Tag: January 20 2020

Panthers come back to beat Clinton

January 20, 2020

Heber Springs trailed by three heading into the final quarter but outscored Clinton 13-7 in the final quarter to claim a 29-25 seventh-grade boys victory at the Panther Den.

Liam Buffalo (13) and Jacob Harrod (10) each finished in double figures for the Panthers.

Heber Springs led 13-9 at the break but trailed 18-15 at the end of three quarters.

Heber Springs was 15-of-27 from the free-throw line. Buffalo was 7-of-11 from the line including 5-of-6 in the final quarter.

Clinton was 6-of-12 from the line on the night.

JANUARY 20 BOXSCORE
Clinton at Heber Springs
Clinton        2  7  9  7 - 25
Heber Springs  7  6  2 13 - 29
CLINTON SCORING (25): B. Standlee 11, L. Hudson 6, R. Fosko 4, J. Medine 2, B. Mooney 1, W. McFall 1
HEBER SPRINGS SCORING (29): Liam Buffalo 13, Jacob Harrod 10, Braden Biggs 2, Ty West 2, Cooper Cantrell 2 
HEBER SPRINGS 7TH-GRADE BOYS SCHEDULE  
Jan. 27 - at Mayflower 
Jan. 30 - at Southside Batesville 
Feb. 03 - Quitman 
Feb. 06 - Cedar Ridge

Panther 7th-Grade girls fall to Clinton

January 20, 2020

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

Reese resigns as athletic director at Heber Springs

January 20, 2020

Heber Springs Athletic Director Brad Reese submitted his resignation, effective at the end of the current school year, to the Heber Springs School Board on Monday night.

The board accepted his resignation with a 5-0.

The resignation does not include his assistant principal duties at the high school.

The Hot Springs High and Arkansas Tech alum came to the Heber Springs School District in 1991 as an assistant coach on John Richardson’s staff. Reese was promoted to head coach the following season when Richardson stepped down as coach to concentrate on teaching duties.

Reese served as head coach until the 1997 season, leading the Panthers to their first playoff berth in 14 years in his last campaign, to take the head coach position at Huntsville.

Reese coached at Huntsville for two seasons before returning to Heber Springs. First working as defensive coordinator for his long-time friend, Todd Thompson, then in various roles including head junior high coach before taking over as athletic director in December 2013 when Steve Janski resigned to take a similar position at Fayetteville High School.

Wood named new head coach at Heber Springs

January 20, 2020

By LARRY “SCOOP” McCARTY

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.)

Panthers expect to name new football coach Monday

January 20, 2020

BY LARRY “SCOOP” McCARTY

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.