By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Wednesday the Forrest City Mustangs' intensity levels at practice was almost nonexistent.
Thursday, the team looked much better.
"We're not where we need to be, yet," assistant coach Chuck Sartain told the team after practice, "But we were a lot better today and we are getting closer."
The Mustangs continue to work toward next Tuesday's preseason scrimmage at Little Rock Fair. Forrest City will play Fair and Little Rock Hall in the four-team scrimmage which also includes West Helena, Forrest City's second week opponent this season. West Helena replaces Marianna on the schedule.
Mustang head coach Donnie Willis said the staff is looking for "soldiers who are not afraid of a battle" referring to upcoming 2004 season in which the Mustangs have been picked to finish seventh in the AAAAA-East.
"We have to find those guys who have the heart to not give up even when they're sucking air or banged up," Willis said. "Thursday, we felt like we were beginning to see evidence of that in some of the players. We need...we have to have more of that."
Mustang assistant coach Reggie Murphy echoed Sartain's feelings about the drill, saying that he felt the intensity level himself, for the first time in a long time.
"It made me want to suit up and play again," Murphy told the Mustangs.
SFC Walt Cullum, of Forrest City, provided watermelons and refreshments to the team following Thursday's practice. Cullum is the local recruiter for the Arkansas Army National Guard Unit.
The Mustangs will practice today and will go through a light scrimmage Saturday morning following their team and individual photo sessions.
The Mustangs open the regular season on Sept. 3, when they host Poplar Bluff, Mo.
*Taking the field for the first time in two years without all-state quarterback Jim Harris, the Jonesboro Hurricane worked through an intrasquad scrimmage Thursday night at Cooksey-Johns Field.
Senior tailback Cowan Hutson broke off several strong runs and gained over 100 yards in 13 totes, scoring three of Jonesboro's four touchdowns in goal-line situations.
The Hurricane went through a 60-play scrimmage, including 30 with the varsity, as they prepared for the Sept. 3 opener at Camden Fairview.
"We had a pretty controlled environment and we did some good things," Jonesboro coach Jim Devazier said. "We made some good plays offensively and defensively. We just have to get more consistent doing what we're doing."
Carter Harbuck, a junior who is stepping in to replace Harris, hit on 7-of-10 passes during the scrimmage for 55 yards. He found Hutson in the right flat for a score during the goal-line drill before hitting split end Justin Totty in the back of the end zone on a play-action pass for another touchdown.
"He's coming along well," DeVazier said of Harbuck. "He still makes a few mistakes and we need to do things to try to help us win and not try to make plays that we shouldn't be making. We just can't make mistakes."
Hutson, who rushed for 1,264 yards and 20 scores last season, looked in midseason form, shooting through holes at the line and dragging tacklers in the secondary, tallying six carries of eight yards or more.
Jonesboro will scrimmage Osceola next Friday in the Chamber of Commerce High School Football Showcase at Arkansas State's Indian Stadium.
PORTLAND, Ore. -- The inevitable could only be delayed for so long.
Midway was the last team to begin play at the Little League Softball World Series, having to wait four days after their arrival in the Pacific Northwest.
Thursday, another slow start was in order, when the championship final against McLean, Va., was delayed approximately 25 minutes while ESPN televised extended golf coverage.
Even that couldn't stop those girls from Midway.
The Southwest Region champions won yet another World Series title, beating McLean, 18-5, at Alpenrose Stadium. The title was the third straight for Midway and the 11th in the last 13 years.
Midway went 6-0 at the World Series and 20-0 during the all-star season and outscored opponents 295-13.
Midway was only seriously challenged once during the entire all-star campaign. That came in Tuesday's semifinals, when Midway defeated Bacolod City of the Philippines, 4-0. Outside of that game, Midway's closest call was a 9-1 victory in the Southwest Region final.
Midway led 2-0 after the top of the first inning. Ashley Combs' two-run single was the key hit of the inning.
But McLean, which was 5-0 at the World Series entering the final, came right back in its half of the first. McLean tied it at 2-2, thanks in large part to two Midway errors.
Midway's defense, which had been outstanding in Portland, was shaky at best against McLean. The Waco team committed six errors.
After McLean's first-inning charge, it was all Midway after that.
In the top of the second, Midway scored five runs to lead 7-2. They closed it out with a seven-run, sixth inning.
Midway outhit McLean 14-3. Ramirez got the win, scattering three hits, while striking out one and walking three. It was the third consecutive World Series title for the Ramirez family.
The East Arkansas Youth Football Association will play a preseason jamboree Saturday at Palestine-Wheatley, beginning at 9:30 a.m. The league's regular season starts Saturday, Sept. 4.
The jamboree and 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.