The final five minutes against West Helena last Friday was Heartbreak City for the Forrest City Mustangs.
Leading 13-12, two costly turnovers paved the way for two West Helena touchdowns and a 24-13 win.
The Mustangs will attempt to bounce back tonight when they play their third and final nonconference game by hosting Osceola at Sam Smith Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
As much as the Mustangs were stunned at West Helena, so were the West Memphis Blue Devils who lost to Osceola 22-20.
West Memphis led 20-16 with 1:20 to play before Osceola rallied and scored with 12 seconds left in the game for the win.
All that said, tonight's game could be entertaining if not a classic matchup between the two teams.
The Mustangs own the past two games against the Seminoles, winning 18-0 in 2002 and 28-6 a year ago.
Forrest City is banged up somewhat but nothing serious. Not having to play a junior varsity game on Monday has helped the healing process.
Senior tailback Terrance Ware had another superior performance, surpassing the 100-yard rushing barrier for the second straight game. Ware finished with 106 rushing yards and one touchdown against West Helena.
The Seminoles are led by quarterback Darrius Harris and sophomore running back Cameron Baker.
A win tonight would go a long way for the Mustangs who will open AAAAA-East Conference play next week against No. 10 ranked Jonesboro.
Osceola is a slight favorite headed into the game but the Mustangs tend to play well on their home field.
If the Palestine-Wheatley Patriots were looking for a good tune up game before tonight's 6AA Conference game at No. 3 Harding Academy, last week's matchup against Marvell failed to qualify.
Marvell provided a zero competition factor.
Marvell, which has won only once in the past 26 games dating back to the 2000 season, was nothing more than a cupcake walk for the Patriots, who rolled to a 62-0 victory.
About the only thing the game provided was the opportunity for P-W Coach Terry Farmer to play his younger Patriots -- a lot.
It won't be that easy tonight against the unbeaten Wildcats, who have scored 73 points in two games and only allowed 16.
The Patriots have scored 104 points in two games but have given up 45, all in one game, in the opening season loss to Carlisle.
Still, the Patriots are picked to win the game.
"It is the first time we have played a ranked team this year and I think the game will be a great barometer for us," Farmer said. "We will know after tonight where we are with our football program."
It is the first meeting since the 2002 season when P-W and Harding met in the first round of the Class AA state playoffs, a game won by Harding 49-23.
"Tonight will be almost like a playoff atmosphere," Farmer added. "We are going into a different part of the state and more than likely game conditions will be different than in Eastern Arkansas. But the kids understand that and i think they are prepared for that."
The Pats are 1-1 overall and 1-0 in the 6AA.
Hughes should send Rector a "thank you" card.
When Rector opted to drop its football program this season, it left a gaping hole in the Cross County schedule. That game was to have been played last Friday.
As fate would have it, Hughes had been scheduled for an open date last Friday as well. A little maneuvering by the two coaching staffs and Hughes stepped in to fill the opening.
At Cross County, the Blue Devils struggled at times, but held off the Thunderbirds 14-12 to get to 1-1 for the year.
Johnny Payton and Kerrick Scofield ran well for the Blue Devils.
Tonight, most every player on the Hughes roster could have 100 rushing yards as the Blue Devils make their third straight road trip to Marvell, 1-25 since 2000.
Everyone may not run for 100 yards, but it is a certainty that every Hughes player will see considerable playing time.
The two teams are meeting for the first time in more than 10 years.
Marvell returns 20 starters this year but a lack of depth at key positions and no winning tradition at the school overshadows the returning troops.
The Mustangs will use William Henderson, Michael Douglas and Cory Williford in the backfield. On defense, Ryan Pride leads the way as one bright spot, after averaging 10 tackles per game a year ago from his linebacker slot.
Kick off is set for 7:30 p.m.
All eyes will be focused on Panther Stadium tonight as the home of the Cabot football team will be the state's center of attention.
Defending state champion Little Rock Central brings their 15-game winning streak into town to take on the Cabot Panthers in a rematch of the Tigers' 14-0 victory over Cabot last season.
Senior quarterback Clark Irwin leads the No. 1 ranked Central Tigers into Panther Stadium this Fricday night for the biggest game of the year so far.
Many thought that Central would be good enough to repeat as state champions, but most didn't think its defense would be as strong as the utterly dominant one the team had last year.
So far, that hasn't been the case.
Central has taken on two top-notch AAAAA programs in West Memphis and Pine Bluff, and completely dismantled both teams.
The Tigers trounced the Blue Devils 37-0 in week one, then pummeled the Zebras 36-0 last week.
Central coach Bernie Cox, however, warns people not to read too much into those victories, especially the one over Pine Bluff.
"A lot of people don't realize that Pine Bluff turned the ball over eight times against us last week," Cox said. "We probably didn't have 150 yards of total offense and if we don't get those eight turnovers, it's a lot different ballgame."
Cox said Pine Bluff's defense is better than the final score indicates, and that things will only get even more difficult this week.
"I think Cabot's defense is probably better than Pine Bluff's," Cox said. "And we're still making plenty of mistakes. I'm trying to make our players understand that this thing isn't going to be easy."
Just like every other coach the week of a Cabot game, Cox raved about how physical and fundamentally sound the Panthers are. But Cox took it a step further and offered some details as to why Cabot is so difficult to prepare for.
"Like I said we have eight new guys on defense and they're not going to be prepared for what Cabot does," Cox said. "We can try to explain it to them and try to duplicate it and show it to them, but they still won't know exactly what it's like until they get there. They've never seen an offensive line come off the ball and their heads never come above their waist. Cabot does that and they go hard every play."
In turn, Cabot coach Mike Malham had nothing but praise for the Tigers.
"They say they're better than they were last year," Malham said. "Hopefully we can eliminate the mistakes and not give the game away. We'll need to take care of the football and hopefully we can make a game out of it."
Malham will start junior John Flynn at quarterback.
Senior and two-year starter Ryan Cotroneo injured his shoulder last week against Mills, but tests showed the injury was not as serious as initially thought. Cotroneo may play as soon as week six.
Flynn is making the first start of his career and is doing it against one of the most notoriously strong and aggressive defenses in the state over the past two seasons.
Flynn showed signs of flashy running last week against Mills, but also made a few mistakes that will have to be eliminated Friday.
Cabot's Bronson Britt has already shown he has the chance to be one of the top backs to ever come through Cabot, and that will be enough to keep them from being shut down.
But the Tigers just have too much going for them right now to lose.
It may not be a shut out but it will be a Tiger victory.
The Forrest City Recreation Department is getting closer to the opening of its fall schedules.
Recreation Director Kenneth Taylor, on Thursday, was putting the finishing touches on several of the season schedules.
The fall leagues this year will include youth soccer, youth flag football, a 12-under fall baseball league as well as a 16-under girls' fast pitch softball league and of course adult men and co-ed softball.
Taylor says he is still waiting to hear from several of the adult men and co-ed teams, but said there is plenty of time for them to sign up.
"We can start them playing just any time," Taylor said. "Right now, we need at least one more team in each league."
The youth soccer program, for boys and girls through age 13, will open its season on Thursday, Sept. 23 and the league will play each Thursday as well as on Tuesday through Oct. 12.
There are still four soccer teams that need head coaches.
The flag football league is scheduled to open play on Sept. 27. The league has increased this year to eight teams and will begin earlier at 5:30 p.m.
The 12-under baseball league will start n Tuesday, Sept. 28 at 6 p.m. and the girls' 16-under softball league will begin play on Monday, Sept. 27, at 6 p.m.
Each league has three teams and one of the teams will play a designated doubleheader each week.
For more information or to inquire about becoming a coach, call Taylor at 870-633-3667.