By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
CONWAY -- Since the rosters were first released several weeks ago for the 46th annual High School Coaches' Association All-Star basketball and football games, there have been a few changes.
More than 40 changes to be exact with many of those hailing from the this portion of the state.
For the coaches of the basketball and football squads, the All-Star games are quickly becoming the "name game."
On the East football team, Josh Allison of Nettleton, Andre Rose of Jonesboro and Jeremy Bell of Marked Tree have each dropped out.
On the East boys' basketball team, Corey Ragsdale of Nettleton also chose to skip the event.
Ragsdale, the 76th pick in the Major League Baseball amateur draft agreed late Monday night to undisclosed terms of a professional contract with the New York Mets.
The Nettleton High School shortstop and highest drafted player in the state this year ended 48 days of negotiations with the club.
Allison has chosen to play baseball at Arkansas State University and is currently playing American Legion baseball, while Rose is rehabbing a knee injury.
Bell is one of three athletes who were chosen for both the basketball and football game and picked basketball.
Adam Sutterfield of Nettleton, Caleb Williams of Paragould, Darren Rogers of Greene County Tech and Tony Hister of Marked Tree were all added to the East football team.
Lindsey Jennings of Riverside was also a late addition to the East girls' basketball roster, while Curtis Smith of Blytheville was added to the East boys' basketball roster. However, Smith left the all-star camp late Monday afternoon for personal reasons.
All-star officials were trying to find a replacement for Smith late Monday night.
Palestine-Wheatley's Melanie Baker, sister of University of Arkansas basketball player Carl Baker, decided not to play as a member of the East girls' team, which is being coached by Palestine-Wheatley's Beverly Bass.
Erica Smith, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Player of the Year, will play for Bass on the East squad which also features Amber Gean from West Memphis, Blytheville's Wendlyn Jones and Jonesboro's Leann Upshaw.
Smith, who was widely recruited, has signed to play college basketball at Louisiana Tech.
She helped lead the Palestine-Wheatley Lady Patriots to the Class AA state championship in March.
Wynne's Antonio Warren, who will play his college football at Arkansas State University, will play for the East football team, being coached by Cabot's Mike Malham.
Clarendon running back Cedric Houston, who signed with the University of Tennessee, has also decided not to play in the football game.
The Arkansas Coaches' Association All-Star basketball and football games will undergo a few changes next year.
The all-star games will move to Fayetteville and the campus of the University of Arkansas.
The date will also be moved from late July to the third week in June.
In January, the Arkansas Activities Association board of directors voted to follow an AHSCA recommendation to move the games.
The move is designed to hopefully curb the number of defections the game has endured in recent years.
Marked Tree's Barbara Wilburn, formerly of Forrest City, made history earlier this year when she became the first female coach to lead a boys' basketball team to a state championship in more than 50 years when she guided the Indians to the Class AA state title.
Wilburn, an assistant for the East boys' basketball team, made a little more history when she apparently became the first female named to the boys' all-star basketball coaching staff.
Head Coach Frankie Gathen, of Osceola and East assistant coach, Wes Swift, who guided the Hughes Blue Devils to the Class AAA state basketball title, said it's just business as usual.
"It's not really about her being a female coaching guys," said Swift. "It's about her being a very good coach, period."
Gathen agreed.
"She's an outstanding coach, no doubt about it," Gathen said. "If I were looking for a coach, she's one that I'd take. That's for sure."
Since winning the state title, Swift has left Hughes to take the basketball coaching job at Lonoke.
Tim Branum is one of three all-star coaches in the process of changing schools.
Branum, an assistant for the East football squad, guided Newport to the Class AAAA state semifinals a year ago. However, he took the job as head football coach and athletic director at Marked Tree over the summer.
Others changes include East football assistant Lanny Dauksch from McGehee to West Memphis.
Last year, the East girls won the all-star basketball game with a 73-71 win over the West All-Stars.
West Memphis' Tywonna Inmon was named the most valuable player scoring 21 points in the game.
The West took boys' all-star game 81-67 over the East.
Inlast year's all-star football game, the West won a low-scoring affair 9-6 over the East.
Forrest City fullback Kevin King will represent the Mustangs on the East All-Star football squad. King will be joined AAAAA-East players Steven Lee and Doug Trantham of Jacksonville, De'Arrius Howard of West Memphis, Cabot's Jeff Brannan and John Baker, and Blytheville's Ed Primus.
By HARRY KING
AP Sports Writer
DES ARC--The Forrest City 12-year-old All-Stars moved another step closer to the championship game at the Ms. Mac Classic Tournament Tuesday night.
Forrest City got three home runs from Kentrell Buchanan Tuesday night which helped the All-Stars take a 17-8 win over Little Rock Junior Deputy.
Next up for Forrest City, a 7:30 p.m. date tonight with the Jacksonville All-Stars.
A win puts Forrest City into the semifinals of the double elimination style bracket. The championship game will be played Saturday.
Forrest City scored twice in the first inning and twice in the second inning to open a 4-0 lead. They plated eight runs in the fifth.
Buchanan, the game MVP, scored four times to lead Forrest City while Wilson Parker scored three times. Michael Holland and Larry Bean added two runs each.
Taylor Clark and Kellon Bowman combined for the pitching victory.
Rylan Nimocks will get the start tonight.