By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
For the second straight year, the Hughes Blue Devils are the preseason favorites to win the 10-team, 3AA football conference.
According to the conference coaches.
Palestine-Wheatley, picked to finish fourth a year ago, which is exactly where they ended up, has been given the preseason nod to finish second in 2003.
The Blue Devils finished with an 8-1 mark in the conference a year ago, losing only to Marked Tree on the final playing date of the season.
Marked Tree finished 9-0 in the league and won the conference title as well as the No. 1 seed into the Class AA state playoffs.
Hughes went into the playoffs as the No. 2 seed.
Marked Tree was eliminated by Carlisle in the first round of the playoffs while the Blue Devils defeated Des Arc and Jessieville before a season-ending loss to Junction City in the quarterfinal round.
Palestine-Wheatley lost to Harding Academy in the first round and finished at 5-6 overall after making the playoffs for the third straight season.
Hooten's Arkansas Football, which hit the stands earlier this week, features the coaches poll which has the Blue Devils and Patriots picked "1-2" in the league.
Hughes is also the preseason pick to finish 11th in Class AA while the Patriots nailed down the 13th spot overall in Class AA.
Hughes opens the season on Sept. 5, when they host Barton while Palestine-Wheatley will open on the road at Des Arc.
Lots and lots of team speed and senior running back Andre Walker, are two very good reasons to make the Blue Devils the preseason favorites.
Walker, who anchors the Blue Devils' "single wing" offensive attack, finished with 1,800 rushing yards a year ago -- 360 of that and five touchdowns coming in the two playoff victories over Des Arc and Jessieville.
Going into the state playoffs last year, the Blue Devils led the state in scoring with 448 points, an average of more than 40 points per game.
Hughes returns a half dozen starters on both sides of the football as the 2003 season approaches.
The Patriots also have plenty of overall team speed and plenty of experienced running backs, led by junor Brad Barton, senior Elisha Duncan and junior Antonio Leak.
The Pats have at least three prospects at quarterback but the downside to the 2003 season lies in the fact that P-W will have only five seniors on the field.
They do, howver, have five returning offensive starters and eight starters returning on the defensive side of the football.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Not having played since June 30, when they defeated Pine Bluff Seabrook to win the 12-year-old District 7 tournament title, the Forrest City All-Stars open state tournament play today at Marion.
"We've played a scrimmage game just to keep the kids on track," said All-Star Coach Randy Pearson. "But that's about it. We just hope they are still focused."
The 12's play Little Rock Junior deputy today at 3:15 p.m., at the old Marion fields, located downtown by the railroad tracks.
Marion is also hosting the Senior Babe Ruth State Tournament this weekend.
Should the Forrest City 12s win today, the team will not have to play again until Sunday, when they will play either Camden, Sylvan Hills or Pine Bluff Seabrook. A loss brings the team back Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
Helping Pearson with the 12s are Jim Machen and Terry Laws.
The 12-year-olds have a nucleus of six players who have been playing together on postseason and traveling teams since they were nine.
The Ridge Runners team, comprised of players from Wynne and Forrest City, are headed to the seven-year-old World Series to be played in Sulphur, La.
The Ridge Runners won the state tournament played at Greenwood, losing to Sylvan Hills in the first game and then winning four straight games, including a rematch against Sylvan Hills in the championship game.
Scott Deere and the Forrest City pitching machine All-Star team opened play today in the 52-team 6-7-year-old Cal Ripken State Tournament at Sherwood.
A year ago, the pitching machine tournament drew 48 teams to the Kevin McReynolds Complex.
The Forrest City Travelers 10-year-old team will begin play in the USSSA AAA World Series, Sunday at Southaven, Miss., which has 90-plus teams in the mix.
That team is being coached by Rusty and Dusty Trail.
The Forrest City 11-year-old All-Stars are set to open play at the Cal Ripken State Tournament Friday at Maumelle today when they face Russellville in the first game at 2 p.m. The first-round game is a rematch of last year's state tournament opener, when the team, then 10-year-olds, faced and defeated Russellville.
The Forrest City 11s are Caleb Talley, Grant Smith, Bruce Heard, T.J. McFadden, Derek Buchanan, Josh Davis, Chandler Sorrells, Darius Banks, Jeff Siler, Henry Henderson, Jim Bailey, Louis Driver and Tate Roberts. The team is being coached by Jim Bailey, Otis Townsend and Steve Roberts.
A win brings Forrest City back at 6 p.m., Saturday while a loss brings the team back at 10 a.m., Saturday.
They will play Little Rock Junior Deputy Friday, July 11, at 3:15 p.m., at Marion. A first-round win gives the team a bye into Sunday's round.
The 13-year-old Forrest City All-Stars, finished second Tuesday at the District 7 Tournament at Marion, losing to Pine Bluff in the "if" game of the finals but were given the 13-year-old state tournament berth when Pine Bluff opted not to make the trip.
Pine Bluff is hosting the 13-year-old World Series in August.
The 13s , who won three straight games in the District 7 Tournament before losing to Pine Bluff, play today at 5:30 p.m., at Monticello against Vilonia.
Team members are Tyrice Bradley, Justin Cochran, Leonard Banks, Chad Doyle, Douglas Miller, Byron Gardner, Chanceney Boles, Donnie Willis Jr., James Green, Daniel Richards, Dexter Lyles and Brandon Burnett.
The Forrest City 13s are being coached by Wayman Cochran, Arty Richards and Jerry Doyle.
Cochran's Delta Storms traveling team, will sponsor the July Bash Baseball Tournament, set to begin Thursday, July 17, at the Sports Complex.
The tournament features age divisions from T-ball through 14-under and will field teams from across the state.
In adult men's softball league play Thursday, Barnes and Gym 2000 both won and remained tied for the league title. Both teams are 14-1.
Kerby's was awarded a forfeit win over Boar's Head and improves to 9-6 and in second place.
M&T Paving took two wins over Food Giant Thursday to improve to 9-7.
The 20th annual Mightymite Triathlon will be held Saturday, July 19.
The race is expected to draw about, on 300-plus guests.
For the second year, the Mightymite is under the direction of Wyndell Robertson, who also oversees triathlons in and around the Memphis area.
Having the race in Forrest City, makes this triathlon both a formidable and a scenic excursion for all who enter and for those who just want to line the route to watch.
The triathlon begins as the participants swim Lake Dunn, at starting at Village Creek State Park, Arkansas' largest state park, and then by bicycle, winds down the fascinating geological formation known as Crowley's Ridge.
The scenic bike ride along the ridge on Highway 284 ends at the East Arkansas Community College campus where the racers trade in their bikes for a pair of running shoes, ultimately finishing Forrest City High School's Sam Smith Stadium.
Broken down into three stages, the swim covers 1/3 mile while the bike ride is 13 miles and the final run to the finish line is three miles.
This year's Mightymite Triathlon will be a USA Triathlon sanctioned event.
The field for the 20th running of the race is limited to 500 participants and all entrants must be at least 14 years old.
In past years, the Mightymite has drawn runners from several states including Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky and Georgia.
Once again, as in past years, the Mightymite is relying on volunteer help at each stage of the race.
Those interested can call Robertson at (901) 276-0354 for more information.