Corey Embry scored two touchdowns Tuesday to lead the Forrest City Blue Mustang eighth-grade team to a 14-0 win over West Memphis Wonder at Sam Smith.
Embry scored on runs of 55 and 42 yards.
Marcus Fair added a two-point conversion and Demarcus Austin and Chris Barrett had one interception each for Forrest City.
The Forrest City Red seventh-graders lost 30-0. The seventh-grade football program will hold a season-ending jamboree on Tuesday, Oct. 16, at Sam Smith Stadium.
by FRED CONLEY
After back-to-back conference losses and scoring just six points in eight quarters, the Forrest City Mustangs need some help in the worst way.
They need something, anything that will get them kick started because, despite the two league losses, Forrest City is still in a very good position to reach postseason play.
With four conference games left to play, the Mustangs can reach the playoffs with three wins, maybe just two. They made the cut a year ago with a 3-4 league mark and did so after starting 0-3 in conference play.
The needed help has to come from within their own ranks -- namely the players themselves. The varsity players need to start leading by example and raise their game to the next level. But don't forget about the junior varsity players. There is plenty of help there as well.
The JV team shut out Jonesboro 27-0 Monday night and are a very talented group. With the exception of a few, most of the JV players spend Friday night dressed out, but watching from the sidelines.
Maybe it's time to give these guys a shot. Maybe that is the dose of medicine this Mustang team needs right now. Blytheville, still winless for the year, is up next. Sounds like a good opportunity to give some of the sophomores some "PT."
Especially after Tuesday's practice. Word has it the sophomores were getting their licks in against the varsity in a "spirited" drill.
There are some very talented and outstanding varsity athletes and young men on the Mustang roster this season. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, their efforts on the field have not been indicative of their overall abilities.
After a quick 3-1 start, the Mustangs are now 3-3 and two down in the AAAAA-East standings at 1-2, behind Sylvan Hills, Jacksonville and Mills, all locked in a 2-1 tie for second.
Coach Donnie Willis thinks the problem is simple yet complex.
"We've been working like dogs in practice," Willis said. "It is hard for these kids to handle success, no matter how great or small, because it's been such a long time since the program has tasted success. They played hard and looked very good in a big and emotional win over Jonesboro. But instead of coming down off that mountain they just went through the motions against Mills, losing 14-6. They got caught at the top looking down, when they should have come on down off the emotional high to get back to work in the place it counts the most -- in the trenches. We didn't play hard against Mills and Mills played hard on every play. That was the difference. We are trying to get better. Our chance is now."
Granted, Mills is not the same team Forrest City routed 61-6 in 1998 and 39-7 in 1999. Mills is a high school football team on the rise. They believe in themselves and they believe they can win.
Something, the Mustangs should be doing.
Friday night against Cabot, the Mustangs may have reached a new low in on-field performance levels, losing 35-0 to the Panthers -- and it wasn't that close.
Forrest City had 66 yards of offense, which means the offensive line isn't doing the job it needs to do to create running holes for the Mustangs backs and not giving senior quarterback Justin Edwards or junior QB Austin Easley enough time to throw the ball.
Edwards, when he isn't pressured into throwing in a hurry, has one of the prettiest spirals I've seen in quite a while. However, under pressure, sure those spirals turn floppy and sloppy.
Forrest City needs to find the endzone, having not scored since the opening quarter against LR Mills.
Okay guys, here's the plan... pretend the conference season starts this Friday at Blytheville.
Better effort, better leadership, better production, put some points on the board, play hard on every down, give it more than your 100 percent.
That's the ticket which could get these Mustangs back to postseason play, a place they deserve to be.
Junior High School
Tuesday's Score
Forrest City Blue 14, WM Wonder 0 (8th)
WM Wonder 30, Forrest City red 0 (7th)
High School
Monday's Score
Forrest City 27, Jonesboro 0 (JV).