By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
WYNNE -- Make it two in a row for the Wynne Yellowjackets.
A week ago, the Yellowjackets walked onto the floor at Mustang Arena for the first time since the facility opened and walked away with a win over the Forrest City Mustangs.
Friday night, Wynne played host to the Mustangs at Yellowjacket Gym and the result was the same -- a 54-48 victory for the 'Jackets who improve to 6-2 for the year.
The Mustangs slip to 2-8.
Scott Curtis scored a game-high 23 points while Kris Winfrey added 13 and Larry Boyd chipped in 11 to lead Wynne.
Senior guard Vince Millen was the only Mustang player to reach double figures with 11. Derrick Smith and Torando Lay each added nine for the Mustangs while Kerry Evans finished with six.
Just as they did on their home floor the previous week, the Mustangs jumped out to the early lead, ending the first period with a 14-11 advantage.
Forrest City pushed their advantage to as much as an eight-point lead midway through the second period -- 22-14 -- before Wynne used an 8-0 scoring run to tie the game at 22-22 with 1:59 to play in the first half.
A Forrest City three-pointer left it 25-22 but Wynne answered with a long-distance three from Curtis at the buzzer to force a 25-25 tie at the half.
The two familiar foes would be tied again three times in the third period before the Yellowjackets ended the period holding a 39-35 lead after Boyd dropped in two free throws late in the period.
Wynne opened the fourth period with a quick bucket to lead 41-35 but a Mustang three with four minutes to play got the Mustangs back within 41-38.
Wynne used a two-point and a three-point field goal after back-to-back turnovers by Forrest City to push their lead to 46-38 with 3:15 left in the game.
Millen's layup cut the lead to six, 46-40 and Derrick's Smith's rebound putback basket and free throw left Wynne clinging to a 49-43 lead with 1:45 to play.
Derrick Brown's basket got Forrest City within three at 51-48 with 32 seconds to play but that would be the final Forrest City points after two turnovers and a missed field goal in the final 25 seconds.
Forrest City will host the Sylvan Hills Bears to start AAAAA-East Conference play on Friday, Jan. 4.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
WYNNE -- The Forrest City Lady Mustangs made it three wins in a row Friday and two straight over the Wynne Lady Yellowjackets by taking a 58-43 win at Yellowjacket Gym.
Caronica Randle led Forrest City with 17 points, eight rebounds, one assist and one steal while Deosha Agnew finished with a double-double, 16 points and 12 rebounds, one assist and two steals.
Erika Haggins finished in double figures as well with 10 points and nine rebounds. She had a team-high four blocked shots. Trina Wynne added seven points and seven rebounds and had eight steals while Katrina Floyd finished with eight points, three rebounds and one blocked shot.
The Lady Mustangs led from the opening tip, pushing their lead to 15-9 after one period and 33-18 at the half.
Wynne put together a small scoring run in the third period but Randle quieted the rally attempt with a big three-pointer with 2:20 to play in the third period.
Forrest City settled for a 45-31 lead to start the fourth period.
Nicole Johnson led Wynne, 1-9 for the year, with 18 points while Princella Smith added 10 points.
The Lady Mustangs will open play Thursday, Dec. 27, in the Heavenly Hoopfest tournament at Mount St. Mary's in Little Rock.
The Lady Mustangs will play the host team Mount St. Mary's at 5 p.m., Thursday and will return to play Calico Rock on Friday at 2 p.m.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
JONESBORO -- Jonesboro Westside was deadly from the free throw line Saturday, hitting 23-of-33 attempts -- seven of those coming in the final 2:47 of the game to defeat the Hughes Lady Blue Devils 50-39 in AAA girls action at the Northeast Arkansas Invitational Tournament in Jonesboro Saturday.
It was Westside's first victory of the season while Hughes falls to 1-8 overall for the year.
Hughes led 7-5 after the first period before Westside began to chip away at that lead in the second period.
With Hughes leading 9-8 Westside score six unanswered points -- to take a 14-9 lead with 4:58 left in the first half.
Hughes scored the next eight points beginning with a jumper by Latisha James and back-to-back threes by Rachel Burks and a two-pointer by Shamiko Porter to retake the lead at 21-16 with 2:39 to play.
Westside used the foul line again to their advantage outscoring Hughes 4-to-3 to trail 24-20 at the half.
Burks nailed her third three of the first half just before the half, but became the forgotten Lady Blue Devil in the second half, scoring only one more field goal.
Hughes led 26-21 with 6:37 left in the third quarter when Ashley Broadaway scored on a long jumper just inside the 3-point line on the left wing, and Meghan Cureton drained a 3-pointer from the right wing to tie the game at 26-26 with 5:15 left in the quarter.
A three-pointer by James pushed the Hughes lead back to three, 29-26. Westside's 7-0 run, finalized by a three-pointer from Amy Graham, left Hughes down 33-29 2:57 left. Two free throws by Valreneeka Brown and a jumper by Porter tied the game at 33-33 with 2:12 left.
Westside, which led 34-33 after the third quarter, held a 39-37 lead with 3:25 left in the game when it found its niche from the free-throw line -- hitting 9-of-10 to finish out the game and set the final score.
Alisha Golden led Westside with 19 points followed by Graham with 16.
Burks, who sank three 3-pointers in the third quarter, finished with 11 to lead Hughes followed by Victoria Doolittle with 10.
Westside will face top-seeded Wednesday, Dec. 26, at 6 p.m.
The Lady Blue Devils will not return to action until after the holiday break when they get back into 6AAA Conference play.
* PREP BASKETBALL
High School
Friday's Scores
Senior Boys
Wynne 54, Forrest City 48
Senior Girls
Forrest City 58, Wynne 43
Tournaments
Fairview Holiday Classic At Camden
Boys
Wednesday, December 26
Gurdon vs. Kingsland, 11:30 a.m.
White Hall vs. Stephens, 2:30 p.m.
Nevada vs. LR Fair, 5:30 p.m.
Fairview vs. Fordyce, 8:30 p.m.
Girls
Wednesday, December 26
LR Parkview vs. Magnolia, 1 p.m.
Stephens vs. White Hall, 4 p.m.
Malvern vs. Camden Fairview, 7 p.m.
Thursday, December 27
Kingsland at Nevada, 1 pm.
Landers Ford/Red Devil Classic
At Jacksonville
Boys
Thursday, December 27
Conway vs. Oak Grove, 11:30 a.m.
Searcy vs. Pulaski Robinson, 2:30 p.m.
NLR vs. Mills, 5:30 p.m.
Jacksonville vs. Arkadelphia, 8:30 p.m.
Girls
Thursday, December 27
LR McClellan vs. Wynne, 10 a.m.
Conway vs. Batesville, 1 p.m.
NLR vs. Searcy, 4 p.m.
Jacksonville vs. Arkadelphia, 7 p.m.
Tournament of Champions At Arkansas Tech University
Boys
Wednesday, December 26
P-W vs North Pulaski, 4:30 p.m.
Wonderview vs Sacred Heart, 7:30 p.m. p.m.
Girls
Pea Ridge vs Pottsville, 3 p.m.
Huntsville vs Waldron, 6 p.m.
Thursday, December 27
Boys
Dover vs Morrilton, 4:30 p.m.
Pottsville vs Dardanelle, 7:30 p.m.
Girls
Sacred heart vs Wonderview, 3 p.m.
Shirley vs Dover, 6 p.m.
Heavenly Hoopfest At Mount St. Mary's, Little Rock
Senior Girls
Thursday, December 27
Star City vs North Pulaski, 2 p.m.
Calico Rock vs Morrilton, 3:30 p.m.
BMSM vs Forrest City, 5 p.m.
Friday, December 28
Calico Rock vs Forrest City, 2 p.m.
Morrilton vs North Pulaski, 3:30 p.m.
MSM vs Star City, 5 p.m.
Saturday, December 29
Fifth-Place Game, 2 p.m.
Third Place Game, 3:30 p.m.
Championship Game, 5 p.m.
* NEA TOURNAMENT
Thursday's Scores
A-AA Boys
Izard County 66, Sloan-Hendrix 37
Delaplaine 72, Lynn 66
Rector 53, Black Rock 48
AAA Boys
Valley View 56, Trumann 46
A-AA Girls
Walnut Ridge 40, Izard County 37
Bay 39, BIC 35
AAA Girls
Piggott 65, Trumann 28
Cave City 65, Harrisburg 30
Friday, December 21
A-AA Boys
Turrell 65, Rector 26
Armorel 45, ICC 43
Bay 61, Salem 52
Riverside 45, BIC 38
Biggers-Reyno 39, Walnut Ridge 38
AAA Boys
Rivercrest 78, Brookland 67
A-AA Girls
Swifton 53, Marked Tree 31
Salem 58, Lynn 46
Riverside 64, Rector 63
Biggers-Reyno 62, Black Rock 46
AAA Girls
Rivercrest 95, EPC 59
Valley View 50, Brookland 40
Hoxie 64, Gosnell 36
Saturday, December 22
A-AA Boys
Weiner 68, Bay 65
Tuckerman 68, Swifton 46
Parkin 83, Maynard 73
Marmaduke 68, Biggers-Reyno 37
River Valley 71, Delaplaine 59
AAA Boys
Manila 76, Piggott 54
Gosnell 67, Heber Springs 48
EPC 82, Highland 63
Pocahontas 61, Westside 52
A-AA Girls
Turrell 35, Walnut Ridge 31
Maynard 49, River Valley 37
Sloan-Hendrix 62, Bay 41
Marmaduke 61, Salem 33
Parkin 56, Weiner 48
AAA Girls
Heber Springs 44, Manila 38
Jonesboro Westside 50, Hughes 39
Pocahontas 48, Corning 37
Wednesday, December 26
A-AA Boys
Marked Tree vs Tuckerman, 9 a.m.
River Valley vs Parkin, 4:30 p.m.
A-AA Girls
Delaplaine vs Biggers-Reyno, 9 a.m.
Tuckerman vs Riverside, 10:30 a.m.
Armorel vs Swifton, 12 noon
AAA Boys
Cave City vs Hoxie, 10:30 a.m.
Rivercrest vs Pocahontas, 1:30 p.m.
Hughes vs Harrisburg, 6 p.m.
EPC vs Manila, 7:30 p.m.
AAA Girls
Cave City vs Hoxie, 3 p.m.
Highland vs Jonesboro Westside, 6 p.m.
Rivercrest vs Pocahontas, 7:30 p.m.
Piggott vs Valley View, 9 p.m.
AAAA-AAAAA Boys
Nettleton vs Batesville, 12 noon
Blytheville vs Stuttgart, 3 p.m.
Jonesboro vs Newport, 9 p.m.
AAAA-AAAAA Girls
Nettleton vs Stuttgart, 4:30 p.m.