By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Each new issue of Hooten's Arkansas Football magazine closely resembles the previous year's version and the 2004 edition, which hit area news stands Tuesday, is no exception.
The Hooten brothers, Chris and Chad, have tweaked the design over the years and broadened the magazines scope to include as many high school and college football programs as they can.
Over the past couple of years, the magazine has remained almost unchanged in design, style and information.
That includes the same news almost each issue for the Forrest City Mustang football program, which, annually, has not been ranked higher than fifth in the Hooten's Coaches Poll for the AAAAA-East.
Last year, the Mustangs were picked to finish fifth in the conference, the best ranking for the Mustangs since Hooten's first issue back in 1993.
This year's issue has the Mustangs back on ground that has become all too painfully familiar to the team and the fans -- in seventh place in the conference.
It is the eighth time in 12 publications the Mustangs have been picked to finish seventh. Three times, the Mustangs have been picked sixth and once fifth.
Forrest City is coming off a 5-5 season last year, fifth in the conference.
There is, however, better news for Palestine-Wheatley and Hughes football fans.
Playing in the same football conference, the 6AA, the Patriots have been picked second in the conference behind perennial power Barton, while Hughes is being picked to finish fourth.
Palestine-Wheatley is coming off its best season in school history and returns the players to be a force once again in the nine-team conference.
Hooten's has Palestine-Wheatley ranked eighth in Class AA while Cross County, picked to win the 3AA Conference, is ranked sixth.
Two Palestine-Wheatley players -- defensive lineman Derrick Cooper and defensive back and quarterback Fred Leak, were named to Hooten's 2004 Class AA Super Team.
Once again, Hooten's has Cabot picked to win the AAAAA-East with West Memphis second and Jonesboro third.
The Sylvan Hills Bears, who move back into Class AAAAA and the East conference, are being touted to fill the fourth spot in the league.
The Bears, former members of the conference, dropped down to Class AAAA two years ago. The team returns to replace long-time conference member Blytheville, which drops down and into the AAAA East.
The Chicks have been picked by Hooten's to finish third in the league behind Wynne and Batesville.
Little Rock Central, the defending champs, is ranked first in Class AAAAA while Vilonia holds the preseason top spot in Class AAAA. Defending AAAA state champion Batesville is ranked third in the Hooten's poll.
Warren is Class AAA's top preseason pick while last year's AAA state champions, Pulaski Academy, enter the preseason at No. 16.
Rison sits on top of the Class AA rankings while defending AA state champs, Junction City is second.
Only three players representing the AAAAA-East -- Jonesboro running back Cowan Hutson, West Memphis lineman Zack Fenter and Sylvan Hills' linebacker Hezekiah Smith -- were named to the Class AAAAA Super Team.
Turning to the college ranks, Hooten's has the Arkansas Razorbacks selected for a fourth-place finish in the SEC West this season behind LSU, Auburn and Ole Miss.
Georgia is the top pick to win the SEC East.
At he national level, Hooten's preseason Top 10 has Southern Cal leading the pack which includes Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma, Miami, Michigan, Kansas State, Florida State, Tennessee and Ohio State.
The high school football season begins on Aug. 30, with the first games of the Hooten's Kickoff Classic.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Scattered like the wind, most of the Forrest City All-Star youth baseball teams will be in action this weekend.
Starting right here in Forrest City, the 13-year-old All-Stars will be the host team for the 10-team Babe Ruth 13-year-old state tournament, which starts Friday at the Sports Complex.
The 13s, coached by Terry Laws, Jim Machen and Randy Pearson, finished third last weekend at the District 7 tournament played at White Hall.
Forrest City opens against Jacksonville Friday at 7:45 p.m.
A win brings the 13s back on Saturday at 7:45 p.m., against either Monticello, Clark County or Crossett.
Meanwhile, just to the East, the Forrest City 11-year-old All-Stars will see their first action when they open at the 11-year-old state tournament in Marion.
The tournament is expected to draw about 30 teams.
The team is being coached by Larry Derrick and Jim Hughes.
Forrest City will play Stuttgart Friday morning at 10 a.m.
"I think we have a good group of kids," Derrick said. "We've been fighting the rain trying to get in some practice time, but with the kids we have, we should be okay."
Derrick may have the best of the league's crop of 11s on the All-Star team.
"We invited all of the 11s to tryout for the All-Star team," Derrick said. "We ended up keeping almost everyone who tried out."
Derrick said the team has five experienced pitchers, which should be plenty for whatever the team encounters at Marion.
"I'm not as comfortable with our bats as I might should be," Derrick said. "Our fielding looks good but we may have a couple of weak spots in the batting order. We will have to try to work around that."
The 11s are Lance Hughes, Nathan Derrick, Dontay Brown, Devante Mitchell, Cadarious Parchman, Laloyd Hamilton, Xavier Lewis, RoRo Steverson, Charles Anderson, Xavier Banks, Terrance Mays and Jerrod Brown.
The 7-8-year-old All-Star team, coached by Michael Hight and Craig Parker, will open play at the 7-8-year-old Cal Ripken state pitching machine tournament Friday at Sylvan Hills.
Forrest City will play Star City, Friday at 10:45 a.m. A win brings the team back at 5:45 p.m., Friday while a first-round loss brings the team back on Saturday at 9 a.m.
Approximately 60 teams are involved in the bracket.
The All-Stars are comprised of 12 Minor League players from Easley Law, the regular-season champions, Hartman Diesel and Vaccaro.
Team members are Tanner Hess, Weston Hess, Zach Morris, Colby Hight, Davian Hartrick, Tavion Banks, Jarod Haynie, Tyler Wilson, Seth Parker, Damian Watson, Ethan Deere and Larren Freeman.
Mount Calvary M.B. Church will host a co-ed softball tournament, Saturday, Aug. 7, at Atkins Park in Marianna.
The tournament will begin at 8 a.m. and play will continue until a champion is decided.
The deadline to register for the tournament is July 16.
For more information call Ron Broussard 633-3125 or Arthur Sanders 295-6081 or Talesha Turner at 630-9025.
MEMPHIS It's Friday night in Memphis -- a summer Friday night.
And as the malls and restaurants near closing time, their customers and workforce are ready to hit the streets and blow off some steam.
For the younger set, the options are many, and can be risky.
"Ever since the movie "The Fast and the Furious" hit movie screens in 2001, there's been a considerable increase in street racing," said Paul Cartwright, Event Operations Director at Memphis Motorsports Park. "But in what we hope is a significant move, we're trying to bring those folks off the streets and into a safe, controlled environment, where for $15, they can smoke their tires, race their buddies on a real drag strip, avoid the obvious pitfalls of street racing, and learn a little something in the process."
For starters, each car is inspected by trained technicians and must pass NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) safety standards.
Once certified, there is also expert instruction at the starting line, courtesy of the same crew that works the drag strip every August when the professionals come to town for the NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series the 17th Annual O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals.
"On occasion, we'll have a few drivers here testing for other events. But we don't want anyone to be intimidated by that or the experience. And we don't care what kind of car you drive or truck or bike, for that matter," Cartwright said. "We see everything from Hondas and Saturns and your run-of-the-mill pick-up to those 'Ninja' motorcycles. Just 'run what you brung,' we like to say."
Non street racers are invited to attend, as well.
Spectator admission is only $5, and the concession stand is open all night.
Gates will open Friday, July 9, at 9 p.m., with racing from scheduled from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m. The next Friday night event is scheduled for Aug 27.
Using the title of "Test-n-Tune," the track offers this same opportunity each Tuesday and Thursday night from 5 until 10 p.m., weather permitting.
But the allure of the Friday night grudge match seems to fuel this once-a-month chance to quench that "need for speed," which continues to draw larger crowds and longer lines of participants.
Midnight Madness is sponsored by TCI Automotive, and presented by Memphis Auto Repair.
For more information on the drag racing programs at Memphis Motorsports Park, visit their drag racing website at www.memphisdragracing.com, or call (901) 358-7223.