By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Both St. Francis County entries into the Class AA state football playoffs head into Friday's first-round games as underdogs.
The Hughes Blue Devils, the second-seeded team from the 3AA Conference, are three-point underdogs against Des Arc, the No. 3 seeded team from the 6AA.
The Eagles finished the season with a 7-3 overall record while Hughes ended the year at 8-2.
The first-round matchup will be played at Hughes.
"It's a brand new season now," said Hughes Coach James Wright after Friday's 37-34 loss to Marked Tree. "Everybody is 0-0 which makes everybody equal."
The Blue Devils are making their third trip to postseason under Wright, but the last time Hughes got past the first round was in 1994 under former coach Gus Malzahn. The Blue Devils went on to reach the Class AA championship game, lsoing to Lonoke 14-7.
Under Wright, the Blue Devils lost to McGehee in 1998 and lost to Pulaski Academy last year in first-round play.
The Palestine-Wheatley Patriots, making the postseason cut for the third straight year, are big underdogs against Harding Academy, Class AA's top team.
Harding has been picked by 25 points over the No. 4 seeded Patriots, who downed Salem 38-14 last Friday to clinch a playoff spot.
That game will be played at Searcy.
"We played hard against Salem and Harding is a very good football team, but I have a lot of confidence in our players," said P-W Coach Terry Farmer.
Little Rock McClellan takes the best scoring defense in Class AAAAA to Fort Smith Southside for the opening round of the playoffs Friday.
In other first-round game involving area teams, the Wynne Yellowjackets are favored over West Helena, West Memphis gets the nod over Bryant and Barton is favored over Earle.
AAAAA -- FS Southside 34, LR McClellan 21; West Memphis 28, Bryant 25; Russellville 34, El Dorado 28; Springdale 30, Lake Hamilton 20; Conway 34, FS Northside 20; Little Rock Central 23, Jonesboro 15; Texarkana 21, Cabot 17; Pine Bluff 36, Jacksonville 21.
AAAA -- Beebe 38, Crossett 24; Stuttgart 35, Vilonia 17; Hot Springs 30, Greenwood 13; Wynne 38, West Helena Central 20; Harrison 24, Pulaski Robinson 21; Alma 28, Hope 24; Magnolia 33, Clarksville 21; Sylvan Hills 28, Batesville 19.
AAA -- Pulaski Academy 41, Mayflower 27; Star City 28, Ashdown 24; Gravette 33, Greenland 20; Rivercrest 27, Yellville-Summitt 20; Nashville 24, Dumas 17; Dover 31, Central Arkansas Christian 27; Newport 35, Trumann 17; Booneville 28, Prairie Grove 14; Warren 44, Fouke 17; Clinton 27, Brinkley 21; Gosnell 28, Highland 13; Berryville 28, Waldron 21; Pulaski Oak Grove 31, Bald Knob 17; Prescott 31, Pine Bluff Dollarway 20; Ozark 35, Farmington 14; East Poinsett County 28, Pocahontas 24.
AA -- Harding Academy 42, Palestine-Wheatley 17; Dermott 20, Hampton 13; Charleston 48, Little Rock Christian 18; Bauxite 20, Dierks 17; Junction City 35, Hermitage 17; Hector 37, Pea Ridge 28; Jessieville 30, Stamps 14; Des Arc 24, Hughes 21; Rison 35, Smackover 14; Elkins 21, Arkansas Baptist 10; Marked Tree 33, Carlisle 20; Mount Ida 25, Gurdon 16; Mineral Springs 24, Mountain Pine 14; Barton 28, Earle 26; Danville 33, Lavaca 17; Bearden 24, Altheimer 21.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
WYNNE -- The Forrest City White Mustangs lost their season-opening game to Wynne Monday night, but head coach Sonny Shields saw nothing but positives from the effort.
"You have to realize, that we had several eighth-graders on the floor most of the time," Shields said. "They played hard and they have what it takes to be a good team. I'm not disappointed at all."
The Junior Jackets held off the White Mustangs 47-43, after rallying with 1:20 to play in the game.
Forrest City opened the fourth period with an 11-to-2 scoring run to take a 35-34 lead after trailing 32-24 to start the final frame.
Rylan Nimocks gave Forrest City a three-point lead at 41-38 with 2:08 to play when he dropped in a pair of free throws.
A Wynne three-pointer tied the game at 41-41 and the White Mustangs would lead just once more, at 42-41 after Wilson Parker hit one of two free throws, before Wynne would take a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
Jarvis Palmer finished with 13 to lead the White Mustangs while Travis Holloway and Larry Summage each added eight points. Nimocks finished with six and Kelson Stewart and Parker had three points each.
Wynne led 11-10 after one period and 20-14 at the half.
Tonight's game at Hughes has been cancelled. The White Mustangs won't play again until Nov. 21.
In girls' action Monday, the Forrest City eighth-grade Lady Mustangs lost 30-9, with Terrica Howard scoring six of the nine points and the varsity girls lost 46-16, paced by six points from Jasmina Morton.
Alecia Tucker led Wynne with 11 points.
The Blue Mustangs, originally scheduled to open Monday night against Hughes, will open their season Thursday when Wynne comes to Mustang Arena.
Hughes has postponed their basketball season due to the football playoffs.
*The Forrest City Mustangs and Lady Mustangs will play a preseason scrimmage tonight at Marianna.
The Lady Mustangs will tip at 6 p.m. and the Mustangs will follow at approximately 7:30 p.m.
Both teams are tentatively scheduled to open the regular season Thursday (Nov. 14), at Sylvan Hills.
The Lady Mustangs will begin play Monday (Nov. 18) at the Mount St. Mary's tournament in Little Rock while the Mustangs will play in the Chickasaw Classic at Blytheville before opening play in the Rumble on the Ridge Thanksgiving tournament.
*The Palestine-Wheatley Patriots and Lady Patriots will host Arkansas Baptist tonight at Patriot Gym at 6 p.m.
The Lady Patriots are beginning the season with a new head coach, Lanny Allen, who takes over for longtime coach Beverly Bass, who retired from coaching at the end of the 2001-02 season.
Allen will be coaching both the junior and senior high girls teams this year while Terry Clardy will coach both the junior and senior boys basketball teams.
The junior and senior girls participated in a jamboree last Saturday at Mountain View.
Despite having just 11 players, Allen is optimistic about the upcoming season.
"We have a chance to be a good ball team," Allen said. "We have just five seniors but we have some talented sophomores who showed some promise."
Tipoff for the girls' game tonight will be 6 p.m. and the senior boys will follow.
*The P-W junior boys and girls teams will open play Thursday night at the annual Wheatley Invitational Tournament.
The junior girls will play McCrory at 7:30 p.m., and the junior Patriots will play McCrory at 8:45 p.m.
The tournament will conclude on Saturday.
The 9-10-year-old Tigers completed an undefeated season by winning the Forrest City Youth Soccer Tournament, played recently at the Sports Complex. Team members are: Jared Wright, Kaitlyn Peterson, Nathan Batt, Hunter McLean, Devante Mitchell, Nick Batt and Scott Gracey. The Tigers were coached by Earl Batt, standing.
* PREP FOOTBALL
2002 HIGH SCHOOL STATE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
Class AAAAA
Friday, November 15
Bryant at West Memphis
Russellville at El Dorado
Lake Hamilton at Springdale
Jonesboro at LR Central
FS Northside at Conway
Texarkana at Cabot
Jacksonville at Pine Bluff
LR McClellan at FS Southside
Class AAAA
Vilonia at Stuttgart
Greenwood at Hot Springs
West Helena Central at Wynne
Pulaski Robinson at Harrison
Hope at Alma
Crossett at Beebe
Clarksville at Magnolia
Batesville at Sylvan Hills
Class AAA
Mayflower at Pulaski Academy
Ashdown at Star City
Greenland at Gravette
Yellville-Summit at Rivercrest
Dumas at Nashville
Central Arkansas Christian at Dover
Trumann at Newport
Prairie Grove at Booneville
Fouke at Warren
Clinton at Brinkley
Highland at Gosnell
Waldron at Berryville
Bald Knob at Pulaski Oak Grove
Dollarway at Prescott
Farmington at Ozark
East Poinsett County at Pocahontas
Class AA
Palestine-Wheatley at Harding Academy
Hampton at Dermott
LR Christian at Charleston
Bauxite at Dierks
Hermitage at Junction City
Pea Ridge at Hector
Stamps at Jessieville
Des Arc at Hughes
Smackover at Rison
Arkansas Baptist at Elkins
Carlisle at Marked Tree
Gurdon at Mount Ida
Mountain Pine at Mineral Springs
Earle at Barton
Lavaca at Danville
Altheimer at Bearden
* PREP BASKETBALL
Tuesday, November 12
Arkansas Baptist at Palestine-Wheatley
Forrest City at Marianna
Junior Boys
Wynne 47, Forrest City White 43
Junior Girls
BIC 34, Bay 26
Corning 47, Biggers-Reyno 35
CRA 42, Trumann 36
Delaplaine 41, Swifton 22
EPC 49, Cross County 18
Gosnell 29, Armorel 19
Maynard 45, Riverside 29
Pocahontas 54, Marmaduke 36
Rector 39, Piggott 35
Valley View 50, Brookland 16