By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
LITTLE ROCK -- Forrest City sophomore forward Marcus Britt scored a "double-double" Thursday night to help lead the Mustangs to a 57-37 season-opening win over Little Rock Central at Tiger Field House.
Britt finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds in his high school debut game.
The 20-point victory marks the first time since the 1999 season that Forrest City has won their opening game. The '99 team defeated Hughes 67-64 to start 1-0. The Mustangs lost their opener in 2000, 2001, 2002 and last year, to Central 63-61.
Thursday's win gives Forrest City consecutive victories over Central. Following the 63-61 season-opening loss last year to the Tigers, the Mustangs held off the Tigers 57-51 in the rematch played at Mustang Arena.
"I could get use to this," said Mustang Head Coach Dwight Lofton, who is starting his ninth season. However, Lofton was just a bit uneasy as Thursday's game got under way.
"In the first quarter I was really nervous, because they were using their size advantage to out-rebound us big time," Lofton said of the Tigers starting lineup which featured four players 6-3 and taller.. "We regrouped and started blocking out and eventually won the rebounding battle as well as the game."
Besides Britt's efforts, there were two keys to the win.
Forrest City held Central to only four free throws in the second period and went from being down 16-15 at the end of the first period to holding a 29-20 lead at the half.
In the third period, the Mustangs went on a quick 10-0 run to push their lead to 39-20 and then, according to Lofton, played solid the rest of the game.
"I knew we had the chance to play well, but I don't think I ever entertained the idea that we would win by 20," Lofton said.
Lofton said the score could probably have been in the 70s, but several missed free throws in the first half and a dry spell late in the third held back the scoring effort.
"We were stuck on 45 forever," Lofton added. "I hope when I turn 45, it lasts as long."
Sophomore swingman Stephon Weaver got into foul trouble early in the opening period but managed to finish with 10 points as did senior guard Nick Grady.
"Weaver picked up two quick fouls and I had to get him out. He probably didn't play four minutes in the first period," Lofton added.
Senior forward Chris Williams also got into foul trouble early and joined Weaver on the bench.
"Nick looked very aggressive offensively and he hit some big threes for us in the third period," Lofton said.
Lofton said his Mustangs did a good job creating shots for Williams and said the team's shooting from the perimeter was good, but could be better."
The Mustangs go right back to work tonight when they host Marianna at Mustang Arena.
"Marianna is an entirely different type of team than we saw last night at Central. They will be quick and this is their season-opening game, so I know they are going to be pumped up," Lofton said.
Lofton said he is a little worried about coming back tonight after playing the road trip game at Central.
"I don't know how it will affect our legs. Britt played about 29 minutes at Central and senior point guard Taurus Moore did not come off the floor. But the win at Central does give us a mental head start for tonight. I hope the adrenaline will kick in and we will be okay," he said.
After tonight's home opener, the Mustangs will begin play at the Forrest City Grocery/Rumble on the Ridge on Thanksgiving Day when they battle Lanier, Tenn, at 6:30 p.m.
The Lady Mustangs tip off tonight's home-opener at 6 p.m. against Marianna's Lady Trojans.
CLINTON -- Claudel Bell wasn't even on Claiborne (La.) Academy's roster when preseason practice rolled around in late July.
More than three months later, the senior running back made a world of difference Thursday as he helped the Rebels claim their first Academy A championship.
Bell rushed for 262 yards and two electrifying touchdowns on 26 carries as Claiborne outlasted Lee (Ark.) Academy 43-36 at Mississippi College's Robinson-Hale Stadium before an estimated 750.
Bell, 5-foot-8 and 160 pounds, scored on runs of 63 and 40 yards as unranked Claiborne (11-3) won the highest-scoring Academy A final in history.
A Haynesville (La.) High School transfer in early September, Bell was all smiles in the middle of the Rebels' postgame celebration.
"I was having some difficulties with coaches, but it's all right," Bell said of his move to Claiborne. "This feels good. It's the best feeling in the world. I've always wanted a ring, and now I got one."
Bell and the Rebels couldn't hoist the championship trophy until Lee quarterback Landon Bullard's pass from the Claiborne 30 fell incomplete in a crowd in the back of the end zone as time expired.
Claiborne took the lead for good on fullback Chris Dickerson's three-yard touchdown burst and running back Dederick Ridley's two-point conversion run with 10 minutes, 9 seconds remaining.
"This was a game of who could stop who," said Claiborne coach Ronnie Powell, whose team overcame a 28-21 halftime deficit.
"Bell has such explosion from the backfield to the line of scrimmage. He'll run through tackles. He has incredible balance.
"We were terrible the first part of the year. We kept getting better and better. For us, it's a tremendous experience."
Lee, top-ranked in The Clarion-Ledger Academy A poll, finished 11-3.
Bullard, who completed 15 of 31 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown and rushed for three scores, nearly connected with 6-5, 205-pound wide receiver Jeffrey Higgins on the final play.
"It was a mass of humanity," Cougars coach John Holcombe said. "I saw him get his hands on it. There were so many bodies. It would have been a miracle catch. We just couldn't get our rhythm back in the second half. They were getting a little more pressure on us and we were having some breakdowns up front. We had a great year. Even though this is a loss, getting here elevated our program."
Forrest City's Taylor Clark intercepted a Claiborne pass in the endzone with 6:47 to play to help put Lee in the position for a possible game-winning drive.
Some call it the Spread offense, others just call it the West Coast attack.
Whichever term you choose, the Palestine-Wheatley Patriots will see it up close and personal tonight when they host the Lavaca Golden Arrows in a second-round Class AA state playoff game at Patriot Field.
It is a first-ever meeting between the two schools and tonight's winner more than likely earns a shot to face Rison next week in the quarterfinals.
The Patriots, 8-2 overall, used a 24 point third quarter last Friday to roll up Cross County 46-6 in first-round play.
Lavaca is no Cross County, which entered the state playoffs with a losing record.
Lavaca, from the 1AA is ranked seventh in Class AA while Palestine-Wheatley is one step higher at No. 6.
In other playoff games tonight, the Hughes Blue Devils, seeded third into the playoff from the 6AA Conference, will make the trip to Little Rock tonight to battle top-seeded Arkansas Baptist in second-round action.
Hughes, 9-2, dropped Earle 48-0 last week to advance to tonight's game.
Lavaca opened the 2004 season with more than a dozen returning players setting up shop in 19 of the 22 starting positions on the field.
Likewise, the Patriots are senior-laden and returned almost everyone from last year's run all the way to the Class AA quarterfinals.
Both teams are capable of putting a lot of points on the board.
If there is a telling point, it could be found in the Palestine-Wheatley secondary, which has been prone to giving up the big passing plays this season.
And subscribing to the West Coast spread offense, Lavaca could exploit that weakness.
The Patriots defeated Cross County last week by using a combined effort from the Leak brothers -- quarterback Fred and running back Antonio -- while resting the team's leading rusher, senior tailback Brad Barton, who was healing from a minor knee injury sustained in the regular season final against Hughes.
Barton is expected to return to the Patriots backfield tonight, joining Rashun Barnes, Elijah Duncan and Leak.
Lavaca defeated Hector 39-0 last Friday to advance.
At Little Rock, the Arkansas Baptist Eagles finished as 4AA Conference champs and defeated Greenland 20-14 a week ago.
The Eagles finished at the top of their league by using 18 returning lettermen.
Hughes, which got as far as the quarterfinals a year ago, will have to have a solid effort from their six seniors as well as from their battle-tested underclassmen in tonight's matchup.
Last week, in the shut out win over Earle, Hughes' Marcus Washington ran for five touchdowns.
Tonight's winner should get the chance to host next week's quarterfinal game.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Forrest City Lady Mustangs will play their home opener tonight at Mustang Arena, but it will be the team's third game of the season.
The Lady Mustangs, 1-1, have played twice this week at the Mount St. Mary's Heavenly Hoops tournament in Little Rock.
The lost their first game Monday to El Dorado but rebounded to bounce Jacksonville 60-41 on Wednesday.
Saturday, the Lady Mustangs will take on North Pulaski for fourth place in a game that is scheduled to tip at 3 p.m.
In other games Saturday, El Dorado and Watson Chapel will play at 6 p.m., for the tournament championship.
Tonight, however, Forrest City will host Marianna and will tip at 6 p.m.
*Jonesboro could not keep up with Blytheville Thursday night, losing 69-63 to the Lady Chickasaws at the Greene County Tech Coke Classic.
Whiquita Taber scored 24 points to lead Blytheville and Whitney Jones, who signed a letter of intent to play for the Arkansas Lady Razorbacks this week, added 15 points.
Blytheville had control throughout, leading 36-21 at halftime and 50-39 after three quarters.
Alyssa Edens scored 12 points to lead Jonesboro, and Jade Plunk contributed 11 points.
Megan Hale led Greene County Tech with 13 points as the Lady Eagles past Class AAA powerhouse Rivercrest 52-44 Thursday night.
Greene County Tech led 22-16 at halftime and 41-27 after three quarters.
Hannah Lark led the Lady Colts with 13 points and Starr Taylor added 12 points.
*In junior high girls' action Thursday, the Forrest City Junior Lady Mustangs got 21 points and 11 rebounds from Cassandra Jackson in a 45-14 win over Earle.
Chaquita Britt added seven points and grabbed four rebounds while point guard Kristen Rucker handed out five assists. Sharita Britt had six steals in the game.
The Junior Lady Mustangs led 12-0 after one period and 24-9 at the half. By the fourth period, first-year coach Chris McManners emptied his bench.
"I saw a lot of good things we did as a team," McManners said. "The girls hustled and rebounded well. Everyone played hard."
The eighth-grade boys won their game but the varsity Junior Mustangs lost 46-42 to the Junior Bulldogs.
The Forrest City Junior High teams will play at Marianna on Monday, Nov. 22.