Several area conferences will have new looks next year after the 2004-2006 reclassification lists were announced by the Arkansas Activities Association.
Four area teams have either dropped or been raised in classification while several local conferences have been juggled.
After being the smallest school in Class AAAAA for several years, Blytheville drops to AAAA and will enter the AAAA-East with Vilonia moving out.
The drop should be good for the Chickasaws, who have lost 20 straight conference football games in the AAAAA-East. Sylvan Hills will take Blytheville's place in the league.
The 3AAA conference welcomes back a pair of familiar foes in football as Brinkley and Marianna take the place of East Poinsett County and Piggott, which each drop to AA.
Both Brinkley and Marianna have been in the conference before and should strengthen a top-heavy conference on the gridiron.
"What you're doing is bringing in a lot more speed to the conference," Osceola football coach Clinton Gore said. "Those teams have always been able to run. They'll be right in the middle of the mix."
"That will make it a lot more competitive," Rivercrest coach Mike Smith said. "Brinkley is in the playoff hunt right now and we've been playing them for a long time. It will be a big plus for our conference."
In basketball, the 3AAA-South will be made up of Gosnell, Harrisburg, Manila, Marianna, Osceola, Rivercrest and Trumann while the 3AAA-North will consist of Brookland, Corning, Highland, Hoxie, Pocahontas, Valley View and Jonesboro.
EPC football coach Mark Courtney said he welcomes the move to AA, despite his team battling for a playoff spot this season.
"We've been playing people with double the enrollment we have," Courtney said. "It couldn't have happened at a better time. We have been playing with bigger schools for most of the game and then we just wear down. I've got guys running 60 routes a game as fast as they can, then turning around and having to play defense full speed because our numbers just aren't there."
The Warriors and Piggott will join the 3AA conference in football with Hughes and Palestine-Wheatley switching conferences. In basketball, EPC will compete in the 3AA-South with Piggott joining the 3AA-North.
Crowley's Ridge Academy returns to Class A and will compete in the 3A conference.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Forrest City JV Mustangs completed an undefeated season on Monday, defeating Jonesboro 21-7
Forrest City finishes at 5-0-1.
"I'm very proud of this group of young men," said Forrest City Coach Donnie Willis. "They have played hard each Monday and at Jonesboro they put together a couple of goal-line stands that were impressive."
Willis singled out several of the JV players for their contributions to the successful season.
Those included linemen Jeffery Sims, a 6-2, 280-pond sophomore; Jimmy bean, 5-11, 298; Matt Vaccaro, Kelvin Williams, who has also logged some playing time with the varsity and sophomore quarterback Marcus Fair as well as Preston Echols, Travis Holloway, Dennis Carter, Cedric Berry, Cedric Johnson, Jamar Isom, Curtis Anderson.
Willis also singled out Noal Like, the team's noseguard who transferred from Calvary Christian School this year.
"Noah has a lot of ability and he is a kid who is as tough as nails," Willis said. "He has a good work ethic."
Ben Wright, the 6-2, 250-pounder who has played with the varsity on Friday nights, also drew Willis' praise as did cornerback/receiver Randy Miller and 6-2, 250-pound sophomore Quentin Phillips and 6-4, 250-pound sophomore Dennis Carter and lineman Darry Banks.