By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Forrest City Mustangs need a win tonight against the Blytheville Chicks.
Mustang Coach Dwight Lofton knows his team will have their work cut out for them against the Chicks, 60-55 winners over Jacksonville in their AAAAA-East conference opener last Friday.
The Mustangs lost at home to Sylvan Hills.
The three-game set tonight begins at 5 p.m., when the junior varsity boys tip.
That game will be followed by the senior girls game.
The Lady Mustangs are 1-0 in the league following their 20-point win over Sylvan Hills on Friday. It was the team's first conference-opening victory since 1994.
"We need to keep it going tonight," said Coach Sue Jayroe. "The girls are playing well. We have a couple with minor injuries that concerns me a little, but we are working through that the best we can."
The Blytheville girls lost their opener last Friday to Jacksonville.
Lofton would like to see his Mustangs (2-9) come out of their first three games at 2-1. That means they have to win tonight and at Jonesboro Friday.
Blytheville Coach David Hixson said it is imperative for his team to win two out of their first four.
Against Jacksonville Blytheville (5-8) shot 75 percent from the field and 65 percent from the floor.
The Chicks were led by Travian Smith and Michael Diggs.
The Mustangs received some new life-blood last Friday from Anthony Bean, playing his first game since becoming eligible. Bean came off the bench to lead the Mustangs with 14 points, prompting Lofton to say that Bean will get a start tonight.
The Mustangs, who trailed by more than 20 points against the Bears in the second half, cut the deficit to just nine points by game's end.
"That was because of the play of our younger players," Lofton said. "We need that same effort again tonight."
The Mustang JV team lost to Little Rock Central Saturday morning, which Lofton said was used to get the younger Mustangs some added playing time.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Forrest City Blue Mustangs improved to 3-6 for the year Monday by turning back Jonesboro Annie Camp 38-24 in junior high conference action at Mustang Arena.
The victory ended a three-game losing slide by the Blue Mustangs.
Both teams were sluggish in first half. Forrest City led 4-2 after one period and 11-5 at the half.
The Blue Mustangs found their range in the third period outscoring Annie Camp 12-to-7 to lead 23-12 to start the fourth period.
The Blue Mustangs will host West Memphis East Thursday night at Mustang Arena.
*Meanwhile, the Jonesboro MacArthur junior boys remained unbeaten for the year by taking a 50-40 win over Forrest City White at Jonesboro.
MacArthur moves to 11-0 overall and 7-0 in AAAAA-East play.
The White Mustangs fall to 0-9 overall and 0-7 in the league.
MacArthur led 13-5 after the first period but found themselves trailing 24-20 at the half after the White Mustangs used a 19-to-7 run in the second period to take the lead.
Just as quickly, MacArthur regrouped to regain the advantage 34-26 after three periods.
MacArthur won the eighth-grade game 36-30.
The White Mustangs will make their third straight road trip Thursday when they travel to West Memphis West.
The Forrest City White Lady Mustangs lost for the third time in their last four games Monday, dropping an overtime thriller to Jonesboro MacArthur 38-36.
Forrest City slips to 7-5 for the year and 3-4 in the league.
MacArthur led 13-8 after the first period and 19-14 at the half.
Forrest City got within 24-21 after the third period and tied the game at 32-32 sending it into overtime.
MacArthur outscored the White Lady Mustangs 6-4 in the extra period to take the win.
The White Lady Mustangs were coming off a 36-27 win over West Memphis Wonder last Thursday.
*The Blue Lady Mustangs remained winless for the year Monday falling to Jonesboro Annie Camp 40-14.
Annie Camp improves to 10-2 overall.
Forrest City Blue fell behind 10-9 after one period and 24-12 at the half.
The Blue Lady Mustangs did not score in the final period.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
After a lengthy layoff the Hughes Blue Devils, ranked second in Class AAA, will return to the floor and to the 6AAA Conference wars tonight at England.
It's a three-game set beginning at 5 p.m., when the Junior Blue Devils tip.
"I don't know much about England," said Hughes Coach Brad Brannen. "They have some size and they probably will play a lot of zone."
Brannen said that even though his Blue Devils won the AAA division at the recently-played Northeast Arkansas Invitational Tournament in Jonesboro, the team's overall shooting effort left quite a bit to be desired.
"At the NEA, we probably shot less than 40 percent from the field as a team," Brannen said. "We did okay from the foul line, but from the floor, it wasn't pretty."
Brannen said that will have to change especially with big conference games looming on the horizon against Lonoke (Friday) and Pine Bluff Dollarway (next Tuesday).
Meanwhile, the Palestine-Wheatley Patriots and Lady Patriots will host Barton tonight at Patriot Gym.
Tonight's three-game set starts at 5 p.m. when the junior boys take the floor.
* PREP BASKETBALL
Junior High Boys
Monday's Scores
JBoro MacArthur 50, FCity White 40
FCity Blue 38, JBoro Annie Camp 24
Highland 53, Brookland 25
JBoro Westside 53, Hoxie 48
Junior High Girls
Monday's Scores
JBoro MacArthur 38, FCity White 36 OT
JBoro Annie Camp 40, FCity Blue 14
Rivercrest 66, Trumann 31
Valley View 60, Gosnell 27
Walnut Ridge 29, BIC 27
High School Boys
Monday's Scores
LR Catholic 53, LR McClellan 47
LR Hall 57, LR Parkview 54
East Poinsett County 68, Gosnell 50
Tuesday, January 8
AAAAA-Central
LR Central at NLR
LR McClellan at Conway
LR Parkview at Mountain Home
AAAAA-South
Benton at Sheridan
El Dorado at Texarkana
AAAAA-West
Bentonville at Fayetteville
Rogers at Springdale (boys)
Van Buren at FS Northside
AAAA-East
Wynne at Marion
AAAA-Southeast
Marianna at West Helena
Monticello at Crossett
North Pulaski at Watson Chapel
White Hall at Stuttgart
3AAA-North
Highland at Brookland
Pocahontas at Corning (girls)
3AAA-South
Harrisburg at Trumann (boys)
Manila at Rivercrest (boys)
6AAA
Dumas at DeWitt
Hughes at England
Lonoke at Brinkley
2AA-South
Des Arc at Augusta
Harding Academy at DeValls Bluff
McCrory at Carlisle
3AA-South
Earle at Crawfordsville
Marked Tree at Cross County
Parkin at Turrell
6AA
Barton at Palestine-Wheatley
Clarendon at Gillett
Elaine at Altheimer