Defending Class AAAA champions, Wynne, begins its quest back down the road for another state title while Marked Tree is simply looking for a little payback.
Wynne hosts Helena-West Helena Central Friday night in the first round of the playoffs and Marked Tree, winners over the Hughes Blue Devils last Friday night in a 37-34 thriller, will host Carlisle as they try to carry their No. 1 seeding from the 3AA all the way to War Memorial Stadium.
When asked if his Yellowjackets would be making the trip to Little Rock on Saturday, Dec. 14 to defend their state title, Wynne Coach Don Campbell was cautious in his reply.
"We've got a long way to go to get back to Little Rock, but right now we're playing awfully well and the kids are playing hard."
Wynne (9-1, 7-0) edged Stuttgart 34-33 to win the AAAA state championship last year and went unbeaten in the AAAA-East again this season, despite losing nearly its entire backfield and offensive line.
The Yellowjackets face a West Helena team that finished 5-4 overall and 4-3 in the AAAA-Southeast. The Cougars stopped Monticello 7-6 two weeks ago to capture the fourth playoff spot, winning two of their last three games.
The two teams battled in 1999 in the first round, with Wynne taking a 28-13 win.
After losing to Jonesboro earlier this season, Wynne reeled off eight straight victories.
Last week Wynne rallied from a touchdown down to top Batesville 21-14 on Courtney Williams' 5-yard run with 1:17 to play.
West Helena's defense has yielded just 14 points in its last three games, both those touchdowns in a 21-0 loss to Stuttgart last week.
"West Helena is very athletic. They have a good quarterback who can throw and they've just got athletes," Campbell said.
The Indians captured the 3AA-South conference title by knocking off Hughes 37-34 on Fernando Zavala's 28-yard field goal with no time left.
On the down side, the Indians are matched up against a tough 6AA conference opponent -- an opponent they saw more than enough of last season.
In the second round of last year's AA playoffs, Carlisle scored three touchdowns in the final 5:31 of the first half and went on to a 55-6 victory.
Carlisle finished 7-3 overall and 6-3 in the physical 6AA this season, edging Hazen 28-22 in the final week.
The conference, which includes AA's top ranked team most of the year in Harding Academy and last year's state champion Augusta, had five teams ranked in the AA top 10 at one time this season.
The Indians will rely on senior quarterback Sugar Ray Jones' quickness and the hard running of tailback Anquion Williams. Williams has rushed 227 times for 2,226 yards and 28 touchdowns.
Jones has gained 642 yards on the ground and thrown for seven touchdowns. Fullback Kelsey Snow is also a threat with 837 yards on the season.
Williams had 233 yards on 33 carries last week against Hughes while Jones had 92 yards on 16 carries and threw for two scores.
The Blue Devils will host Des Arc Friday in their first-round matchup. Hughes is the No. 2 seeded team from the 3AA and finished the year at 8-2.
The Blue Devils run the Single Wing and will use as many as six different backs from the offensive set.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Tuesday's scrimmage game at Marianna gave Forrest City basketball coaches Dwight Lofton and Sue Jayroe a good, long look at a lot of different players.
Tonight, the real season begins.
The Mustangs and Lady Mustangs officially open their 2002-03 season tonight when they face former AAAAA-East conference member, Sylvan Hills.
The two-game set tips at 6 p.m.
Tuesday, the Lady Mustangs won big over Marianna 63-15 while Lofton's Mustangs lost 67-61.
Senior forward Caronica Randle led the Lady Mustangs with 15 points Tuesday while Kerry Evans finished with 18 points to lead the Mustangs.
Both the Mustangs and Lady Mustangs are expected to use several talented sophomores this season.
The Mustangs are coming off a 3-21 season while the Lady Mustangs ended last year at 10-14, the best overall mark for the girls' team in six seasons.
Against Marianna, Lofton started Evans, Lonnie Spearman, Anthony Bean, Buck Braddock and Roy Lee Parker. The Lady Mustangs started Randle, Trina Wynne, Chrystal Summage, Kim Ursery and Katrina Floyd.
The Sylvan Hills Bears swept the Mustangs in two conference meetings last season while the Lady Mustangs took both victories over the Lady Bears.
Both Sylvan Hills' teams finished 11-11 a year ago and neither made the playoffs.
The Bears have dropped down into Class AAAA this season and are playing in the Southeast Conference.
The Forrest City Blue basketball teams will open the season tonight at Mustang Arena when they host Wynne.
Both the Blue Mustangs and the Blue Lady Mustangs are being coached this season by Jimmy Williams.
Tip off for tonight's three-game set is 5 p.m.
The annual Wheatley junior high invitational tournament begins today at 5 p.m.
Four games will be played with the Palestine-Wheatly junior girls set for a 7:30 tip and P-W junior boys scheduled to take the floor at 8:45 p.m.
Both PWJH teams will play McCrory.
The tournament concludes on Saturday with the consolation and championship games.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The sixth annual Forrest City Grocery/Rumble on the Ridge basketball tournament will once again be played over the Thanksgiving holiday at Mustang Arena.
The three-day tournament, which brings eight of the south's best boys' high school basketball teams to Forrest City, will begin at 3:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 28.
Four games will be played each day -- Thursday, Friday and Saturday with the medal round games set for Saturday.
Admission is $15 for a pass good for all three days or $7 a day.
The 2002 Rumble field includes the host team Forrest City, the Class AAAAA state champs, Little Rock Parkview, Barbe, La., Prentiss, Miss., McComb, Miss., Ouachita, La., Bartlett, Tenn. and Callaway, Miss.
All eight teams will be in town Wednesday for the annual team banquet which, this year, is open to the public.
Tickets are $10 and Arkansas State University head basketball Coach Dickey Nutt will be the guest speaker.
The banquet begins at 6:30 p.m., at the Forrest City Civic Center.
From there, the teams will move to Mustang Arena for the second annual "3-Point Shootout" and the "Slam-Dunk Contest" tentatively set to begin around 8 p.m.
Admission to the event at Mustang Arena is $1 per person and the proceeds from the banquet and the contests will benefit the Forrest City Chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Prior to the shootout and the slam-dunk contest, the teams will be introduced during the "Parade of Teams."
Barbe and Prentiss will open the Rumble on Thursday at 3:30 p.m.
Forrest City will play Ouachita at 6:30 p.m.
Forrest City Cross Country team traveled to the State Meet held last Saturday at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs. Overall, the Forrest City Lady Mustangs finished 17th. Krystal Long led the Forrest City individual times, finishing 124th with a time of 22:31. Long's finish was 13 places better than last year's finish. Betsy Stone finished 126th in a time of 22:41 while Tasha Batt was 134th in 23:35; Leigh Anna Taylor 136th in 23:55 and Randal Ross finished 139th in 25:36.
* PREP BASKETBALL
High School
Thursday, November 14
Forrest City at Sylvan Hills, 6 p.m.
(Sr. Girls, Sr. Boys)
Junior High
Thursday, November 14
Wynne at Forrest City Blue, 5 p.m.
Wheatley Invitational Tournament at Wheatley Junior High
Thursday, November 14
Brinkley vs Cross County, 5 p.m. (JGirls)
Brinkley vs Humphrey, 6:15 p.m. (JBoys)
P-W vs McCrory, 7:30 p.m. (JGirls)
P-W vs McCrory, 8:45 p.m. (JBoys)