It was the legs of senior quarterback Liam Buffalo and not his arm Friday night at Panther Stadium that was making history.
Buffalo became the first quarterback in recorded school history to rush for more than 200 yards in game in helping lead the Panthers to a 40-28 victory over Lamar.
Buffalo’s 213 yards on the ground was the 24th best performance in school history, but the best ever by a Heber Springs quarterback. Markeyvus Mays rushed for 332 yards against Harding Academy in 2010 to set the standard for all backs, but Buffalo bettered the previous best mark by a quarterback of 180 yards set by Jerry Todd in a 1964 game against Clinton.
The senior quarterback also had the seventh-best performance by a back rushing for 14.2 yards on 15 carries. Mays holds the overall mark rushing yards per attempt (minimum 10 attempts) at 29.5 set against Cave City in 2010. Buffalo did set the rushing average mark by a quarterback bettering the previous mark of 13.4 set by Birch Grisso in a 1983 game against Clinton.
Buffalo finished the night with four rushing touchdowns tying him for 4th all-time in a game with 15 others. Jerry Pilkington set the school record with eight against Ola in 1949. Mays finished with seven against Cave City in 2010 and five against Newport in 2010 for second and third on the list. Buffalo however was the first quarterback in recorded history to rush for four touchdowns. The previous record of three was held by 10 other Panther quarterbacks.
Heber Springs junior Seth Dudeck ties his dad with record-setting punts
Heber Springs junior Seth Dudeck punts the ball during third-quarter action in Friday loss to the Pottsville. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
It was a cold and windy November night when Heber Springs traveled to Mountain View to close out the 1987 season.
The Panthers were concluding a disappointing 3-7 campaign while the Yellowjackets were looking to wrap up a playoff bid.
It would also be the final game for the winningest coach in school history, Heber Springs High School graduate Dennis DeBusk.
The Panthers battled, and thanks to a stingy defense and field position, Heber Springs and Mountain View ended regulation all tied at 0-0. The Yellowjackets would go on to win in overtime 7-0 and claim a playoff a spot (they would lose to Greenbrier in the playoffs the next week).
One of the keys of the field position battle was the leg of junior Pat Dudeck.
Dudeck, who passed away in 2016, would punt the ball five times against Mountain View, including a school record 73-yard punt and a 65-yarder that ranks in the top 10 of longest punts in school history. He also became the first Panther in recorded school history to have two punts of 60-yards plus in the same game.
Though there have been five 60-yard plus punts since that cold November night in 1987, no one else has managed to have two in the same game like Dudeck.
That is until Friday night.
Pat’s son, Seth, moved right next to his dad in the record book with two 60-yard plus punts in the same game. The junior punted the ball five times and hit a 67- and 62-yarder in a 17-14 setback to Pottsville.
It was the first game of Heber Springs High School graduate Caleb Carmikle’s Panther coaching career.
“Man, he can bomb that thing,” Carmikle said. “Not many high school kids can turn a ball over like he can.
“That’s a weapon and that really does help you when you’re struggling offensively if you get somebody that can flip the field every time. It helps our defense out a ton.”
Besides the Dudeck’s, other Panthers to have punts of 60-plus yards in recorded school history include Dennis Astin, Gideon Tate, Ben Caston and father and son, Danny Martin and Adam Martin.
Pat averaged 42 yards per punt against Mountain View in 1987, but Seth one-upped his dad with 251 yards punting for a school-record 50.2 average (Adam Martin had held the school record with his 50 average on three punts against Greenbrier in 2018).
Seth also tied Jerry Todd (1963), Brock Bertrand (1995) and Edward Rouse (2004) with a school-record four points downed inside the 20.
Dudeck’s final punt of 62 yards rolled into the end zone or he would have broken the record.
Regardless, that punt flipped the field and kept the Panthers in the game.
“That last punt was incredible,” Carmikle said. “I think Seth has the potential to be a really, really, really good one. Obviously, you look at his frame and he’s a good-looking kid. He put a lot of weight on this offseason with strength and conditioning, and he can run.”
While Pat was a quarterback for the Panthers during the 1986 through 1988 campaigns, the younger Dudeck plays wide receiver.
Seth finished the night with two receptions for 37 yards and a touchdown in the loss to Pottsville.
“He’s got great hands,” Carmikle said. “We just got to get our timing down in the passing game. I hate it that we haven’t been able to show it yet with the preseason scrimmage and in the week zero game, but we showed some things this summer at camps that I’m waiting to see on a Friday night that are really going to impress people.”
One of the three wins during the 1987 campaign for the Panthers was thrilling 19-12 homecoming victory over Clinton in which Dudeck threw the game-winning pass to Shane Nelson in overtime.
Seth will look to accomplish the same thing tonight except be on the receiving end as the Panthers travel to Clinton to battle the Yellowjackets.
Heber Springs’ Parker Brown looks upfield after breaking the tackle attempt by Bald Knob’s Eric Williams Friday night at Panther Stadium. Brown would score four touchdowns in the win. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
By LARRY “SCOOP” McCARTY
The Heber Springs Panthers celebrated homecoming and kept rolling and moved in position to challenge for an opportunity at winning the 2-4A Conference championship.
The Panthers (3-2 overall, 2-0 in 2-4A) scored touchdowns on their first four possessions and steamrolled over the Bald Knob Bulldogs (2-4 overall, 0-2 in 2-4A) 48-0 at Panther Stadium Friday night.
Heber Springs won its third consecutive game, including back-to-back shutouts of conference opponents. The Panthers and Harding Academy (6-0 overall, 3-0 in 2-4A).
After the nonconference win at Jonesboro Westside, Heber Springs had consecutive shutouts of conference foes Cave City and the Bulldogs. The Panthers accomplished that for the first time since the 1990 season when they shout out Dover and Dardanelle. It also was the first shutout by Heber Springs against Bald Knob since 1981.
“Bald Knob played just the way that I thought it would,” Heber Springs coach Van Paschal said. “We didn’t want to lose going into the open date because a team tends to have its head down when that happens.
“We are learning how to play and not be satisfied. The players did a good job of playing well at homecoming and dealing with the heat.”
The Panthers utilized their ground attack and outgained Bald Knob 223-50 yards in total offense. Heber Springs had 194 yards rushing and held the Bulldogs to a minus 78 yards. Bald Knob had an advantage of 78-29 yards in passing.
Senior Parker Brown rushed for 115 yards on three carries, scoring two touchdowns for the Panthers. Brown also had two punt returns for scores, 65 and 45 yards.
Senior Corbin Jones had two of the Heber Springs defense’s four quarterback sacks, plus five quarterback hurries. Jordan Tidwell was credited with two quarterback hurries. The Panthers had six other lost-yardage tackles. Bald Knob committed five turnovers, leading to two Panther touchdowns. Eli Buffalo returned an interception 42 yards for a score. Liam Buffalo and Weston Warden also had interceptions. Carter Julian and Brodie Basford each recovered a fumble.
“The kids played hard throughout the game,” Paschal said when talking about the shutout. “We got out of the gate early. I would like to finish the game a little bit different than we did. But I’m very proud of how we played and expect more improvement in future games.”
Heber Springs, which won the opening toss and elected to receive, dominated the first quarter. The Panthers had 137 yards, all rushing, on 12 plays, while the defense held Bald Knob to a minus three yards on 11 plays. Brown rushed for 115 of the 137 yards and scored three of the four touchdowns.
Heber Springs drove 65 yards on seven plays, with Brown putting the first points on the scoreboard by scoring on a 28-yard run with 9:39 left in the first quarter. Gideon Tate kicked the extra point for the 7-0 lead.
After a three-and-out and a Bulldog punt, the Panthers turned to Brown again. Brown broke free and ran for a 53-yard touchdown with 7:27 to go. Tate’s conversion kick increased the lead to 14-0.
Special teams set up the next score when Basford blocked Micah Story’s punt and Julian recovered at the Bald Knob 8-yard line. Liam Buffalo scored on a 3-yard keeper, plus Tate’s successful kick, increased Heber Springs’ lead to 21-0 with 4:45 remaining.
Brown capped the offensive explosion by returning a punt 65 yards for the touchdown with 2:50 left. The Panthers took a 27-0 lead into the second quarter.
“It helps when you have a cushion (scoring on first four possessions) and the players continue to do everything we ask them to do,” Paschal said. “Parker had a heck of a night.”
Defense controlled the next quarter as Eli Buffalo’s 42-yard interception return and Tate’s conversion kick with 4:34 remaining gave Heber Springs a 34-0 halftime lead.
The sportsmanship rule went into effect when Brown returned a second punt 45 yards for a touchdown with 5:58 left in the third quarter. Chase Dill kicked the extra point for a 41-0 lead.
Xander Lindley threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Jones for the final touchdown with 4:55 to play. Paul Krause kicked the extra point.
Heber Springs will have two weeks in preparing for Lonoke (3-3 overall, 2-1 in 2-4A) at home on Oct. 13, the first of three games against teams in the top half of the standings.
The Panthers will play back-to-back road games at Stuttgart (Oct. 20) and Harding Academy (Oct. 27) before finishing the regular season at home against Riverview on Nov. 3.
“We will start focusing on Lonoke beginning Tuesday,” Paschal said. “We will be adding a few new things on offense and defense.”
Paschal concluded by saying the Panthers will focus on only one game at a time during the three-game stretch.
GAME NOTES
STOPPING THE DOG: Second fewest rushing yards allowed to a Bald Knob team with 29. The fewest is a school record minus 31 set on Sept. 16, 2011.
CATCHING A BONE: The three interceptions by the defense were the most since Oct. 5, 2018, when the Panthers recorded three at Central Arkansas Christian. The Panthers now have picked off three or more passes in game 40 times in school history. The school record for most interceptions in a game is 5 set at Harding Academy on Oct. 5, 1962.
BIG DOG: On Friday against Bald Knob, Parker Brown set a school record with most punts returned for a touchdown in game with two. His two punt returns for a score also tied him with Rickey Pilkington with most punts returned for a touchdown in a season at two. Pilkington scored his in 1968 games against DeValls Bluff and Vilonia. Pilkington has also had a punt return for a touchdown against England in 1967 which gives him a school record three career punt returns for scores. Pierce Mitchum is the only Panther in school history to have more than one punt returned for a touchdown. Mitchum recorded his against Stuttgart in 2016 and at Newport in 2015. Of note, Brown would have tied the career mark Friday night but he a punt return for a score called back against Jonesboro Westside last season because of a penalty.
Brown’s 65-yarder for a score Friday is tied for the 13th longest in school history and the longest punt return since Mitchum’s 66-yarder against Stuttgart in 2016. Jerry Todd holds the score record with a 93-yarder set against Batesville “B” in 1963.
Brown also set the single game record for most punt return yards in a game with 115. Mark Hoffman previously held the mark with 112 yards set at Mountain View in 1980. Parker finished with 225 all-purpose yards which places him in the top 50 all-time in recorded school history. Jacob Bremmon holds the all-purpose yards in game record with 421 set in a playoff game at Gravette in 2017.
GAME 5
BALD KNOB AT HEBER SPRINGS
SENIOR HIGH
September 29, 2023
TEAM STATS TIME OF POSSESSION: Heber Springs 21:26, Bald Knob 26:34
TOTAL FIRST DOWNS: Heber Springs 7, Bald Knob 9
BY RUSH: Heber Springs 6, Bald Knob 7
BY PASS: Heber Springs 1, Bald Knob 1
BY PENALTY: Heber Springs 0, Bald Knob 1
TEAM RUSHING: Heber Springs 34/194/5.7, Bald Knob 28/29/1.0
TEAM PASSING: Heber Springs 1/3-29-1/0, Bald Knob 12/22-78-0/3
TOTAL OFFENSE: Heber Springs 37/223/6.0, Bald Knob 50/107/2.1
3RD CONVERSION: Heber Springs 2/6, Bald Knob 3/13
4TH CONVERSION: Heber Springs 2/3, Bald Knob 1/3
RED-ZONE: Heber Springs 1/2, Bald Knob 0/0
TURNOVERS: Heber Springs 1, Bald Knob 5
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS: Heber Springs 14, Bald Knob 0
FUMBLES/LOST: Heber Springs 1/1, Bald Knob 2/2
PENALTIES: Heber Springs 9/60, Bald Knob 6/51
KICKOFF RETURNS: Heber Springs 0/0, Cave City 5/44/8.8
PUNT RETURNS: Heber Springs 2/110, Bald Knob 0/0
PUNTS: Heber Springs 2/88, Bald Knob 5/101/20.2/1
PUNTS INSIDE 20: Heber Springs 1, Bald Knob 0
SACKS: Heber Springs 4/27, Bald Knob 0
TACKLES FOR LOSS: Heber Springs 11/42, Bald Knob 8/25
INDIVIDUAL STATS
RUSHING: Heber Springs, Bryce Seigrist 11/30/2.7, Liam Buffalo 7/28/1, Parker Brown 3/115/2, Team 3/(-5), Weston Warden 2/(-8), Nate Eaton 2/3, Gideon Tate 1/31, Xander Lindley 1/0. Bald Knob, Bohn Hickmon 13/20, James Holder 13/7, Hunter Burleson 1/2, Dakota Shoebottom 1/0.
PASSING: Heber Springs, Liam Buffalo 0/2-0-0/0, Xander Lindley 1/1-29-1/0. Bald Knob, James Holder 12/22-78-0/3
RECEIVING: Heber Springs, Elijah Jones 1/29/1. Bald Knob, Brady Johnston 5/44, Bohn Hickmon 4/12, Eric Williams 2/22, Micah Story 1/0.
KICKOFF RETURNS: Heber Springs, none. Bald Knob, Brady Johnston 2/33, Eric Williams 2/10, Micah Story 1/1.
PUNT RETURNS: Heber Springs, Parker Brown 2/110/2
INTERCEPTION RETURNS: Heber Springs, Eli Buffalo 1/42/1, Weston Warden 1/17
FUMBLE RETURNS: Carter Julian 1/25, Bald Knob, Adrian Williams 1/12
ALL-PURPOSE YARDS: Heber Springs, Parker Brown 225
PUNTING: Heber Springs, Gideon Tate 2/88. Bald Knob, Garrett Swindle 4/101, Team 1/0/1 blk
SCORING
PAT KICKS: Gideon Tate 4/5, Chase Dill 1/1, Paul Krause 1/1
FIELD GOALS: None
POINTS: Parker Brown 24, Liam Buffalo 6, Elijah Jones 6, Eli Buffalo 6, Gideon Tate 4, Chase Dill 1, Paul Krause 1
DEFENSIVE STATS
SACKS: Team Total (4).
INDIVIDUAL SACK TOTAL: Corbin Jones 2, Brodie Basford 1, Carter Julian 1, Luke Elliot 1, Jordan Tidwell 1, Nate Eaton 1.
FUMBLE RECOVERIES: Carter Julian, Brodie Basford
FORCED FUMBLES: Brodie Basford, Jordan Tidwell
INTERCEPTIONS: Liam Buffalo, Eli Buffalo, Weston Warden
PBU: Corbin Jones, Eli Buffalo, Weston Warden
QB HURRIES: Corbin Jones 5, Jordan Tidwell 2, Xander Lindley
BLOCKED PUNTS: Brodie Basford
TACKLES (U/A/TFL - TOTAL)
Liam Buffalo 3 2 0 5
Weston Warden 5 1 0 6
Brodie Basford 3 6 2 9
Luke Elliott 1 2 2 3
Emmett Dwyer 4 0 0 4
Corbin Jones 3 4 4 7
Carter Julian 1 2 2 3
Eli Buffalo 2 2 0 4
Jordan Tidwell 4 0 3 4
Xander Lindley 2 0 0 2
Elijah Jones 1 1 0 2
Nate Eaton 2 1 2 3
Gavin Mize 2 0 0 2
Jacob McMullin 0 1 0 1
Parker Brown 1 1 0 2
Greg Williams 1 0 0 1
The 1960s era of Heber Springs football saw the game change with more liberal substitution rules and the Panthers coming close to pair of conference championships.
Bill Rosa took over coaching duties from Cecil Alexander for the 1960 season and the Panthers finished with a 1-7 mark, defeating Newport “B” in week 6.
James Staggs would take over in 1961 with a young assistant coach Isaac Witt helping out. After starting the season 0-3, the Panthers would close out the season by winning five in a row and finishing their first winning season since 1952. Heber Springs would down Carlisle, Harding Academy in 2B action, Searcy “B”, Cotton Plant and Beebe.
The next season, 1962, would see another new coach on the sidelines for the Panthers as former Arkansas Razorback fullback Darrell Williams (whose twin brother Jarrell would win 261 games and four state championships as a head coach at Springdale) took over the coaching duties, with Witt remaining as an assistant. The 1962 season also saw the opening of the current Panther Stadium as McCrory won the first game at the new field, 7-6. After downing Clinton, 13-7 on the road, the Panthers returned home for a week 3 contest with the coach Harold Horton-led Bald Knob Bulldogs. The match-up of former Razorback teammates would go to the Bulldogs but the Panthers would four out of their last six to finish with a winning record.
The Panthers fifth coach in as many seasons, Russell Sims, took over in 1963 — with Witt still in an assistant’s role. Heber Springs finished the season with a 3-7-1 mark, tying McCrory in the opener and downing Newport “B”, Beebe and Batesville “B”.
Sims and Witt stayed together in 1964 and led the Panthers to an historic 9-win season (the most wins in school history until 1979). The Panthers would meet Hazen in the next to last week of the season in match-up of ranked teams to determine the champion for district 2B. The Hornets would claim a 13-12 victory to earn the title.
With the success, Sims and Witt both left with Sims taking over the Mountain Home program. Richard Whybrew and former Clinton standout Stanley Stanton would lead the program for the 1965 and 1966 seasons. The Panthers would manager only two wins in each season, downing Clinton and Cotton Plant in 1965 and Cotton Plant and DeValls Bluff in 1966.
Witt would return for the 1967 season, this time as head coach, as Heber Springs would finish 1-9-1, downing Marshall in week two and tying Hazen in week 9.
Jim Patchell would join Witt’s staff for the 1968 and 1969 seasons as the Panthers would close out the decade by going 7-2 in 1968 and 7-3 in 1969. The 1968 squad lost a heartbreaker to Hazen, 12-7, in the final game of the season that would have earned the Panthers their second conference title.
After two decades in the 2B, Heber Springs moved up a classification as the school begin to grow in the late 1960s. The 1969 team was placed in the 2A-South but did not play a conference schedule. Instead, many newer programs that would later be conference rivals began football programs, including Mountain View, Vilonia, Highland, Marshall and Greenbrier; and the Panthers feasted on those programs going 9-0 against those schools.
