Archive - 2011
April 12th
Nicholas Blake O’Rear, 18, of Benton passed away April 10, 2011.Â
He was born Jan. 13, 1993, in Walker County, Ala.Â
Nicholas attended Bauxite High School and was a Black Belt in Taekwondo. He loved being with his son, family and friends.
Nicholas was preceded in death by his grandmother, Mary Ruth Sharitt.
April 11th
Winnie C. Mandrell, 75, of Benton passed away after a courageous battle with cancer Saturday, April 9, 2011.Â
She was born May 23, 1935, in Roswell, N.M.Â
Mrs. Mandrell was preceded in death by her parents; one brother; and two sisters.
She is survived by her husband, James Mandrell; daughters, Tony Leathers, Jeannie Henderson and Krissy Blackwell. She was very devoted to them all her life. She loved her grandchildren, Cody, Tidy, Nicole, J.T., Karie and her two great-grandchildren, Taylin and Paxton.
Private memorial services will be held at a later date.
As the Masters Tournament came to an end Sunday in Augusta, Ga., I couldn’t help but think of a baseball game I went to years ago.
One Christmas, my family bought me two tickets for a game between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
As someone who grew up playing baseball, this was an unbelievable gift, and one I was fortunate enough to enjoy with someone else.
As soon as I saw the tickets, I knew the only person I wanted by my side at that game was my friend Chris, whom I’ve known since we buddied up on the kindergarten playground.
After defeating El Dorado 14-2 Friday, the Benton Lady Panthers will face Greenbrier, the defending 5A State Champions, today at home if it doesn’t get rained out first.
“They are a very good ball club,” coach Eric Ryan said. “We will be tested today but games like today is what is going to make us better.”
Expected to pitch today is Lauren White, who pitched against Greenbrier last year.
“She had a very good outing against them and has really come along this year,” Ryan said. “She has shown more maturity this year and she has good control of her pitches on the mound.”
April 9th
For Bryant head softball coach Debbie Clark, junior Jenna Bruick embodies everything she wants in a player — and more.
The second baseman is a selfless, tireless worker whose "contribution to our program cannot be measured by stats or words," Clark said.
"Jenna is fearless and does not accept failure as an option."
As one of the "fab five" freshman from the squad two years ago, Bruick, 16, helped lead Bryant to a state championship last year.
The Benton Panthers defeated El Dorado 16-6 Friday night to move into a second place tie in the conference with Lake Hamilton after they lost Texarkana.
"It is a log jam, and I knew it would be," head coach Mark Balisterri said. "Our goal is to get the number one or number two spot. If we get second, we will still get a bye in the first round.
"That's what we are shooting for."
Benton broke a 4-4 tie in the top of the sixth inning, scoring seven runs to give the Panthers a 11-4 lead.
Sue Clowers, 69 of Benton passed away Thursday, April 7, 2011.
She was born January 19, 1942 in Dell, Ark., to Edison and Hazel Riggs.Â
She was a member of the Northside Church of Christ Church. She was a homemaker and dearly loved spending time with her children and grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Laura Melissa Elliott McKeehan Brown, 96, of Bryant passed away April 8, 2011.Â
She was born January 31, 1915 in Rolla, Arkansas to the late James William and Annie Elizabeth (Mathews) Elliott.Â
She was a member of First Baptist Church in Bryant, loved Bingo, painting and word search puzzles.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, George Edward Brown; brothers, A. T. Elliott, Cecil Elliott, Leslie Elliott; sisters, Jesse Baker, Hazel Jordan, Pearl Skinner, Faye Garlington and Virginia LaSalle.
April 8th
HASKELL — After tying the game at 6-6 in the bottom of the fifth inning, it had appeared the Harmony Grove Cardinals had all the momentum. However, it would not be the case as Mayflower came out swinging, scoring a run in the sixth and seven in the seventh inning to defeat the Cardinals 14-6 at home Friday night.
“We are inconsistent,” Harmony Grove coach Brandon Kelly said. “As a coach, you can put them in a position to win and as players you can put themselves in a position to win, but if you don’t take care of business and get it done, then bad things happen.
BAUXITE — With timely defense and good base running, the Bauxite Miners beat De Queen 7-4 Friday.
The Lady Miners, however, lost 15-0 in four innings after giving up 11 in the first, three in the second and one in the fourth, never scoring once themselves and dropping down to a 6-7 overall record and 1-2 in 4A-7 Conference play.
Bauxite baseball head coach Michael Mattox said his team’s win, which took them to 10-8 overall and 2-2 in 4A-7 play, was “huge.”
“We really needed that,” he said.
