By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Palestine-Wheatley Junior Patriots got 10 points from Taylor Clark to post a 38-21 victory over Marked Tree Tuesday night at Patriot Gym.
In senior boys' action, Marked Tree's Brad Jones poured in 33 points to lead all scorers as the Indians escaped with a 73-68 win.
Palestine-Wheatley's Vince Jones finished with 31 points.
The Palestine-Wheatley Lady Patriots lost in the senior girls to Marked Tree.
*Senior forward Mark Winston scored 18 points and Little Rock Parkview hit 13 of 16 free throws in the final quarter to give the Patriots a 54-43 victory over defending state champion Pine Bluff on Tuesday night at Charles Ripley Arena.
Tuesday's victory was a little bit of revenge for the Patriots, who lost in last season's Class AAAAA title game to the Zebras, and it also gave Parkview Coach Al Flanigan his 400th career victory.
*John Fowler and David Williams led Blytheville with 20 points apiece as the Chickasaws crushed Sikeston, Mo., 75-35 Tuesday night.
Blytheville (3-0) held Sikeston to just eight points in the first quarter and 17 by halftime before leading 64-29 heading into the fourth quarter.
*Chance Weeks scored 21 points and Andrew Ballard added 18 as Walnut Ridge beat Crowley's Ridge Academy 58-52 Tuesday in senior boys' basketball.
CRA led 15-12 after a quarter, but Walnut Ridge (2-3, 1-1 3AA-North) came back to lead 26-25 at halftime and 40-38 after three periods.
For CRA (2-4, 0-2), Joseph Wallis scored 15, Caleb Livingston 14 and Andy Dean 11.
*Turrell used a 17-9 third quarter to open up a 42-27 lead and cruised past Holly Grove for a 63-48 win Tuesday in senior boys' basketball.
Nathathoe Gibson scored 16 points to lead Turrell (3-1), while Brandon Postell added 13 and Tevin Dixon 12.
*Morris Johnson scored 32 points for Crawfordsville in Tuesday night's 79-47 defeat of Armorel.
Terrance Gilmer had 21 for Crawfordsville. Keith Cassidy scored 12 points for Armorel.
After one quarter, Crawfordsville led 20-9 and 44-21 going into the half.
*Kyle Wiggington scored 32 points for Harrisburg in their 77-66 victory over the Cross County Thunderbirds Tuesday night.
Matt Parker had 14 points for Harrisburg, while teammate Tyler Riddle had 12. Adam Jackson put in 20 for the Thunderbirds, and Abe Bowles had 18.
Cross County led 18-9 after the first quarter, but Harrisburg managed to tie the game at the half, 36-36.
*Depth and balance led Annie Camp to a 45-41 victory over Wynne Tuesday night in junior boys' basketball.
Michael Lee led the way with seven points and LaDustin Williams posted seven for the Whirlwinds (2-1). Wynne was paced by David Johnston with 15.
Most area teams will be off during the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. Area teams will return to the floor next week.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Forrest City Grocery/Rumble on the Ridge Thanksgiving Holiday Classic tournament can list many keys to its success over the past six years.
Topping the list of those "keys" would be the many volunteers who give freely of their time and energy to make the three-day tournament held at Mustang Arena an annual success.
Those volunteers include an elite group of men who are given the title "Host Coaches" each year.
Their job is simple. Host Coaches are assigned to each of the eight Rumble teams and their job is to do whatever it takes to ensure the visiting teams have what they need -- from the simplest of items to scheduling practice times and places. You may not always see them, but host coaches are always on the job -- which usually begins well in advance of the tournament's opening day.
The seventh Rumble on the Ridge tournament will kick off Thursday, Nov. 27, and continue through Saturday. The teams will be arriving today for the pre-tournament banquet tonight at the Forrest City Civic Center.
There have been many host coaches over the first six years of the Rumble but only one man -- Marty Wages -- is a six-time host coach. Soon to be seven.
Wages is the "Dean of the Rumble Host Coaches." His partner, since the second Rumble in 1998, Dudley Melton has worked the past five.
"We do this because we enjoy doing it," Wages said. "Our job is to make the visiting coaches' job easier."
In the past tournaments, Wages has drawn Obion County, Tenn., University Heights, Ky., Strake-Jesuit, Texas, Westover and Marietta, both from Georgia and Little Rock Parkview.
This year, in Rumble No. 7, Wages and Melton have Bradley-Central, Tenn.
"Over the years we have developed a lot of friendships with the coaches and that makes the job rewarding," Wages added.
Wages says being a host coach is not quite a "24-7" job during the tournament, "but it is real close."
In the past six tournaments, Wages and Melton have had two winning teams -- Marietta and Parkview.
Host Coaches make sure the teams are at the right places at the right times, provide meals and make sure the lodging meets the team's needs and whatever else the team may need during their stay.
Wages' Synergy Gas also sponsors the Three-Point ShootOut and Slam Dunk contests which will be held tonight at Mustang Arena as well as the Sportsmanship Award each tournament.
Other Host Coaches for this year's Rumble include Nathaniel Murry (John Carroll, Ala.); Ron Cockman (Hoover, Ala.); Rusty Trail (Pulaski Academy); James Phillips and Tarzan Lee (Provine, Miss.) and Mallory Nimocks and Randall Clark (Denham Springs, La.).
The West Memphis Blue Devils will play Friday's second-round Rumble on the Ridge game at 3:30 p.m., regardless of Thursday's first-round outcome.
The West Memphis football team will host a third-round playoff game Friday night at 7:30 p.m., and the tournament is accommodating the basketball team so as not to create a conflict of interest with those fans who want to attend both games.
West Memphis will open the tournament against John Carroll, Ala. Thursday at 5 p.m. Win or lose, the Blue Devils will play Friday at 3:30 p.m.