By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Three out of three isn't bad, especially if you're the Forrest City Mustangs taking on the Osceola Seminoles.
For the third consecutive year, the Mustangs took a victory over former Mustang Coach Clinton Gore and his Seminoles with a 28-6 whipping in Osceola. Osceola began the scoring with a 13 play, 79 yard opening drive which was ended when quarterback Evin Moore scored on a 1-yard sneak with 6:57 left to play in the first quarter. After that, it was all Forrest City. Both defenses played well until Demarcus Sinclair scored the first of this three touchdowns with 4:24 left in the second quarter. Kicker John Scott Carroll's extra point gave Forrest City a 7-6 lead.
Sinclair scored his second touchdown on a 26-yard pass from Ben Horton with 1:08 left in the half after the Mustangs recovered a Seminole fumble. Sinclair, who finished the game with 22 carries for 101 yards, scored again to start the third quarter on a 5-yard run capping off a 10-play, 52 yard drive on Forrest City's first possession of the second half.
Forrest City's final touchdown came on a 1-yard run by Andrew Embry with 32 seconds left in the game. The win pushed Forrest City's record to 2-1 after a victory last week over Marianna. Forrest City will kick-off their AAAAA East conference schedule Friday when the Jonesboro Hurricane makes a visit to Sam Smith Stadium at 7:30.
In other action Friday night, the Palestine-Wheatley Patriots fell to 2-1 after fumbling to a 12-6 loss to Cross County. PW quarterback Fred Leak scored the Patriots only touchdown in the first half. Cross County capitalized on seven Patriot turnovers to score twice.
According to Palestine-Wheatley assistant coach Terry Clardy, the defense played well enough to win the game, but just couldn't overcome the turnovers.
"Both defenses did a good job and considering how much time we spent on the field holding them to 12 points was pretty good," said Clardy.
The Patriot's final turnover may have been the hardest. According to Clardy, with 2:00 remaining the in fourth quarter, the PW defense stopped Cross County at the four yard line. The offense came onto the field and drove 90 yards down to the six yard line but stalled after a fumble with 1:00 remaining in the game.
Also in Class 3AA action, Hughes pounded Rector 58-0.
The annual Forrest City Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament and Barbeque will be held Monday, Sept. 29, at the Forrest City Country Club.
The golf tournament will use a four-person scramble format and participants will tee off at 1 p.m., following an 11:30 a.m. lunch at the club.
Entry fees are $50 per person with an added $15 per person fee for cart rental.
Registration deadline for the golf tournament is Thursday, Sept. 25.
For more information or to register for the tournament, call King Casbeer at 633-2833 or Billy Martin at 633-2262.
The fourth annual Forrest City Athletic Hall of Fame banquet and induction ceremonies will be held Friday, Oct. 10, at the Forrest City Civic Center.
Tickets are $10 per person and are on sale by calling Bill Baxter at 633-0780. The banquet begins at 5 p.m.
The 2003 Hall of Fame Class includes Lincoln High School athletes Roy Weatherall, Melvin McAllister and Archie Colerman, and Forrest City High School athletes Jim Williams, Billy Trail and Max Graham (prior to 1970) and Richard Kimble, Richard Benson and Frederick Freeman after 1970.
Benson, who will broadcast his 300th consecutive Mustang football game on Oct. 3, at Searcy, is being inducted as a broadcast journalist.
Coleman and Graham are deceased and will be honored posthumously.
"It looks like all seven of the surviving inductees will be here this year for the banquet and induction," Baxter said. "Graham will be represented by his dad and Coleman's brother will accept in his honor."
The 2003 inductees will be honored during halftime of the Forrest City-Cabot football game.
"It will be a double treat for Richard Kimble," Baxter said. "He will be celebrating his birthday that weekend as well."
McAlister will be making his second straight appearance at the Athletic Hall of Fame banquert.
A year ago, McAlister accepted the honor on of former Lincoln
coach Wallace Leon Purifoy, Jr., who was inducted into the 2002
class. Purifoy died in 1972.
The first 2003 Professor Pigskin Football Contest started Tuesday, Sept. 2.
Readers have a chance to win a $50 weekly cash prize which will be awarded to the person who has the most correct winning picks from a list of high school, college and NFL football games.
Each week's list of games will appear in the Tuesday edition of the Times-Herald with the entry form and the previous week's winner.
All entries must be received and postmarked by noon on the Friday following Tuesday's published list. All entries for tomorrow's Pigskin, will be due by noon on Friday, Sept. 5.
Any "unreadable" entries will be discarded from that week's contest.
Entries may be dropped off at the Times-Herald main office, located at 222 North Izard, in the outside mailbox or in the "Professor Pigskin" box, located in the Times-Herald lobby.