By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
SYLVAN HILLS -- The Sylvan Hills Bears took another step toward winning the outright AAAAA-East conference title Thursday by sweeping Forrest City in a varsity doubleheader.
The Bears won the first game 7-4 and took the nightcap 9-2.
"We played better than the scores reflect," said Mustang Coach Reggie Murphy. "We still don't have a conference win, but we have some more chances coming up."
The Mustangs slip to 4-13 for the year overall and remain winless in the league at 0-10.
Prior to Thursday's doubleheader loss, the Mustangs defeated Brinkley 7-5 on Tuesday in nonconference action.
The Bears improve to 9-2 in conference play.
Forrest City has a single varsity conference game Monday against Blytheville.
The Mustangs, in the second game did not score until the sixth inning when Danny Flowers and Dustin Gore reached base and scored.
The Bears scored three runs in the first inning off starting pitcher Colby McKennon and went on to add two runs in the second inning, three in the fourth and one in the seventh.
Marcus Hancock finished out the nightcap.
Brad Taylor and Gore combined to pitch the first game.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
BARTON -- Suddenly, Palestine-Wheatley has found their bats.
The Palestine-Wheatley Lady Patriots romped past the Barton Lady Bears 15-1 Thursday, but only managed the No. 4 seed into the upcoming district tournament.
In three games played this week, the Lady Patriots have scored 40 runs while holding their three opponents to a combined 10 runs.
P-W defeated Gillett 9-8 Monday and handed Hazen a 16-1 beating on Tuesday.
The Lady Patriots end the regular season at 10-4.
Until the last week and a half, the Lady Patriots had struggled offensively.
Woodlawn, the only undefeated team in the league, will be the top seeded team into the district tournament while Gillett will be the No. 2 seed.
Hazen nudged the Lady Patriots out of the third seeded slot after earning a split with P-W this season.
Humphrey is the fifth seed followed by Barton, DeValls Bluff and Carlisle.
Against Barton, Libby Martin, Nikki Bass, Beth Varvil, Jenny Loewer, Ashley McGraw and Lauren Dover each scored two runs.
The district tournament will be played Monday, April 22, at two sites -- Hazen and DeValls Bluff.
The first and second round district tournament games will be played at the two sites while the championship game will be played at DeValls Bluff.
The final game will start at approximately 8 p.m., giving the winning team from Hazen the opportunity to make the short trip to DeValls Bluff.
The entire tournament will be played on Monday.
The top four teams will advance to the Region 6 Tournament scheduled to be played at Sherwood's Softball Complex in Sherwood, April 27-29.
The top two teams from the regional will advance to the A-AA state fast pitch tournament May 4-9, also at Sherwood.
The Forrest City Lady Mustangs fell to 0-12 in the league with a 12-4 loss to Jonesboro.
The Lady Hurricane led 5-0 before Forrest City got on the scoreboard with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Stacey Gracey pitched the complete game, giving up the 12 runs on 11 hits and just three walks.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
NORTH LITTLE ROCK -- The All-Star basketball coaching staffs are in place.
Thursday, Barbara Gilliam-Harris, president of the Arkansas High School Coaches Association (AHSCA) announced the head coaches for the East-West boys' and girls' all-star teams.
David Moon of Osceola will be the head coach for the East All-Star girls' team while Dion Hargrove of Viola will head coach the East boys.
On the other side, Greenland Coach Clay Reeves will head coach the West girls and Gary Shoptaw of Poyen was selected to coach the West boys.
The All-Star basketball games will be played at a new location this summer -- at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville on the campus of the University of Arkansas.
The games are scheduled for Thursday, June 20.
The East-West girls' game will tip at 6 p.m. , and the East-West boys' game will follow at approximately 8 p.m.
A year ago, former Palestine-Wheatley standout Erica Smith, who signed with Louisiana Tech, scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to help lead the East girls to a convincing 77-42 win over the West.
In the boys game, the East came from behind to take a 75-65 win over the West squad.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Palestine's youth baseball and softball player registration will officially begin Monday, April 22 and continue through Wednesday, April 24 at the Palestine City Hall.
Registration times are from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. each of the three days.
Boys, ages 5-15 and girls, ages 5-16, are eligible to participate in the summer league play.
Proof of age is required at registration and player fees are $25 each.
For more information call 581-2166.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Hughes Lady Blue Devils will open play in the AAA Slow Pitch Softball District Tournament on Monday, April 22.
The Lady Blue Devils, the No. 4 seed into the tourney, will play Elaine at 1 p.m. at Clarendon.
A win brings Hughes back at approximately 2:30 p.m., to play Clarendon.
Each team must win twice in the double elimination style tournament in order to qualify for the regional tournament which will be played in Augusta.
The district championship game will be played Monday at approximately 7:30 p.m.
The top two teams from the regional will advance to the final slow pitch state tournament.
Next year, all remaining slow pitch teams will make the transition to fast pitch at the high school level.