The Forrest City Mustangs and Lady Mustangs have a decision to make tonight when they host Searcy.
Both Forrest City teams are 1-1 in the AAAAA-East and tonight's game has been called a "crossroads game" by both coaches, Dwight Lofton and Sue Jayroe.
"We have to decide which way we want to go as a team," Lofton said.
"We have two tough road games ahead of us next week and neither one will be easy," Jayroe said. "Getting a win on our home floor tonight is vital."
Lofton said a win tonight would "soften the blow" if his Mustangs should split next week's games at Blytheville and Mountain Home.
"A loss tonight and a split next week would hurt a little more," Lofton added.
Searcy is new to the AAAAA-East conference this season, moving up from Class AAAA, where both teams have had its share of success.
Lady Lions' Coach Todd Carpenter is in his 13th season and started this year with a 221-137 record at the school.
His Lady Lions are off to a 6-10 start this year but are 1-1 coming into tonight's game against the Forrest City Lady Mustangs, 7-8 overall and 1-1 in the league.
On the boys' side, Searcy Coach Roger Franks is in his fifth year with the Lions and started the season with an 83-31 record with four postseason trips to the Class AAAA tournament under his belt. He has taken his Lions to the semifinals twice, including last year where his Lions were eliminated by eventual champion Osceola. The Lions finished last season at 23-7.
In the East standings, it appears odd that Searcy has the best overall season record (11-5) of any of the eight member schools, but are in last place with two conference losses.
They cannot afford to leave Forrest City 0-3.
The Forrest City Mustangs are 4-8 for the year and 1-1 in the league, with a win over Cabot and a loss to West Memphis.
Likewise, the Mustangs cannot afford to start next week at 1-2.
Lofton knows this Searcy team is dangerous and knows that as Lions' 6-1 senior Tym Edwards goes, so goes the team.
Edwards, a two-time All-Conference player, is recuperating from a couple of dislocated fingers, but is expected to play.
"Edwards is as good as we will see in conference," Lofton said. "Searcy will put a solid team on the floor. They are coming in with their backs against the wall. We will have to be on top of our game and we have to put the West Memphis loss behind us."
The Mustangs will stay with senior guards Kerry Evans, and Anthony Bean and juniors Lorenzo Spearmon, Roy Lee Parker and Markee Ervin as the starting five.
Backing Edwards will be 6-2 senior Scotty Johnson, junior Brandon Lynch, 6-5 junior Brad Lewis and lots of help from the bench.
"We have the same attitude we've had for the past four years," Franks said. "We are not afraid to play anyone, but we respect everyone we play."
The Lady Mustangs will go with seniors Caronica Randle, Katrina Floyd and Kanetra Pendleton, junior Trina Wynne and sophomore Sequoria Grady.
Help off the bench centers around Shari Rogers, Chrystal Summage, Shay Agnew, Teela Lee and Kim Ursery. Grady, who is leading the team in blocked shots, is playing with a broken finger while Rogers is working her way back from a knee injury.
"Everyone is bruised and banged up," Jayroe said. "But that's just part of it. They will have to play through it. I like what I've seen in practice the past two days."
Jayroe said her girls "are hungry and feeling confident and are ready to play."
The Lady Lions are led by All-Conference senior center Kristie Lee as well as several talented sophomores.
The Lady Lions have depth and the athleticism to penetrate and score inside.
The Lady Mustangs took a tough one-point win at Cabot to open the conference season before suffering a home-court loss to No. 1 ranked West Memphis Tuesday.
Dulin's Sports Academy, of Memphis, will conduct a preseason youth baseball and softball clinic at East Arkansas Community College (EACC) in March.
The baseball clinic will be held Saturday, March 8, in two sessions: ages six to eight, from 9 a.m. until 12 noon and ages 9 through 12, from 1 until 4 p.m.
The softball clinic will be held Saturday, March 15, in two sessions; ages six through eight from 9 a.m. until 12 noon and ages nine through 12 from 1 until 4 p.m.
The clinic will help teach the fundamentals of throwing, batting, base running and fielding.
Fee for both camps is $40 per camper per camp and is payable to EACC. Each camper wil receive a free t-shirt.
For more information about either camp, call EACC at (870) 633-4480 ext. 261 or 333.
* PREP BASKETBALL
High School
Friday, January 17
Searcy at Forrest City
Jacksonville at Blytheville
Jonesboro at Cabot
Mountain Home at West Memphis
LR Hall at Bryant
LR McClellan at LR Central
NLR at Conway
Altheimer at Palestine-Wheatley
DeValls Bluff at Augusta
Barton at Gillett
Brinkley at England
Marvell at Clarendon
Crawfordsville at Cross County
Marked Tree at Hughes
Wynne at Greene County Tech
Greenland at Waldon
DeWitt at Lonoke
Pulaski Academy at Marianna
McCrory at Harding Academy
Newport at SS Batesville
Monticello at North Pulaski
Paragould at Vilonia
Turrell at Parkin
Sylvan Hills at White Hall
West Helena at LR Mills