By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Howard Collins can thank Donnie Willis for his opportunity to play for a state championship on Saturday.
Collins, a 6-2 senior fullback/linebacker for the Wynne Yellowjackets, is playing football now because Willis, the Forrest City Mustang football coach, stopped him in the hallway at school and asked him to play football.
That was Collins' sophomore season at Forrest City. He had never played football before.
Collins accepted Willis' offer and made the Mustang team, logging some playing time as a sophomore and then earning the starting fullback and linebacker jobs a year later as a junior.
Prior to starting his senior season, Collins made a decision this past summer that not only affected himself but had a major impact on his family, Coach Willis and Wynne coach Don Campbell.
Collins decided to move to Wynne to be closer to family members -- especially his grandmother.
That meant transferring from Forrest City to Wynne to attend school.
It also meant changing football uniforms -- from the Mustangs to the Yellowjackets and joining his cousin, Marquis Dixon on the football field.
As Collins and the Yellowjackets started summer drills way back in mid-August, there was no possible way he could have known his new team would still be playing football in December.
But here they are. On Saturday, Wynne and Stuttgart will meet inside War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock to decide the Class AAAA state championship.
Collins will start on defense along with linebacker teammates Ashania Reed and Dillon Hess and will log plenty of time on offense as well for Campbell, who celebrated his 61st birthday this week, and is coaching in his first-ever championship game in his 34-year career.
"I have Coach Willis to thank for who I have become as an athlete," Collins said. "He showed me the right ways to train and helped me develop the work habits that best suited me. If Coach Willis had not asked me to play football, I would not be playing for a state title on Saturday."
Willis said he liked what he saw in Collins.
"I thought Howard had the ability to be a football player and a good one," Willis said. "He came out and worked hard and made himself a player. I hated to see him leave and move to Wynne, but I understand. He would have been a difference maker for us this season. Losing Howard took away a major chunk of our offense. He has certainly helped Wynne in their run for a state title. You can bet that I will be in the stands Saturday cheering for Howard and Wynne."
Collins says he plans to do whatever it takes to help bring the state title to Wynne.
"This is like a dream," Collins said. "I knew when I came here that Wynne was going to be a good football team. But I didn't think we would make it this far."
Campbell says Collins has been a good addition to this year's Yellowjacket team.
"Howard is a good kid," Campbell said. "He comes to practice each day and he works hard and he has been accepted by the other players. He gets along well with the players and the coaches and he has done a good job for us."
Collins knew coming in he had a chance to be a part of an explosive Yellowjacket backfield that included senior running backs DeAngelo Williams and Michael Stegall.
He also knew his role on offense would be that of a supporting role behind Williams and Stegall.
Then, through some unexpected events, Collins got his chance to step into the spotlight.
With Williams on the sidelines and out of action for a couple of games early due to some disciplinary measures, Collins was called on to carry a larger portion of the offense against Batesville.
He responded by running for 124 yards on 17 carries and scoring one touchdown in a 19-7 win over the Pioneers. He finished the season with well over 500 rushing yards.
While Collins made his presence felt running the ball, he was most effective throwing the football. Collins threw four passes out of the fullback-option play and completed three of those for touchdowns.
"He knew what his role was going to be and he accepted that and played hard and was a team player," Campbell said. "He is quiet and he doesn't say much. He just goes about the business of football and works hard."
Which begs the question, does Howard think about being the game hero?
"No, not at all," Collins said. "If something like that happens then I will be grateful and I might even just cry right there in the middle of the field. I wouldn't know what to do. I haven't thought about it. What I know is that Wynne is going to Little Rock Saturday and do what we do best -- play Yellowjacket football and bring back the state title and put rings on our fingers. I am proud to be a part of this team."
Enough said from this remarkable young man, who has come so far in so short a time.
You might say this season has been a "Wynne-win" situation for Collins.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
CABOT -- Osceola defeated the Forrest City Lady Mustangs by two points early in the year. West Memphis defeated Osceola. Rogers downed West Memphis by one point. Today, Forrest City gets a crack at Rogers at the Panther Invitational Tournament at Cabot.
Forrest City Coach Sue Jayroe has been keeping up with all of the early-season basketball games and knows that her Lady Mustangs have a chance to be in the thick of things -- if they will play hard and play smart.
She has the talent, albeit, young in a lot of areas, but nonetheless, the talent is on the floor.
Forrest City and Rogers will tip tonight at 5:30 p.m.
Monday, in the first round of the round-robin format, Cabot got past the Lady Mustangs 71-56 and Harding Academy defeated Rogers.
Against Cabot, Forrest City was shooting one-and-one free throws midway through the first quarter.
But the Lady Mustangs didn't capitalize on the would-be advantage, missing six of its first seven allowing Cabot to take a 26-11 first quarter lead.
A year ago, the lack of production from the foul line by Forrest City, was a sore point for the team.
"I'm not sure where we were when we started the game," Forrest City head coach Sue Jayroe said. "We sure weren't ready to play. But we hadn't had a game since the 16th so I think we were a little rusty."
The rust wore off early in the second period. Forrest City went to the boards more aggressively and hit some free throws. That effort combined with unforced errors by Cabot trimmed the lead to 34-27 going into halftime.
The third period belonged exclusively to the Lady Panthers who came out running to start the second half.
Things got worse for Forrest City, when Caronica Randle picked up her fourth foul early in the period and Deosha Agnew, the team's senior fouled out.
Cabot outscored the Lady Mustangs 27-8 in the third period for a 61-35 lead.
"Forrest City is a lot better than they have been in the past," said Cabot Coach Skip Sanford. "They've always had athletes, and coach Jayroe has them playing with more discipline now.
In other games today, Harding Academy plays Cabot at 8:30 p.m. and West Memphis plays Sheridan at 7 p.m.
Mount St. Mary's and Conway will take the floor at 4 p.m.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
TURRELL -- Viveca Kimble, Sequoria Grady and Shari Rogers each scored in double figures Wednesday night to lead the Forrest City White Junior Lady Mustangs past Parkin and into the finals of the Turrell Invitational.
Kimble led the way with 18 points as Forrest City pounded Parkin 43-16.
Grady added 11 points and Rogers finished with 10.
Shamela Wooten led Parkin with six points.
Forrest City, 4-1 for the year, will play the winner of tonight's Turrell-Hughes matchup in Saturday's final beginning at 6 p.m.
Forrest City opened a 14-4 lead after one period and increased their advantage to 21-7 at the half.
The Forrest City White Junior Mustangs lost to Turrell 43-25 in their semifinal game and fall to 0-3 for the year.
The White Junior Mustangs did not score until the second period when they put up 11 points, all by Taurus Moore, who drilled three, three-pointers.
Forrest City trailed 18-11 at the half.
Moore finished with 13 points to lead Forrest City while Cameron Henderson added six points and Larry Summage added three points.
Adidus Cooper led Turrell with 10 points.
In senior boys' action tonight, Marvell and Parkin play at 7:45 p.m., with the winner advancing to play Turrell, a 76-49 winner over Crawfordsville Wednesday, in Saturday's final.
The Hughes senior girls will play Brinkley tonight at 6:30 p.m. The winner will face Turrell in Friday's finals.
In the Junior Boys bracket, Turrell and Earle will play in Saturday's final.
The Forrest City Blue junior high basketball teams will travel to West Memphis East tonight.
The Blue Junior Mustangs are 1-1 for the year after defeating Hughes Monday night while the Junior Blue Girls are 0-2.
The three-game set starts at 5 p.m.
* PREP BASKETBALL
Monday's Scores
McCrory Junior Jaguar Classic
Thursday, November 29
Junior High Girls
Newark vs Harding Academy, 5 p.m.
McCrory vs Newport, 7:30 p.m.
Junior High Boys
Newport vs Marion, 6:15 p.m.
McCrory vs Harding Academy, 8:45 p.m.
Turrell Invitational Tournament at Turrell High School
Wednesday's Results
Junior Boys
Turrell 43, Forrest City White 25
Junior Girls
Forrest City White 43, Parkin 16
Senior Boys
Turrell 76, Crawfordsville 49
Thursday, November 29
Senior Boys
Marvell vs Parkin, 7:45 p.m.
Senior Girls
Brinkley vs Hughes, 6:30 p.m.
Junior Girls
Turrell vs Hughes, 4 p.m.
Lion White County Medical Center Tournament at Searcy High School
Thursday, November 29
Senior Boys
Wynne vs Clinton, 4 p.m.
PB Dollarway vs Batesville, 7 p.m.
Senior Girls
Batesville vs Wynne, 5:30 p.m.
Searcy vs Ozark, 8:30 p.m.
Friday, November 30
Senior Boys
Palestine-Wheatley vs Mt. View, 5:30 p.m.
Beebe vs Searcy, 8:30 p.m.
Senior Girls
Palestine-Wheatley vs PB Dollarway, 4 p.m.
Jonesboro vs Osceola, 7 p.m.
Panther Invitational at Cabot High School
Thursday, November 29
Senior Girls
Mount St. Mary's vs Conway, 4 p.m.
Forrest City vs Rogers, 5:30 p.m.
West Memphis vs Sheridan, 7 p.m.
Cabot vs Harding Academy, 8:30 p.m.
* PREP FOOTBALL
2001 STATE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
CLASS AAAAA Final
Saturday, December 1
War Memorial Stadium
Bentonville vs. El Dorado, 6:30 p.m.
Class AAAA
Class AAAA Final
Saturday, December 1
War Memorial Stadium, 12 noon
Stuttgart vs. Wynne
Class AAA
Semifinal Round
Friday, November 30
Nashville at Booneville
Warren at Dollarway
Class AA
Semifinal Round
Friday, November 30
Junction City at Shiloh Christian
Augusta at Barton