By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
LITTLE ROCK -- Monday night, Forrest City's Caronica Randle was the pride of the AAAAA-East basketball conference.
Randle, a senior-to-be for the Lady Mustangs next season, was the only player from the AAAAA-East to be named to the first-ever Arkansas Prep Hoops "Future Stars Team," comprised of sophomores and juniors from all classifications across the state.
The 10-member team was named Monday night at the "Night of Champions" banquet held at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock.
More than 140 high school basketball players -- boys and girls -- were honored for their athletic and academic achievements during the just-completed prep basketball season.
Randle, a 5-10 forward, was the Lady Mustangs' second-leading scorer during the season, finishing with 344 points and a 15.6 per game average. Randle had 26 assists, 40 steals and 23 blocked shots during the season to go along with 5.5 rebounds per game. Randle has a 4.0 grade point average. Her season-high scoring effort was 30 in the Mount St. Mary's Heavenly Hoopfest Tournament.
Randle became eligible for the Future Stars Team when she was named the Class AAAAA Player of the Week for Week 4 of the season.
The boys and girls players of the week were chosen from each of the five classifications for each of the 13 weeks based on criteria submitted by their coaches and sportswriters.
She received plaques for being named Player of the Week and for being named to the Future Stars Team.
Randle was accompanied by her parents, L.C. and Doris Randle of Forrest City and Lady Mustang Coach Sue Jayroe.
In addition to the girls' Future Stars Team, a boys' Future Stars team was named and included Turrell's Phillip Lockhart.
The All-Arkansas Boys and Girls teams were named and included 10 athletes on each team.
Fort Smith Northside senior Tamika Kursh and Smackover senior Jonathan Modica were named Ms. and Mr. Basketball while Northside girls' coach Rickey Smith and Poyen boys' coach Gary Shoptaw were named the two Coaches of the Year.
UALR Head Basketball Coach Porter Moser was the keynote speaker. ASU basketball coach Dickey Nutt spoke as did Mike Neighbors, of Greenwood, who is now an assistant coach at the University of Tulsa.
Ray Tucker, former television sportscaster, served as the Master of Ceremonies.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
HUMPHREY -- The Palestine-Wheatley Lady Patriots ran their season record to 3-1 Monday with a 13-1 win over Humphrey in fast-pitch softball.
The Lady Patriots, playing for the first time since March 14, scored two runs each in the first, second and third innings and then ended the game by scoring seven runs in the fourth inning.
Marla Gardner led the Lady Patriots by scoring three runs on two walks and a single while Natalie Halbert added two runs. Nikki Bass, Libby Martin, Jenny Loewer, Andrea Cooper, Beth Varvil and Ashley McGraw all added runs for P-W as well.
"Most of our runs came from walks," said P-W Coach Beverly Bass. "Their (Humphrey) pitcher threw fast but she was wild. So we took advantage of that to put runners on."
The Lady Patriots' scheduled home game today against Woodlawn has been cancelled due to the heavy rains that moved through the area Monday night.
"I've been told that Woodlawn has three quality pitchers," Bass said. "So, maybe we fortunate to have this rain out to give us a couple of more days to get ready. I really feel like Woodlawn and Gillett will be the two front-runners in the conference. They seem to have the most experienced pitching."
Palestine-Wheatley is in its first season of fast-pitch softball.
"We are still making adjustments to the game," Bass said.
As of press time, The Palestine-Wheatley Patriot baseball game, scheduled at Des Arc, was still set to be played today, beginning at 4 p.m.
* PREP SPORTS
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
Tuesday, March 26
Palestine-Wheatley at Des Arc, 4 p.m.
GIRLS FAST-PITCH SOFTBALL
Monday's Score
Palestine-Wheatley 13, Humphrey 1
Tuesday, March 26
Woodlawn at Palestine-Wheatley - Rain Out