By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Palestine-Wheatley Patriot football coach Terry Farmer isn't worried about putting points on the board this season.
With the number of returning experienced running backs and the crop of talented sophomores on the field, scoring should take care of itself this season.
A year ago, the Patriots (7-3) stood at the top of the Class AA rankings in rushing yardage.
The Patriots lost senior tailback Ray Gardner, a three-year mainstay, but they return Brandon Roberts, Quinton Mason, Elisha Duncan and Jonathan Wheeler. Factor in sophomores Brad Barton, Fred Leak and Rashun Barnes and the Patriot backfield gets very crowded.
"We will use them all," Farmer said. "Hopefully we will be able to rotate them in and out of the backfield, keeping fresh legs on the field as much as possible."
What bothers Farmer as the team prepares for the Sept. 6 home opener, is the team defense.
""It all comes down to defense," Farmer, who is starting his third season at P-W, says. "We have to be able to stop people. This league (3AA) has some talented running backs and everybody is going to be good offensively. If we want to repeat last season's success or improve we have to spell success "defense."
As the team heads into the first full week of practicing together (last week Farmer had the linemen and backs on the field at different times) Farmer is hoping his Patriots will find a good routine.
"Today is the first time they will all be on the field at the same time," Farmer said. "We won't be banging heads too much because of our numbers and we are trying to stay away from getting anyone injured."
The injury bug, however, has already bitten four of Farmer's linemen -- Vince Jones, Josh Dover, Josh Hall and Chris Jones.
"A couple are working through injuries, one has some personal problems and one hasn't been released from past medical problems," Farmer said. "All four are doubtful at best for the season opener, right now, anyway. And we are not very deep when it comes to linemen."
Farmer says the low numbers don't bother him much.
"I would rather have quality players instead of 60 kids standing on the sidelines, who can't help," Farmer added.
The Patriots went through a controlled scrimmage last Friday and Farmer said it helped a lot in getting some kids in the right places on the field.
The Patriots, along with the junior high Patriots, will travel to Clarendon on Tuesday, Aug. 27, to take on the Lions in a preseason scrimmage.
The Patriots open the year when they host Des Arc on Sept. 6.
P-W has been picked to finish fourth in the revamped 10-team 3AA Conference this year.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Forrest City seventh-grade football program is scheduled to kick off the season on Saturday, Sept. 14, when West Memphis East comes to town.
That much is certain for co-head coaches Lewis Etheridge and Tommy Wheetley.
Now all that remains is to actually get the kids on the practice field.
"On Monday, we had 65 kids come out for seventh-grade football," Wheetley said. "Only 10 of those have had their physicals and if you haven't had a physical you can't participate."
Wheetley said the kids have this week to get their physicals to become eligible to play.
"We will start practice on Monday (Aug. 26)," Wheetley said. "Practice will be during eighth period (3 until 4:30 p.m.) at Lincoln."
That gives the two former high school assistant football coaches three weeks to get ready for the opener.
"We'll do our best," Wheetley said. "If we are able to line up correctly, that will be half the battle. We've got a lot to do."
This year, the seventh-grade program will be broken down into just two teams -- the Blue and the White -- rather than four separate teams as has been the case in the past.
"We will divide the kids up and when it comes time to decide which team will play the first game, I guess we will flip a coin," Wheetley added. "If the White team wins the coin flip, they will play first and then we just alternate the two teams for the rest of the season."
The seventh-grade football program has a seven-game schedule in place, for now. Six of those are home games.
The lone road game is at Wynne.
Five of the games will be played on Tuesdays while two of the games will be Saturday morning affairs.
The eighth-grade Blue and White football games will be played on the same days as the seventh grade games.
Forrest City Country Club held its Men's Club Championship Aug. 10&11. Gene Satterfield placed first in the Net (Handicapped) Division with a two-day total of 132 while Mallory Parker won the Gross Division with a two-day total of 137. Stevie Stevens won the Senior Division. Stevens placed second in the Gross while Bill Carter and Ray Daniels tied for third. Van Baker was second in the Net while Charles Freeman was third and Mark Tipton was fourth. Donnie Guthrie finished second in the senior division and Satterfield was third.
* PREP FOOTBALL
JUNIOR HIGH
Thursday, September 5
Marianna at Forrest City Blue, 7 p.m.
Forrest City White at Brinkley, 7 p.m.
Earle at Palestine-Wheatley, 6 p.m.
Thursday, September 12
WMemphis Wonder at Forrest City Blue, 7 p.m.
Forrest City White at Wynne, 7 p.m.
Cross Colunty at Palestine-Wheatley, 6 p.m.
Saturday, September 14
WM East at Forrest City 7th Grade, 9 a.m.
WM East at Forrest City 8th Blue, 10:30 a.m.