The Palestine-Wheatley Patriots need a pick me up tonight following last week's 36-14 loss to Marked Tree.
Enter the winless Cross County Thunderbirds.
Just what the doctor ordered for the Patriots.
While last week's loss to Marked Tree did not damage the Patriots' playoff hopes, it may have cost P-W the outright conference championship and left the Patriots in second place in the league.
Cross County has not beaten a Patriot team since P-W resurrected their football program in 1996.
That statistic shouldn't change tonight.
THE GAME: The Palestine-Wheatley Patriots (4-2; 2-1 3AA) vs the Cross County Thunderbirds (0-3; 0-5 3AA) Friday, Oct. 12, at Thunderbird Stadium. Kick off is set for 7:30 p.m. Neither team is ranked.
PALESTINE-WHEATLEY: Since returning to football full time in 1996, the Patriots have never lost to Cross County. Given Cross County's track record, tonight's outcome will probably remain the same.
CROSS COUNTY: Cross County is coming a 36-6 loss to Rector last Friday. Cross County's only score in the game came on kickoff return in the second half. The Thunderbirds did not win a game last year under former Palestine-Wheatley Frank Francis and are winless so far this season under first-year coach Steve Williams.
The Hughes Blue Devils should be well rested and well prepared for tonight's 6AAA Conference game against the England Lions.
Hughes had an open date last week and enters tonight's game at England locked in a tie for third place in the league with Lonoke, a team they have already defeated.
The Blue Devils own three straight victories over England and tonight should be number four.
At 4-2 overall, the Blue Devils are off to their best start since the 1998 season.
The Lions are coming off a 20-12 setback against Lonoke.
THE GAME: The Hughes Blue Devils (3-2; 1-1 6AAA) vs England Lions (3-3; 1-2 6AAA) Friday, Oct. 12, at Lion Stadium. Kick off is set for 7:30 p.m. Neither team is ranked.
HUGHES: The Blue Devils are coming off an open week and are in a good position in the league, tied for third place with Lonoke. Hughes has beaten the Lions three straight times and with playoff ambitions on their minds, a fourth would help.
ENGLAND: A year ago, England managed just 10 points per game. In the first six games this season, the Lions have improved on that just a bit, scoring 18.7 points per game. That may not be enough against the Blue Devils.
Forrest City Coach Donnie Willis hopes tonight's game at Blytheville generates the same results as last year's matchup did.
The Mustangs went into last year's game against Blytheville having lost four straight. The Mustangs won the game played at Sam Smith and went on to qualify for the Class AAAAA state playoffs.
The Mustangs are still licking their wounds suffered in last week's 35-0 loss to Cabot. Blytheville gave up 17 points in less than a minute to Jacksonville last Friday and remain winless for the year.
"We put ourselves in this situation now we have to dig ourselves out," said Willis.
THE GAME: The Forrest City Mustangs (3-3; 1-2 AAAAA-East) vs the Blytheville Chickasaws (0-6; 0-3 AAAAA-East) Friday, October 12, at Blytheville Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Neither team is ranked.
FORREST CITY: The Mustangs have dropped back-to-back conference games against LR Mills and Cabot and need a win tonight to get back into the race for a postseason berth. A year ago, a 37-23 win over the Chicks helped propel the Mustangs into the playoffs.
BLYTHEVILLE: The Chicks are looking for a victory in
the worst way. Last week against Jacksonville, the Chicks gave
up 17 points in less than minute to the Red Devils. The Chicks
have been beset by injuries and mental mistakes which explains
the 0-6 beginning for the team.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Everything the Forrest City Blue Junior Mustangs had heard about Jonesboro MacArthur was true. The team found out first-hand Thursday night at Sam Smith Stadium.
MacArthur had no problems with the sloppy field conditions after a day of heavy rains in taking a 32-6 win over the Blue Mustangs, because Jonesboro used their passing game for the win.
"The field conditions killed us and our running game" said Forrest City Coach Rich Trail, "but it didn't stop Jonesboro's passing game. They are without a doubt the best team we've seen all season."
Terrance Ware supplied the only Forrest City points of the game, when he returned a kickoff during the second half for a 70-yard touchdown.
The Blue Mustangs slip to 4-3 overall and 2-3 in the league.
MacArthur built a 20-0 lead at the half.
Junior Patriots 34, Earle 0
Rashun Barnes scored three touchdowns Thursday night and the Palestine-Wheatley Junior Patriots stayed unbeaten at 6-0 for the year behind a 34-0 win over Earle.
Barnes scored on a 70-yard interception in the second quarter, a 60-yard punt return in the second quarter and a 60-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Brad Barton opened the P-W scoring with a 20-yard run in the first quarter and Fred Leak added a 75-yard run with 17 seconds left in the third quarter.
The Junior Patriots got a solid effort from the offensive line and cornerback Alvin Smith made one of the night's biggest defensive plays when he sacked the Earle quarterback for a big loss, after the Junior Bulldogs moved inside the P-W 15-yard line.
Outside linebacker Elijah Duncan was credited by Coach Dan Cockrell for his play as well.
WM East 22, FCity White 22
After scoring a go-ahead touchdown with 4:29 left to play West Memphis East turned the ball over on downs with a minute-and-a-half to go which allowed Forrest City White to get even when Cedric Johnson scored for the 22-22 tie Thursday night at Friendship Field.
East's Timothy Dotson scored a five-yard touchdown with 4:29 to play in the game, but the Red Imps try for two points failed to make it 22-14.
After forcing a turnover deep in its own end of the field, East eventually turned it over on downs to Forrest City with just over 1:30 to play in the game.
That's when Johnson broke loose for a 54-yard touchdown to cut its deficit to 22-20. Derrick Crowe ran for a two-point conversion to tie the game.
East led 16-0 lead at halftime on touchdowns by quarterback Vick Brown and Shenderrick Nelson.
But Forrest City's Johnson added a pair of two-yard touchdown runs in the third quarter to tie the game.
East stands at 1-4-1 heading into its game next Thursday night at home against Forrest City Blue. Forrest City is 0-5-1 for the year.