The Forrest City Mustangs can accomplish three things tonight with a season-ending victory over AAAAA-East Conference rival, West Memphis.
First, the Mustangs would finish the year at .500 (5-5) which would be a big boost for the 2003 campaign.
Second, a victory over the Blue Devils would give the Mustangs control of the Cotton Bale trophy, something they have not had since the 1997 season. Third, a victory over the Blue Devils would put an entirely different spin on the final seeding process for the four playoff bound teams from the East.
And, just to add a fourth cause, for good measure -- a victory over West Memphis would certainly help Cabot's chances of reeling in the league's No. 1 seed, provided, of course, the Panthers can defeat Jacksonville. In a season-ending tie between Cabot and West Memphis, the Blue Devils have the head-to-head tie-breaker edge.
The Mustangs would much rather be playing for a playoff spot, but that's okay. It's still an important game for Forrest City.
"We still have a lot to play for tonight and I know our kids will play hard," said Mustang Coach Donnie Willis. "After we beat them tonight, we wish West Memphis the very best of luck in the playoffs and hope they go as far as they can. But tonight is different."
Last week, at Mountain Home, Willis made certain his young players -- the future of the Mustang football program -- got their share of minutes.
Tonight provides yet another opportunity for the younger players to step up and prove themselves as they take a huge step toward next season.
"We have a good junior class and some talented kids coming up from the two junior high teams," Willis said. "And they are only going to make this program better."
The Blue Devils have some speed and they have some size but so do the Mustangs, who field one of the bigger offensive lines in the conference.
Willis says a few breaks and some lucky bounces tonight would certainly help the Forrest City cause in gaining a season-ending win over West Memphis.
"It's the last game of the year and the last game for our seniors and I know they want to go out winners," Willis added.
Tonight's kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m., at Hamilton-Schultz Field.
The Jacksonville Red Devils fumbled away any chance they had for a No.1 postseason playoff seed last Friday with a 21-7 loss to West Memphis.
The Red Devils fumbled seven times in the game and lost four of them, ending several potential scoring opportunities in a AAAAA-East battle dominated by defense.
"We just turned the ball over too much," Jacksonville coach Johnny Watson said. "We let them play on a short field all night and that's a tough position to put your defense in. I think played awfully well though considering the circumstances."
Tonight, Jacksonville is playing for the No. 4 seed from the East and with some help could take home the No. 3 seed. It won't be easy.
Their opponent is Cabot -- tied with West Memphis for the conference lead. Cabot can claim the No. 1 seed provided they put away the Devils and hope that Forrest City defeats West Memphis. Should Cabot and West Memphis each emerge victorious in their final game, the Blue Devils would get the No. 1 seed, based on their regular-season victory over Cabot.
The four East playoff teams could be seeded against such top seeded teams as Pine Bluff, Texarkana, Little Rock Central and Bryant. None of which would be an easy opening-round task.
The Red Devils usually go to junior superstar running back
Bretrick Miles when they need a quick blast of offense. When Jacksonville
needs to control the tempo of the game, the coaching staff turns
to fullback Robert Harbin. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
White
Mustangs open Monday, Blue won't
The Forrest City White Junior Mustangs will open the basketball season as scheduled Monday (Nov. 11) when they travel to Wynne.
However, the Blue Mustangs will wait a few more days to take the court. Their Monday opener against Hughes has been cancelled as has the White team's Tuesday game against Hughes.
Hughes has suspended their basketball season due to the senior Blue Devils making the football playoffs.
Wynne will play the Blue team Thursday at Mustang Arena.
Amber King,11, of Forrest City, was recently chosen the Spotlight Cheerleader on her West Memphis Boys' Club squad. King, a sixth-grader at St. Michael's Catholic School in West Memphis, was part of the cheerleading squad for the football season and will be again during the basketball season. She is the daughter of Pamela King and Andrew Brown, of Forrest City.
* LOCAL SPORTS
MEN'S FALL SOFTBALL
CO-ED SOFTBALL
Final Season Standings
Wynne Cinema 7-2
Butler Building 6-3
Boar's Head 4-5
T Rodgers Const. 1-8
End Season
MEN'S FALL SOFTBALL
Thursday, November 7
Barnes Timber vs Section 8, 6 p.m.
M&T Paving vs Morgan, 7 p.m.
Miller Ins. vs Wynne, 8 p.m.
Gym 2000 vs Young Guns, 9 p.m.
End Season
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Thursday, November 7
Forrest City at West Memphis
Jacksonville at Cabot
LR Parkview at LR McClellan
Watson Chapel at Benton
Morrilton at Greenbrier
Piggott at EPC
Jonesboro Westside at Harrisburg
Trumann at Osceola
DeWitt at Lonoke
Earle at Rector
Parkin at Walnut Ridge
Elaine at McCrory
* PREP BASKETBALL
RUMBLE ON THE RIDGE
November 28-30
at Forrest City Mustang Arena
Wednesday, November 27
Three-Point Shootout, Slam-Dunk Contest
Thursday, November 28
Barbe, La. vs Prentiss, Miss., 3:30 p.m.
LR Parkview vs McComb, Miss., 5 p.m.
Forrest City vs Ouachita, La., 6:30 p.m.
Bartlett, Tenn. vs Callaway, Miss, 8 p.m.
* PREP BASKETBALL
JUNIOR HIGH
Monday, November 11
FCity White at Wynne, 5 p.m.
Hughes at FCity Blue - CANCEL