NASHVILLE – Coach Billy Dawson and his Nashville Scrappers will return home after a long three game road trip Friday night to face a determined Mena Bearcats team, who are still looking for their first win of the season.

The Scrappers are in a tenuous position this week. Coming off a big 35-16 win at DeQueen last week, many might be tempted to overlook the winless Bearcats, but Dawson is aware of the importance of playing one game at a time.

“We’ve got to put last week behind us and get ready for Mena,” Dawson stated when asked about preparing for this week’s game.

The Bearcats will present a different look for the Scrappers’ defense this week, with first year coach Jeff Weaver converting the Bearcats to a spread offense.
“Mena will throw the ball every down,” Dawson said about the new offensive style at Mena. He went on to say that it will help them prepare for Ashdown two
weeks from now.

The Scrapper defense will have to put pressure on the quarterback every play.

Dawson said that Nashville’s front seven have done a good job shutting up the middle thus far with the line backing corps leading the way.

Outside linebacker, Brett Little leads the team in tackles with 46 for the season. He has an astounding 34 unassisted tackles on the season, recording 16 of them against DeQueen last week.

Nick Hopkins has 34 tackles from the other outside linebacker position with 25 tackles of the solo variety.

Anthony Smelser has 27 tackles from the inside linebacker position, as well as three fumble recoveries.

Josh Wiley has also played well as a defensive tackle, recording 18 tackles, five for a loss, one sack and three hurries in the first four games.

Robert Johnson has 17 tackles, six for a loss, and three sacks. Geremy Hammond has 15 tackles and three sacks as well.

The passing style of Mena will allow the Scrappers’ defensive backs to make some big plays.

“We have to make sure we get the tackle after the catch,” Dawson remarked. “We have to play well in space,”

Cody Ray leads the defensive backs with 20 tackles, 19 of which were unassisted.

Erin Adams has 13 tackles, followed by Scott Lucas and Trais Marshall with 12 each.

Lucas has 11 unassisted tackles, while Marshall has nine.

The Scrapper offense has depended a little more on the run this season than in years past, but the running backs have been up to the task. Nashville has carried the ball 150 times as a team for 783 yards and 13 touchdowns.

The running game has featured seven different running backs, but two backs have emerged as the leaders on the ground, Devencio Hawthorne and Anthony Smelser.

Hawthorne had 51 carries for 366 yards to lead the Scrappers in yardage, averaging 7.18 yards a carry and three touchdowns. Hawthorne runs well in space and has the longest run from scrimmage thus far for the Scrappers with a 50 yard run against Hope.

Smelser also has 51 carries, gaining 230 yards while scoring nine touchdowns for Nashville. Smelser is the perfect example of an iron man football player, shining on both sides of the line.

Marshall has accumulated 118 yards on 14 carries averaging 8.43 yards per game and Shawn Kennedy has seven carries for 40 yards, a 5.71 yards per game average.

Cole Moore had a good game against DeQueen last week, throwing the ball 25 times and completing 16 of them for 241 yards and a touchdown.

Dawson said that Moore made a giant step in the right direction last week as a quarterback.

On the season, Moore has completed 42 of 79 passes for 631 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions.

Moore is doing a good job reading opposing coverage and finding the open man.

Paul Morrow leads the team with 225 yards on 14 receptions over four games and one touchdown.

Allen Adams caught eight passes last week at DeQueen to tie Morrow with 14 receptions, gaining 182 yards for the season.

Erin Adams had a 75 yard reception last week for a touchdown, raising his total to 81 yards on two catches.

Reggie Wright has seven catches for 77 yards and Hopkins has two for 42 yards.

Alphonso Puente has delivered on special teams, hitting 17 of 20 PATs this season and one field goal for 37 yards.

Nashville will host the Mena Bearcats Friday with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

NASHVILLE – Two men were arrested Monday afternoon after a meeting turned violent.

Nashville officer Kyle Jones responded to a “shots fired” call near Carlton Mini Storage, according to Investigator Larry Marion.

Two vehicles, a black Dodge Charger and a white unknown make, were seen leaving the area.

Jones found the Dodge Charger on Howard Street and initiated a stop. Once Jones stepped out of his patrol car, Billy E. Williams, of Little Rock, drove off.

Joseph Sauls III told Jones that he met Williams, 42, and Phillip D. Williams, 19, of Hope, at a car wash in Nashville.

The three decided to change their meeting location and moved closer to Wal-Mart.

Marion said Billy Williams got into Sauls’ car “and pulls a gun on him and tells him to give him ‘the stuff.’”

The two start fighting and Sauls gets out of the car only to get into a fight with Phillip Williams. At this point, Marion said both Williams’ men had guns pointed at Sauls.

While Sauls attempted to run away from the men, Phillip Williams fired two or three shots at him Marion said.

Sauls told police that the men took his backpack. Sauls’ backpack was found in the Dodge Charger. The backpack had “several sandwich baggies…and the bottom appears to have marijuana residue,” Marion added. Two pistols – a .380 and a .32 caliber - were also found in the backpack.

Both Williams’ were arrested for aggravated assault, possession of firearm by certain persons and felony fleeing. The two were arraigned before Howard County Circuit Judge Tom Cooper yesterday afternoon. Both entered not guilty pleas and were appointed public defenders.

Judge Cooper ordered the men to return on Jan. 13 for pretrial and on Jan. 21 for trial.

Sauls had a set of scales in his socks and was arrested for misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, Marion added.

The arrest was a joint effort with the NPD and the Howard County Sheriff’s Department.

NASHVILLE – One of the longest running rivalries in Southwest Arkansas continues this week, as the Nashville Scrappers travel up Highway 71 to DeQueen to face the DeQueen Leopards.

A lot is on the line this week as Nashville opens the conference season against longtime rival DeQueen, with the winner becoming the front runner of the conference title.

“Everybody would like to see this game played week ten for the conference title, but it happened to fall on this week,” Dawson said about the timing of the game.

2009 also marks the tenth time that they have played for the Saline River Walking Stick, presented by the Nashville News and DeQueen Bee.

Since its inception, the Nashville News has had the opportunity to present the stick every year to the Nashville Scrappers.

In fact, in 77 games, DeQueen has only managed 26 victories, with the last Leopard win coming in 1998.

The Leopards will enter the game with one of the state’s top college recruits in Greg White, who will line up on both sides of the ball for DeQueen.

White is a big powerful athlete who is a playmaker for the Leopards, regardless of what position he plays.

The Scrapper defense will have to stop him early, to prevent the big play, and force the Leopards to find another way to score.

That isn’t too hard with quarterback Jemario Ervin under center. Nashville Coach Billy Dawson stated that Ervin is a dual threat at quarterback. Ervin’s
experience at the tailback position provides him with a confident running game, but he can also take to the air when needed.

Fullback Sam Willis will also factor into the Leopard offense.

Grant Dooley provides the Leopards with a legitimate receiving threat in any game, and he will pose problems for the smaller Scrapper defensive backs.

“Grant’s the kind of kid you would like to have on your team,” Dawson said. He went on to say that you have to like Dooley’s mentality, as well as his athleticism.

Dawson said that Nashville has to continue to get better every week. They also must continue to play fast defensively.

The Scrappers were able to control the front line of a very athletic Liberty-Eylau team last week, and will have to have the same level of success against DeQueen.

Offensively, the Scrappers will have to contend with a very talented, experienced Leopard offense, which returns nine starters from last year.

Cole Moore had a good game last week against Liberty-Eylau, going ten for 17 for 155 yards, with big throws last week to Paul Morrow and Allen Adams.

The Scrapper offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage last week, and will have to do so this week if Moore is going to have time to find his receivers.

The Scrapper running backs have been successful against all of their opponents so far this season, but may face their toughest competition thus far this week.

Anthony Smelser scored three more touchdowns while rushing for 105 yards last week against Liberty-Eylau, but was joined by Devencio Hawthorne and Robert Johnson, with both players scoring a touchdown last week.

Dawson has instilled a work-pail mentality in his players, teaching them to take each game one at a time, but he realizes that this game stands out a little from the rest.

Dawson stated that the media and the fans of both teams keep this from being just another game, but he isn’t worried about his team’s focus once they step on the field.

“Once we step on the field Friday night, it will be just another game,” Dawson said.

The Nashville Scrappers will travel to DeQueen Friday night to face the DeQueen Leopards with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

NASHVILLE – The Nashville Scrapper and Scrapperette tennis teams have started the 2009 season strong with decisive wins over Murfreesboro and Arkadelphia.

Nashville started the season Monday, Aug. 24, by hosting the Murfreesboro Rattlers at the Nashville City Park.

The Scrappers dominated the Rattlers, winning eight of ten matches.

Alex Roberts opened the day against Geoffrey Synco, in a match of number one seeds, with Synco emerging victorious 8-3.

The Scrappers rebounded from the opening loss, winning the rest of their singles matches.

Brett Little defeated Justin Rather 8-1in a battle of number twos, while Paul Morrow and Jared Morrow recorded shutouts in their matches.

P. Morrow beat Brady Stivers 8-0 and J. Morrow won 6-0.

Logan Webster defeated Joe Gatliff 6-3, and Ricky Lacefield earned a 6-1 victory over Dylan Byers.

In doubles action, the story was much the same, with Synco figuring in on the lone doubles victory for the Rattlers.

Synco and Rather partnered to defeat Erin and Allen Adams in a close 8-5 match.

Roberts and Little shut Rather and Gatliff out 6-0, followed by Spenser Pack and Austin May, who recorded a 6-0 shutout over Casey Mullins and Byers.

Ace Rice and Loc Qui Pham defeated Stivers and May 6-2 in the final boys match.

Maddie McJunkins and Nancy Gail Purnell both earned 6-0 shutouts in their matchups with Bethany Lingo, while Jenna Hendry and Kirby Kell had a well-earned 7-5 victory over the team of Lingo and Vines.

Both Nashville teams moved to 2-0 Thursday, Aug. 28, victories on the road at Arkadelphia.

The boys dominated the Arkadelphia Badgers, winning all seven singles matches and all three doubles matches for a clean sweep on the road.

Alex Roberts led the Scrappers effort with an 8-1 victory over Alex Huckabee, followed by Brett Little with an 8-5 victory over Brandon Smith.

Spencer Pack defeated Cheston Wright and Ricky Lacefield defeated Jaquez Reed 8-1.

Austin May and Logan Webster both earned 8-5 victories, with May defeating Cody Spradlin and Webster defeated Chris Dickerson.

Singles competition ended with a barnburner between Ace Rice and Chris Dickerson, in an 8-8 tie. Rice earned the victory in a 7-2 tiebreaker.

The Scrappers continued their domination in doubles competition with all three Nashville teams earning big victories.

Roberts and Little defeated Smith and Wright 8-1, Paul Morrow and Jared Morrow defeated Huckabee and Spradlin 8-2, and Rice and Loc Qui Pham earned the only Scrapper shutout of the day with an 8-0 victory over Dickerson and Reed.

The Scrapperettes faced stiffer competition from the Lady Badgers, splitting the singles matches 3-3, but pulled away for the victory with a 3-0 run in doubles competition.

Arkadelphia started singles competition with two victories.

Elizabeth Teed defeated Maddie McJunkins of Nashville 8-1, and Anna Ozmun earned a victory for the Lady Badgers with an 8-4 win over Nancy Gail Purnell.

Nashville responded with wins from Hannah Vines and Kirby Kell, with Vines defeating Janet Ozmun 8-3 and Kell defeated Ellen Eubanks 8-6.

Jenna Hendry represented the Scrapperettes in the last two singles matches, losing to Isabella Ragni 8-5, and ended with a 6-2 victory over Caroline Poole.

Vines and McJunkins got doubles action off on the right foot with a 8-1 victory over Anna Grace Poole and Lindsey Fowler.

Hendry and Kell defeated Brittany Taylor and Monica Newborn 8-5, and McJunkins and Purnell finished with a 9-7 victory over Teed and Eubanks.

Lindsey is the daughter of Marion and Gina Bailey of Farmington, and the granddaughter of Marvin and Mary Foster of Fayetteville and Chester and Hazel Bailey of Farmington.

She is a 2004 graduate of Farmington High School and a May 2009 graduate of U of A, with a bachelor of arts degree in political science and a minor in legal studies.

While at U of A, she was a member of Sigma Phi Lambda.

Justin is the son of Carl and D’Ann Rogers and Roger and Lesley White, all of Nashville.

He is the grandson of Duke and Liz Tomerlin and Donna White and the late W.G. White, all of Nashville.

He is a 2005 graduate of Nashville High School and a May 2008 graduate of U of A, with a bachelor of science degree in public administration with a minor in social work.

Lindsey is a 4-H program assistant for Howard County and Justin is a CCCUA Upward Bound coordinator.

She moved to Nashville from California with her family in 1990. She was a retired public school teacher and a member of the Episcopal faith. She attended the Wakefield Methodist Church.

She was an avid reader, a member of the Elberta Bridge Club, was a volunteer for Friends Inc. and the Literacy Council.

She loved gardening, both flowers and vegetables.

She is survived by her husband of over 48 years, Terry Washburn of Nashville; one daughter, Anna and husband Brian McCain of Goshen; one son, Ted and wife Deadra Washburn of Nashville; one sister, Lena Sparkman of Prairie Grove; three grandchildren, Cora and Henry McCain, and Wren Washburn; and a host of other family and friends.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Mon., Sept. 7, at Nashville Funeral Home, with Vickie Stephens officiating.

The family will receive friends from 6-7:30 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to the charity of your choice.