By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The preseason scrimmage game film revealed a lot of bright spots for the Forrest City Mustangs.
The Mustangs lost 7-0 to Little Rock Fair and fought Little Rock Hall to a scoreless tie Tuesday night in a four-team jamboree at Fair.
"I thought the kids played hard and gave it a hundred percent," said Mustang Coach Donnie Willis. "We moved the football down the field, something I wasn't really sure we could do because of the inexperience we have along the line and in the backfield. But I was very pleased with the way some of the kids stepped up."
Even when LR Hall came out in a defense other than the one the Mustangs coaching staff thought they would be using, "our kids didn't panic. They made the adjustments and played well."
Willis says the staff has a better understanding of what they have to do between now and Sept. 3, the home opener against Poplar Bluff, Mo.
"We know we have to move some people, that's for sure," Willis added.
The Mustangs came away from Tuesday's scrimmage in good health with the exception of senior quarterback/linebacker Ben Horton, who suffered a broken collarbone on the third play of the scrimmage.
That elevates junior Marcus Fair into the starting role
"Fair will be fine," Willis said. "And sophomore Wilson Parker got some reps against Hall. I don't have any fears at all about putting in Parker. We have two good quarterbacks and what will make them better is we have some solid receivers in John Scott Carroll and Preston Echols and Augustus Haggans.
We will have to add a third quarterback and that will probably be sophomore Stephon Weaver, who is also working as a wide receiver. He is going to have to play this year.
John Scott Carroll may not be the best overall athlete on the field but what John Scott does that makes him an offensive threat is the fact that he is a "precision route runner."
He is not to burn anyone with blazing speed but he is going to make the right moves to get to where he needs to be to give us what we need.
We think John Scott and Echols can get open most of the time. Throw in LaCody Braddock at 6-4 and who can jump. Haggans is not very big but he can absolutely fly.
Richard Flenory stepped in at linebacker when Horton went down and did a heck of a job on defense. He is big and strong and played well. I was pleased. He read the offense and masde the plays. Until we get Ben back, Flenory is the man.
Ben gave us so many things from being a leader on the field to a now, being a coach on the sidelines.
He has to be an extra set of eyes for us now.
Horton is expected t be out from five to six weeks with a broken collarbone.
Losing him was a big loss for us but at the same time, it is a signal for us to find out who is going to step up and get the job done.
Senior Terrance Ware showed us something Tuesday. He played hard. Ben Wright, who is playing some fullback. That made me feel better. I was worried about our backfield. Ware is the only experienced back we have.
Fair, at quarterback has some versatility. He can run, he can throw and he can scramble. He may be a Darwin Sain type of quarterback. He could keep the defense guessing.Cedric Johnson is also expected to help. He didn't play much Tuesday but I think after this week, he will be playing. He can help us. He was sick during the summer and couldn't practice due to doctor's orders. He is a little behind but he is catching up.
D.J. Banks, Kelvin Williams, who played center last year, has moved outside to tight end. Willie Berry has moved into the nose guard position and did a good job.
Huey Brooks, Matt Vaccaro and Jimmy Bean all looked good anchoring the offensive line for us.
What we have to do now is put all of the bad negative things behind us and move forward.
"And sophomore Wilson Parker got some reps against Hall and looked good. I don't have any fears at all about giving Parker a chance to play."
Willis said that the coaching staff will probably elevate sophomore Stephon Weaver to the third quarterback status.
Mustang receivers John Scott Carroll, Preston Echols and Augustus Haggans made an impression during the scrimmage.
"John Scott Carroll may not be the best overall athlete on the field, but what John Scott does that makes him an offensive threat is the fact that he is a "precision route runner," Willis said. "He is not to burn anyone with blazing speed but he is going to make the right moves to get to where he needs to be to give us what we need."
When Horton went down, Willis called on Richard Flenory, who stepped in at linebacker and will probably hold that position.
Horton is expected to be out from five to six weeks.
The Mustangs showed some signs of life in the backfield with senior tailback Terrance Ware, fullback Ben Wright and Cedric Johnson, who didn't play in the scrimmage but is coming along and is expected to help once the season starts.
"Ware is the only experienced back we have," Willis said. "He is going to have to carry us and be a leader. Johnson was sick during the summer and fell behind somewhat by not being able to practice. He is catching up."
Willis also singled out D.J. Banks, Kelvin Williams, who played center last year, has moved outside to tight end and Willie Berry, who has moved into the nose guard position and did a good job as well as Huey Brooks, Matt Vaccaro and Jimmy Bean along the offensive line for us.
The Palestine-Wheatley Patriots and the Hughes Blue Devils, both members of the 6AA Conference, will play preseason scrimmage games tonight.
The Patriots will travel to Mountain View while the Blue Devils will make the trip to Trumann.
Both teams reached the quarterfinal round of the Class AA state tournament in 2003. Palestine-Wheatley is favored to win the 6AA Conference this season after finishing as co-champions with Hughes a year ago in the 3AA.
Hughes is projected to be the fourth place team in the 6AA this season.
MEMPHIS, TENN.-- The Nashville Rhythm, an expansion team of the American Basketball Association (ABA) will hold a tryout camp from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, August 28, at the Hutchison School, 1740 Ridgeway Rd., Memphis. The cost for each player to participate will be $125.
To sign up or for more information, call (615) 279-7032. The camp will be limited to the first 50 players.
The Rhythm recently signed 6-foot-5 swingman, Terrance Vanlier, a Nashville native and former Alabama A&M standout. Vanlier averaged over 19 ppg in 2000 at A&M.