Heber Springs’ Xander Lindley, Parker Brown and Dalton Yancey as the team gets ready to run on to the field Thursday at Bald Knob. The “paw boys” scored all four touchdowns in the Panthers 29-7 win. The trio also combined for 14 receptions for 222 yards. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
By PHILIP SEATON
BALD KNOB – Heber Springs overcame a sluggish start to improve to 5-1 on the season with a 29-8 victory over Bald Knob in junior high football action Thursday night.
The Panthers, 3-1 in 2-4A play, trailed 8-7 late in the first half before scoring 22 unanswered to pull away from the Bulldogs. Liam Buffalo, who was 19 of 27 passing for 288 yards and four touchdowns, hit Parker Brown over the middle for a 57-yard scoring strike with 35.4 seconds left in the half. Buffalo connected with Xander Lindley for the 2-point pass to give Heber Springs a 15-7 advantage at the break.
From that point on, the Panther defense took control.
Heber Springs’ Hud Haggard reacts after a first-down stop by the Panther defense in the second half.
Bald Knob finished the night with 192 yards of total offense on the night, with the majority of that came in the first half, but Heber Springs limited the Bulldogs to 22 yards in the second half and forced three Bald Knob turnovers over that span (fumble recoveries by Axley Davis and Hayden Johnson, and an interception by Dalton Yancey).
Yancey’s interception set up the first score of the second half for the Panthers. Taking over on their own 32, Heber Springs used an 11-play, 68-yard drive to go up 22-8 when Buffalo connected with Yancey for a 3-yard touchdown pass with 42.6 seconds left in the quarter. Gideon Tate, who was three-for-three on PAT kicks on the night, kicked the extra point to make it 22-8. Buffalo was nine of 10 passing on the drive using five different receivers (Tate, Hud Haggard, Brown, Lindley and Yancey – who also had a first-half fumble recovery).
Heber Springs Parker Brown forces a fumble. Maddox Reed (66) helps on the play.
Another turnover set up the next score for Heber Springs in the fourth quarter, Brown sacked Bald Knob quarterback James Holder forcing the fumble. Johnson picked up the ball but was tripped up after a seven-yard return to put the ball on the Bulldog 34.
Heber Springs showed a different look on the next drive with Brown lined up in the “Wildcat” formation. A 12- and 8-yard run by Brown moved the ball to the Bulldog 14. A backwards pass attempt to Buffalo was mishandled on third down forcing a fourth-and-14 from the Bald Knob. But on fourth down, Buffalo took the snap connected with Lindley for the 26-yard touchdown pass.
Heber Springs’ Weston Warden.
Lindley finished the night six receptions for 104 yards and two touchdowns, including a 13-yard reception with 2:02 left in the first quarter that put Heber Springs up 7-0.
Bald Knob’s score came with 1:26 left in the first half as Holder connected with Garrett Swindle for an 8-yard touchdown pass. Javen Smith ran in the 2-point conversion.
The Panthers finished with 300 yards of total offense on the night. Brown led Heber Springs with 127 all-purpose yards (79 receiving, 21 rushing and 27 returns).
Bald Knob’s Jameson Hillis led all rushers with 75 yards on 20 carries. But as a team, the Bulldogs finished the night with 67 yards on the ground on 28 attempts.
Heber Springs will host Southside Batesville on Thursday at Panther Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
A bloody-knee doesn’t stop Heber Springs’ Liam Buffalo as he gets ready to hand the ball off to teammate Gideon Tate. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
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’ Luke Greenwald passes the ball against Conway Blue on November 23 at the Panther Den. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
December 20, 2019
The Heber Springs junior boys will host Ozark tonight at the Panther Den as the Panthers look to improve to 2-0 in the conference.
During the Panthers last outing on Monday, Conner Riddle finished 18 points including 11 points in the fourth quarter as Heber Springs improved 4-8 on the season with a 36-35 on Monday at White County Central. Riddle was 9-of-10 from the free-throw line in the final quarter.
Riddle (15) and Bauer Pruitt (10) were also in double figures in a loss at Marshall on Dec. 12.
On Dec. 10, the Panthers avenged an earlier loss to Dover at the Marshall tournament with a 45-33 victory at Dover to open 4A-4 play. Riddle had 19 points in the victory.
That victory ended a four-game losing streak in which the Panthers dropped both contests on Nov. 23 at their own tournament at the Panther Den to Cabot South and Conway Blue.
Heber Springs claimed its second win of the season on Nov. 19 at home against South Side Bee Branch, 44-38. Riddle finished with 26 points while Eli Riggs was also in double figures with 11. Riddle had 15 points in the first half and was 9-of-10 from the line.
HEBER SPRINGS BOXSCORES
December 16 at White County Central
White County Central 2 7 9 17 - 35
Heber Springs 7 4 9 16 - 36
WHITE COUNTY CENTRAL SCORING (35): Rodriguez 19, Gilliam 7, Loyd 5, Broderick 2, Knight 2
HEBER SPRINGS SCORING (36): Conner Riddle 18, Bauer Pruitt 6, Xander Lindley 4, Eli Riggs 4, Wyatt Winchester 2, Maddox Reed 2
December 12 at Marshall
Marshall 6 12 12 16 - 46
Heber Springs 10 9 14 5 - 38
MARSHALL SCORING (46): DePriest 21, Ragland 15, Griffin 7, Loggins 3
HEBER SPRINGS SCORING (38): Conner Riddle 15, Bauer Pruitt 10, Eli Riggs 6, Xander Lindley 4, Hud Haggard 3
December 10 at Dover
Dover 3 11 12 7 - 33
Heber Springs 15 13 8 9 - 45
DOVER SCORING (33): Criag 9, Dale 8, Krentz 4, Canfield 4, Reichert 3, Shuffield 3, Jacobs 2
HEBER SPRINGS SCORING (45): Conner Riddle 19, Luke Greenwald 9, Eli Riggs 8, Ladd Choate 3, Xander Lindley 2, Bent McClain 2, Bauer Pruitt 2
December 5 at Cedar Ridge
Junior Boys “B”
Victory at Cedar Ridge
HEBER SPRINGS SCORING (33): Xander Lindley 13, Ladd Choate 8, Easton Cusick 4, Luke Greenwald 3, Hud Haggard 3, Maddox Reed 2
November 26 at Clinton
Clinton 10 10 10 14 - 44
Heber Springs 7 3 11 6 - 27
CLINTON SCORING (44): Widener 20, Hensley 10, Emberton 9, Briggs 3, Burgess 2
HEBER SPRINGS SCORING (27): Conner Riddle 9, Ladd Choate 5, Bauer Pruitt 4, Xander Lindley 3, Eli Riggs 2, Wyatt Winchester 2, Hud Haggard 1, Bent McClain 1
November 23 at Heber Springs Tournament
Conway Blue 13 20 24 14 - 71
Heber Springs 10 18 5 6 - 39
CONWAY BLUE SCORING (71): R. Fields 24, D. Paglianite 13, D. Moton 8, C. Adams 8, T. Garlington 6, D. Tate 5, K. Jeffers 4, M. Pleasant 3
HEBER SPRINGS SCORING (39): Conner Riddle 20, Bauer Pruitt 6, Luke Greenwald 6, Bent McClain 4, Eli Riggs 3
November 23 at Heber Springs Tournament
Cabot South 8th-Grade 13 4 13 7 - 37
Heber Springs 11 10 4 8 - 33
CABOT SOUTH SCORING (37): T. Dyer 16, P. Hines 8, J. Christopher 4, R. Baxter 2, B. Beaver 2, B. Seagars 2, L. Flores 2, J. Fulton 1
HEBER SPRINGS SCORING (33): Conner Riddle 11, Xander Lindley 8, Bauer Pruitt 6, Bent McClain 4, Hud Haggard 2, Eli Riggs 2
Other Heber Springs Tournament Junior Boys Results on November 23: Batesville 46, Conway Blue 43; Batesville 40, Cabot South 8th-Grade 30
November 21 at Heber Springs
Riverview 6 28 15 2 - 51
Heber Springs 6 2 5 8 - 21
RIVERVIEW SCORING (51): K. Jiles 21, Z. Williams 8, H. Sawtelle 5, A. Munoz 5, A. Donnell 4, T. Cunningham 2, S. Watson 2, M. Watson 2, T. Rogers 2
HEBER SPRINGS SCORING (21): Xander Lindley 6, Ladd Choate 4, Eli Riggs 3, Luke Greenwald 2, Hud Haggard 2, Bauer Pruitt 2, Conner Riddle 2
November 19 at Heber Springs
South Side Bee Branch 10 4 13 11 - 38
Heber Springs 9 16 11 8 - 44
SOUTH SIDE BEE BRANCH SCORING (38): Holland 11, Emmert 9, Sullivan 6, Bradford 4, Swafford 3, Jenson 2, Black 2, Hall 1
HEBER SPRINGS SCORING (44): Conner Riddle 26, Eli Riggs 11, Luke Greenwald 4, Bent McClain 3
November 19 at Heber Springs
Junior Boys “B”
South Side Bee Branch 3 2 - 5
Heber Springs 12 14 - 26
SOUTH SIDE BEE BRANCH SCORING (5): Murphee 2, C. Guynes 2, Grissom 1.
HEBER SPRINGS SCORING (26): Bauer Pruitt 9, Hud Haggard 7, Ladd Choate 6, Easton Cusick 2, Maddox Reed 2
November 18 at Heber Springs
Junior Boys “B”
Greenbrier 12 5 10 9 - 36
Heber Springs 7 7 11 2 - 27
GREENBRIER SCORING (36): K. Brooks 12, C. Hartman 11, J. Smith 5, M. Miller 4, C. Zachary 4
HEBER SPRINGS SCORING (27): Bauer Pruitt 12, Easton Cusick 7, Maddox Reed 4, Wyatt Winchester 2, Hud Haggard 2
November 14 at Marshall Tournament
Dover 7 9 13 14 - 43
Heber Springs 7 7 12 10 - 36
DOVER SCORING (43): Dale 13, Reichart 8, Vickers 8, Krenty 6, Criag 5, Shuffield 2, Meador 1
HEBER SPRINGS SCORING (36): Eli Riggs 12, Conner Riddle 7, Luke Greenwald 6, Bent McClain 4, Bauer Pruitt 4, Xander Lindley 3
HEBER SPRINGS JUNIOR BOYS BASKETBALL
2019-2020 SCHEDULE/RESULTSCOACH: Chad Johnson
OVERALL RECORD: 4-8
4A-4 RECORD: 1-0
November 9 - Greenbrier 37, Heber Springs 17 ^
November 12 - Nemo Vista 45, Heber Springs 37
November 13 - Heber Springs 54, Yellville-Summit 50 ^
November 14 - Dover 43, Heber Springs 36 ^
November 19 - Heber Springs 44, South Side Bee Branch 38
November 21 - Riverview 51, Heber Springs 21
November 23 - Cabot South 8th 37, Heber Springs 33 *
November 23 - Conway Blue 71, Heber Springs 39 *
November 26 - Clinton 44, Heber Springs 27
December 10 - Heber Springs 45, Dover 33 #
December 13 - Marshall 46, Heber Springs 38
December 16 - Heber Springs 36, White County Central 35
December 20 - Ozark #
January 7 - Pottsville #
January 10 - at Subiaco Academy #
January 14 - Dardanelle #
January 16 - Mount Vernon-Enola
January 23 - Marshall
January 24 - Dover #
January 27 - at Mayflower
January 28 - at Pottsville #
January 31 - at Ozark #
February 3 - Quitman
February 4 - at Dardanelle #
Februaryr 7 - Subiaco Academy #
February 10 - District Tournament at Ozark
(^ - Denotes Marshall Tournament)
(* - Denotes Heber Springs Tournament)
(# - Denotes 4A-4 Conference Game)
Heber Springs’ Luke Greenwald drives toward the basket during action against Nemo Vista Tuesday night at the Panther Den. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
November 13, 2019
MARSHALL – The Heber Springs Junior Panthers captured their first win of the young season with a 54-50 victory over Yellville-Summit in the consolation bracket of the Marshall Junior High Tournament on Wednesday.
Eli Riggs paced Heber Springs (1-2) with 14 points, including 6-of-6 from the free-throw line. Conner Riddle also finished in double figures with 11 points as every play on the Panther roster scored in the contest.
Heber Springs led 27-18 at the half and 40-27 at the end of three quarters before holding off a late Yellville-Summit charge.
Heber Springs’ Ladd Choate drives for a lay-up against Nemo Vista Tuesday night at the Panther Den. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
November 12, 2019
Conner Riddle finished with 19 points in a losing effort as Heber Springs dropped its home opener to Nemo Vista, 45-37, in junior boys action Tuesday night at the Panther Den.
Heber Springs (0-2) trailed 16-6 at the end of the first quarter and 27-18 at the half.
Nemo Vista was 8 of 17 from the free-throw line on the night while the Panthers were 7 of 9.
