By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Hughes football coach James Wright is settling in for his fifth season with the Blue Devils.
He is facing a couple of firsts with his Hughes team this season -- the first of those firsts being the schools move down from Class AAA to Class AA.
Ironically, it was just before Wright's first season with the Blue Devils (1998) that the school moved from AA up to AAA.
Hughes joins the 3AA Conference this season to form a 10-team conference with Marked Tree, Salem, Palestine-Wheatley, Earle, Rector, Walnut Ridge, Turrell, Parkin and Cross County.
The second of Wright's firsts this year is that his Blue Devils are the preseason pick to win the 3AA Conference.
Wright admitted he was surprised by the selection but has his own explanation.
"Probably that is a result of the school moving down from he AAA ranks," Wright said. "I'm not sure if that is the correct theory but it is the one I'm sticking to right now."
Wright says the 3AA league looks like a good fit for his Blue Devils -- 5-5 a year ago and a tie for third in the 6AAA.
"Looking at it on paper, the 3AA looks like a good schedule for us," Wright said. "It gives us a chance to see some new faces and face some new challenges."
One of Hughes new challenges will come from the Palestine-Wheatley Patriots, who made the move into the 3AA two season's back.
The Patriots and Blue Devils have faced each other several times on the basketball court, but never on the football field.
That is another first for the Blue Devils and that matchup will happen on October 11 at Blue Devil Stadium.
"I think Palestine-Wheatley could be a good rivalry for us," Wright said. "and I think they are going to be good football team."
Wright will suit up eight seniors this season -- up from only three a year ago.
The Blue Devils started summer drills on Monday with about 30 players taking part.
"We will stay with single practice sessions this week." Wright said, "And then we will go twice a day next week."
The Blue Devils will open the season on Sept. 6 against Barton, a team Wright has beaten twice in the past four seasons.
Turrell is playing its first full season of varsity football since 1997.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Robert Davis is headed to Conway.
Davis, simply referred to as "R.D." will play basketball for Central Baptist Community College in Conway. Davis, a 2002 graduate of Hughes High School, helped lead the Blue Devils to the Class AAA state basketball title in 2001.
He was named the regional tournament's most valuable player that year and scored 17 points in Hughes win over Clarksville in the state championship game.
Davis began playing basketball at Hughes as a seventh-grader for former coach Wes Swift and finished his career this past season under coach Brad Brannen.
"I'm happy that R.D. is getting this chance to play college ball," Brannen said. "He was never very vocal during practice or in the dressing room. . . but he was a quiet leader for us on the floor."
Former Hughes basketball coach and athletic director Charlie Patrick called Davis "a one-of-a-kind player and student."
"I'd take a thousand kids like R.D.," Patrick said. "Not only is R.D. a talented athlete, he excelled in the classroom as well. As a person and as an athlete he has represented Hughes well. I'm happy that he is getting this chance to play at the next level."
Davis graduated from Hughes with a GPA between 3.5 and 4.0, according to Brannen.
During his three years with the senior Blue Devils, Davis was a part of 78 victories and only 17 losses.
He was named All-Conference and All-State during his senior season in which he averaged close to 21 point per game.
Davis also played football at Hughes, but said he will concentrate on basketball at college.
Jonesboro's Southside Complex will be the site for the TMS Movin' On Up girls' softball tournament on Saturday, Aug. 17.
The tournament will have two divisions -- a slow-pitch bracket for 8-under through 14-under teams and a fast-pitch bracket for 10-under through 16-under teams.
Interested teams have until Aug. 14 to enter the tournament.
For more information, call Garry Turman at (870) 243-3903 or (870) 972-0566.
nThe Red, White and Blue men's and women's softball tournament will be held Saturday, Aug. 10, at the Forrest City Sports Complex.
Entry fee is $120 per team.
For more information, contact Debra Ford, Sharon Johnson or Jennifer King at 633-3434.
The tournament is being sponsored by the Forrest City Police and Fire Departments.
* PREP FOOTBALL
High School
Forrest City Mustangs
Sept. 6 at Wynne
Sept. 13 Marianna
Sept. 20 Osceola
Sept. 27 at Jonesboro*
Oct. 4 Searcy*
Oct. 11 at Cabot*
Oct. 18 Blytheville*
Oct. 25 Jacksonville*
Nov. 1 at Mountain Home*
Nov. 8 at West Memphis*
Palestine-Wheatley Patriots
Sept. 6 Des Arc
Sept. 13 at Earle*
Sept. 20 at Cross County*
Sept. 27 Rector*
Oct. 4 Walnut Ridge*
Oct. 11 at Hughes*
Oct. 18 Turrell*
Oct. 25 at Parkin*
Nov. 1 Marked Tree*
Nov. 8 at Salem*
Hughes Blue Devils
Sept. 6 at Barton
Sept. 13 Walnut Ridge*
Sept. 20 at Rector*
Sept. 27 Cross County*
Oct. 4 at Salem*
Oct. 11 Palestine-Wheatley*
Oct. 18 Parkin*
Oct. 25 at Earle*
Nov. 1 Turrell*
Nov. 8 at Marked Tree*
*Conference Game