewed in December and then again in January. The position became vacant in July when Darren Gowen resigned to accept another coaching position. Assistant coach Will Cox was interim head for the 2019 season.
“We started this process in the summer when coach Gowen resigned,” Stauffacher said. “We are ready to move forward.”
Stauffacher said Wood will work with a contract to finish the spring semester before he will have a new contract for the 2020-21 school year.
Wood is the first football coach hired that had not previously served on the coaching staff since Steve Janski in 2005 and only the third head coach hired outside of the program since 1974, joining John Richardson in 1989. Richardson came to Heber Springs from Huntsville.
The Panthers will open their 99th football season against Newport in September.
(Editor’s Note: Philip Seaton contributed to this article.)
The search for Heber Springs’ next head football coach will end Monday night when a recommendation will be presented to the school board during its meeting.
Six candidates were interviewed by Superintendent Dr. Alan Stauffacher and a five-member search committee in December and then again in January. The position became vacant in July when Darren Gowen resigned to accept another coaching position. Assistant coach Will Cox was named interim head coach for the 2019 season.
Athletic director Brad Reese, high school principal Marc Griffin, former school board member Richard Whybrew, current board member Dr. Ryan Buffalo and coach Jay Bishop comprise the committee.
Monday’s meeting is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. in the school district’s central office.
Heber Springs’ Joy Bray looks to get past a Mount Vernon-Enola defender in action at the Panther Den on January 16. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
January 16, 2020
The Heber Springs seventh-grade girls dropped a pair of games to start to the new year.
On Jan. 9th, Heber Springs was shutout at Newport and returned home on Jan. 16 and was handed a 29-4 setback to Mount Vernon-Enola scoring all four points in the second half.
Jovie Smithson and Kinnison Prince each scored a field goal in the third quarter.
Heber Springs’ Kinnison Prince dribbles in front of the Heber Springs bench in action against Mount Vernon-Enola. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
HEBER SPRINGS 7TH-GRADE GIRLS SCHEDULE
Jan. 20 - Clinton
Jan. 23 - Marshall
Jan. 27 - at Mayflower
Jan. 30 - at Southside Batesville
Feb. 03 - Quitman
Feb. 06 - Cedar Ridge
