By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Forrest City Junior Lady Mustangs improved to 7-2 Monday night by defeating Earle 50-22 at Mustang Arena.
The 7-2 beginning is the best start for a Forrest City junior girls team in more than a decade.
The White Junior Lady Mustangs started 6-2 during the 2001-02 season when the junior high fielded two teams in each sport.
For the first time in nine games, the junior girls were led in scoring by someone other than Cassandra Jackson.
Sharita Britt finished with 10 points for Forrest City while Jackson finished with nine. Kristin Rucker and Chaquita Britt each finished with eight points while LaTerrika Lucas and Brittney M. Scott had four points each. Alicia Hall finished with two points.
Forrest City led 11-8 after one period and 26-14 at the half. The junior girls held Earle to eight second half points in the third meeting of the year between the two teams.
*The Junior Mustangs lost their game Monday to Earle but the eighth-grade Colts picked up a 41-16 win.
The game was tight throughout the first quarter before Forrest City took a 24-8 lead at the half.
Jesse Mitchell led a balanced scoring attack with seven points. while Ra'tay Ursery had six points. Forwards Markese Ware, Arsenio Clinton, Lee Smith and D'shay Hinton added four points each. Point guard Mark Machen added three points while Findley Scott Laws and Darius Coleman scored two points each.
*The Forrest City Junior Mustangs squandered a nine point lead late in the third quarter, falling to the Earle Junior Bulldogs 66-55 Monday night at Mustang Arena.
The Junior Mustangs led 7-0, early, but Earle battled back to cut the lead to 11-10 at the end of the first quarter. The game remained close during the second period before the Junior Mustangs managed to take a 22-20 lead into the half.
Forrest City pushed their lead to 33-24 with three minutes to play in the third quarter before Earle turned to a full court press and converted baskets off several Mustang turnovers.
The turning point in the game came when Mitchell injured his ankle attempting to block a shot on a fast break. Mitchell, the team's best ball handler, could only watch as Earle took advantage and turned the momentum back to their bench which led to the win.
Mitchell finished with 17 points before leaving the game. Teraye Lee followed with 14 points and 7 rebounds. Clinton added 8 points and 10 rebounds, and Leanthony Henderson finished with 5 points.
"We've got the next four weeks off, and obviously we need to make some changes defensively," said Forrest City Coach Chris Houser. "This team has the ability to compete with anybody we play, we've just gotta stop shooting ourselves in the foot."
The Junior Mustangs next play on Jan. 10 in conference play against Jonesboro Annie Camp.
*In other games played Monday, Blytheville got a taste of North Carolina signee Tyler Hansbrough Monday night.
Hansbrough didn't disappoint, pouring in 40 points and hitting 15-of-15 free throws as Poplar Bluff, Mo., rallied to force overtime and beat Blytheville 74-71 in the extra period.
Blytheville led 57-50 going into the fourth quarter and held a six-point lead with three minutes left in the game, but Poplar Bluff scored eight points from the free-throw line to tie the game and force overtime.
Poplar Bluff, the defending Class AAAAA champion in Missouri, shot 23-of-26 from the line while Blytheville (5-2) hit 11-of-14.
Chris Echols and John Fowler both had 18 points for Blytheville.
Hansbrough's little brother, Ben also contributed for Poplar Bluff, scoring 21 points, including 10-of-10 from the free-throw line.
*Keun Joplin scored 36 points, including five 3-pointers, and pulled down eight rebounds for East Poinsett County as the Warriors knocked off Cross County 68-56 Monday night in senior boys' basketball.
Brandon Sturdivant added 16 points for EPC (8-2, 3AA-South) and Spencer Harston pulled down 12 rebounds and had 9 assists.
EPC took control early with an 18-5 lead in the first quarter.
The Warriors led 36-22 at the half and held a 54-38 advantage through three quarters.
Keith Bowles led Cross County with 20 points, while Patrick Jones had 15 and Aaron Bowles 11.
The Calvary Christian School Elementary girls ran their season record to 3-0 Monday by defeating Ridgefield Christian 33-15.
Kristin Heard led Calvary with 12 points while Mary Burks had nine and Katie Borden added six points and Summer Hess had four.Taylor Padgett chipped in with two points.
The win also keeps the elementary girls unbeaten in MACS conference play at 2-0.
Calvary led 8-5 after one period and 15-8 at halftime.
The elementary girls will play Friday at Pulaski County Homeschool Group in Little Rock.
The Calvary Elementary boys fell to 1-4 for the year, losing their game Monday to Ridgefield 40-15.
Ridgefield controlled from the opening tip, leading 13-0 after one period and 23-0 at the half as Calvary was shut out for the entire first half.
Ridgefield led 30-9 going into the fourth period.
Blake lester led the Elementary Eagles with 11 points while Hunter McLean and Weston Hess had two points each.
The Calvary senior girls and boys are scheduled to play at Christian Home Educators in Jonesboro tonight.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Forrest City Mustangs and Lady Mustangs will host Wynne tonight at Mustang Arena beginning at 5 p.m.
Dwight Lofton's Mustangs are off to a 6-1 start, the best ever beginning for Lofton since taking over the program in 1996.
The Mustangs defeated the Yellowjackets 65-42 last Tuesday at Wynne while the Lady Mustangs, coming off a tough three-game appearance at the McDonald's Shootout in Paragould, downed the Wynne girls 70-45 in the first meeting last week.
The Lady Mustangs are 4-5 for the year, but all five losses have come against quality teams. Forrest City has lost to El Dorado, Little Rock Central, Paragould, Poplar Bluff, Mo. and Greenbrier.
"Those are five very good teams," said Lady Mustang Coach Jacky England. "The Paragould tournament was a tough three days for us, but now we have to rebound and get ready for the conference part of our year."
After tonight's game against Wynne, the Forrest City teams do not play again until Dec. 27, when they go to Marianna.
The AAAAA-East conference schedule begins Jan. 7 when the two teams host Jacksonville.