By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Forrest City Mustang Coach Donnie Willis was feeling really good Friday following his team's 14-0 home win over Osceola.
During the game he watched his team do everything the way the coaching staff had been showing them in practice, manifest itself in the shutout win.
"That was exciting," Willis said.
Monday, after watching the game film, Willis was feeling even better.
Against the Seminoles, in deplorable on field conditions following two days of heavy rain, the Mustangs put together their best defensive effort in recent memory.
Forrest City held Osceola to just 88 yards and no touchdowns.
"Defensively, we just went out and hit them in the mouth," Willis said. "And that's the mentality we have to maintain through the conference portion of the schedule."
Offensively, the Mustangs rumbled for more than 200 rushing yards with junior tailback DeMarcus Sinclair getting the bulk of that total.
"Friday's win was good for us, especially as we head into the conference opener Friday against Jonesboro," Willis said. "And I've been telling the kids since the first day of practice, if you play hard, good things will happen."
Willis hopes the good times will continue to roll against the Hurricane.
"I think with this group of kids, we have a chance in every game we play, if we can just get them to play hard," Willis said.
No doubt, Jonesboro will be a test.
They are big and can run well and they have a new quarterback who moved in and took over the position.
But the Mustangs have some size and a lot of speed and two experienced quarterbacks, although senior Austin Easley is still listed as day-to-day with an ankle injury.
Easley injured the ankle in the opener game against Wynne, did not play against Marianna and reinjured the ankle Friday night -- not as quarterback -- but while he was holding for one of the team's extra point tries.
Junior backup Kenyatae Chism has stepped in and played very well.
"Chism brings us another dimension at quarterback with his scrambling ability, and he is an asset on defense as well," Willis said.
Against Osceola, Chism did not leave the field.
"Now, we just have to take what we did against Osceola and take it into conference," Willis said.
The Mustangs bounced back from the 28-7 loss to Wynne to defeat Marianna 41-6 and then Osceola.
Jonesboro has beaten New Madrid, Mo., 37-0; Wynne 20-7 and Greene County Tech 33-9.
That's a total of 90 points scored by the Hurricane offense and only 16 points allowed.
The Mustangs have scored 62 points and given up 34 points through three games.
Game time is set for 7:30 p.m., Friday at Cooksey-Johns Field.
Other conference games Friday have Cabot at Searcy, West Memphis at Blytheville and Mountain Home at Jacksonville.
The Forrest City Blue eighth-grade Mustangs fell just short against West Memphis West Tuesday at Sam Smith, losing 22-20.
Trailing 16-6 going into the fourth quarter, the Blue Mustangs scored with 5:18 left in the game when Stephon Weaver found Marcus Britt for a 15-yard touchdown pass. John Washington added the two-point conversion and Forrest City was within two at 16-14.
West pushed their lead to 22-14 with a 10-yard touchdown run with 4:19 to play and Weaver scored from 28-yards out with 1:09 to play on a roll-out pass play that didn't develop. Kellon Bowman was stopped at the two on the two-point conversion leaving the Blue Mustangs short.
The Forrest City seventh-grade Mustangs lost to West Memphis West 24-6 to fall to 1-2 for the year.
The seventh-grade will host Wynne Saturday at 9 a.m. and the White Junior Mustangs will play at 10:30 a.m.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Marianna Lady Trojans were quick and efficient Tuesday in handing Forrest City straight set losses in girls' volleyball action.
Courtney Watson scored six points off serves for the Lady Mustangs in the junior varsity game, but Marianna took the victory 15-10, 15-2.
In varsity play, Stacey Gracey served six straight points for the Lady Mustangs but watched her team fall 15-8, 15-0.
The Lady Mustangs next play on Thursday, Oct. 3, when they travel to Jacksonville.
*Kristin Etter had 25 kills and Stacey Lewis added 23 as Jonesboro outlasted Cabot 15-3, 15-17, 15-11, 15-10 Tuesday at Hurricane Gym.
Hillary Speer handed out 26 assists and added seven kills and two aces on 16-of-16 serving for the Lady Hurricane, which remained unbeaten at 11-0.
Cabot won the junior varsity match 15-11, 15-11 over the Lady Hurricane (1-3).
*Unbeaten Wynne jumped out early and never looked back in handing Annie Camp a 15-4, 15-2 defeat Tuesday in junior high volleyball.
Aleshia Tucker led Wynne with seven kills and one stuff block while Jessi Taegtmeyer had three kills. Emily Hanzlik served four aces and had two kills for the Wynne and Jodi Stepp dished out five assists and served two aces.
Annie Camp fell to 9-6 on the season and will next take on rival MacArthur next Monday.
The Lady Whirlwinds lost the junior varsity match 15-10, 10-8.
* LOCAL SPORTS
MEN'S FALL SOFTBALL
Thursday, September 26
Morgan vs Young Guns, 6 p.m.
M&T Paving vs Gym 2000, 7 p.m.
Section 8 Youth vs Wynne Sports World, 8 p.m.
Marion Performance vs Barnes Timber, 9 p.m.
CO-ED SOFTBALL
Tuesday's Scores
Wynne Cinema 11, Boar's Head 9
Butler Building 20, T. Rodgers Construction 3
JUNIOR HIGH FOOTBALL
Tuesday's Scores
WMemphis West 24, Forrest City 6 (7th)
WMemphis West 22, FCity Blue 20 (8th)
Thursday, September 26
Salem at Hughes
WMemphis West at FCity White, 7 p.m.
FCity Blue at Blytheville, 7 p.m.
Palestine-Wheatley at Walnut Ridge, 7 p.m.
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Monday's Score
Forrest City 21, West Memphis 14
FLAG FOOTBALL
Monday's Scores (Revised)
Vikings 24, Tigers 12
Lions 26, Bears 25
Indians 21, Razorbacks 19