The Forrest City Mustangs officially started summer drills this morning with about 45 players on the practice field in shorts and helmets. The Mustang players were divided into groups and worked through a series of conditioning drills, including the ropes and reading the quarterback while back-pedaling on defense, looking for the reception or interception.
Forrest City will begin two-a-day drills on Thursday, practicing from the 8 until 9:30 a.m and then again from 5 until 6:30 p.m. The Mustangs will open the 2004 season on Friday, Sept. 3, when they host Poplar Bluff, Mo., at Sam Smith Stadium. Poplar Bluff replaces long-time opening opponent Wynne, who opted out of their contract this season. Wynne will open at home by hosting Searcy.
Forrest City is coming off a 5-5 season in 2003 and are looking to find replacements for the more than 20 Mustang seniors who graduated in May.
The Forrest City Junior Mustangs began handing out equipment today and will that process will continue through Thursday, from 8 a.m., until 3 p.m. each day.
The eighth and ninth-grade Junior Mustangs will open summer drills Friday at 1 p.m.
Forrest City Junior High will open the season on Thursday, Sept. 2, when they host Marianna.
The last remaining Jonesboro team in the Cal Ripken 11-year-old Southwest Regional Tournament suffered its first loss of the tournament Monday at Bland Park.
Despite a late rally in the sixth and final inning, the Jonesboro Red 11-year-old All-Stars fell to New Orleans Lakeshore, 5-3.
Jonesboro Red recovered from the defeat with a win in their second game against the Little Rock Junior Deputies 14-4 to stay alive in the tournament.
Jonesboro is one the final four teams left in the tourney and the last team from Arkansas.
Jonesboro trailed 5-0 going into the bottom of the sixth against New Orleans, but got five hits and scored three runs.
Blaine Carson and Colton Shadwick both hit RBI singles in the bottom of the sixth to bring Jonesboro within three runs.
Blake Robertson and Brandon Lynch both had base hits in the first inning and Searcy Crain Automotive was up 1-0 on Fayetteville Monday at the American Legion AAA state tournament at Fort Smith.
Then Fayetteville pitcher Blake Kastl put a stop to all of that.
Kastl went on to pitch a complete game, 15-stirkeout, five-hitter, allowing just the lone first inning run en route to a 5-1 victory for the Fayetteville Lindsey Dodgers.
Fayetteville got two runs in the second inning, then blew the game open with a three-run seventh. That put a damper on what turned out to be a great pitching performance by Crain starter Andy Jackson. He also had a complete game, recording 10 strikeout's.
Crain never would have had the chance to face Fayetteville if it wasn't for heroics on Sunday.
Searcy scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to beat Russellville 7-6. Matt Dillon knocked in Todd Branscum with a single to win the game and do exactly what this team had been doing all year.
On top of going the distance on Monday, Jackson pitched the final 1 2/3 on Sunday. Crain finished the year 35-19.
Fayetteville eventually fell to Fort Smith 14-3 on Monday.
Fort Smith (38-7) has outscored three opponents 46-11 after losing 15-6 to Bryant in a first-round game.
Fort Smith advances to today's game against Texarkana, which lost 16-2 to Bryant. The tournament final will be played Saturday at 4 p.m., with another game at 7 p.m., if necessary.