By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
HELENA -- Take away the final five minutes of Friday's game between Forrest City and West Helena and the Mustangs are 2-0.
However, the final five minutes -- as painful as they were for the Mustangs -- will stand and that time frame will show that West Helena scored 12 unanswered points to take a 24-13 win over the Mustangs leaving the Cougars at 2-0 for the year and the Mustangs at 1-1
Two interceptions by West Helena in the final five minutes proved costly for Forrest City turning a 13-12 Forrest City lead --five minutes to play in the game --into the loss.
Both interceptions were returned for Cougar touchdowns.
"I hate it for the kids," said Forrest City Coach Donnie Willis. "They played hard against West Helena and stood toe-to-toe with them for the entire game."
West Helena, the preseason pick to finish third in the AAAA Southwest conference, fell behind 7-0 in the second quarter when Terrance Ware scored on an 18-yard run and John Scott Carroll kicked the extra point.
The touchdown was set up when Chris Barrett recovered a West Helena fumble.
The Cougars, aided by a personal foul call and a facemask penalty against the Mustangs, got within one point at 7-6 on a 10-yard scoring pass. The extra point try failed with 4:52 to play in the second quarter.
The Cougars scored with 1:30 to play in the first half on a 21-year scoring pass but failed to convert the extra point and led 12-7 at the half.
The Mustangs regained the lead in the third when junior quarterback Marcus Fair found Preston Echols for a 29-yard touchdown pass with 3:35 to play in the third. The point after attempt failed and the Mustangs led 13-12 which they nursed all the way to the five minute mark of the fourth quarter.
With 4:37 to play, the Cougars picked off Fair's third and long pass and returned it 24 yards for the score. The two-point run was stopped by linebacker Richard Flenoy and the Cougars led 18-13.
Forrest City's next possession ended with the ball going over on downs after the Mustangs failed to convert a fourth pass pass with 2:23 to play.
West Helena went three and out and punted away giving the Mustangs a first and 10 with 1:31 left. West Helena victimized Fair once again, picking off his second down pass attempt and returning the interception 40 yards for the touchdown with 57 seconds to play in the game making it a 24-13 cushion.
The game was marred late by several penalties and a scuffle that broke out in the middle of the field following the second interception in the first meeting between the two teams since the 1995 season.
Ware led all Forrest City backs with 106 yards on 22 carries and one touchdown.
West Helena outgained the Mustangs in total yards 267-to-174 with 172 of that total coming through the air. Fair completed 7-of 15 passes for 47 yards and one touchdown.
Forrest City will host Osceola Friday night in the final no conference game of the season. Osceola defeated West Memphis 22-20 last Friday night.
CHERRY VALLEY -- The Hughes Blue Devils held off a game Cross County team Friday 14-12 in a non conference game played at Thunderbird Stadium.
Johnny Payton and Kerrick Scofield scored touchdowns for the Blue Devils to get the team its first victory of the season. Hughes stands at 1-1 while Cross County falls to 0-2 for the year.
Payton scored with 1:40 to play in the first quarter from the one-yard line and Scofield added the two-point run for the 8-0 lead, which held into the fourth quarter.
Kendole Boykin got Cross County on the board with 7:05 to play in the game when he scored on a three-yard run. The two-point try failed and the Blue Devils led 8-6.
A Thunderbird fumble helped set up the second Hughes touchdown when Boykin lost the football right into the hands of Payton who returned it to the Cross County 26 yard line.
Two plays later, Scofield went 24 yards for the score. The conversion attempt failed leaving the Blue Devils with a 14-6 lead with 1:41 to play in the game.
Cross County scored on a 75-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Nowles to Patrick Jones with 1:22 to play cutting the margin to 14-12.
Hughes recovered the Cross County onsides kick attempt and ran out the clock to get the win.
Hughes will play at Marvell Friday night. Marvell lost to the Palestine-Wheatley Patriots Friday night 62-0.
Palestine-Wheatley improves to 1-1 for the year and will play at Harding Academy Friday.
All three Calvary Christian School volleyball teams saw action Friday in matches played at Macon Road Baptist in Memphis.
The elementary girls lost 2-0 to Macon Road, losing 25-18 and 25-9 in the best-of-two games match.
The junior varsity girls lost their match 2-1 winning the first game 25-15 and then dropping the last two games 25-9 and 15-13. Summer Hess had seven points for Calvary. Megan Best had eight.
The Calvary varsity girls were shut out by Macon Road losing 25-20, 25-19 and 25-22 in their best-of-three match.
Hannah McMahand had 12 points total to lead CCS. Katie Hornbeak had five points.
*Saturday at Calvary's Eagle Field, Ridgefield Christian of Jonesboro took a 7-1 win over the elementary Eagles in soccer action.
Blake Lester scored the lone Calvary goal.
Matthew Howton fired a 37 to win medalist honors Friday and the Forrest City Mustang golf team got its first win of the year, beating West Helena 172-257 at Forrest City Country Club.
Nehemiah Stephens had a 38 for the Mustangs while Doug Drake finished with a 45 and Steven Holmes finished with a 52.
Shane Gracey led the JV with a 66 while Katie Ramsey shot a 48, her career best.