By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Forrest City Mustang football players taking part in off-season drills probably feel like they are being watched.
That's because they are -- very carefully.
From the minute the players step onto the practice floor for warm-ups until the time they run their last offensive or defensive drill, they are not only being watched, but they are being evaluated, scrutinized and graded -- on everything they do.
For those who work hard each time out, the rewards will come every six weeks in the form of a "Code Blue" Mustang t-shirt.
"We are looking for those kids who are going hard in each drill during off-season," said Forrest City Coach Donnie Willis. "We want to reward those players who are working hard, so we sat down and created a reward program for those kids in the form of a t-shirt which reads 'Mustang Pride' on the front and on the back lists the four things we want the kids to do all the time -- 'Be Prepared, Play Hard, Max Speed and Finish.'"
The program is basic and simple.
Each player is evaluated every six weeks by the Forrest City coaching staff. Each coach makes his own evaluation in each of the off-season drills -- from the floor exercises to lifting weights to agility drills to running plays.
In order for a player to earn a Code Blue t-shirt, all of the coaches must be unanimous in their evaluation of his performance.
"If all but one of the coaches agree, but the remaining one doesn't, then no t-shirt for that kid," Willis said. "We are asking each kid out here to do those four things listed on the back of the shirt. Especially finish."
Wednesday the Mustang coaching staff handed out the first seven shirts.
"They don't know who's getting the shirts until we call their name," Willis said. "It's our way of letting them know we are watching them and that their hard work is paying off."
The biggest surprise when the names were announced was that there was only one senior in the first seven -- Antonio Patillo, starting noseguard for the team last season.
Patillo was joined by juniors Andrew Embree, Tyrone Lewis, Terrance Cook, Justin Jones, Lee Machen and Terrance Williams.
The seven will wear the t-shirts as part of the practice dress code.
That is, if they can keep the t-shirts.
The kicker to the program is that the hard work ethic doesn't end once a player is rewarded with a shirt.
"The shirt may be taken back at any time by any of the coaches, should the player fall from grace by slowing down or decide not to work as hard as he had before he got the shirt," Willis said. "The shirt is on loan. Not only do they have to earn it, they have to work hard to keep it. This develops character and pride."
Willis said there are about 85 kids, including ninth-graders, working in off-season.
"I expect that number will increase some when we pick up those who are playing basketball," Willis added.
Willis said, besides the seven who earned the t-shirts, several other kids have already shown improvement in many areas.
"That's what we're looking for," Willis said.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The curse is broken.
Last week, following a 52-51 overtime loss to Forrest City Blue, White Mustangs' Coach Sonny Shields muttered that he "must be cursed, when it comes to winning a basketball game."
Shields, in his first season at Forrest City, can breathe a little easier.
His White Mustangs played their second consecutive overtime game Thursday but this time the results were more pleasing to Shields -- a 44-38 win over Jonesboro Annie Camp at Mustang Arena.
Forrest City led 31-18 to start the fourth period, after outscoring Annie Camp 17-to-2 in the third. But Jonesboro roared back for 20 points in the final period to force a 38-38 tie at the end of regulation.
The White Mustangs scored six points in the overtime period, four points of that total free throws by Taurus Moore and held Annie Camp scoreless to complete the winning effort.
Cameron Henderson led Forrest City with 15 points while Ben Horton nailed three, threes to finish with nine points. Moore ended with 10 points and Nick Grady added six, all in the third period.
Lesley Anderson led Annie Camp with 23 points.
The White Mustangs are 1-12 for the year and 1-10 in the conference with three games to play in regular season.
*The Forrest City Blue Mustangs fell to 4-9 for the year losing to Jonesboro MacArthur Thursday night 54-41.
MacArthur used a 16-to-9 run in the third period to break open close game. The Blue Mustangs led 11-10 after one period but trailed 29-27 at the half.
"The third period has been our downfall all season," said Blue Coach Jimmy Williams. "We play well in the first half but it seems like we just go flat in the third, just like we did tonight."
Sherman Allen and LaCody Braddock each scored eight points for Forrest City.
Ryan Williams led MacArthur with 22 points to keep Jonesboro undefeated on the year at 15-0 overall and 11-0 in the AAAAA-East.
The Forrest City White Lady Mustangs suffered a 33-32 overtime loss to Jonesboro Annie Camp at Mustang Arena.
Annie Camp led 17-12 at the half and 22-17 after the third period, before the White Lady Mustangs battled back to outscore Annie Camp 13-to-8 in the fourth period to force a 330-30 tie.
Annie Camp got a field goal and one free throw in the overtime to get the win holding Forrest City to just two free throws by Shari Rogers.
Sequoria Grady led Forrest City with 13 points, including a pair of three-pointers, while Rogers added 10 points. Viveca Kimble finished with five and Nicole Parker had four.
Forrest City slips to 9-7 overall and 5-6 in the league with three games remaining.
*Jonesboro MacArthur used 18 points from Talya Haskins to take a 38-18 win over Forrest City Blue Thursday night.
MacArthur improves to 10-5 overall while the Blue Lady Mustangs fall to 1-12 for the year and 1-10 in the conference.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Call it what you want. While some hold to the truth that midseason is the wrong time to place a coach on the proverbial carpet, in the case of Cabot Lady Panthers' coach Skip Sanford, it may just be a shot in the arm.
However, Forrest City Lady Mustang Coach Sue Jayroe is hoping the shot isn't an instant cure-all for Cabot.
Jayroe's Lady Mustangs, mired in a three-game conference losing streak, take the floor against Sanford's Lady Panthers tonight at Cabot.
Sanford's coaching abilities were the subject of a recent meeting between Cabot Athletic Director Johnny White and several Cabot parents. White downplayed the meeting and insisted Sanford has the administration's full support, even though it has been suggested that the parents are wanting a coaching change.
The Lady Panthers started the season 7-2, but then hit a 2-7 slump.
After a 60-54 loss at Jacksonville last Friday, Cabot defeated Little Rock Mills 71-30 Tuesday and stand at 22-4 in the AAAAA-East.
The Lady Mustangs started 0-4 but then rebounded to win six of their next 11 games, including a 2-0 start in the conference, before falling to 2-3 in the league following losses to Jonesboro, West Memphis and Jacksonville, the first, second and third-place teams in the conference.
The Lady Panthers, accustomed to being in the top four in the league each and every season, are expected to start three juniors and two sophomores. Sanford has only two seniors on the team.
Jayroe will start two sophomores, two juniors and one senior tonight.
One of those sophomores, Gabrielle Agnew, sister of senior forward Deosha Agnew, gets the start in place of Katrina Floyd, who will be used off the bench. Sophomore point guard Crystal Summage is out indefinitely with recurring knee problems.
Jayroe knows tonight is the night for her Lady Mustangs to put an end to their recent three-game woes.
"If we're serious about making the state tournament cut, we have to get a win tonight," Jayroe said.
She also believes the recent events surrounding the Cabot team could be either detrimental to the team or work in their favor. "You never know how these things play out," Jayroe said recently.
Jonesboro leads the girls' side of the East at 4-0 while West Memphis is second at 5-1 and Jacksonville is sitting in third place at 4-1.
Jonesboro and West Memphis are both ranked in the top five in the state and will meet Tuesday at West Memphis.
Sylvan Hills, a team the Lady Mustangs defeated earlier, is in fourth at 2-2 but must face Jacksonville tonight.
A Sylvan Hills loss coupled with a Forrest City victory could get the Lady Mustangs back into the fourth spot in the league.
A loss to Cabot could drop the Lady Mustangs from fifth to sixth.
Tonight's two-game set begins at 6 p.m.
In other area games tonight, the Palestine-Wheatley teams will host Marvell in 6AA Conference action beginning at 5 p.m. and the Hughes teams will host DeWitt in 6AAA Conference play beginning at 5 p.m.
* PREP BASKETBALL
Junior High School Boys
Thursday's Scores
Forrest City White 44, JB Annie Camp 38 OT
JB MacArthur 54, Forrest City Blue 41
Junior High School Girls
Thursday's Scores
JB Annie Camp 33, Forrest City White 32 OT
JB MacArthur 38, Forrest City Blue 18
Monday, January 28
West Memphis West at Forrest City Blue
Forrest City White at West Memphis East
High School
Friday, January 25
Forrest City at Cabot
Marvell at Palestine-Wheatley
DeWitt at Hughes
West Memphis at Blytheville
Jacksonville at Sylvan Hills
Jonesboro at LR Mills
Brinkley at Dumas
PB Dollarway at England
Clarendon at Elaine