By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
SEARCY -- Forrest City's Kyle Houston finished fourth Tuesday at the Lady Wildcat Cross County meet held at harding University in Searcy.
Houston finished the 5K course in 18:15, behind a trio of Greene County Tech runners.
Tuesday's time was not Houston's season-best time. The Forrest City runner posted a 17:35 time earlier this season at Greene County Tech.
Greene County Tech won the boys' side of the meet. As a team, Forrest City finished in a tie for seventh with CAC in the 18-team field.
Harding Academy edged out Little Rock Lutheran to win the girls' title.
Jessica Stevens was Harding Academy's top finisher in ninth place in 23 minutes, 33 seconds. Ashley Bratcher took 10th in 23:35. Ellen Davis and Melodie Haynie also finished in the top 20.
Kayla Grantham was Forrest City's best finisher, running a 30:58. The Forrest City girls finished nineth out of 17 girls' teams.
In the boys race, Greene County Tech won the team title, followed by Searcy. Harding Academy finished fourth and was led by Joe Overstreet. The Harding Academy runners will compete Nov. 6 in Hot Springs.
Izard County Consolidated finished third in the girl's race followed by Greene County Tech, Vilonia, Magnet Cove, Des Arc, Batesville Southside and Forrest City.
Alyssa Aldridge finished with a time of 34:28 while Leigh Anna Taylor posted a 34:38. Jessica Flowers ran the course in 36:35 while Kerri Shepherd finished in 38:58.
Blake Davis finished 32nd for the Mustangs in a time of 21:30 followed by Kyle Gaines, James McKinney and Dexter Lyles.
The Mustang teams will run Saturday at Marion and at the AAAAA-East Conference Meet Monday, Nov. 1, at Rolling Hills Country Club in Cabot. Forrest City will compete Nov. 6, at the state meet in Hot Springs.
LITTLE ROCK -- Fort Smith Northside looked ahead to this week's game with top-ranked Springdale and got thumped by Russellville. Now that the game against the Bulldogs is here, are the Grizzlies ready?
Springdale has hit a 35-point margin against each conference opponent this year, triggering high school football's mercy rule. Northside isn't the usual opponent though, and was undefeated until Russellville held it to 157 yards of offense.
That can't be a good sign before going against a Springdale defense that has four shutouts in five league games and only gave up 10 points to Fayetteville in a 45-10 victory.
No. 1 Springdale 33, No. 6 Fort Smith Northside 15
*Northside's loss left only three undefeated teams in the AP's overall Top 10: Springdale from Class AAAAA and Alma and Pulaski Robinson from Class AAAA.
The Airedales and Senators this week will face teams who, with wins, will lock up playoff spots and, with losses, will flirt with staying home during November.
Alma, ranked fourth overall, plays Vilonia, who last year played in the Class AAAA title game and is now fourth in AAAA-West. No. 5 Pulaski Robinson plays Little Rock Fair, which is tied for second in AAAA-Southwest. Alma 24-20 and Pulaski Robinson 28-18.
Other picks: No. 2 Bryant 28, Conway 14; No. 3 LR Central 34, LR McClellan 7; Jonesboro 14, No. 7 Cabot 13; Jacksonville 20, No. 8 West Memphis 14; No. 9 Sylvan Hills 14, Searcy 6; Greenwood 27, Siloam Springs 7; Wynne 25, Marion 12; Oak Grove 38, LR Mills 14; CAC 43, Pulaski Academy 28; Nashville 28, DeQueen 12; Booneville 24, Farmington 16; Ashdown 20, Mena 18; Dollarway 34, Lake Village 6; Rison 30, Altheimer 20; Charleston 28, Mountainburg 26; Dierks 42, Murfreesboro 14; EPC 32, Marked Tree 20.
Wynne will host the sixth annual Mid-South Marathon and Half Marathon on Saturday, Nov. 6, at Yellowjacket Stadium.
Olympic athlete Jillian Schwartz will fire the starting pisto.
Schwartz competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens for the U.S. team in the pole vaulting competition.
Race organizer David Reagler said Schwartz, who is from Illinois and trains in Jonesboro, was happy to participate. "Schwartz was nice enough to help us out and the runners should be excited to meet her," Reagler said. This is the 6th year for the marathon that is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon. Racers from across the nation, including a few from overseas, meet each fall for the 26.2-mile or 13.1 races across Crowley's Ridge in the Mississippi Delta.
Reagler said the race, unusual for a small town like Wynne and its more than 8,000 residents, differs from marathons in larger cities because of its small town charm. Residents come together each year to put on the race with many volunteering at aid stations dressed in costume to pass out water and food to runners. "This really is a community-wide event," Reagler said. "From the PTA to the police, the residents really get into it and welcome the runners to Wynne."
Reagler, who is an Iron Man competitor, started the race in 1999 with his wife Karen with hopes of bringing outsiders to his hometown. The race has grown steadily with more than 550 racers competing last year. This year, organizers hope to do even better.
"We already have applications from runners across the nation including from California and Florida," Reagler said. "We're expecting to have a really good turnout."
The race starts at 8 a.m. by the Wynne High School. A pancake breakfast for the public will be served during the race at the First United Methodist Church in Wynne. Music and food will also be available after the race for the racers and the community.
For more information about the marathon, check the website at www.midsouthmarathon.com or contact Karen and David Reagler at 870-238-5528.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
MONETTE -- Brandon Ballard poured in 30 points and Brooks Taylor scored 22 as Buffalo Island Central brushed off Turrell 70-56 Tuesday in senior boys' basketball at the Mustang Athletic Complex.
Ballard nailed four 3-pointers, Taylor hit 3 and Josh Nettles hit 2 as BIC (3-0) sank nine total from behind the arc on the night.
BIC is one of the eight teams making up the 2004 Rumble on the Ridge Thanksgiving tournament, which will be played Nov. 25, 26 and 27, at Mustang Arena in Forrest City.
Nettles chipped in 12 points for the Mustangs, who led 21-5 after the first period and 39-23 at halftime. Demorseya Sims scored 22 for Turrell (2-1) while Adidus Cooper added 14 and hit 4 3-pointers.
Ballard has committed to Arkansas State University while Taylor is considered by many to be one of the top juniors in the state.
The rest of the Rumble field includes Forrest City, the host team; Lanier high School from Jackson, Miss.; Denham Springs High School from Louisiana, which features one of the nation's top seniors in Tasmin Mitchell; Bolivar High School, from Tennessee, led by talented juniors Wayne Chism and Willie kemp; Richwood High School from Monroe, La., led by Terry Martin who will play his college basketball at Texas Tech; Poplar Bluff High School from Poplar Bluff, Mo, and featuring top senior Tyler Hansbrough and Reserve Christian High School from Reserve, La., featuring top 25 junior Demond Carter and 6-5 sophomore Kevin Branch.
Denham Springs is the lone returning team from last year. The yellowjackets finished second, losing to Pulaski Academy in the 2003 finals.