By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Football pads began popping this week as schools across the state take advantage of the two-week period for fully-padded spring football drills.
Schools have the next 10 weekdays to get in five two-hour practices with pads and helmets.
Most schools, including Forrest City, are dividing their full-pads days in between weight-room workouts and some will even culminate the activities with intrasquad games.
Last year, spring practice was held in Arkansas for the first time and it lasted just five days.
Forrest City Mustang football coach Donnie Willis has only two goals as the 10-day spring football practice begins.
Blocking and tackling. No more, no less.
Willis, beginning his third season as Mustang head coach, says his plan is "to stick with the fundamentals of the game of football."
"We're not worried about learning or running a lot of plays," Willis said Tuesday. "We just want to work on individual technique. We want the kids to know where their hands and feet should be positioned in the ready position. Nothing beyond that."
Willis said he hopes to conclude the spring drills with a "Blue-White" scrimmage next week.
Willis and his staff began the spring drills two coaches short, due to the recent restructuring of the staff which resulted in three long-time assistant coaches being reassigned.
"We have move one up from the junior high ranks to fill one of the vacancies," Willis said, "but we're still two coaches short. We have to compensate for that since we have been used to having three coaches working offense and three working defense at practices. Being short puts a damper on what we can do because with a shortage of coaches, we have too many kids standing around and waiting."
Willis said he has more than 60 sophomores on roster and that they will play a separate schedule this fall.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Times-Herald and Giffin's Grins are quickly establishing themselves as the two teams to beat in 12-under fast-pitch softball.
Both teams posted big victories Tuesday night.
Giffins improved to 3-1 for the year by turning back Children's Clinic 16-3 and Times-Herald stayed unbeaten at 3-0 with an 18-3 win over Debbie's Flowers.
Giffins got four runs from Ikeshia Chism Tuesday and three runs from both Aukeya Galloway and Brittney Scott.
Giffin's scored three runs in the top of the first inning but Children's Clinic answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning to force a 3-3 tie.
Giffin's broke the tie with a four-run second inning and went on to plate four runs in the fourth and fifth innings.
Elaina Patton, Sunni Dunn and Anna Horton scored single runs for Children's Clinic.
Times-Herald got three runs from Aviva Williams and two runs each from Layne McGuirt, Randal Ross and Stoni Weeks in the 18-3 win over Debbie's Flowers.
Sarah Dickey and Jessica Rickard scored single runs for Debbie's Flowers.
No games will be played Friday.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Taylor Glass got their first win of the season Tuesday night while handing POPS its first loss in Bambino (11-12) League play at the Sports Complex.
Rylan Nimocks pitched a complete game shut out in Taylor's 10-0 win over POPS.
Nimocks gave up one hit and one walk through five innings.
He led Taylor offensively by scoring three times while getting help from Wilson Parker's two runs and single runs from Donnie Willis, A.J. Moody, Joe DeWitt, Brandon Barnett and Kenneth Powell.
Rotary Club 14, Vaccaro 3
Rotary improved to 2-1 for the year Tuesday using a 14-3 win over Vaccaro Lumber.
Taylor Clark and Kyle Ramsey combined to pitch Rotary to the win.
Julian Isom homered a scored four runs for Rotary while Taylor Clark and Garritt Clark each plated two runs. Tyrice Bradley, Ramsey, Chauceney Boles, Daniel Richards, mario Clark and D.J. Lindsey scored single runs.
Brian Guyton, trenton Ware and Justin Harris scored single runs for Vaccaro.
Cochran Auto 9, Taco Bell 3
Cochran Auto moved to 2-1 for the year Tuesday, defeating Taco Bell 9-3.
Kellon Bowman and Doug Miller scored three runs each for the winners.
Jack Otty, Andre Stephens, Ian Rountree and Kyle Gaines scored single runs for Taco Bell.
Hess Shoes 10, Bonanza 8
Hess Shoes remained the only unbeaten team in the Bambino League Tuesday by putting down Bonanza 10-8.
Hess, 3-0, got three runs from Chadwick Doyle, including a home run and two runs from Torre Hunter and Jonathan Taylor.
Johnnie Jones scored three times to lead Bonanza while Torey Rogers and Terrence Pendleton scored two runs each.
Dr. St. John and Clay Funeral Home remain the only unbeatens in 16-under girls' fast-pitch softball.
St. John edged Food Giant 12-11 Tuesday night while Clay got past McDonald's 15-9.
In the league's third game, Sanyo picked up their first win of the year in a 14-8 victory over Boar's Head.
St. John and Clay are both 3-0 for the year.
The two are scheduled to meet for the first time this year on Tuesday, May 22, at 8 p.m.
No games are scheduled for Friday night.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Food Giant, Sanyo and Title Company stayed hot in the 10-under girls' slow-pitch softball league Tuesday night and each team remained unbeaten.
Food Giant defeated Forrest City Bank 11-10 and Title Company shut out Mom's 7-0 while Sanyo walked all over Steven's Funeral Home 17-0.
All three teams are 4-0 in the league.
In other games, Southern Furniture got its first win of the season Tuesday by edging True Value 12-11.
Dr. Schwartz remained in second place in the league standings at 3-2 with an 11-2 win over Walker Insurance.
Steven's remains the league's only winless team.
League play will resume on Tuesday, May 22, after taking Friday off for Forrest City High School graduation ceremonies.
East Arkansas Community College will host a summer youth soccer camp for ages five through 13, June 11-15.
The camp will be divided into two age groups.
Pre-registration fees are $60 per camper. Those youths signing up on the first day of the camp will be charged $75.
For more information about the camp, call Beth Bridgforth at (870) 633- 4480 ext 261.