By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
It's amazing what a victory can do for a team.
headed into last Friday's home game against the Cabot Panthers, the Forrest City Mustangs were two games away from qualifying for the Class AAAAA state tournament.
The Mustangs polished off the Panthers by 20 points and are right back in contention for postseason.
The win over Cabot moved the Mustangs into a fourth-place tie in the league standings with Blytheville -- who just happens to be one of five conference teams standing in the way of the Mustangs' state tournament hopes.
Blytheville is also the next team in line for the Mustangs to "eliminate."
Forrest City will host Blytheville tonight at Mustang Arena and will be seeking to erase the memories of a 70-44 loss to the Chickasaws in which the Mustangs shot less than 30 percent from the floor.
"It's pretty simple right now," said Forrest City Coach Dwight Lofton. "We are 4-5 with five games left to play. We have to go 3-2 at least to get there. We just have to decide which of the five remaining contestants we want to eliminate as the state tourney awaits."
After tonight, the remainder of the Mustang elimination process will be against Searcy, Jacksonville, Mountain Home and Jonesboro.
Four of those games will be on the road.
Last Friday, Lofton's "big three" Kerry Evans, Lorenzo Spearmon and Nick Grady played well, scoring 62 of the Mustangs' 77 points in the win over Cabot.
"Blytheville is the one team that I've said all along, may be the key if we're going to get to state," Lofton said. "Year after year, Blytheville just quietly goes about the business of making postseason and they are doing their best to keep that streak going this year. So, tonight's game is very crucial to the rest of our season."
A win tonight puts the Mustangs in sole possession of fourth place in the league.
In senior girls play, the Lady Mustangs enjoyed one of their best offensive games of the year in the first meeting against Blytheville, winning 82-46.
However, the Lady Mustangs stumbled somewhat Friday, losing to Cabot and remaining in sixth place in the conference standings.
A win tonight, coupled with a Mountain Home over Searcy could leave the Lady Mustangs in a tie for fifth place.
"We played well against Cabot," said Forrest City coach Sue Jayroe. "Better than what the final score indicates. We have the athletes and the ability to still finish strong and get into postseason. The girls have to get it done on the floor."
Tonight's three-game set begins at 5 p.m.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
EARLE -- The 3AA South junior high district tournament begins tonight at Earle with six of the league's seven teams seeing action, including both Hughes teams.
Both Turrell junior high teams won their respective conference races and earned a bye into Thursday's semifinals.
The Hughes Junior Blue Devils lost to Turrell Friday to end their conference year at 4-2.
The Junior Blue Devils are the No. 2 seed going into the district tournament and the team will begin play tonight at 8 p.m., when they take on No. 7 seeded Cross County, who holds a regular season victory over Hughes.
The Junior Lady Blue Devils are seeded second in the junior girls' bracket and will play No. 7 seeded Crawfordsville tonight at 7 p.m.
Tonight's winners return Thursday for the semifinal games. The championship games are scheduled for Friday.
The senior high district tournament will begin Monday, Feb. 17, at Cross County High School.
The Blue Devils are seeded No. 1.