By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
West Memphis, Wynne and Kennett, Mo. were the big winners at the August Youth Baseball Jamboree held Saturday at the Forrest City Sports Complex.
West Memphis rolled undefeated through the 8-under coach-pitch division which included the DeSoto, Miss. Cardinals, the North Mississippi Mustangs and Forrest City's T&J Properties.
West Memphis, comprised of players from the Marion Starzz and West Memphis, defeated T&J in Saturday night's championship game.
In the 11-year-old division, it was Wynne holding off Forrest City's Delta Storms team in the final.
Kennett, Mo. earned the championship trophy in the 10-year-old division by turning back the East Arkansas Bandits 8-1 in the final.
Each of the three age divisions started with pool play with the top teams advancing to the championship games.
The tournament was played using USSSA rules, becoming the first USSSA youth baseball tournament to be held at the Sports Complex.
Tournament Directors Jeff Turner and Steve Roberts said they hope to host another USSSA tournament in October.
Marion is hosting a USSSA World Sreies qualifing tournament in September.
There's been a change regarding the Forrest City Junior Mustangs season-opening game.
The Junior Mustangs will open the season on Thursday, Sept. 4, at Marianna instead of hosting Brinkley, as shown on the original schedule.
"We had Brinkley penciled in as the first opponent," said Junior Mustang Coach Rich Trail, "But we thought all along we had a contract with Marianna. We finally got in touch with Marianna last week and that's why we changed the game."
The change also involves the eighth-grade Mustang football team which will now open the season on Tuesday, Sept. 2, against Brinkley at Sam Smith Stadium.
The Junior Mustangs opened summer drills last Thursday and practiced again on Friday.
"We had about 50 out on Friday," Trail said. "We will pick up some more this week and a few after school starts. There are some who haven't had their physicals yet and we are waiting on them."
The Junior Mustangs practiced this morning and will be on the field again Tuesday morning at 9 a.m., before switching to afternoon sessions on Wednesday and Thursday, beginning at 3:30 p.m.
The team will work out for the first time in pads on Thursday.
Forrest City is returning to just one team in all junior high sports this season after fielding two teams in each sport the past three seasons.
Trail is being assisted this season by Stan Siler, Sonny Shields and Barry Hodges.
The Junior Mustangs will play a 10-game regular season schedule this fall.
The seventh-grade Mustangs will open the season on Tuesday, Sept. 9.
Former Forrest City and Arkansas State University graduate Adam Rauth finished 20th in a field of 168 last week at the Gateway Golf Tour Microsoft Classic played at Scottsdale, Ariz.
Rauth shot a 70-69-and 68 for a three-day, nine under par total of 207.