Heber Springs’ Cristina Garcia fights for the ball with the Southside Batesville goalie. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
March 5, 2020
Lyon College signee Taylor Hammons finished with a hat trick as Heber Springs improved to 2-0 on the young season with a 6-nil victory over Southside Batesville at Panther Stadium.
Hammons scored all of her goals in the first half, as Heber Springs built up a 6-nil lead at the break and cruised to a mercy-rule win, which included a shortened second-half clock.
“I didn’t even notice it a first,” Heber Springs coach Drew Lawrence said. “I went ‘wow, Taylor’s got three.’ She’s the type that you give her the ball around the net and it will usually find a way.”
Heber Springs senior Jillian Herring looks to go on the offensive against the Southerners. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
The Panthers stayed on the offensive throughout most of the contest with McKenzie Beccera, Jillian Herring and Abbi Dew all adding goals. While Becerra assisted on two goals and Selena Childress on another.
“McKenzie had two assists … and half of those were assisted,” Lawrence said. “It’s really good that we scored six goals but to have at least half of that were assisted, that’s really big. We not only have girls that can go out there and get goals on their own like Jillian and Libby did tonight, but we are also able to use the team and score that way as well.”
Heber Springs opened it’s season with a 4-1 victory over 5A Vilonia on Tuesday.
“That’s really big,” Lawrence said of the win. “I know Vilonia beat us 4-0 last year. They are a bigger school and we are a newer soccer program, so to go on the road, it was nice to really put it on them. We got big contributions from everyone involved. “
Stutts finished with two goals against Vilonia while Hammons and Herring each put one in the back of the net.
Those three seniors are among a core group that are poised for a big season.
Heber Springs senior Abbi Dew gets a kick off against Southside Batesville. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
“It really helps that nine out of our 11 starters are seniors,” Lawrence said. “It makes us really excited for this year.”
With 31 players out for the team, Lawrence is also excited about the future of the program.
“Most people would get kind off worried for the next couple of years,” he said, “but I think are first five off our bench are freshmen or sophomores. We are really excited about this year, not only because the strong senior group, but because we arealso going to keep working in those freshmen, keep on working in those sophomores, and keep on building this program.”
Heber Springs also picked up an Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) Benefit Match win on February 24 at Panther Stadium with a 5-3 decision over Harding Academy.
The Panthers led 5-nil at the break and played back-ups the second half.
Benefit matches played before the first official start date by the AAA for soccer of March 2 do not count in the official record.
HEBER SPRINGS GIRLS SOCCER
COACH DREW LAWRENCE
OVERALL RECORD: 2-0
4A-NORTH CONFERENCE RECORD: 0-0
February 24 Heber Springs 5, Harding Academy 3 $
March 3 Heber Springs 4, Vilonia 1
March 5 Heber Springs 6, Southside Batesville 0
March 9 at Morrilton 7 p.m.
March 10 Conway St. Joseph 7 p.m.
March 13 Greenbrier 7 p.m.
March 19 at Cave City 7 p.m.
March 31 at Mountain View 7 p.m.
April 2 at Wynne * 7 p.m.
April 6 Jonesboro Westside * 7 p.m.
April 9 at Brookland * 7 p.m.
April 13 Valley View * 7 p.m.
April 18 Southside Batesville Tournament
April 20 at Southside Batesville * 7 p.m.
April 23 at Lonoke * 7 p.m.
April 28 Batesville * 7 p.m.
(* - Denotes 4A-North conference contest.)
($ - Denotes Arkansas Activities Association Benefit Match. The match does not count on the official record.)
Heber Springs’ Luke Greenwald looks to go on the attack against Southside Batesville in soccer action at Panther Stadium. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
March 5, 2020
Heber Springs held off a spirited Southside Batesville to claim a 2-nil victory on Thursday at Panther Stadium.
The win improved Heber Springs to 2-1 on the young season.
“Tough playing against that bunch,” Heber Springs coach Jay Bishop said. “They always play incredibly hard. They get fired up to play Heber Springs and so do we in playing them.
“They defend really well, really hard. We had a lot of chances to score, but unfortunately only two of them fell for us, but that’s two more than they got. “
Heber Springs got a first half goal from junior Landon Barbee to lead at the break, before getting a late goal from senior Jackson Harrod on a free kick to set the margin.
The Southerners (0-1-1) played more of preventive defensive match allowing most of the action take place on their end, keeping a majority of the players back on defense which made shots on goal difficult but kept the offensive threats at a minimum.
“It very much is a prevent style,” Bishop said. “(They are looking to ) draw you or beat you in a shootout. Scoring two goals against this bunch is difficult. It’s hard to score one with the way they play and the way they defend.
“I am proud of them (my team). I told them at the end of the game, would have liked to have had a bigger margin of victory but ultimately a win is a win. When you go to bed tonight, you go to bed a winner.”
Though Southside Batesville is a conference foe, this match was scheduled as a nonconference contest.
On Tuesday, Heber Springs traveled to 5A Vilonia and came way with a 6-1 victory.
The Panthers got two goals from Julio Rubio and single goals from Diego Rubio, Gus Hannah, Jackson Harrod and Luke Greenwald against the Eagles. Barbee finished with two assists.
“We played a real good game against Vilonia,” Bishop said. “They are the exact opposite of what we saw tonight (against Southside Batesville). A team that was going to let us get behind and run create some of those chance. We scored six goals and anytime you do that you feel good about what you did.”
Heber Springs opened the season with a 5-1 loss at Panther Stadium to Harding Academy in Arkansas Activities Association benefit match.
“Of the three teams we’ve played, Harding’s the best team we have faced,” Bishop said. “They do a good job. It’s only the second year of their program, but they are a very good team. We are going to have to beat good teams to get where we want to be at the end of the road.”
HEBER SPRINGS BOYS SOCCER
COACH JAY BISHOP
OVERALL RECORD: 2-0
4A-NORTH CONFERENCE RECORD: 0-0
February 24 Harding Academy 5, Heber Springs 1 $
March 3 Heber Springs 6, Vilonia 1
March 5 Heber Springs 2, Southside Batesville 0
March 9 at Morrilton 7 p.m.
March 10 Conway St. Joseph 7 p.m.
March 13 Greenbrier 7 p.m.
March 17 at Conway Christian 7 p.m.
March 19 at Cave City 7 p.m.
March 31 at Mountain View 7 p.m.
April 2 at Wynne * 7 p.m.
April 4 Southside Batesville Tournament
April 6 Jonesboro Westside * 7 p.m.
April 9 at Brookland * 7 p.m.
April 13 Valley View * 7 p.m.
April 20 at Southside Batesville * 7 p.m.
April 23 at Lonoke * 7 p.m.
April 28 Batesville * 7 p.m.
(* - Denotes 4A-North conference contest.)
($ - Denotes Arkansas Activities Association benefit match. Does not count on official record.)
Heber Springs returns to 4A-4 action on Monday when the Panthers host Pottsville at 4:30 p.m. at the Heber Springs Sports Complex.
The game was originally scheduled for Friday but was pushed back because Pottsville was in the 4A state basketball tournament.
Heber Springs opened conference play on March 3 with a 13-3 setback at Dover (1-2 overall, 1-1 in 4A-4).
The Panthers and Pirates were tied at 3-all heading into the bottom of the fourth before Dover plated 10 unanswered and run-ruled Heber Springs.
The Panthers struck first in the top of the first as Alec Kelley walked and would later score on a double steal.
Dover will would tie things up in the bottom of the frame with a triple and a single off Heber Springs starter Garrett Hudspeth.
After a quiet second for the Panthers, a lead-off walk and back-t0-back singles would give Dover a 3-1 advantage heading into the third.
The score would remain that way until the fourth when Matthew Cook lead off by reaching on an error and scoring on an Hudspeth double. Fate Berry followed with a single driving Hudspeth for the Panthers final runs of the afternoon.
In the bottom of the fourth Dover would plate four runs, after a lead-off walk, a double and two errors would help push across four Pirate runs.
In the fifth, two more Panther errors and four doubles helped Dover end the contest with six runs in the inning.
Heber Springs had three hits on the night with Berry going 2-for-2 with an RBI.
Hudspeth struck out five but walked four in getting the loss in three plus innings of work.
Dover used five Panther errors and 12 hits to plate five earned runs.
HEBER SPRINGS AT DOVER
March 3
Heber Springs 100 20 - 3 3 5
Dover 120 46 - 13 12 1
Note: 1-out when winning run scored
WP: Dawson Branch
LP: Garrett Hudspeth (1-1)
HEBER SPRINGS HIGHLIGHTS: Fate Berry 2-for-2 with an RBI; Garrett Hudspeth, RBI double with run scored; Alec Kelley, run scored
DOVER HIGHLIGHTS: Dawson Branch 2-for-3, double, triple, RBI and two runs scored; Brock Payne, 2-for-4 with a double, three RBIs, and a run scored; Josh Besterfeldt, two runs scored; Kaleb Williams 1-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and two RBIs; Lance Millsaps 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored; Jeremy Robinson, RBI double, run scored; Jayce Sharp 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored; and Jon Greathouse 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored.
PITCHING: Heber Springs, Hudsepth 3 2/3 innings pitched, six hits, seven runs, three earned runs, five strikeouts, four walks; Alec Kelley 2/3 IP, five hits, six runs, two earned runs, one strikeout; Matthew Cook, faced one batter and gave up a hit; Dover, Dawson Branch 5 innings pitched, three hits, three runs, two earned runs, seven strikeouts and one walk.
HEBER SPRINGS 2020 BASEBALL
COACH SCOTT BRAMLETT
OVERALL RECORD: 1-1
4A-4 RECORD: 0-1
March 2 Heber Springs 7, West Side Greers Ferry 5
March 3 Dover 13, Heber Springs 3 *
March 9 Pottsville * 4:30 p.m.
March 10 at Ozark * 4:30 p.m.
March 13 Subiaco Academy * 4:30 p.m.
March 16 at Harding Academy 4:30 p.m.
March 17 Dardanelle * 5 p.m.
March 19 at Pangburn Tournament
March 20 at Clarksville * 4 p.m.
March 21 at Pangburn Tournament
March 31 Morrilton * 4 p.m.
April 3 Dover * 4:30 p.m.
April 7 at Pottsville * 4:30 p.m.
April 9 Ozark * 4:30 p.m.
April 14 at Dardanelle * 5 p.m.
April 17 at Subiaco Academy * 4:30 p.m.
April 21 at Morrilton * 4 p.m.
April 23 at Clinton 6 p.m.
April 24 Clarksville * 4 p.m.
April 27 4A-4 Tournament at Dover
(* - Denotes 4A-4 Conference contest)
(Note: Games and times are subject to change)
Heber Springs pitcher Nicole Rackley delivers a pitch against White County Central on Monday. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
March 3, 2020
By PHILIP SEATON
Nicole Rackley went two-for-three at the plate and struck out in nine in relief as Heber Springs defeated White County Central, 13-2, on Tuesday.
Heber Springs improved to 2-0 on the young season and won back-t0-back games for the first time since the 2017 season.
The Panthers trailed 2-0 after the Bears plated two runs off Heber Springs starter Madison Clemons before the freshman gave way to Rackley in the second inning.
Clemons struggled in her second start of the season walking four, allowing one hit while striking out two.
“She is going to be in the circle a majority of the year,” Heber Springs coach Dusty West. “She is just getting these first-game jitters out of the way. She’s going to be fine. She has all of the tools that we need out there.”
Clemons also struggled on Monday in the Panthers opener at Maumelle as the Hornets plated eight runs before also giving way to Rackley.
The senior came on in relief on Monday against the Hornets and scattered one run and eight strikeouts over six innings of work as Heber Springs plated five in the fifth, four in the sixth and six in the seventh to claim the win, 16-9.
“I’ve been really happy with Nicole Rackley coming in a as a senior,” West said. “Kinda playing a back-up role in the pitching realm and doing great.
“The last two nights been really proud of Nicole. She’s come in in relief and given up only one run in two games. She’s been a monster on the mound for us.”
Rackley struck out the side in the top of the second before Heber Springs gave her the lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.
Ninth-grader Hope Turney led off the inning by reaching on a walk, taking second on a sacrifice bunt by Adyson Curtis and touching home on an RBI double down the right-field line by freshman Anna Carroll.
Heber Springs catcher Gentry Hamilton. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
Carroll would touch home after a wild pitch while freshman Jaylea Hooten would score the third run on the inning later after following Carroll with a walk, taking third on the passed ball that scored the Panthers second run and scoring on an RBI ground out off the bat of Gentry Hamilton.
” We put the ball in play and we have good speed this year, and hopefully we’ll use that a lot and small-ball people,” West said. “I am just real proud. First two games of the year, facing live pitching for the first time and to be able to put the bat on ball in play and hit it hard at places, that’s what you are excited about.”
Heber Springs would plate five more in the third. Zoe Monroe and Turney led off the inning with back-to-back singles and both would later score on a single by Carroll.
Carroll and Clemons would touch on a triple by Rackley while Hamilton would drive in Rackley to make it 8-2 Heber Springs after three innings.
“The last two nights we scored a lot of runs, 16 last night and 13 tonight,” West said. “Our bats one through nine have been really solid.”
The Panthers would add five more runs in the fourth as an RBI triple by Curtis and a bases-loaded single by Rackley would plate two more.
“With have only three upperclassman (Rackley, Monroe and Hamilton), a lot of freshmen and sophomores, so it’s always good to start 2-0,” West said. “It’s a good confidence booster for us to get us ready for a conference doubleheader on Monday.
“The three seniors that have been with me for four years, and we are trying to send them out on a good note. They were with me as freshman and we made the state quarterfinals. Our goal is to get them back to the postseason and get these young girls some experiences.”
Carroll paced the Panthers at the plate by going three-for-three with a double, three runs scored and four RBIs.
Heber Springs travels to Sherwood on Thursday to face Sylvan Hills.
“We have got a tough challenge on Thursday,” West said. “We’ll get a quick measuring stick on where we are at.”
The Panthers will open conference Monday against Ozark with a doubleheader in Conway on the University of Central Arkansas campus.
“Getting to play at UCA on the turf in front of college coaches, that is something neat for a girls to do and something we haven’t done in a while,” West said. “We are excited about it.”
Heber Springs was scheduled to face Pottsville on Friday, but because of the state basketball tournament that conference contest will be rescheduled for a later date. Instead, West was able to schedule a junior varsity doubleheader with Batesville at the Heber Springs softball complex. Both games will be five innings.
WHITE COUNTY CENTRAL AT HEBER SPRINGS
March 3
White County Central (0-1) 200 00 - 2 2 0
Heber Springs (2-0) 035 5x - 13 11 0
WP - Nicole Rackley (2-0)
LP - Micah Todd (0-1)
HEBER SPRINGS HIGHLIGHTS: Madison Clemons 1-for-1, stolen base, two walks, HBP, two runs scored; Nicole Rackley 2-for-3, triple, run scored, stolen base, two RBIs and HBP; Gentry Hamilton 1-for-4 with an RBI; Zoe Monroe 1-for-2 two runs scored, HBP and stolen base; Brooklyn Barnes, HBP; Hope Turney 1-for-2 with a walk, two runs scored; Adyson Curtis 1-for-2, triple RBI, run scored and stolen base; Anna Carroll 3-for-3 with a double, three runs scored, three runs scored and four RBIs; Jaylea Hooten 1-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored; and Jade Adamson, HBP.
WHITE COUNTY CENTRAL HIGHLIGHTS: Gracie Rogers, walk, stolen base and run scored; Kalista Altom, walk and run scored; Micah Todd, two walks; Jaci Beals 1-for-3 with an RBI; Taryn Blanton, walk; Kendall Talieje 1-for-2, Maliah Litaker, walk.
HEBER SPRINGS AT MAUMELLE
March 2
Heber Springs (1-0) 010 054 6 - 16
Maumelle (0-1) 801 000 0 - 9
WP - Nicole Rackley (1-0)
LP - Morgan Krebs (0-1)
HEBER SPRINGS HIGHLIGHTS: Madison Clemons, three runs scored; Nicole Rackley, two runs scored; Gentry Hamilton, three runs scored; Brooklyn Barnes, two runs scored; Zoe Monroe, two runs scored; Adyson Curtis, one run; and Jaylea Hooten, three runs scored.
HEBER SPRINGS 2020 SOFTBALL SCHEDULE
COACH DUSTY WEST
RECORD: 2-0
4A-4 RECORD: 0-0
March 2 Heber Springs 16, Maumelle 9
March 3 Heber Springs 13, White County Central 2
March 5 at Sylvan Hills V/JV 5 p.m.
March 6 Batesville JV-DH 4:30 p.m.
March 9 vs. Ozark at UCA * V DH 4:30 p.m.
March 12 at Riverview V/JV 4:30 p.m.
March 13 at Conway St. Joseph V/JV 4:30 p.m.
March 14 Heber Springs Tournament V
March 16 at Dover * V/JV 4:30 p.m.
March 17 Dardanelle * V/JV 4:30 p.m.
March 19 Clinton V/JV 5 p.m.
March 30 at Clarksville * V/JV 4 p.m.
March 31 Morrilton * V/JV 4:30 p.m.
April 3 Dover * V/JV 4:30 p.m.
April 6 Jacksonville V/JV 4:30 p.m.
April 7 at Pottsville * V/JV 4:30 p.m.
April 13 Cedar Ridge V/JV 4:30 p.m.
April 14 at Dardanelle * V/JV 4:30 p.m.
April 16 at Calico Rock V/JV 4:30 p.m.
April 20 at Cave City V/JV 4 p.m.
April 21 at Morrilton * V/JV 4:30 p.m.
April 23 at Mayflower V/JV 4:30 p.m.
April 27 4A-4 District Tournament at Dover
(* - Indicates 4A-4 Conference Contest)
(Note: Schedule is subject to change due to weather)
(Note: The Heber Springs/Pottsville contest for March 6 will be re-scheduled due to a basketball conflict)
