By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Palestine-Wheatley football Coach Terry Farmer doesn't particularly like mosquitos but he is willing to put up with them for the sake of his Patriot team.
If practice makes perfect, then Farmer is willing to do 'whatever it takes,' a personal team motto adopted a couple of years back.
Palestine-Wheatley has been keeping late practice hours as the Patriots -- highly favored in the 6AA Conference this season -- prepares for their Sept. 3 season opener against Carlisle.
"We've been hitting the field about 5:30 in the afternoon and going late, sometimes to 9 or so," Farmer said, "It's hard for some of the kids to get here any other time so we're trying to work around their schedule. I don't mind the time frame, I don't care much for the mosquitos, which can get bad."
The Patriots have good incentive to put in the late practice hours.
P-W is coming off the best football season in the school's history -- finishing the 2003 season at 11-2 overall, 8-1 in the 3AA (tied for first) and ranked 10th in the state polls.
The Patriots won the first ever home playoff game last year when they defeated Hazen 52-20 in the first round of the Class AA State Playoffs.
The pats eliminated Pea Ridge in thesecond round before losing to Barton in the quarterfinals.
This year, P-W and Barton will be members of the revamped 6AA Conference, which includes Hughes, also a quarterfinalist last season in the Class AA playoffs.
Farmer said he has had approximately 25 players out for summer drills so far.
"We may get a couple more or so," Farmer said. "But I think everyone who should be here, has been here."
With the exception of two projected starters, however, junior Ryan Robb, who suffered a career-ending injury and junior Daniel Haynes, who opted not to play.
Robb was potentially the best lineman returning for the Patriots.
Also, for the first time in two years, Farmer thinks he will have enough juniors to play a JV schedule this year.
The Patriots will play in a preseason scrimmage at Mountain View on Tuesday, Aug. 24, before opening the season.
The registration process for the Forrest City Recreation Department's fall league softball, youth soccer and youth flag football leagues is now under way.
Youth fees for the youth soccer program, ages 4-16, are $15 for players living inside the Forrest City city limits and $25 for youths living outside the city limits.
Individual fees for the flag football league, ages 6-11, are $20 for in-town players and $25 for out-of-town players.
The team fee for the adult men and co-ed fall softball leagues and the 14-under girls' fast pitch softball league, is $250.
*The Cross County Boys and Girls Club is sponsoring a summer men's basketball league.
The league teams will play its games at the O'dell McCallum Community Center, located at 325 Magnolia Street in Wynne.
The league will begin play Aug. 24 and will continue through Oct. 29. Cost per team is $150. The eadline to sign up is Aug. 9.
For more info, call Fredric Smith, 870-238-2442.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The 2004 edition of Forrest City's Rumble on the Ridge Thanksgiving tournament will feature the Hoops USA top ranked high school basketball player as well as Nos. 7 and 10.
Tyler Hansbrough will lead a talented Poplar Bluff, Mo. into Mustang Arena for the three-day tournament, Nov. 25-27.
Poplar Bluff will be making its first appearance at the Rumble.
Also slated to be in the mix is last year's runner-up, Denham Springs, La., which features 6-7 senior forward Tasmin Mitchell, ranked No. 7 by Hoops USA.
Denham Springs lost to Pulaski Academy in last year's championship Rumble game.
With Mitchell back, leading a Yellow Jacket team with no less than seven seniors, Denham Springs could be the early favorite of the eight Rumble participants.
Lanier's Monta Ellis is ranked the No. 10 player by Hoops USA .
Lanier High School, from Jackson, Miss., will be making its first trip to the Rumble.
The remainder of the 2004 Rumble field includes the host team Forrest City Mustangs, led by super sophomores Stephon Weaver and Marcus Britt; Buffalo Island Central, the other Arkansas representative, making a first-time appearance; Richwood High School from Monroe, La.; Reserve Christian School from reserve, La.; and Bolivar High School from Tennessee.
Not only does Hansbrough, 6-9, 224, top the Hoops USA top 10, but the Poplar Bluff star sits on top of most recruiting service lists.
At the very worst, Hansbrough is a top-five prospect.
Hansbrough, who has been weeding through the college recruiting process, has managed to whittle his list to four schools.
Kentucky and North Carolina are on the list as well as Missouri, where his dad won the 1973 Big Eight high-jump title.
Kansas is in Hansbrough's final slot.
He is telling everyone that he plans to make his collegiate decision in late August.
After that, it's just a matter of time before the NBA starts knockin' on his door.
*Tyler Hansbrough (Poplar Bluff HS) Poplar Bluff, Mo.
Richard Hendrix (Athens HS) Athens, Ala.
Brandon Rush (Mt Zion Christian Academy) Durham, N.C.
Louis Williams (South Gwinnett HS) Snellville, Ga.
Martell Webster (Seattle Prep School) Seattle, Wash.
Keith Brumbaugh (Deland HS) Deland, Fla.
*Tasmin Mitchell (Denham Springs HS) Denham Springs, La.
Julian Wright (Homewood-Flossmoor HS) Flossmoor,Ill.
Eric Devendorf (Central HS) Bay City,Minn.
*Monta Ellis (Lanier Senior HS) Jackson, Miss.