By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
OSCEOLA -- It could very well have been an episode taken straight from the files of "Survivor."
On the popular TV reality show, contestants are asked to "out-play, out-wit and out-last" each other for 39 days.
Last Friday, Forrest City (2-1) out-blocked, out-tackled, out-ran, out-scored and out-played Osceola 28-6.
In short, the Mustangs simply "out-everythinged" the Seminoles -- for the second time in two years.
For the Osecola team, the effort can only be described at "Lackluster."
And that isn't going to win any television reality series or high school football games.
Osceola (1-2) was averaging 35 points and 325 yards per game entering the game against Forrest City, but finished well-below those totals with just 158 total yards and was held to a meager 69 yards on the ground as the Mustang defensive unit continues its dominance on the field.
After giving up 234 total yards to Wynne in an opening season 26-6 loss, Forrest City's defense has given up just 204 total yards in the last two games and only six points.
Meanwhile, Forrest City used the old "three yards and a cloud of dust" offensive game plan, averaging just under four yards a play.
The Mustang offense chewed up more than 27 minutes of the game clock, including two second-half scoring drives that took more than 10 minutes each.
"Going into the game we said, 'Hey guys, we're big up front, let's do what we do best,'" said Forrest City head coach Donnie Willis who was an assistant coach at Forrest City during Osceola coach Clinton Gore's tenure at Forrest City. "We just ran it straight at them and kept it simple."
Osceola helped Forrest City's cause, dropping four passes in the first half which could have made a difference in the early going.
The Seminoles went 79 yards in just 13 plays on their opening drive capping the possession when Evan Moore scored on a keeper from the one-yard line.
That caused some early anguish for Willis.
"I was thinking, 'oh, man, long night,'" Willis said. "Our team showed great character, and we didn't get rattled. We just kept pressing and hung in there."
While Forrest City's confidence grew more intense with each play and every new first down, Osceola's hopes began to spiral downward and the Seminoles trailed 14-6 at the half.
"We had a chance to knock them out early, but we didn't want to," Gore said.
Although he faulted himself and the staff for the team's performance, Gore pointed his finger at the players as well noting there were some guys who have been playing "don't care a whole lot about playing."
Gore said it's time for some major changes.
The Mustangs made a changer themselves, at the quarterback position and that change was part of the spark the Mustangs employed in the victory.
The Mustangs had started different quarterbacks in its first three games but settled on Ben Horton early in the second quarter.
The junior responded by leading the Mustangs to their two first half scores and the two time-consuming scoring drives after halftime.
"I may have found my answer at quarterback." said Willis. "Horton came in like a trooper, and he took over the offense. He kept a level head and did some good things the entire night. I found my quarterback."
While the Mustangs have made it look relatively simple in their last two games, the season road gets a little tougher this week as the Mustangs open AAAAA-East Conference play by hosting Jonesboro.
The Hurricane enter Friday's game at 2-1, with the team's lone loss coming in week two against Wynne.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
WYNNE -- Like brother, like sister.
Forrest City's Sawyer Ramsey earned medalist honors with a round of 39 at Crowley's Ridge Country Club Monday in a tri-match against Wynne and Paragould.
Not to be upstaged, Ramsey's sister, Katie, took medalist honors in the girls' competition, carding a 53.
Forrest City won the boys' competition with a 166 in the play-six, count-four format. Wynne came in second with a 186 while and Paragould finished third at 194.
Ramsey got plenty of help from his teammates as Brian Hacker and Doug Drake each finished with a 42 and Cody Flowers was one stroke behind with a 43. John Scott Carroll finished with a 44 while Derrick McCollum had a 52 and Steven Holmes had a 62.
Wynne, just 1-7 this season, was led by Walker Dugan, who carded a 42, Sam Stacy with a 43, Chris Loewer, a 49 and Aaron Breckenridge, who shot a 52.
It was Forrest City's first win after finishing second in a tri-match at Marion and losing to Blytheville last Thursday.
Paragould's top scorers were Jacob Combs with a 46 and Garrett Meier, who finished with a 49.
Forrest City won the girls' match over Wynne 115-117.
Both Forrest City and Wynne fielded just two girls each and Ramsey's 53 paved the way for a 115-117 win over the Lady Yellowjackets.
Mary Dudley Hodges carded a 62 for Forrest City while Ashley Glover led the Lady Yellowjackets with a 57 and Anna McDermott shot a 60.
The Mustangs are tentatively scheduled to host Marion next Monday and will host Blytheville on Oct. 6.
The Area 8 Special Olympics of Arkansas will host an Invitational Softball Tournament on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 26-27, at the Forrest City Sports Complex.
The tournament features seven Special Olympic teams from Russellville, Brinkley, Portia, West Memphis and Forrest City.
The St. Francis Area Developmental Center will be the host team.
The tournament is scheduled to begin Friday at 1 p.m.
Saturday's games will begin at 8:30 a.m.
There will be a dinner and dance for all athletes and volunteers at Transitions Friday night.
HUGHES -- The Hughes Junior Blue Devils boosted their season record to 3-0 Thursday night with a 32-6 victory over Cross County.
The Junior Devils jumped out to a 32-0 lead before Cross County found the scoreboard.
Michael Darnell's 65-yard run placed Hughes ahead 8-0, before a 70-yard punt return from Kendrick Smith gave the Blue Devils a 16-0 lead. Katarras Poney scored another touchdown on a 25-yard run, while Smith scored Hughes' final touchdown on a 12-yard run.
Smith had two conversions, while Poney added one. Cross County fell to 2-1 with the loss.
Hughes will travel to Salem Thursday night.
The Calvary Christian School elementary Eagles soccer team defeated Macon Road Baptist 8-0 in a game played last Thursday at Eagle Field to improve to 4-0.
Fletcher Myers scored four poiunts in the victory whilwe Blake Lester added three and Jeremy Barnett and Hunter McMahand scored single goals.
The East Arkanssas Youth Football Association will play a pair of games tonight beginning at 6 p.m., at the Sports Complex.
The league consists of four teams.