By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Palestine-Wheatley Patriots are picking up steam as they head for the Oct. 8 meeting against past playoff nemesis Barton.
Friday night, the Patriots found the endzone eight times against Augusta to take a 55-8 win over the Red Devils and move to 3-1 overall for the year and 3-0 in the 6AA Conference.
The Patriots are sitting just ahead of Barton in the conference standings, having played three conference games to Barton's two.
Through four games the Patriots have scored a state-leading 206 points -- more than any other Arkansas high school football team. P-W has put up 42, 62, 47 and now, 55 points.
Senior tailback Rashun Barnes led Palestine-Wheatley's balanced offensive attack against Augusta, running for 157 yards on seven carries and three touchdowns. Senior half back Brad Barton finished with 116 yards on 13 carries and two touchdowns while Antonio Leak had 102 yards on 15 carries. Quarterback Fred Leak, scored three touchdowns while rushing for 46 yards on eight carries. Leak completed 4 of 5 passes for 54 yards.
As a team, the Patriots finished with 520 total yards (466 of that on the ground).
The Patriots led 14-0 after one quarter getting an 11-yard TD run from Barnes and a three-yard scoring run from Barton.
Augusta scored early in the second quarter on a 45-yard touchdown pass and addded the two-point play to cut P-W's lead to14-8.
The Patriots responded with a two-yard touchdown run by Fred Leak who also added the two-point play and a 10-yard scoring run by Leak with 2:03 to play in the first half to push their lead to 30-8.
Barnes' 45-yard run in the third made it 36-8 and Barton's 50-yard scamper extended the lead to 43-8. Barton added a one-yard TD for a 49-8 lead and Fred Leak closed out the scoring in the fourth quarter with a three-yard run.
The Patriots travel to Elaine on Friday before hosting Barton on Oct. 8 for Homecoming.
Barton roughed up Des Arc Friday, 38-7.
The Ridgecrest Men's Golf Association Cup Team defeated the Marianna Country Club Cup Team in a match play event that resembles the Ryder Cup between the US and Europe. Team members are: Don Hill, Rick Dangeau, Kenny Lee, Chris Schlette, Charlie Roberts, Eric Boileau, Dave Burrows, Charlie Ramsey, Derrick Boileau, Terry Gibson, Dean Roberts, Tom Cole, David Coleman, Tony Downey, Robby Parkman, Preston Parkman, Sawyer Ramsey, Don Devazier, Allen Perry, Eddie Parker, A.D. Byrd, Larry Henley, Matt Townsend and R.D.Thomason.