Defeating Barton tonight would not be a first for James Wright and the Hughes Blue Devils.
Wright's 1998 Blue Devil team ended Barton's 111-game regular season national win streak with a 30-28 victory.
Since then, however, the Blue Devils have fallen five straight times to the Bears.
Tonight would be a good time to end that losing streak with another victory over the Bears.
It would put Barton two games out of the league's top spot and give the Blue Devils some much-needed momentum headed into the home stretch of the conference schedule.
Hughes is tied with Barton, Des Arc and Harding Academy for second place in the 6AA Conference, all four teams with identical 3-1 league marks. Hughes has lost to Harding already this season but still has to face Des Arc next week.
Hughes is coming off a 48-0 shut out win over Elaine last Friday while Barton is coming off a 19-6 loss to Palestine-Wheatley.
While Hughes has some talent in the backfield, the offensive and defensive lines have struggled at times.
Barton does not have as much talent or strength as in past seasons, but the Bears do have experience at quarterback in Chris Vaughn and Barton has plenty of winning tradition.
While the Blue Devil defense will have to contain Vaughn, the Bears will have their hands full with Hughes backs Johnny Payton, Marcus Washington, Clifton Smith, Kerrick Scofield and Cory Scarbrough.
It will be up to noseguard Cameron Jackson to control the middle of Barton offensive line while opening the door for tackle Jerry Jackson into the Bears' backfield.
The Blue Devils are very capable of putting up a lot of points. Hughes is fourth in the 6AA in points scored this season.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Barton's Frank McClellan Stadium.
The Palestine-Wheatley Patriots joined an elite list of high school football teams last Friday when they defeated the Barton Bears.
The victory elevated the Patriots to the No. 3 ranking in the Class AA state polls and left the team in the driver's seat in the 6AA Conference. The Patriots are unbeaten in the league at 5-0.
The victory over Barton also ended a losing streak against the Bears that has been filled with futility year in and year out -- especially last year's embarrassing 56-8 loss to Barton in the quarterfinals of the Class AA state playoffs.
In some cases, a huge win such as P-W's over Barton, is followed by a letdown the next week. It's up to P-W Coach Terry Farmer not to let that happen as the Patriots head to the land of the Eagles -- Des Arc -- for tonight's conference matchup.
The Eagles are very much in the thick of the playoff hunt, resting in a four-way tie for second place in the conference with Hughes, Harding Academy and Barton -- each team 3-1 in the league.
Palestine-Wheatley continues to lead all Arkansas high schools in points scored with 273.
Senior Patriot backs Rashun Barnes and Brad Barton, each coming off 1,000-plus yards rushing a year ago, have picked up where they left off.
Both are putting up big numbers which has helped the Patriots back into first-place statewide in total rushing offense.
Quarterback Fred Leak and his brother, tailback Antonio Leak add still another dimension to the smoking gun Patriot offense.
Des Arc, picked no better than sixth in the conference preseason polls, has probably already surpassed some expectations.
The Eagles are led by senior quarterback Adam Dahl and senior running back Corderro Earl.
The Eagles have a lot of experience but the Patriots have the edge in speed, which could be -- as it has been in the past -- the difference for Palestine-Wheatley.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
JONESBORO -- Jonesboro MacArthur stopped Forrest City's late two-point conversion attempt to clip the Junior Mustangs 21-20 in junior high football Thursday.
MacArthur's Dominique Coleman ran for 75 yards on 12 carries and scored twice for the Cyclones.
Coleman scored his first touchdown on a 44-yard run in the first quarter and the PAT put MacArthur in front 7-0.
Coleman's TD was set up by a 50-yard return of the opening kickoff.
Forrest City answered when Leonard Banks returned a MacArthur kickoff for a touchdown and Chris Tripp added the two-point play for an 8-7 Junior Mustang lead.
MacArthur (4-3, 2-0 AAAAA-East) regained a 14-8 cushion when Coleman scored from 25 yards out.
In the second quarter, Darrius Williams blocked a muffed Forrest City punt in the end zone and Andy Snider fell on it for a MacArthur touchdown that made it 21-8 at the half.
Mario Sims' 40-yard touchdown run in the third quarter cut MacArthur's lead to 21-14 when Xavier Jones' two-point try was ruled short by the officials.
"I thought we got in but I guess they ruled his knee was down," said Forrest City Coach Rick Trail. "Missing that conversion was the difference in the game."
Banks set up Jones' touchdown run in the fourth but again the Junior Mustangs missed the two-point try and trailed 21-20.
"Both Leonard and Xavier both had a good game tonight," Trail said. "They ran the football well. Our problem was we forgot to play the first half. We rallied and had a chance in the second half."
Forrest City falls to 1-5 for the year.
WMWest 28, Annie Camp 19
West Memphis West scored 22 straight points in the third and fourth quarters to rally for a 28-19 victory over previously-unbeaten Annie Camp Thursday night in junior high football.
Josh Calamese scored all 3 of Annie Camp's touchdowns but the Whirlwinds (5-1-1, 2-1 AAAAA-East) couldn't hold on to a 13-6 halftime lead.
Calamese finished with 108 total yards, 45 rushing and 63 passing, to lead the Annie Camp offense. Stephen Beck had 5 tackles to lead the Whirlwinds' defense.
Nettleton 35, GCT 0
Seth Allison scored 3 touchdowns for Nettleton on the way to a 35-0 win over Greene County Thursday at Raider Field.
For Nettleton (7-0, 4-0 AAAA-East), Allison scored his first touchdown on a 28-yard run with 5:45 in the first quarter.
Nettleton pushed their lead to 22-0 with two second quarter touchdowns.
Nettleton finished with 226 total yards on the game; GCT (0-7, 0-4) finished with 69 total yards.
Cross County 40, Salem 0
Craig Walker rushed for 242 yards on 19 carries and scored all 6 Cross County touchdowns against Salem.
Walker scored on runs of 10, 37, 10, 5 and 63 yards, plus caught an 87-yard TD pass from Cody Nichols for Cross County (4-2). Walker also ran in a 2-point conversion, as did Ricky Jones.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
It's only been two seasons, but it seems longer.
Forrest City and Sylvan Hills last met on the football field in 2001. The Bears went home 26-6 winners and then dropped down into the Class AAAA ranks where they put together back-to-back 7-3 seasons in the AAAA Southeast Conference in 2002 and '03.
They finished second in the league each year and reached the Class AAAA state championship game in 2002, losing to eventual champion Stuttgart.
Last year, the Bears made the playoffs but fell to Alma in the first round.
With Blytheville falling out of Class AAAAA this season, the Bears revived their overall student population numbers and inched back into Class AAAAA and right back into the AAAAA-East Conference.
Little has changed for Sylvan Hills as they roll into Sam Smith Stadium tonight as Forrest City's Homecoming opponent.
The sixth-ranked Bears are 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the conference.
It seems almost ludicrous to think that Sylvan Hills was considered the underdog in two of their last three games -- North Little Rock and West Memphis and no better than a toss up last Friday against Jacksonville. The Associated Press Wednesday made the Bears the favorite against the Mustangs.
The Mustangs are 2-4 overall but only 1-2 in the conference, following last Friday's loss to Cabot -- Sylvan Hills' next opponent.
The Bears lead the AAAAA-East in points scored with 150 and fewest points allowed, 60.
The Mustangs have already given up 147 points in six games.
Still, Sylvan Hills Coach Ron Sebastian is carefully watching his players for the tiniest sign of the "it'll be easy this time" attitude against Forrest City.
There are some good reasons for the Bears not to have that attitude.
The Mustangs has played well in most games and been competitive in all but one, a 28-0 loss to Osceola.
The Mustangs have beaten Poplar Bluff, Missouri and Searcy, while losing hard-fought games to Cabot, Jonesboro and West Helena.
Forrest City, despite losing more than 20 seniors to graduation a year ago, has broken big plays for big yardage and touchdowns in each game and that is exactly what Sebastian holds as the main concern going into tonight's game.
"Forrest City has very talented athletes and because of that, you're always concerned about them making a big play. There are a lot of guys on that team who are capable of doing that so you have to be prepared on every play."
Sebastian said a big key to defeating the Mustangs is not all defense, but a solid offensive effort by controlling the time of possession.
"If you do that, you can limit their scoring chances," Sebastian said. "And if we can guard against turnovers, that goal is within our reach."
Forrest City Coach Donnie Willis is not surprised that Sylvan Hills is off to the undefeated start.
"We knew they had some talent coming back and they have a history of winning," Willis said. "They will be the quickest team we have faced since West Helena. They can flat out fly."
The Bears run from the option and employ a two-quarterback system as well as having a full stable of running backs.
"They can substitute and not lose a step," Willis said. "We have to keep the ball out of their hands."
In the win over West Memphis, Sylvan Hills took advantage of numerous Blue Devil turnovers for the win. Against Cabot last Friday, the Mustangs suffered too many turnovers in a 27-7 loss.
Most of the Forrest City players are healthy and ready to play.
Senior quarterback/linebacker Ben Horton, who broke his collarbone in preseason, saw his hopes of returning to action dashed this week when doctors ordered four more weeks of recovery time.
"Basically, Ben is through for the season," Willis said. "That's tough for us but tougher for Ben. All he wants to do is play football."
The Mustangs stayed inside Thursday for practice, keeping the workout simple, according to Willis
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. tonight.
The Department of Community Education at East Arkansas Community College will sponsor Hunter's Education classes on the following dates:
*Saturday, Oct. 30 from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m., in the Learning Resource Center room B-129.
*Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, Nov. 1, 2, and 4, from 6 until 9:30 p.m., in the LRC room B-129.
*Saturday, Dec. 18, from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m., in the LRC, B-129.
Hunters born after 1968 must carry a valid Hunter Education card.
A card is also required of youth applicants for permit hunts.
Youngsters (under 16 years) under the direct supervision of a licensed adult (over 21 years) do not need to have a card.
The Arkansas Hunter Education Program is dedicated to the sportsmen of Arkansas with a central theme of safety and sportsmanship.
The program is structured to acquaint students with the many wildlife oriented recreational opportunities and recreational shooting sports available to them.
The program is administered through the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and taught by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and is taught through a corps of trained volunteer and professional instructors.
Hunter ethics and responsibilities, survival and first aid, conservation and wildlife management, firearm safety, muzzle loader, archery, and tree stand safety will be covered.
Everyone interested in the courses must pre-register with Hunter's Ed Coordinator, Keith Price by calling 870-633-8083.