By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
With their backs against the wall, the Forrest City Mustangs have four games left to redeem themselves in the AAAAA-East Conference.
While the hopes of reaching postseason may have dimmed a little more following last Friday's 36-0 loss to Cabot, all hope is not lost.
The Mustangs still have a shot to get into the Class AAAAA state playoffs by winning out.
That means victories over Blytheville, Jacksonville, Mountain Home and West Memphis. It's not an impossible task.
But the Mustangs will have to be at the top of their game to accomplish four straight victories to close out the regular season.
With the exception of West Memphis, Forrest City football teams have solid records against Blytheville, Mountain Home and Jacksonville over the past six years.
Against Blytheville, the Mustangs are 5-1 having won the last three straight.
Against Jacksonville, the Mustangs have lost two straight but are 3-3 since 1997.
And against Mountain Home, which only joined the AAAAA-East a year ago, replacing Sylvan Hills, the Mustangs are 1-0.
West Memphis, the final opponent of the year, has won five straight over the Mustangs, who are only 1-5 against the Blue Devils in the last six meetings.
The Mustangs begin the final four games Friday when they travel to Blytheville.
Now would certainly be a good time for the Mustangs to "find their game."
Forrest City is favored over the Chicks, but only by a touchdown.
After jumping out to a 7-0 lead last Friday night, scoring on the first play from scrimmage, Blytheville appeared to be a team about to seize the moment and ruin homecoming for the Jacksonville Red Devils.
Jacksonville fumbled near midfield later in the first quarter and Blytheville's Nick Floyd recovered. But an interception in the end zone ended the threat and Blytheville couldn't extend their lead.
When two calls were ruled turnovers against Blytheville early in the second quarter, the struggling Jacksonville team became the team of opportunity, scoring quickly after each to grab the lead and pull away to a 45-15 victory.
With the win, Jacksonville stays in the hunt for a AAAAA-East playoff bid with a 2-1 mark (4-2 overall), while the Chickasaws fall to 0-3 in conference play and 0-6 overall headed into Friday night's homecoming game against Forrest City at Haley Field.
The second half was all Jacksonville as the Red Devils piled up the yardage on the ground, taking advantage of missed tackles by the Blytheville defense. The Red Devils scored on their first three possessions of the half to build a 39-7 lead.
Blytheville added a late score on a 33-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brice Beck to Logan Rebstock.
Jacksonville piled up 494 yards on the night, all on the ground. Blytheville had 265 total yards, but finished with minus three yards on the ground on 11 attempts. Beck was 14-of-28 passing with two TDs and five picks.
To best describe the way Searcy senior Weston Dacus plays, he takes a licking and keeps on ticking.
Hip pointers could not keep the fullback from running for 179 yards in a season-opening win over Sylvan Hills. A collarbone injury a few weeks later wasn't enough to slow him down, either.
Three days before the Lions traveled to West Memphis, Dacus bruised his elbow on a special teams drill. His elbow swollen to twice its size, he visited a doctor on Wednesday and was cleared to play.
His number was called a lot against the Blue Devils and he scored both of Searcy's touchdowns.
Dacus' finished with 134 yards and two TDs on 19-carries.
This Friday, the Lions will entertain Jacksonville.
When push comes to shove, never count out the Cabot Panthers.
Cabot, a team that struggled with turnovers in getting off to a 2-2 start, committed no turnovers in beating No. 7 West Memphis 34-14 in a AAAAA-East showdown two weeks ago and shutting out Forrest City 36-0 last Friday night.
The Panthers are locked in a first-place tie with Jonesboro in the conference standings.
Cabot will host Mountain Home this Friday night.
Cabot halfback Brandon Wade had one of the best games against West Memphis while Chris Robertson led the way against the Mustangs.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The seventh annual Forrest City grocery Rumble on the Ridge Thanksgiving basketball tournament is getting closer.
Three state champions, one runner-up and an added game on the final day highlight the 2003 tournament scheduled for Nov. 27, 28 and 29, Thanksgiving weekend at Mustang Arena.
The tournament has become one of the premier events highlighting high school basketball not only in the state but each year is receiving more national attention.
The Forrest City Mustangs once again serves as the host team while two teams in this tyear's eight-team field are making their second appearance.
Hoover (Ala.) and West Memphis (Ark.) return to the field this year joining Pulaski Academy as the third Arkansas team,
Pulaski Academy defeated Lonoke in March to win the state's Class AAA state title.
The Bruins will be making the trip under first-year head coach Matt Daniels.
Denham Springs High School from Denham Springs, La.; Provine High School from Jackson, Miss.; Bradley Central High School from Cleveland, Tenn. and John Carroll high School from Birmingham, Ala., round out the field.
West Memphis played in the very first Rumble in 1997 and finished third while Hoover joined the cast in 1998, losing to Grissom, Ala. in an all-Alabama final.
John Carroll, Provine and Pulaski Academy are the three reigning state champs while Bradley Central is the runner-up.
Another twist to the Rumble this year involves the ladies. The Forrest City Lady Mustangs and the Pulaski Academy Lady Bruins will play each other at 6:30 p.m., on Saturday, Nov. 29, preceding the tournament's championship game in the tournament's first-ever girls' matchup.
The Mustangs and Provine, Miss. will play a first-round game on Thanksgiving Day, scheduled to tip at 6:30 p.m.
Other first-day matchups have Denham Springs taking on Bradley Central at 3:30 p.m., John Carroll, who will field two Division I signees, going against West Memphis at 5 p.m. and Pulaski Academy taking on Hoover in the 8 p.m. game.
The Forrest City Junior Mustangs will play the first of two road trip games tonight when they travel to Blytheville.
The Junior Mustangs are tied for second place in the AAAAA-East Conference.
Next week the team will play at West Memphis East.
In other junior high games tonight, the unbeaten Hughes Junior Blue Devils will be a Earle while the Palestine-Wheatley Junior Patriots will travel to Parkin.