By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The East Arkansas Youth Football Association will begin its third season on Saturday with a preseason jamboree at Palestine-Wheatley.
The league is back up to six teams -- after falling back to just four a year ago -- and each of the six teams will be in action at the jamboree, which will begin at 9:30 a.m. when the Marianna Raiders play the Forrest City Poneys.
The Forrest City Razorbacks and Caldwell Gators will hook up at 10:30 and the Earle Bears will test the Forrest City Titans at 11:30 a.m.
The league reverts back to its first-season form this year and will play the regular season schedule of games on Saturday mornings beginning at 9:30 a.m. All regular season games will be played on the outfield of the Palestine-Wheatley baseball field, which is located directly behind the high school gym.
A year ago, the league played on Tuesday nights at Forrest City.
The league's regular season is scheduled to start on Saturday, Sept. 4.
*Sign ups continue for the Forrest City boys' flag football fall league.
The league is headed toward having the most participation since becoming part of the city's recreation department's fall schedule of activities.
There could be as many as six teams in the younger division and three to four in the older division, according to Kenny Taylor, program director.
The flag football league will play on Monday and Thursday nights at the Sports Complex. League games will begin in mid-September. The two age divisions will be 6-8 and 9-11.
Individual fees for the boys' flag football league are $20 for in-town players and $25 for out-of-town players.
The Cabot Panthers, the preseason pick to win the AAAAA-East Conference, seem to be headed in the right direction following last week's practice sessions.
"They've been working pretty good," said Coach Mike Malham, who is entering his 23rd season as coach of the Panthers. "We may be favored but we've got a long way to go."
The Panthers lost 17 starters from last year's team, which went 7-0 in the AAAAA-East, winning the conference for the fourth consecutive season finishing 8-3 overall.
Cabot is trying to replace nine players on one side of the ball and eight on the other.
The only returning Panther starters are quarterback Ryan Cotroneo, offensive lineman Colton Roberts, defensive players Cody Canterberry, Brandon Shiell and Thomas Valdez.
Not only are the panthers the favorite in the East, the team is ranked 10th in the Class AAAAA preseason poll.
Malham contends his Panthers have "a long way to go," but thinks his team will be all right and up to the challenge of the approaching season.
"We're going to have to get down in the trenches and work hard and earn everything we get," Malham added.
One of the most glaring weaknesses that Cabot will exhibit this season is the lack of speed.
"We'll have to earn our way down the road and play good defense," Malham said. "And hopefully, our players can keep up with their thoroughbreds."
The Panthers will travel to Lake Hamilton for a benefit scrimmage game on Monday, Aug. 23.
Cabot will open the regular season on Tuesday, Aug. 31, against the Conway Wampus Cats in the first Diamond Bank Bowl at War Memorial Stadium at 8 p.m.
Forrest City will play at Cabot on Oct. 8.