By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
For the first time since the 1978 season, Forrest City and Osceola will meet on the football field tonight when both teams kickoff the 2001 prep season at Sam Smith Stadium.
Better break out the umbrellas for this one.
Osceola was called on to replace Wynne this season as the Mustangs' opening opponent after the Yellowjackets accepted an invitation to play in Saturday's Alltel Hooten's Kickoff Classic.
Osceola will probably remain on Forrest City's schedule as a permanent nonconference opponent, beginning next season and replacing Marianna.
Since 1975, Forrest City and Osceola have played just twice -- in 1977 and 1978. Both victories belong to Forrest City.
Osceola Head Coach Clinton Gore, a native of Forrest City, returns to his hometown tonight for two reasons.
First, he will honored along with several members of the 1985 Mustang team, which went undefeated and which he coached.
Then he will lead this year's version of the Seminoles onto the Sam Smith turf to do battle against the Mustangs.
Meanwhile, just a few miles west of Forrest City, the Palestine-Wheatley Patriots will be taking the field against their opening-season opponent, Altheimer.
The Patriots are playing their second full season under Head Coach Terry Farmer and have been picked to finish third in the 3AA Conference.
Clyde Kennedy will be P-W's starting quarterback this year and will be handing the football off to Ray Gardner, Chris Siler, Brandon Roberts and Quinton Mason.
The Patriots finished strong last season and are looking to return to postseason play again this season.
The Hughes Blue Devils have only three seniors on roster this season, but do have some talented underclassmen on hand as they head into tonight's opening game at Barton.
Hughes defeated Barton in 1998, but have lost the last two openers to the Bears.
James Wright begins his fourth year at Hughes.
All of the games kick off at 7:30 p.m.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
When Clinton Gore took over as Forrest City football coach prior to the start of the 1985 season, he had no idea that his Mustang team would finish the year undefeated and with the state's top ranking.
They did and the rest is history.
Tonight, Gore and several of the players from that 1985 team will be recognized for their achievements during halftime of the Forrest City-Osceola season-opening game at Sam Smith Stadium.
It is interesting to note that Gore is now the head coach of Osceola and is a Forrest City native.
During the '85 season, Gore was assisted by Loren Morgan, Doug Caldwell, Mark Taylor, Don Sudberry and Calvin Allen.
The staff installed the Wishbone and a Multiple defense using five and six man fronts.
Rusty Trail, who had started all 10 games as a junior, returned for his senior year and had a stellar supporting cast that included fullbacks James Brown and Sam Gadberry; running backs Melvin McCline, Verlon Brown and George Wright; an offensive line anchored by Nathan Bailey, Eric Roebuck, Karrie Barden, Heath Harrison, Shedrick Dumas and Eddie Goforth; receivers Douglas Laws, Freddie McCline and Raymond Siggers.
On defense, the Mustangs were led by Roebuck, Barden, Bailey, Dumas, Gadberry, Harrison, Michael Ford, Melvin McCline, Laws, Freddie McCline, Tracy Peters and Brown.
Robert Adams and Siggers were the kickers.
Other team members included Roy Donaldson, Aldric Jones, Scott McCluskey, Willie Wallace, Azell Blount, Tommy Brown, William Sparkman, Graham Starling, Phil Hickey, Jeff Reeves, Donnell Parchman, Kip Rucker, Scott Ragan, Terry Cooper, David Williams, Elliott Mills, Kent Porter, Mark Bradley, William Howard, Alvin Strong, Neal Mull, Roderick Mosley, Greg Bond, Walter McNutt, Steven Taylor, Lin Rowe, Charles Banks, Calvin Chism, Shane Dunn, Mac Norris, Hank Collins, Steve Ambrose, Greg Brock, Bradford House, Steven Vance, Brodrick Phillips, Kelvin Moore, Bubba Rhea, Warren Green and Taurus Cochran.
The '85 Mustangs will eat the traditional pregame meal with this year's team at 4 p.m. at the high school cafeteria before touring the new athletic facility.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Forrest City Blue Junior Mustangs got 253 rushing yards from Larry Bean and Terrance Ware Thursday night in a 20-12 win over Marianna in the season-opener.
Bean chewed up 136 yards on the ground and scored once while Ware added 117 yards on the ground and tossed a halfback touchdown pass to Cory Embrey.
Ware's pass helped Forrest City take a 14-6 lead into the half.
"I thought we played well," said Blue Mustang Coach Rich Trail. "We made some opening-game mistakes and we fumbled the ball too much but the defense stepped up and had a great effort for us. We had some good sustained drives and that made me happy."
The Junior Mustangs never trailed leading 8-0, 8-6, 14-6, 14-12 and finally 20-12.
On defense, Trail singled out Ben Wright, Sidney Taggart and LaCody Braddock, who is also the starting quarterback.
Free safety John Scott Carroll came through with a late interception.
The White Junior Mustangs will open the season next Thursday when they host Newport.
The Blue Mustangs will return to action on Sept. 6, when they travel to West Memphis Wonder.
The Palestine-Wheatley Junior Patriots open next week at Elaine.
The Forrest City Mustangs' Junior Varsity football game, scheduled for Monday, Sept. 3, against Stuttgart has been cancelled due to the Labor Day Holiday.
The JV Mustangs will open the year on Sept. 10, when they travel to Wynne.