The Heber Springs Panthers (0-2) will seek to build momentum going into the 2-4 Conference schedule by hosting Jonesboro Westside (1-1) in a nonconference football game at 7 p.m. tonight.
Heber Springs, which lost to Clinton and Southside Batesville during the past two weeks, looks for consistent play on both sides of the line of scrimmage going into the conference opener against Cave City, also at Panther Stadium, next Friday.
“It was not the outcome we wanted,” said Heber Springs coach Todd Wood said when asked about the team’s start. “One of the keys against Southside were the turnovers inside the redzone. If we could have avoided the turnovers, we could have trailed by a touchdown or maybe tied at halftime. Defensively, we couldn’t match Southside’s size and strength. We still can be a good team if we start clicking on both sides of the ball.”
The Panthers showed more life on offense at times against Southside, except for the turnovers. Quarterback Xander Lindley completed 20-of-28 passes for 270 yards and one touchdown. Dalton Yancey caught seven passes for 75 yards, while Easton Cusick had six catches for 53 yards. Parker Brown snagged grabbed four passes for 35 yards and one touchdown. Heber Springs, which has rushed for 209 yards through two games, will look for increased production from the running game.
“It’s a of matter learning from our mistakes, highlighting the positives and getting better at what we do,” Wood said. “Westside’s line is more to our level, but a little bigger than us. It’s a better matchup. We are hoping to put everything together for Westside.”
Wood liked playing a new nonconference opponent, and he said that will test his team.
“It’s good to play new teams and look at someone different,” Wood said. “Xander played more comfortable against Southside than Clinton. He is getting an idea what he needs to do.”
Wood expects Westside, like Southside, to ground and pound, and he believes the HSHS defense will be up to the task in controlling the Warriors’ run game.
“Westside will use two and three running backs,” Wood said. “They have the line and the backs to play that type of offense.”
Wood expects his team’s best performance of the season during Friday’s game
“It’s our last chance to put everything together for conference play,” Wood said. “It’s always nice to play at home. It’s a different level and excitement. We had a good home crowd last week. The game will be more of a test what we will face during conference play.”
Heber Springs running back Parker Brown looks for running room against Southside Batesville Friday night at Panther Stadium. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
By LARRY “SCOOP” McCARTY
Turnovers and Southside Batesville’s punishing run game proved too big of an obstacle for the Heber Springs Panthers to overcome at Panther Stadium on Friday.
Southside converted 3-of-5 Heber Springs turnovers into touchdowns and gained 509 yards of offense in a 44-6 nonconference win against the Panthers. The Southerners (2-1) won by their largest margin in the series (38 points), which started in 2006, and back-to-back games against Heber Springs (0-2) for the first time.
“When you give another team five turnovers, no matter the team, you are probably going to lose,” Panther coach Todd Wood said. “That is what happened in this game. I told the team at halftime the turnovers gave Southside 21 points. That’s an example you have to score when you have an opportunity.”
Even though Heber Springs only reached the end zone once, Wood said the offense showed more production than in last week’s game at Clinton.
The Panthers gained 270 yards, sparked by quarterback Xander Lindley, and receivers Dalton Yancey and Easton Cusick. Lindley completed 20-of-28 passes for 182 yards and one touchdown pass. Yancey caught seven passes for 75 yards, while Cusick had six catches for 53 yards.
Running back Parker Brown, who gained 165 all-purpose yards, rushed for 88 yards, caught four passes for 35 yards and one touchdown, plus 21 yards on punt returns and 46 yards on kickoff returns.
“We moved the ball on offense well at times,” Wood said. “But we need to find a way to not turn it over. Lindley threw better and had good preparation for this game. He looked more comfortable at quarterback.”
Seth Case rushed for 238 yards on 15 carries and scored two touchdowns for the Southerners. Colby Harris and Louis Calhoun ran for 84 and 83 yards and scored one touchdown, respectively. Southside averaged 11 yards per attempt.
Southerner quarterback Chase Duncan completed 2-of-2 passes for 49 yards.
“We didn’t execute well on defense and were out of position on a lot of plays,” Wood said. “We were getting smashed down the field. We can’t let that happen.”
Heber Springs received the opening kickoff and had one first down before a bad snap on the next series of plays led to a punt.
Southside took the initial lead on a three-play, 73-yard series. Harris broke loose on a 64-yard touchdown with 7:55 left in the first quarter. Brandon Lopez kicked the extra point.
The Southerners regained possession when Blayne Warren recovered a Brown fumble at the Southerner 31. Calhoun finished a nine-play, 69-yard drive by scoring on a 3-yard carry with 2:01 to go in the first quarter. Lopez kicked the conversion for the 14-0 lead.
A fourth-down stop near midfield put the Southerners in scoring position for their third touchdown during the first half. Duncan scored on a 6-yard run with 10:08 left in the second quarter. Lopez kicked the conversion for the 21-0 lead.
An Adam Denison’s interception of a Lindley pass at the Southerner 15-yard line set up the next Southside touchdown. Case scored on an 85-yard touchdown run with 4:29 remaining until halftime. Lopez converted the conversion kick for a 28-0 lead.
The fourth Heber Springs turnover during the first half set up Southside’s next score. Case dashed 63 yards for the score with 2:24 left until halftime. Lopez’ kick for the extra point was unsuccessful.
After the kickoff, Heber Springs drove 60 yards on five plays for its touchdown. Cusick caught a 23-yard pass from Lindley to put the Panthers in scoring position. On the next play, Lindley connected on a short throw to Brown for a 29-yard touchdown on the final play of the first half. The Panthers were unsuccessful on the 2-point conversion try and trailed 34-6 at halftime.
“If we don’t turn the ball over so much during the first half, it might have been a different game in the second half,” Wood told the Panthers at halftime. “We moved the ball on our opening series consistently until the bad snap. It put us behind the chains. Those are the kind of things that we can’t let happen.”
Southside struck quickly following the second half kickoff by driving 82 yards on 12 plays. Pierce Duncan scored on a 7-yard keeper with 6:36 left in the third quarter. Lopez kicked the extra point for the 41-6 lead.
A Tyler Jones interception set up Lopez’ 37-yard field goal with 8:19 left in the game.
Heber Springs will conclude the nonconference schedule by hosting Jonesboro Westside (1-1), which had an open date, at 7 p.m. Friday.
“I told the team after the game we played well on defense at Clinton and this week we played better on offense,” Wood said. “We need to learn how to click on both sides of the ball during the same game. We will learn from our mistakes and look to play a complete game against Westside.”
The Panthers will open the 2-4A Conference schedule and celebrate homecoming against Cave City on Sept. 23.
“That is what these games are for,” said Wood when referring to non-conference games. “I challenged them to finish strong against Westside with a great effort on offense and defense, and then see what kind of team we can be.”
Heber Springs senior linebacker Kenan Sneed celebrates after making a fourth-down stop last week at Clinton. Heber Springs will play host to Southside Batesville tonight at Panther Stadium. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
By LARRY “SCOOP” McCARTY
Changes from the original schedule will give the Heber Springs Panthers a rare opportunity beginning Friday night — three consecutive home football games.
The Panthers, who will play only nine games this season after Mountain View declared for 8-Man, look for that extra boost from playing at home and rebound from the season-opening loss at Clinton by hosting Southside Batesville in a nonconference game. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
Heber Springs will finish its nonconference schedule against Jonesboro Westside on Sept. 16. The 2-4A Conference opener and homecoming game against Cave City will be played on Sept. 23.
“The schedule worked out that way when Mountain View dropped out,” Panther coach Todd Wood said. “The players like playing at home. We had a fantastic crowd at Clinton, but playing at home will give them a boost to play at a higher level.”
Southside, which moved to Class 5A at alignment, is a former long-time conference opponent.
Kenny Simpson, who was the program’s first coach before leaving for Searcy High School two years, has returned to take the reigns of the program. The running game remains the main focus, but the Southerners will utilize the pass.
“Southside added a few wrinkles with RPOs (Run or Pass Options) and play-action passes,” Wood said. “The running game still is the staple. We must stop the run and forced them into doing things that they don’t want to do.”
Isaac Gregory of the Southerners had a breakout game in last week’s 28-0 win at Bald Knob by catching 18 passes for 202 yards and scoring three touchdowns.
“When a defense gears up to stop the run, it can open up the pass,” Wood said. “That always benefits a receiver. It will give us another phase of the game to work on. We have to stop the run, but we must be ready to stop the pass, too.”
Southside’s defense will play a similar scheme, as Bald Knob operates out of a spread offense like the Panthers.
“We expect a 3-man front with two linebackers walking up occasionally to a five-man front,” Wood said. “The safeties will play up close. It’s a defense that is aggressive against the run. Southside executes at a high level and plays with discipline.”
Heber Springs relied on its defense to stay close against Clinton in the 30-14 loss. Linebackers Kenan Sneed had 10 tackles, but he received support from Chris Edwards, who also had 10 tackles. Edwards was a starting cornerback last season.
“We had multiple players who played well on defense,” Wood said. “Two other guys that pleased me with their play were safety Chris Roberts and Zachary Parker at cornerback. Clinton passed to its big receivers multiple times, and he (Parker) made the plays. (Linebacker) Weston Warden also had a fantastic game.”
Four other defensive players also caught the coach’s attention with their performances.
“Jacob McMullin played well at inside linebacker,” Wood said. “Corbin Jones played both ways (offensive and defensive lines) and made a big difference. Luke Elliott came through, and Jordan Tidwell made an impact. I liked see that many players involved with the defense.”
Work on the offense became one of the dominant areas at practice throughout the week. Heber Springs had 225 yards of total offense (121 rushing yards, 104 passing yards).
Wood said few personnel changes are planned, but more emphasis will be on the running game.
“We need more guys to get active with the offense,” Wood said. “We need to put in a receiver like Bauer Pruitt more, who can catch the ball and also is a good blocker. We need Chris Edwards more involved, along with Chandler Webber.”
One of the concerns in the passing game was dropped balls, but Wood expects that will be an improvement against the Southerners.
“We had around nine drops in the Clinton game,” Wood said. “Other passes were not thrown well. We are working to correct that. We need to stop the turnovers and have longer drives than three downs and a punt.”
Wood said the offensive line, which has one returning starter, played admirely, and he expects steady improvement.
“After talking with (offensive line) coach Richard Clevenger, freshman Cade James had the highest grade among the linemen,” Wood said. “We had some breakdowns, but I was pleased with our pass blocking. Our run blocking did well most of the time, except for not sustaining our blocks long enough.”
Heber Springs’ Jacob McMullin, top, and Joenah Cordell, bottom, sack Clinton quarterback Jobe Chalk in the first half Friday night in Clinton. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
By LARRY “SCOOP” McCARTY
CLINTON – Missed opportunities forced the Heber Springs Panthers to play catch-up from the start of Friday’s football season opener against longtime rival Clinton at Jim Tumlinson Field.
The Yellowjackets built a 16-0 with 4:08 left in the first half before pulling away during the second half and won their seventh consecutive The Battle of the Little Red Trophy, 30-14.
Heber Springs reduced Clinton’s lead in half on Zach Parker’s fumble recovery at the Yellowjacket 19 late in the second quarter. The Panthers scored four plays later and with a successful 2-point conversion, trailed 16-8 at halftime.
Clinton scored twice during the third quarter, both after Heber Springs’ turnovers. The Panthers’ final touchdown came early during the fourth quarter.
“The first quarter was a battle between our defense and Clinton’s offense,” Heber Springs coach Todd Wood said. “It also was our inability of doing a better job of coaching, and that’s on me. I take full responsibility of what happened on offense. We will take care of all of that.”
Wood complemented the defense for hanging in there and keeping the team in the game. The Heber Springs defense, who spent 28 of 48 minutes on the field, gave up 241 yards rushing, but almost half of that came on two long Yellowjacket runs.
“I can’t say enough good things about our defense,” Wood said. “They did some great things on the field. We got the ball multiple stops on fourth down (2-of-5) and created a couple of turnovers. I can’t ask anything more from them. They will continue to grow and get better.”
Sophomore Jacob McMullin of the Panthers was credited with 1 1/2 quarterback sacks. Junior Joenah Cordell had a half sack.
Clinton’s Landon Rose did most of the damage on the ground with 109 yards on six attempts and scored two touchdowns. Brody Emberton ran five times for 70 yards and scored one touchdown. Emberton also caught a 74-yard touchdown pass.
Yellowjacket quarterback Jobe Chalk completed 8-of-12 passes for 96 yards.
Heber Springs gained 225 yards of total offense (121 rushing yards, 104 passing yards).
Heber Springs quarterback Xander Lindley led the Panthers with 51 yards rushing, followed by Parker Brown, who had 44 yards on nine carries and scored one touchdown. Logan Rutledge caught four passes for 46 yards and one touchdown.
Heber Springs converted 4-of-16 third-down situations and no conversions on seven fourth-down plays.
“We need to support our defense and keep the ball longer,” Wood said. “The defense spent too much time on the field. One of the issues of the offense was not maintaining possession in those situations.”
The opening kickoff was delayed 45 minutes because of a lightning delay. Clinton received the kickoff and drove 45 yards to the Heber Springs 24. On fourth-and-2, the Panthers held when Kenan Sneed tackled Spencer Bannister for a 2-yard loss.
The Yellowjackets took the lead with 11:19 left in the first half on a fourth-down play. Out of the Wildcat formation, Brody Emberton ran 12 yards for the game’s first score. Bryston Venable ran for the 2-point conversion and the 8-0 lead.
Clinton later regained possession on another fourth-down stop and began its next scoring drive at the Yellowjacket 25-yard line. Three plays later, Jobe Chalk passed to Emberton, who caught the ball near midfield and completed a 74-yard touchdown play with 4:08 remaining in the first half. Venable ran for a 2-point conversion.
Clinton had another fourth down stop at the Heber Springs 28. However, to plays later, the Panther defense forced Clinton’s first turnover on the next play when Parker’s fumble recovery at the 19 with 1:32 to go until halftime.
Lindley rushed for seven yards on first down and passed eight yards to Dalton Yancey two plays later for a first-and-goal at the 5-yard line. Logan Rutledge then snagged a touchdown pass from Lindley on the next play with 27 seconds left. Lindley passed to Yancey for the 2-point conversion as Heber Springs trailed 16-8 at halftime.
Momentum shifted back to Clinton on Dawson Maynard’s interception of a Lindley pass at the Yellowjacket 38-yard line and returned it 18 yards. Rose’s 34-yard touchdown run increased Clinton’s advantage to 24-8 with 3:47 left in the third quarter. Rose also ran for the 2-point conversion.
“We had a big momentum drive for the touchdown after the touchdown,” Wood said. “We needed to take the second-half kickoff, drive for a tying score and get back in the game. We didn’t and turned the ball over.”
Clinton put the game away late in the third quarter after a fourth-down stop. Rose broke loose on a 61-yard drive to finish a four-play, 80-yard drive with 19 seconds left in the third quarter. The try for a 2-point conversion was unsuccessful as the Yellowjackets led 30-8 going into the fourth quarter.
Chris Edwards returned a short kickoff 11 yards to give the Panthers good field position at the Clinton 47. Rutledge caught a 26-yard pass from Lindley to put the Panthers, and two plays later, Brown scored on an 18-yard run with 10:43 left in the game. The 2-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful.
Heber Springs will seek to bounce back against Southside Batesville at Panther Stadium on Friday.
“The loss to Clinton is a tough game to take,” Wood said. “We must move forward and prepare for Southside.”
While most eyes may be on the top running back for each offense, the winner of the battle on the line of scrimmage may determine the winner of Friday’s football game at Jim Tumlinson Field in Clinton.
Heber Springs will open its season against the Yellowjackets at 7 p.m. tonight.
“The players are at the point of being tired of hitting each other in practice and want to play a game,” Panther coach Todd Wood said. “We had two weeks to prepare for Clinton, correct our mistakes from the Beebe scrimmage and put in new plays for this game. We feel comfortable going into the game.
Yellowjacket junior running back Zane Widner and his counterpart from Heber Springs, will receive plenty of attention. Widner highlighted Clinton’s 35-20 win at Cave City last Friday by rushing for 168 yards and scored one touchdown. Widner also caught one pass for 22 yards.
Brown, who rushed for 834 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, will attract plenty of attention from the Clinton defense. Brown also caught 17 passes for 314 yards and five touchdowns.
But the battle on the line of scrimmage will influence the outcome more.
The Panthers have only one returning offensive starting lineman — junior Corbin Jones at left tackle. The other four starters will be limited or no high school game playing experience.
Junior Eli Presnull (5-11, 270), a transfer from Vilonia, will start at center. Sophomore Axley Davis (6-2, 270) and Junior Dustin Stone (6-0, 256) are the expected starters at right guard and right tackle, respectively. Freshman Cade James (6-0, 200) and sophomore Gauge Owens (5-9, 200) will split time at left guard.
“We made adjustments on the offensive line after the scrimmage at Beebe,” Wood said. “We need the offensive line to play well, secure their lanes and have a tight circle around our quarterback. We got to get our running game going, along with the passing game.”
The Yellowjackets scored five touchdowns on its seven possessions against Cave City. The Yellowjackets, who remain in the Wing-T, rushed for 334 yards and passed for 89 yards and one touchdown.
“Clinton is discipline at every position and knows how to play,” Wood said. “I was impressed with their offense that took advantage of what Cave City gave them. Clinton moved the ball when it mattered. I thought they made great adjustments at halftime for the second half.”
While Widner had the big stats, Wood said he was impressed with quarterback Jobe Chalk (4-of-6 passes for 89 yards and one touchdown), running back Spencer Bannister (7-46 rushing for one touchdown) and receiver Brody Emberton caught three passes for 67 yards and scored one touchdown.
“They are very good players,” Wood said. “I was impressed with their quarterback. He has a good arm and plays behind a very good offensive line. No. 7 (Bannister) impressed me. He ran hard in the open field and has good speed.”
Wood believes the Panthers can match Clinton’s firepower. Junior Xander Lindley returns at quarterback with three-year starter Easton Cusick leading the receivers. Junior Dalton Yancey started last season. Sophomore Logan Rutledge, and seniors Chris Edwards, Bauer Pruitt and Chandler Webber will provide options.
“Easton knows the ins and outs at receiver,” Wood said. “(Sophomore) Weston Warden will be a threat with (junior) Gideon Tate and (senior) Kenan Sneed.”
Wood liked the play by his defense at the scrimmage and expects steady improvement during the season.
“We had a lot of players getting to the ball carrier against Beebe and had few missed assignments,” he said. “Overall, we feel good about our starters and backups. We need to create turnovers, and the players went through drills during practices to do that better.”
Special-team play also count affect the outcome.
“I feel good about our kicking game,” Wood said. “Tate’s leg is getting stronger. We need more consistency kicking off into the end zone. But Clinton also has a good kicker.”
Finally, the Panthers have looked forward to this game since last year’s loss to the Yellowjackets at Panther Stadium. Wood challenged his team to stop the streak in the battle for the Battle of the Little Red Trophy.
Heber Springs has a long rivalry against Clinton through the years. The Yellowjackets have won their first six games for the trophy, as the Panthers seek to end that streak.
“I stressed the importance of the game and stopping the streak following the scrimmage,” he said. “We want to bring the trophy home. I know it has been in back of players’ minds. We want to be the team that stops the streak.”
Heber Springs junior Parker Brown fights for some tough rushing yards at Beebe. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
By LARRY “SCOOP” McCARTY
BEEBE – It’s off and running to the regular season for the Heber Springs Panthers.
Heber Springs coach Todd Wood spoke of the positives and areas that need improvement following Tuesday’s Arkansas Activities Association benefit football scrimmage at Bro Erwin Field.
Neither team scored during the opening sequence of the scrimmage when two teams played two sets of 10 plays each. Each team scored one touchdown during the 40-minute timed session.
“We just needed to get the scrimmage under our belt,” Wood said. “I wanted to test our offensive line against a bigger line. Beebe is a strong line and its six-man front made it difficult to run the ball. I’m proud of the way we responded to everything.”
The Panthers had 50 yards of offense and scored one touchdown during the timed portion of the scrimmage.
Beebe scored on its first possession, needing three plays to go 58 yards. After an illegal motion penalty against the Badgers, Oquoieah Earl’s 42-yard catch of a Zach Grant pass set up the scoring play. Grant, who was selected to the Class 5A all-state team last season, passed 21 yards to Earl for the touchdown with 13:49 left in the first half. The kick for the conversion was successful.
A short Beebe punt put Heber Springs in scoring position late during the first half for its touchdown. The Panthers started at their 48-yard line with a short run by Parker Brown, plus a personal foul penalty against the Badgers, for a first down at the Beebe 39-yard line.
Brown sneaked out of the backfield on the next play and caught a short pass from Xander Lindley and outran the Badger secondary to the end zone on the final play of the first half. Gideon Tate kicked the extra point for the 7-7 tie.
Rebuilding the offensive line has been one of the main objective since the end of the last season. Junior Corbin Jones, who started nine games in 2021, is the only returning player with experience.
“The scrimmage showed us things that we need to work on,” Wood said. “The linemen learned a lot and gained experience against a physical and fast defense. I saw a lot of positives, and we will learn from our mistakes. We are working and preparing for the first game at Clinton (Friday, Sept. 2).”
After Tate missed a field-goal attempt from 47 yards out, Beebe started at its 20-yard line early during the second half. Chandler Webber made one of the best defensive plays during the scrimmage by intercepting Grant’s pass at the Panther 45-yard line. Webber returned it 37 yards for a first down at the Beebe 18-yard line.
The Badgers sacked Heber Springs quarterback Xander Lindley on the next play. Two plays later, the Panthers decided to attempt a field goal to break the tie. Tate’s attempt from 37 yards out was unsuccessful.
“Chandler had a big interception and made a good play and return,” Wood said. “Beebe tested us deep with its two good receivers. They burned us earlier in the scrimmage and tried it again. Webber played the ball and made the play.”
Wood said he still believes in Tate’s ability to kick field goals, and the two misses are not a concern.
“We still have faith in Gideon, who has a great leg,” Wood said. “He will be OK.”
Beebe had a final opportunity of breaking the tie by gaining possession at the Badger 20-yard line with 2:48 left. The Panthers held and stopped Beebe inside the Heber Springs 20-yard line on the final play.
“We had a couple of guys out of position at times during the scrimmage,” Wood said. “We had guys on defense in the right place most of the time. We were executing well on the defensive line and that’s a positive. I liked seeing not just seeing two to three guys making the play, but seven to eight players. That is what we want from the defense, swarming to the ball.”
Wood said it’s full steam ahead for the Panthers in preparation for Clinton on Sept. 2.
“We can get into a regular routine with the start of classes,” he said. “Everything will become more like clockwork. We have almost two weeks to get ready for Clinton. The extra time will give us an opportunity to concentrate on improving.”
Heber Springs linemen go through a drill during a recent practice. Heber Springs will play at Beebe on Tuesday in a scrimmage contest. PHILIP SEATON FILE PHOTO
By LARRY “SCOOP” McCARTY
Execution in all phrases will be the No. 1 objective for the Heber Springs Panthers during Tuesday’s Arkansas Activities Association benefit football game at Bro Erwin Stadium in Beebe.
The junior high squads are scheduled to start at 5 p.m. and scrimmage for approximately one hour, followed by the high school teams at 6:15 p.m.
“We had a good summer overall,” Heber Springs coach Todd Wood said. “One of the good points so far is the players are in their third season of what we want to do on offense and defense. The players came in with a lot of knowledge and how we want to do everything. We’ve been going at a good pace. I like what I’ve seen, and we made gains from last year.”
The teams will open the scrimmage by running two 10-play sequences on offense and 10 plays on defense. Kickoffs will be live while when a team attempts an extra point or a field goal, the defense will not rush. The scrimmage will conclude with two 20-minute halves with a running clock.
“We want players to line up in the right place and know their role,” Wood said when asked about expectations for the scrimmage. “Defensively, we are looking for correct alignment and good pass coverage. We want players to be in the right place and get to the ball quickly every play.”
The offensive line is one of the most inexperience areas of the team, but Wood said he has been encouraged with its performance during fall camp.
“They are performing well right now with guys getting more comfortable at their positions,” he said. “I like the players’ work ethic.”
One of the team’s strengths will be experience at quarterback. Junior Xander Lindley started for four games before an injury ended his season. Senior Easton Cusick, who moved from receiver, took the helm of the offense and finished the season.
“I’ve been pleased with the progress of the quarterbacks,” Wood said. “Xander came back ready and know what he needs to do. Easton (who will start at receiver) is taking more snaps, and he will be ready to go, if needed.”
Senior linebacker Kenan Sneed, who led the Panthers in tackles for the past two seasons, returns on defense. Wood said work continues to putting players at the right positions before the season opener at Clinton on Sept. 2.
“We have made a couple of changes on defense, and it has made us better,” Wood said. “Players may not be playing the same position during the scrimmage when we play at Clinton.”
Two transfers during the summer may give a boost to the offensive and defensive lines.
Sophomore Jordan Tidwell played defensive end and receiver at Cabot. Eli Presnutt, a sophomore who attended Heber Springs schools two years ago, returns after playing at Vilonia last season.
“Jordan will help us at defensive end,” Wood said. “He has the physical traits to be a good player. Eli (6-0, 270 pounds), will help us on the offensive and defensive lines. They are coming from two good football programs.”
Wood and his staff plan to watch the Riverview at Clinton benefit game on Thursday and the Yellowjackets’ season opener at Cave City on Aug. 26. He said preparation for Clinton will start on Wednesday.
“That will give us a better idea what to expect from Clinton and an ideal about Cave City and Riverview (conference opponents),” Wood said. “We will watch Tuesday’s film, correct mistakes and than turn our focus to Clinton.”
Heber Springs kicker Gideon Tate attempts an extra point off the hold of Easton Cusick at Little Rock Mills last season. Tate, Cusick and the rest of the Panthers have busy summer schedule planned before Fall camp opens in August. PHILIP SEATON FILE PHOTO
By LARRY “SCOOP McCARTY
The 2022 football schedule consists of familiar teams for the Heber Springs Panthers and again will be a nine-game regular season.
Heber Springs will open the nonconference season at Clinton on Sept. 2, followed by former conference foe Southside Batesville, who moved to Class 5A, and a first-ever meeting with Jonesboro Westside.
Reclassification kept Heber Springs in the 2-4A Conference with Lonoke, Stuttgart and Bald Knob, plus previous league foes Riverview and Cave City.
Harding Academy, a longtime nonconference opponent, moved up from Class 3A. Mountain View was assigned to the conference, but later school officials decided to play 8-man football.
“We still have Stuttgart, Lonoke and Bald Knob in the conference, with new teams like Harding Academy, Cave City and Riverview,” Heber Springs coach Todd Wood said. “It’s a good conference and if we can put all the pieces together, we will be competitive with all of them. I’m excited about the new conference.”
Wood said the nonconference schedule came together quickly.
“We went with Clinton for the first game because of the rivalry,” he said. “Clinton always is a big game and a good way to start the year. Southside is another rivalry and in the area. Then, we looked and schedule a game against Westside. There are three good opponents.”
Wood debated about scheduling a 10th game against a nonconference opponent after Mountain View opted out of the conference before staying with nine games. The Panthers will begin conference play by hosting Cave City on Sept. 23 for homecoming before playing the following week at Bald Knob.
The open date will come before a three-game stretch against the projected conference contenders — at Lonoke (Oct. 14), Stuttgart (Oct. 21) and at Harding Academy (Oct. 28).
“We decided not to fill the Mountain View date,” Wood said. “It will give us an open date before playing Lonoke, Stuttgart and Harding.”
A busy summer awaits the players, who will participate in three 7-on-7 events, plus three team camps.
The Panthers played at the Greenbrier 7-on-7 Tournament in early June and hosted Melbourne in 7-on-7 on June 13 and will again on July 18. Heber Springs will participate in team camps at Central Arkansas Christian on Tuesday and July 13 and at Mayflower on July 19.
Fall practice will start on Aug. 1, with the benefit game scheduled at Beebe on Aug. 16.
“This is my third year and everything is in place for an opportunity at success,” Wood said. “A talented group of last year’s junior high school players will be joining our returning players.”
Wood said one of the keys to the season is the development of the offensive and defensive lines.
“We will go as far as our linemen take us,” he said. “We don’t have a lot of them, but we have young guys who are learning. We have talented skilled players, but we need to develop a good line on both sides of the ball.”
HIGH SCHOOL Aug. 16 x-Beebe 6 p.m. Away Sept. 2 Clinton 7 p.m. Away Sept. 9 Southside Batesville 7 p.m. Home Sept. 16 Jonesboro Westside 7 p.m. Home Sept. 23 y-Cave City 7 p.m. Home Sept. 30 Bald Knob 7 p.m. Away Oct. 14 Lonoke 7 p.m. Away Oct. 21 Stuttgart 7 p.m. Home Oct. 28 Harding Academy 7 p.m. Away Nov. 4 Riverview 7 p.m. Home x-Benefit game y-Homecoming game
JUNIOR HIGH Aug. 16 x-Beebe 5 p.m. Away Aug. 25 Southside Batesville 7 p.m. Away Sept. 1 Clinton 7 p.m. Home Sept. 8 Jonesboro Westside 7 p.m. Away Sept. 22 Cave City 7 p.m. Home Sept. 29 Bald Knob 7 p.m. Home Oct. 13 Lonoke 7 p.m. Home Oct. 20 Stuttgart 7 p.m. Away Oct. 27 Harding Academy 7 p.m. Home Nov. 3 Riverview 7 p.m. Away x-Benefit game
SEVENTH GRADE Aug. 25 Southside Batesville 5:30 p.m. Away Sept. 1 Clinton 5:30 p.m. Home Sept. 8 Jonesboro Westside 5:30 p.m. Away Sept. 22 Cave City 5:30 p.m. Away Sept. 29 Bald Knob 5:30 p.m. Away Oct. 13 Lonoke 5:30 p.m. Home Oct. 20 Stuttgart 5:30 p.m. Away Oct. 27 Harding Academy 5:30 p.m. Home Nov. 3 Riverview 5:30 p.m. Away
Heber Springs junior defensive lineman Corbin Jones tangles with a Harding Academy lineman in nonconference action last season. The Wildcats will be a conference beginning this season. PHILIP SEATON FILE PHOTO
By LARRY “SCOOP” McCARTY
An injury will force reshuffling of the backfield for the Heber Springs Panthers football team.
Sophomore Liam Buffalo, who was projected to become the starting quarterback at the conclusion of spring practice, recently suffered a knee injury while playing baseball and underwent surgery Friday. Buffalo, who participated for the junior high school football, basketball and track and field, plus he was a starter on the high school baseball team last year. is expected to miss the 2022 football season.
Buffalo led the Panther Cubs to a 13-5 record during the past two football seasons. He completed 82-of147 passes for 1,160 yards and 15 touchdowns with only one interception last season. He rushed 101 times for 931 yards and scored 15 touchdowns.
“We are disappointed in losing Liam,” Heber Springs coach Todd Wood said when asked about the team’s reaction. “Liam was looking forward to moving up to high school. He has a bright a future ahead and good things are coming.”
Junior Xander Lindley, last year’s starter before breaking his collarbone against Bald Knob, will assume the quarterback duties fulltime. Lindley had moved to wide receiver during spring practice.
Senior Easton Cusick, a two-year starter at receiver, will be Lindley’s backup. Cusick replaced Lindley when he was injured during the second series of the Bald Knob game.
In 2021, Lindley completed 35-of-62 passes for 515 yards and five touchdowns. He also rushed 58 times for 180 yards and scored two touchdowns. Cusick connected on 51-of-104 passes for 389 yards and two touchdowns.
“If there is a good part to this, we still have two guys coming back with experience,” Wood said. “I talked with Xander and told him that it was going back on his shoulders again.”
Lindley had his best game of last season against Central Arkansas Christian when he completed 11-of-13 passes for 113 yards and ran for 134 yards and two touchdowns.
“Xander was getting to his peak before the injury,” Wood said. “He had a great game against CAC. He and Parker Brown were becoming a dual threat in the backfield. This situation is an opportunity for Xander to rise up and do well.”
Wood said Lindley may play occasionally at receiver and in the defensive secondary.
Meanwhile, building an efficient offensive and defensive lines also will be focal points going into the new season. The Panthers return one experienced offensive lineman (Corbin Jones), but Wood liked the progress going into summer workouts.
“Corbin started last year as a sophomore and will be our left tackle,” Wood said. We have two players who were on last year’s junior high school team — Axley Davis (6-2, 270 pounds) and Gauge Owens (5-9, 200 pounds), who are battling for starting roles.”
Tripp Young (6-1, 260 pounds), who will be a senior, was on the team last year, and Wood expects Young to make an impact on the offensive and defensive lines.
“The coaching staff is excited about him (Young) coming back,” Wood said. “We expect good things from him as one of our guards. He also will be a strong player on the defensive line. We don’t have much depth on the offensive and defensive lines. Our main focus during the spring was getting the offensive and defensive lines ready.”
On a brighter side, most of last year’s skilled position players return.
“I’ve been pleased with the performance of the returning players,” Wood said. “They jumped right in there because they already knew what to do. We are ahead of last year on both sides of the ball. The returning players have positive attitudes and provided leadership, both from seniors and some of our younger players.”
Brown led the Panthers in rushing (113-834 yards, 11 touchdowns) and receiving (17-314 yards, five TDs). He also became the first player in school history with a 200-yard rushing and receiving games during the same season. Brown also rushed for 100 yards or more in four games. Brown excelled in the return game by returning 10 kickoffs for 195 yards and four punts for 65 yards.
Junior Dalton Yancey emerged as one of the team’s primary targets during the second half of last season by catching 15 passes for 122 yards.
“We have players with experience at receiver,” Wood said.
Warden rushed 48 times for 247 yards and scored two touchdowns for the junior high team last season. He caught 30 passes for 655 yards and seven touchdowns.
“Weston played running back for the junior high team last season, but he has worked at receiver,” Wood said. “Weston has speed and good hands.”
Gideon Tate, who made 17-of-18 points after touchdowns last season, returns at placekicker and ranks among the best in the state.
“I like the onside kickoff, but challenged Tate if he can kick it into the end zone consistently, we will do that more,” Wood said. “He is a good kicker.”
Linebacker Kenan Sneed will lead the defensive charge for the third straight season. Sneed led the Panthers with 115 tackles, including 17 for losses last season — it was the second straight season for Sneed to record more than 100 tackles. He had two quarterback sacks. Sneed also turned in one of the top plays of the season, a 48-yard interception return for a touchdown to switch the momentum in the win at Bald Knob.
Chris Edwards will move from cornerback to outside linebacker. Edwards ranked second among tacklers with a total of 66 stops, including seven for losses. He also had a 71-yard interception return for a touchdown against Dover.
“It’s good to have your leading tackler back coming back,” Wood said. “We will try and put guys around him, like Jacob McMullin, to build a stronger defense. Jacob is coming up from the junior high team and will be a solid inside linebacker. He will be in a good situation playing next to Kenan.”
Edwards and Zack Parker are the projected starters at outside linebackers. Parker started at safety for most of last season.
“Chris Roberts played safety and outside linebacker last year,” Wood said. “(Sophomore) Kaden Terrell has speed and plays aggressively. Warden played at cornerback in junior high. We are trying to put the right pieces in the right places.”
Wood said candidates are available to step in and play at safety.
“Colton Turley didn’t play last year, but he came back and can become a solid safety,” Wood said. “We have a lot of guys to look at.”
Heber Springs junior Chris Edwards fights for yards after catching an Easton Cusick pass Friday at Little Rock Mills. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
By LARRY “SCOOP” McCARTY
LITTLE ROCK — A quick start turned sour for the Heber Springs Panthers in Friday’s season finale at Comet Stadium.
After the Panthers took a 7-0 lead, the Comets scored 32 unanswered points and coasted to a 48-20 win in a 2-4A Conference football game.
Mills (3-4 in 2-4A Conference, 6-4 overall) broke a four-game losing streak and earned the conference’s final playoff berth. The Comets, who will be a No. 5 seed, will play at Joe T. Robinson (9-1 overall) in the Class 4A first round on Friday.
Heber Springs (2-5 in 2-4A Conference, 3-6 overall) finished the season in sixth place and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2013. The Panthers, who also were sixth in 2020, kept its playoff streak alive last year when it received an invitation to the postseason because of Covid-19.
“We started the game well, and that was what we wanted to do,” Heber Springs coach Todd Wood said. “We had two other good first half drives, but two plays went against us. We didn’t finish the season the way we wanted.”
Sophomore Parker Brown, who had 283 all-purpose yards, rushed for a season high 162 yards on 21 carries and scored three touchdowns. Quarterback Easton Cusick completed 7-of-14 passes for 70 yards. Chris Edwards led the receivers by catching three passes for 54 yards.
“We changed to our wildcat package and can do several things with it,” Wood said. “Mills didn’t respond well until putting more players near the line of scrimmage. That says a lot about Parker when the players on the other team tried to stop him and had a hard time doing it. It was one of those nights.”
Mills fullback Boyce Mitchell proved too much for the Panther defense. Mitchell rushed 12 times for 191 yards and scored two touchdowns, averaging 15.9 yards per attempt. Quarterback Achilles Ringo completed 9-of-22 passes for 122 yards, and he ran for one touchdown. Jabrae Shaw had 14 carries for 88 yards and scored one touchdown. Shaw caught three passes for 49 yards.
The Comets, who converted 6-of-6 2-point conversions, outgained Heber Springs, 496-238 yards.
“Mills had size, speed and was physical,” Wood said. “We knew No. 34 (Mitchell) would be a load to tackle. We tried to tackle him too high, instead of tackling him at his shoelaces. We didn’t bring him down very well.”
Heber Springs received the opening kickoff and drove 43 yards on six plays to take a 7-0 lead. Brown finished the drive by scoring on a 20-yard run with 9:18 left in the first quarter. Gideon Tate kicked the extra point.
Mills responded with touchdowns on its two first-quarter possessions.
The Comets claimed the lead on an eight-play, 55-yard drive. Daniel Brown Jr. finished with a 13-yard touchdown run with 7:24 to go in the first quarter. Anton Pierce caught a pass from Ringo for the 2-point conversion, giving Mills an 8-7 lead.
After getting a three-and-out, Mills increased its lead on a 10-play, 63-yard drive. Shaw scored on a 4-yard run with 2:01 remaining. Ringo again hooked up with Pierce on a 2-point conversion for a 16-7 lead going into the second quarter.
Mills scored two more touchdowns before halftime. The Comets held the Panthers on downs at the Heber Springs 34. Caleb Sain had a 3-yard scoring run with 10:57, followed by Mitchell’s run for a 2-point conversion. Later, Mitchell rushed seven yards for a touchdown and a 2-point conversion with 1:43 left in the first half.
The Panthers trailed 32-7 at halftime.
“We were in position to put the ball in the end zone two more times during the first half, but didn’t do it,” Wood said. “We scored twice and got back in the game during the second half. That was another sign we never quit or give up.”
Heber Springs forced a punt as Brown’s 27-yard return put them in scoring position at the Mills 26. Brown broke away on the next play and scored with 10:11 left in the third quarter. A high snap led to a missed kick for the extra point.
The Panthers threatened to score again, but the Comets held on downs at the Comet 9 late in the third quarter. Mills drove 91 yards on 14 plays with Ringo scoring on a 2-yard keeper with 9:31 left in the game. Ringo passed to Shaw for a 2-point conversion and increased Mills’ lead to 40-13.
But the Panthers didn’t give up and reached the end zone on their next possession. Brown finished the 5-play, 49-yard drive by scoring on a 3-yard run with 6:53 left. Tate kicked the conversion, reducing the Comets’ lead to 40-20.
Mitchell ran 59 yards for the final touchdown with 5:08 left in the game, plus a successful 2-point conversion.
Wood said contributions from the seniors should not be overlooked, despite the season record.
“We had an outstanding group of seniors,” he said. “They have a lot of character and provided great leadership. I couldn’t ask any more from them.”
HEBER SPRINGS AT LITTLE ROCK MILLSNovember 5, 2021
Heber Springs (3-6, 2-5) 7 0 6 7 - 20
Little Rock Mills (6-4, 3-4) 16 16 0 16 - 48
FIRST QUARTER
HS - Parker Brown 20-yard run (Gideon Tate kick), 9:18
M - Daniel Brown 14-yard run (Achilles Ringo to Anton Pierce pass), 7:24
M - Jabrae Shaw 4-yard run (Ringo to Pierce pass), 2:07
SECOND QUARTER
M - Caleb Sain 3-yard run (Boyce Mitchell run), 10:57
M - Mitchell 7-yard run (Mitchell run), 1:43
THIRD QUARTER
HS - Brown 26-yard run (kick failed), 10:11
FOURTH QUARTER
M - Ringo 2-yard run (Ringo to Shaw pass), 9:35
HS - Brown 3-yard run (Tate kick), 6:53
M - Mitchell 59-yard run (Tyler Sanders run), 5:08
TEAM STATISTICSFIRST DOWNS: HS 12, M 23
RUSHES-YARDS: HS 35-168, M 44-374
PASSING YARDS: HS 70, M 122
COMP-ATT-INT: HS 7-15-0, M 9-22-0
TOTAL OFFENSE: HS 238, M 496
FUMBLES: HS 1, M 0
PENALITIES-YARDS: HS 7/56, M 13/100
PUNTS-AVERAGE: HS 1/22, M 1/29
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING: HS, Parker Brown 21/162, Jackson West 1/9, Gideon Tate 2/2, Easton Cusick 11/(-5). M, Boyce Mitchell 12/191, Jabrae Shaw 14/88, Daniel Brown Jr. 5/43, Caleb Sain 4/22, Carlos Deadmon 1/11, Achilles Ringo 7/11, Anton Pierce 1/8.
PASSING: HS, Cusick 7/14-70-0/0, Brown 0/1-0-0/0. M, Ringo 9/22-122-0/0.
RECEVING: HS, Chris Edwards 3/54, Austin Winchester 1/9, Gus Hannah 1/4, Dalton Yancey 1/4, Brown 1/(-1). M, Pierce 3/67, Shaw 3/49, Deadmon 2/3, Colby Williams 1/3.
KICKOFF RETURNS: HS, Brown 4/95, Hannah 1/20. M, Brown Jr. 2/20.
PUNT RETURNS: HS, Brown 1/27
INTERCEPTION RETURNS: None
FUMBLE RETURNS: None
PUNTS: HS, Brown 1/22. M, Christopher Guevara 1/29
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