By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Forrest City Lady Mustangs started their season with hopes of getting into the state tournament -- something the team has not done since the mid 90s.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette didn't offer much encouragement Friday when they picked the Lady Mustangs to finish fifth in the AAAAA-East Conference.
To reach the Class AAAAA state tournament, teams have to finish in the top four in their conferences.
Mountain Home was picked to win the East this year, after finishing third a year ago and reaching the state semifinals.
Cabot, last year's Class AAAAA state runner-up to Little Rock Parkview gets the nod to finish second in the East followed by West Memphis and Jonesboro.
The Lady Mustangs finished seventh a year ago at 7-20 overall and 3-11 in the conference.
Senior forward Sequoria Grady leads the lady Mustangs this year with solid help from seniors Shari Rogers, Torrie Willis, Viveca Kimble, junior Lashundra Rogers and sophomore Fareedah Washington.
Forrest City is off to a 5-5 start under first-year coach Jacky England, which equals the team's best start through the first 10 games since the 2002-03 season, which also saw a 5-5 start.
*The Forrest City Mustangs were picked by the Democrat-Gazette to win the AAAAA-East.
The Mustangs, under ninth-year Head Coach Dwight Lofton, are off to a 7-1 start.
Both the Mustangs and Lady Mustangs will travel to Marianna tonight for the final nonconference matchup of the year.
"There are some extremely excited people in Lee County," said Lofton. "They are looking forward to tonight's rematch."
The Mustangs held off Marianna 74-73 in overtime in the first meeting at Mustang Arena, Nov. 19, while the Lady Mustangs rolled to a 65-17 win over the Marianna girls.
"We will go and play with the same determination we have had the first eight games," Lofton added.
Lofton said the winter blast of ice and snow last week disrupted practice last week, but doesn't expect that to be a major hurdle. Lofton said everyone will be available tonight, even starting senior forward Chris Williams, who injured his knee in a non-game accident.
"Chris will play," Lofton said. "He has seven stitches in his knee which means he will only be about 75 percent, but he will play."
The Mustangs will return to Marianna for the Marianna Classic Tournament, Thursday and Friday.
Forrest City will open Thursday at 5 p.m., against Stuttgart and will face West Helena on Friday.