By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Forrest City peaked too early Tuesday in their AAAAA-East Conference game against Jacksonville.
The Red Devils made them pay.
With just a little more than five minutes left in the game, played at Mustang Arena, Forrest City had a 10-point lead at 46-36.
Jacksonville turned five conventional three-point plays over the final five minutes, outscoring the Mustangs 24-to-13 and survived a last-second shot to escape with a 60-59 victory, keeping Forrest City winless in the league at 0-5.
"I knew there was too much time left when we went up by 10," said Forrest City Coach Dwight Lofton. "We knew Jacksonville would make a run, it was just a matter if we could hold them."
Forrest City might have, had it not been for the fact that the Mustangs two big men -- Buck Braddock and Nate Britt were both on the bench after collecting their fifth personal fouls.
But with Nate Williamson and Vince Millen forced to play the middle against Jacksonville center, Mike Smith, the Mustangs found themselves at a distinct disadvantage.
Still, Forrest City led by six with 4:15 to play and by seven with 3:02 left before Jacksonville used a three-point play from Smith to get within 52-48 and a long-range three-pointer from Brandon Nelson to make it a one-point game at 52-51 with 2:20 to play.
Mike Smith's turn-around jumper and free throw completed Jacksonville's comeback, giving the Red Devils a 54-52 lead with 1:27 to play.
The Mustangs had a chance to force overtime, trailing 60-57 with 10 seconds to play, but Williamson's final shot was from inside the three-point arc, which left the Mustangs a point shy.
"We needed a three at the end," Lofton said, "And Nate did all he could do, but by the time he got the ball from Vince (Millen) he had nowhere to go except to shoot it and it was only a two."
The Mustangs slip to 2-13 overall for the year and extend their losing streak to eight straight games. Forrest City is 0-5 in the league.
Jacksonville improves to 5-10 for the year and 2-3 in the conference.
John Foreman led the Mustangs with 15 points while Millen added 11, the only two Forrest City players in double figures. Williamson and Braddock both finished with nine points while Britt added six.
Sophomore Mike Smith led Jacksonville with 23 points while guard Nick Smith finished with 22. The two combined to sink 19-of-32 free throws. Nelson added seven for the Red Devils.
Forrest City led 13-12 after one period and 26-21 at the half before giving up a 10-to-2 run by Jacksonville to open the third period.
That gave Jacksonville a 31-28 lead. The two teams ended the third locked in a 35-35 tie.
The Mustangs regained the lead in the fourth until Jacksonville began their run.
The Mustangs will travel to Cabot on Friday for a conference matchup against the Panthers, losers to Little Rock Mills Tuesday night.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Jacksonville shut down Forrest City's second-leading scorer -- Caronica Randle, holding the junior to just eight points -- which helped lead the Lady Red Devils to a 55-48 win at Mustang Arena.
The Lady Mustangs, after winning their first conference games, have now lost three in a row and stand at 6-9 overall and 2-3 in the AAAAA-East conference. Jacksonville improves to 13-3 and 4-1 in the league.
"Jacksonville beat us on the baseline tonight just like West Memphis did last Friday," Forrest City Coach Sue Jayroe said. "That was our fault. We are not responding to those situations like we should be. The girls have worked hard. The wins just aren't coming. We've got to turn things around starting Friday, if we have any intentions of making the state tournament cut."
Jacksonville placed three in double figures, led by Kenisha Dokes and Rachel Townsend with 12 points each and Brandi Rodgers with 10.
"We were a lot more balanced on offense tonight than we have been," said Jacksonville Coach Tanya Ganey. "Everybody picks up a few points here and there and our depth has been our strength all year long, especially our guards."
Forrest City senior Deosha Agnew led all scorers, finishing with 18 points, all from the floor. Agnew shot 50 percent for the game and grabbed 12 rebounds.
With Jacksonville's defense sagging on Randle, sophomore Trina Wynne stepped up to score 14 points and had three rebounds, four steals and two assists. Erika Haggans finished with five points.
"We wanted to watch Agnew and Randle and I guess we concentrated more on Randle," Ganey said. "Agnew got her points, and we let their sophomore (Wynne) loose too many times."
But the most telling stat was Forrest City's 25 turnovers -- five more than the total against West Memphis.
Jacksonville led 15-11 after the first period and 30-18 at the half.
The Lady Mustangs were down by 11 to start the final frame, which saw the Lady Red Devils score the first six points to take a 47-30 lead.
Forrest City cut the lead to 10 four times in the final five minutes and had it to nine, 55-46, with 23 seconds to play after Agnew's three-point play.
"They beat us on the transition and they beat us with second and third shots," Jayroe said.
The Lady Mustangs will travel to Cabot Friday.
Cabot defeated Little Rock Mills Tuesday 71-30.
Jacksonville plays at Sylvan Hills, who lost to West Memphis 72-45 Tuesday night.
*Brittany Goings scored 16 points to lead Cabot over Little Rock Mills 71-30 in AAAAA-East play.
Glynn Ferguson added 11 points for Cabot.
*Tamika Butler exploded for 30 points leading the Marianna Lady Trojans (8-8, 4-3) past the North Pulaski Lady Falcons (4-12, 0-5) in Marianna.
*Melanie Pierce scored 14 points and West Memphis improved to 16-2 and 5-1 AAAAA-East, with a 73-45 win over Sylvan Hills (9-3, 2-2).
Tamala Turner added 11 points and Ashley Stinson had 10 for West Memphis. Courtney Brown scored 10 points to pace Sylvan Hills, while April Harris added nine.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
WEST MEMPHIS -- West Memphis East broke free for a last-second layup to down the Hughes Junior Blue Devils 47-45 Tuesday.
East led by as many as 10 points most of the game, before Hughes tied the game at 45-45. Following a wild shot by Hughes, East went down and got the point-blank layup for the win. David Dowden led Hughes with 26 points while Marcus Washington added 11.
*The East junior girls took a 53-25 win over the Hughes Junior Lady Devils.
Marley Lemons had 10 points for Hughes.
Hughes will host DeWitt Friday night in a 6AAA Conference game.
The senior Blue Devils are coming off a 70-56 win over Brinkley on Friday and stand at 16-5 overall and 6-1 in the league.
"We control our own destiny in the league," said Hughes Coach Brad Brannen. "We have five conference games left and play three of those at home. The last two, Lonoke here and Dollarway on the road, will be the big two for us. If we can go to Dollarway and beat them on their floor, we've got the league. Bottom line, we have to win out."
Hughes already owns one victory over Dollarway this season.
*William Shorter's 36 points was more than enough to push Pine Bluff Dollarway past Dumas 73-66.
Dollarway stands at 13-5 overall and 7-1 in the 6AAA.
Dumas falls to 10-5 and 5-3.
Chris Evans added 15 for Dollarway. Rod Tatum scored 19 to lead Dumas while Melvin Jackson 16 and Marlon Hill 10 for Dumas.
*Skippy Norman scored 20 points leading the Jackrabbits (10-10, 5-2) over the England Lions 67-32.
Jeremy McClain added 14 for Lonoke.
Detrick Mays scored 10 for England.
The senior Lady Blue Devils defeated Brinkley last Friday 49-43, using 15 points from Tisha James and 10 points from Victoria Doolittle.
*Channing Gordon poured in 21 points and Laquita Collins had 20 to lift Pine Bluff Dollarway past Dumas 65-60 in girls' 6AAA play Tuesday.
Dollarway improves to 14-7 and 7-1 6AAA while Dumas slips to 10-4 and 6-2). Kim Matthews added 17 points for Dollarway.
*Lonoke's Tommie Reddick scored 17 points and Jenna Estes added 16 points to lead Lonoke to a 57-29 win over England Tuesday night.
Lonoke improves to 13-8 and 5-3 in the 6AAA conference.
Dede Harper had 19 points to lead England, which was outscored 41-15 in the second and third quarters.
The 6AAA district tournament will be played at Lonoke again this season.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Palestine-Wheatley Lady Patriots evened their season record at 10-10 Tuesday night to reach the .500 mark for the first time since starting the season at 2-2.
At Patriot Gym, Nikki Bass poured in 21 points and Libby Martin added eight as the Lady Patriots downed the Lady Wolves 57-24.
The Lady Pats stand at 6-1 in the conference.
Last Friday, in a nonconference matchup against DeValls Bluff, Bass scored 22 while Martin added 16 and Brittney Flenory chipped in 15 in a 65-57 win.
Jasmine Bonds led the Lady Scrappers with 15 points.
P-W led 42-27 at the half.
The P-W Junior Patriots picked up a win over Gillett as well.
P-W ends a four-game home stand Friday when they host Marvell.
In other games Tuesday, the Altheimer boys' and girls' teams defeated Clarendon.
The Forrest City youth baseball and softball leagues will start registration for the upcoming summer program on Jan. 28. The sign-ups will continue through March 4.
Youth baseball and softball fees are $15 for youths living inside the city limits and $25 for those living outside the city limits.
Registration for the adult men and women's softball league also begins Jan. 28 and runs through April 1.
Adult fees are $150 per team plus $10 for each player living outside Forrest City.
For more information, call the Parks and Recreation Department at 633-3667.
* PREP BASKETBALL
High School Boys
AAAAA-CENTRAL
Conway 60, LR Hall 48
LR Central 78, Mountain Home 52
LR McClellan 57, NLR 49
LR Parkview 38, LR Catholic 35
AAAAA-EAST
Jacksonville 60, Forrest City 59
Jonesboro 43, Blytheville 38
Mills 74, Cabot 38
West Memphis 80, Sylvan Hills 59
AAAAA-SOUTH
Pine Bluff 60, Benton 48
Bryant 52, Camden Fairview 50
AAAAA-WEST
Fayetteville 45, Springdale 43
FS Southside 46, FS Northside 40
AAAA-EAST
Nettleton 70, Greene Co. Tech 54
Osceola 81, Batesville 41
Wynne 61, Paragould 43
AAAA-SOUTHEAST
Helena-West Helena 58, Stuttgart 53
North Pulaski 70, Marianna 63
White Hall 54, Monticello 42
AAAA-SOUTHWEST
Arkadelphia 56, Hope 55
LR Fair 56, HS Lakeside 48
2AAA
Bald Knob 57, Mountain View 40
Cave City 90, Southside Batesville 59
3AAA-North
Pocahontas 75, Jonesboro Westside 50
5AAA
Beebe 68, CAC 50
Pulaski Academy 72, Lamar 36
Pulaski Oak Grove 73, Perryville 53
6AAA
Brinkley 51, DeWitt 33
Dollarway 73, Dumas 66
Lonoke 67, England 32
2AA-South
Augusta 57, Carlisle 43
McCrory 80, DeValls Bluff 66
3AA-North
Riverside 57, Buffalo Island 56
Marmaduke 74, Walnut Ridge 52
3AA-South
Turrell 89, Marked Tree 65
6AA
Altheimer 64, Clarendon 39
High School Girls
AAAAA-CENTRAL
Conway 83, LR Hall 44
LR McClellan 57, NLR 25
LR Parkview 41, Mount St. Mary 38
Mountain Home 79, LR Central 40
AAAAA-EAST
Cabot 71, LR Mills 30
Jacksonville 55, Forrest City 48
Jonesboro 59, Blytheville 53
West Memphis 72, Sylvan Hills 45
AAAAA-SOUTH
Bryant 61, Camden Fairview 56
Lake Hamilton 67, El Dorado 50
Sheridan 62, Texarkana 24
AAAAA-WEST
FS Northside 54, FS Southside 30
Springdale 66, Fayetteville 53, OT
AAAA-EAST
Nettleton 45, Greene Co. Tech 42
Osceola 55, Batesville 39
Paragould 46, Wynne 37
AAAA-SOUTHEAST
Helena-West Helena 42, Stuttgart 31
Marianna 46, North Pulaski 33
Watson Chapel 73, Crossett 29
White Hall 61, Monticello 29
AAAA-SOUTHWEST
LR Fair 62, HS Lakeside 44
AAAA-WEST
Vilonia 47, Greenbrier 35
6AAA
DeWitt 51, Brinkley 31
Dollarway 65, Dumas 60
Lonoke 57, England 29
2AA-South
Carlisle 61, Augusta 30
6AA
Altheimer 65, Clarendon 46
Palestine-Wheatley 57, Gillett 24