By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Forrest City senior running back Lafayette Smith ran for 104 yards and scored two touchdowns Friday to lead the Mustangs to a 37-15 homecoming win over Blytheville at Sam Smith Stadium.
It was the first conference win of the year for the Mustangs, 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the AAAAA-East.
Blytheville remains winless in the league at 0-4.
With the Mustangs' leading rusher, Demarcus Sinclair out with injuries and Daniel Echols on the sidelines after suffering an early ankle injury, Smith said he knew he had to step up and be a leader.
"In the first half I was kinda shakey," Smith said after the game. "I knew I had to get my mind right at the half and I knew I had to go out and play hard. The bottom line was, I got motivated. I came out and did what I had to do. With Demarcus and Daniel hurt, I knew I had to put the game on my shoulders."
At the half, Smith had only seven yards on four carries. He ran for 97 yards in the second half.
As a team, the Mustangs had just 31 rushing yards at the half.
The Mustangs put up 131 rushing yards in the second half to finish with 162 yards rushing.
Sophomore Larry Bean finished with 40 yards on 14 carries and scored a touchdown while Kenyatae Chism added a rushing touchdown.
Mustang senior quarterback Austin Easley completed two of five passes for 20 yards without an interception.
Justin Jones got the Mustangs off and running when he picked off a Blytheville pass with 8:03 to play in the first quarter and returned it 63 yards for the first points of the game. John Scott Carroll's extra point kick put Forrest City in front 7-0.
Bean made it 13-0 in the second quarter when he scored from five yards out. The touchdown was set up by Deitrus Turner's interception.
The 13-0 lead held through the half.
Blytheville finally found their passing game in the third quarter when quarterback Brice beck found Jeremy Cullins for a 43-yard touchdown strike with 10:34 to play. John Rose's kick was good cutting Forrest City's lead to 13-7.
Mustangs linebacker Leo Drone recovered a Blytheville fumble with 7:11 to play in the third quarter which helped set up the Mustangs next score, a six-yard run by Smith with 4:09 to play. Easley's two-point pass to Smith put the Mustangs in front 21-7.
Devin McLaurin intercepted Beck late in the third and returned the effort 43 yards to the Blytheville 26 as time expired.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Smith scored and Mario Beech added the point after kick to give the Mustangs a 28-7 lead.
Chism's nine-yard run midway through the quarter made it a 34-7 lead and Beech converted a 27-yard field goal -- the Mustangs' first of the season -- for a 37-7 cushion.
Blytheville scored late on a 59-yard pass from Beck to Cullins to make the final.
The Mustangs will host Jacksonville Friday at Sam Smith.
The Hughes Blue Devils stayed on course for a possible season-ending conference showdown against Marked Tree by winning their sixth straight game.
Friday, at Blue Devil Stadium, Hughes improved to 6-1 overall for the year and 6-0 in the 3AA Conference by completely dominating Parkin 77-22.
The 77 point total is the most points scored by a Blue Devil football since James Wright took over as head coach in 1998.
Two years ago, the Blue Devils scored 74 points against Dumas.
Andre Walker led four Blue Devil players who ran for 100 or more yards. Walker scored four times and had 161 yards on seven carries while Antonio Collins scored three times and finished with 119 yards on 10 carries. Davis, for the second straight week, surpassed the 100-yard rushing mark with 114 yards on six carries and a touchdown and Ayodeli Ogunsakin ran for 109 yards on 12 carries and scored one touchdown.
As a team, the Blue Devils finished with 761 yards of total offense against the Tigers, 1-6 overall and 1-5 in the conference.
Hughes remains in a tie for first place in the conference with Marked Tree, a 45-21 winner over Walnut Ridge.
The two teams will meet on the final playing date of the year.
The Blue Devils have scored 298 points in seven games for an average of more than 42 points a game.
Hughes travels to Earle on Friday.
Patriots 53, Rockets 20
Palestine-Wheatley rebounded from last week's loss against Hughes to post a decisive 53-20 homecoming win over Turrell Friday night.
The Patriots improve to 3-4 overall and 3-3 in the 3AA Conference.
Friday's 53 points marked the ninth time since the 1996 season P-W have scored 50 points or more in a game.
Palestine-Wheatley rolled to a 47-8 lead at the half using touchdowns from Brad Barton, Quentin Mason, Rashun Barnes, Brandon Roberts and Elisha Duncan.
The Patriots will play at Parkin Friday night.
The Forrest City seventh-grade Mustangs will host Jonesboro MacArthur Tuesday night in the season-ending game at Sam Smith Stadium.
The seventh-grade team comes into the game at 2-4. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m.
The eighth-grade Mustang will play their final game of the year immediately following the seventh-grade game.
Long time Forrest City coaches. Tommy Wheetly and Lewis Etheridge took over the seventh-grade program this season.
The Blue and White eighth-grade team have alternated playing dates this season.
On Thursday, the Blue Mustangs return home for the first time since Sept. 12 to face the West Memphis East team at 7 p.m.
The game will also serve as the junior high homecoming.
The Blue Mustangs are 4-2 for the year and have a chance to finish third in the AAAAA-East conference.
The White Mustangs have an open date this week.
Both teams will play their final game of the season next week.
In action from last Thursday, the Palestine-Wheatley Junior Patriots battled Parkin to a 32-32 tie.
Parkin led 32-28 late but P-W rallied to tie the game.
* LOCAL SPORTS
MEN'S FALL SOFTBALL
Monday, October 21
M&T Paving vs Marion, 6 p.m.
Wynne vs Barnes Timber, 7 p.m.
MIller Insurance vs Young Guns, 8 p.m.
Morgan vs Gym 2000, 9 p.m.
YOUTH FLAG FOOTBALL
Monday, October 21
Bears vs Tigers, 6 p.m.
Vikings vs Lions, 7 p.m.
Razorbacks vs Indians, 8 p.m.
YOUTH SOCCER
Saturday, October 26
Postseason Tournament
3 through 9-Year-Olds
Tigers vs Rockets, 10 a.m. F1
Bullets vs Sting, 11:15 a.m. F1
10-16-Year-Olds
Grizzlies vs Flames, 10 a.m. F2
Uguanas vs Thrashers, 11:15 a.m. F2
JUNIOR HIGH FOOTBALL
Tuesday, October 22
JBoro MacArthur at Forrest City
7th-Grade Game - 5:30 p.m.
8th-Grade game - 7 p.m.