Friday, September 6, 2002

Friday Night Football

Forrest City at Wynne

THE GAME AT A GLANCE

The Forrest City Mustangs (0-0; AAAAA-East) begin their fourth season under coach Donnie Willis and welcome back to the nonconference schedule, following a one-year hiatus, the Wynne Yellowjackets. The Mustangs are not among the preseason ranked teams and have been picked to finish seventh in the revised eight-team East conference. Forrest City brings to the table this year, what could be one of, if not the most talented team in recent years led by senior quarterback Austin Easley. The last Forrest City victory over Wynne was in 1997 at Sam Smith Stadium. The Jackets won the next three, winning by margins of 6, 29 and 22 points.

The Wynne Yellowjackets (0-0; AAAA-East) own three consecutive victories over the Mustangs and are the defending Class AAAA state champions. They begin the year as the favorite to win their conference and as the No. 2 ranked team in Class AAAA and with 35 sophomores. Senior Kris Winfrey takes over for departed quarterback Rob Lawson. Coach Don Campbell is 97-33-2 since becoming the Yellowjackets' head coach in 1991. Kick off is set for 7:30 p.m., tonight at Wynne's Yellowjacket Stadium.

Hughes at Barton

THE GAME AT A GLANCE

The Hughes Blue Devils (0-0; 3AA) have enjoyed a fair measure of success against Barton (0-0; 6AA) winning two of the last four opening-season contests. Last year, it was the Blue Devils holding on for a 7-6 victory. Hughes, dropping from Class AAA down to Class AA this season, is the preseason favorite to win their new super-conference, the 3AA. The Blue Devils are also ranked in the top 10 to start the year in Class AA. The Blue Devils lost just three seniors to graduation a year ago and take the field with eight seniors this time around. Experience will be present in the no-quarterback Single-Wing offensive set employed by Hughes in Jamal Tiggs, Jermaine Davis and Andre Walker. Meanwhile, legendary coach Frank McClellan returns for what may very be his final year as head coach of the Bears. Fighting numbers once again this season, the Bears will try to navigate their way through the revamped 6AA Conference, which traded Altheimer, Gillett and Woodlawn for Harding Academy, Augusta, Carlisle and McCrory. And for the first time in a long time, the Bears are not the favored team in the league. Kick off is set for tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Barton's Frank McClellan Stadium.

Des Arc at P-Wheatley

THE GAME AT A GLANCE

The Palestine-Wheatley Patriots (0-0; 3AA) are looking to have another successful season and that game plan kicks off tonight when the Patriots host Des Arc (0-0; 6AA) at Patriot Field.

The two teams last met on the football field in 1999 with the victory going to Des Arc. The Patriots, who averaged better than 30 points a game a year ago, return a strong running game and a proven quarterback but, insists third-year head coach Terry Farmer, a defense that will have to step up a notch in a run-oriented league. Palestine-Wheatley lists 10 seniors on the active roster this season with only a handful of juniors and a very talented sophomore class who will get a lot of experience on both sides of the football. The Des Arc Eagles are coming off a 9-3 season and return more than 20 lettermen. The Patriots will dress out just 25 players this season, led by a 10-member senior group. The Eagles will use the misdirection style play from the Wing-T offensive set while the Patriots will use a talented group of running backs, led by Brandon Roberts, Quinton Mason and Jonathan Wheeler behind returning quarterback Clyde Kennedy. Kick off is set for 7:30 p.m.

Blue Mustangs roll to 46-0 win over Trojans

White Mustangs, Junior Patriots fall in season opening contests

By FRED CONLEY

T-H Sports Editor

Give the Forrest City Blue Mustangs a big "E" for effort in their season-opening 46-0 win over Marianna Thursday night.

An "E" as in Cory Embry and Preston Echols -- the Blue Mustangs' tandem tailbacks who shredded the Junior Trojans defense.

Embry scored five of Forrest City's six touchdowns. Echols played set-up back and added a pair of two-point conversions.

Not to be overshadowed was the Blue Mustangs' defensive unit which held Marianna to just one first down for the game -- that coming on a long run late in the third quarter.

"I wasn't expecting the first game to be like this," said Blue Mustang coach Rich Trail. "I felt like we were ready and thought we could get a win, a 46-0 shut out never entered my mind."

After the Blue Mustangs made it 40-0 with 4:03 left in the third quarter, the remainder of the game was played with a continuous running clock under the Arkansas Activities Association 35-point rule.

"I didn't have a problem with that," Trail said. "It's a good rule."

After a scoreless first quarter, Embry put Forrest City in front with a four-year touchdown run, set up by Echols' 56-yard scamper. Starting quarterback Marcus Fair added the conversion for an 8-0 lead.

The Forrest City special team made the next big play when Fair's kickoff bounced twice, hit a Marianna receiver and was recovered by Forrest City's Eric Walker, who outran two Marianna players.

That set up the Blue Mustangs at the Marianna 16. Echols went to the five and Embry scored on the next play. Echols added the conversion for a 16-0 lead.

After a solid Forrest City defensive effort on Marianna's next possession, quarterback Stephon Weaver handed off to Embry for a 30-yard gain and Echols carried to the eight. Embry did the rest, an eight-yard run through the heart of the Marianna defense and Weaver added the conversion as Forrest City extended their lead to 24-0 at the half.

Embry returned the second-half kickoff for a touchdown which was called back due to an illegal block but starting from the Marianna 36, Echols carried for 14 yards and Weaver took it to the five where Embry recorded his fourth touchdown of the night. Echols added the conversion for a 32-0 with 6:24 to play in the third quarter.

Embry made it five touchdowns with 4:03 to play when he returned a punt 68 yards and Weaver added the conversion for a 40-0 lead.

With a field full of eighth graders, Forrest City's Cordara Tripp broke loose for a 68-yard touchdown run.

"He didn't even know the play," Trail said. "We were just trying to run out the clock."

Brinkley 20,

White Mustangs 14

Forrest City couldn't hold on to a 14-12 lead midway through the third quarter Thursday night at Brinkley and fell to the Junior Tigers on a late score, 20-14.

Forrest City's Alfred Robinson scored both White Mustang touchdowns and added the two-point conversion. Robinson's first touchdown was a 55-yard blast play on a fourth down gamble which paid off.

The White Mustangs trailed 12-6 at the half but scored in the third to take a 14-12 lead.

Brinkley scored with about five minutes left in the game.

"Offensively we looked good, but defensively we have some work to do," White Coach Stan Siler said.

The White Mustangs play at Wynne next week.

Earle 20,

Palestine-Wheatley 14

Adam Kennedy and Raymond Taylor each scoreds touchdowns for the Palestine-Wheatley Junior Patriots but it wasn't enough as Earle scored with no time left on the clock to break a 14-14 tie to take a 20-14 win Thursday at Wheatley.

It was the season-opener for both teams.

"We had too many turnovers and that cost us," said P-W Coach Dan Cockrell. "Our lines played well, but we have to improve our run blocking."

Cockrell singled out eighth-grader Blake Simmons for his 10 solo tackles and Daniel Haynes for their play on defense.

After tying the game at 14-14, the Junior Patriots went for the two point conversion and came up about a foot shy of the score.

Earle led 14-8 at the half.

Palestine-Wheatley used two quarterbacks Brad Zamora and Taylor Clark.

* ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Forrest City Recreation Department's fall men and co-ed softball leagues willbegin play next week. The men's fall league opens Monday, Sept. 9 while the co-ed league begins play on Sept. 10.

The Forrest City High School Lady Mustangs volleyball team will open the 2002 season Tuesday, Sept. 10, when they travel to Sylvan Hills for a 5:30 p.m. match.

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