High school report

— Seven enough for title

Melbourne’s title in the Beast of the East 7-on-7 tournament at Hoxie a week ago was a noteworthy accomplishment.

How the Class 3A Bearkatz did it was more noteworthy.

Melbourne, which will field its first varsity team this fall, won the smallschool division with only seven players.

Melbourne Coach Clinton Gore said he normally has 10-12 players available for 7-on-7 tournaments, but a handful were absent because of vacations and weddings.

“The kids played pretty good,” Gore said after the school’s firstmajor 7-on-7 tournament title. “They bought into it.”

Gore said Melbourne finished 6-0-1, including a 34-14 victory over CaveCity in the final.

Gore said Melbourne also went 3-4 in the Arkansas State 7-on-7 tournament July 19, highlighted by a victory over Class 5A Forrest City and two one-point losses to Class 7A West Memphis.

“We’ve got some good players,” Gore said.

Gore said he expects Melbourne to have around 35 players this fall.

The Izard County school about 25 miles northwest of Batesville launched its football program five years ago.

Gore said Melbourne played a junior varsity schedule last year and only has about five seniors. The strength of the team, Gore said, is in the sophomore and junior class.

Melbourne’s junior high program has won 16 consecutive games, Gore said.

“I know we’re picked last in the conference, but I think we’re going to be a little better than that,” said Gore, 72, who has more than 200 career victories.

“I think we’re going to be competitive.”

Gore said he will lean much more heavily on the pass at Melbourne than he did at Osceola, where his power Wishbone attack fueled state championship teams in 1995 and 1997.

Gore said junior quarterback Kyler McLaughlin “can really throw the football” and there are several quality receivers.

“I’d be crazy not to throw it,” Gore said.

MARIANNA New coach

Marianna didn’t have to look far for its new coach.

Larry Mitchell, who is also boys basketball coach at the school, has been tapped to replace Clyde Noel.

Noel coached the Class 4A Trojans the pasttwo seasons - his third stint heading the school’s program - but said he wants to focus solely on administration this fall.

“That’s my intention,” said Noel, Marianna’s athletic director and principal.

Noel said Mitchell will continue to coach basketball and doesn’t believe juggling two major sports will be a problem.

Noel also said he only had a junior high coach with him on the sidelines last fall, but added Mitchell will have “at least” two or three assistants.

Other head coaching openings recently filled included Travis Mann at Little Rock Hall and Dwight Vincent at Marvell.

CROSSETT All in the family

New Crossett Coach Mark Kelley said he’s hired his father, Ed, as defensive coordinator.

Ed Kelley had been defensive coordinator at Dover and was previously head coach at Salem.

Mark Kelley, promoted from offensive coordinator in the offseason, said it’s the first time he’s worked with his father in an official capacity.

“We’ve always talked football and stuff like that,” said Kelley, 25, a former quarterback at Morrilton and Fordyce. “It will be good. It will be fun. It will be a good situation for us.”

Kelley said Crossett will run a 4-3 base defense this fall.

Brad Bradshaw, Crossett’s interim coach last fall, remains the school’s athletic director, Kelley said.

LITTLE ROCK CATHOLIC Talking turf

Dedication of Little Rock Catholic’s new on-campus field is Aug. 29 at 6:15 p.m., Principal Steve Straessle said.

A kickoff pep rally will start at 5 p.m., with all alumni and boosters invited to attend, Straessle said.

Straessle said the name of the new field, which will have artificial turf, lighting and seating for approximately 500 on the west side, also will be revealed during the event.

Straessle said Friday afternoon the name of the field will remain a secret until the dedication.

“The person we’ve named the field after doesn’t even know it yet,” he said.

The new field will allow Catholic to play junior varsity, ninth grade and parochial league games on campus, along with soccer matches. Catholic will continue to play varsity home football games at nearby War Memorial Stadium.

The on-campus project was scheduled to becompleted Aug. 15, but Straessle said a burn pit was discovered in the middle of the 52-year-old field.

The material had to be removed and ground stabilized there, Straessle said. Rocks also have been an issue with the project, he said.

Straessle said the turf is scheduled to be down Aug.

22.

Catholic Coach David Estes has moved fall camp to Scott Field and War Memorial because of the construction.

Estes said the Rockets will practice at Scott Field (Forest Heights Middle School) the next two Mondays and at War Memorial on Tuesday-Friday the next two weeks.

Fall practice for most schools in Arkansas starts Monday.

MAUMELLE Still waiting

Almost a year after Maumelle opened, the Pulaski County Special School District member still doesn’t have visiting bleachers at its stadium.

Because of budget woes in the PCSSD, there won’t be any this fall, either, Hornets Coach Mike Buchan said.

“The school district just doesn’t want to spend any moneyright now since we’re under fiscal distress,” Buchan said. “So that’s not going to happen this year.”

Buchan said visitingfans will once again sit in designated areas on the home side.

Maumelle, which was previously Pulaski Oak Grove, opened as scheduled last August, but construction delays involving the stadium led the PCSSD to move the Hornets’ first two home games to Pulaski Robinson.

Asked if Maumelle will ever have visiting bleachers, Buchan said, “One day.” EXTRA POINTS

Fayetteville went 9-3 to finish fifth in the National Select 7-on-7 tournament Thursday-Saturday in Hoover, Ala. Shiloh Christian finished 1-8 in the 32-team tournament.

... Despite having only 15 players, Class 2A Hermitage plans to play this fall, Superintendent Richard Rankin said. Hermitage didn’t play in 2011 because of insufficient numbers.

... James Sax, Vilonia’s standout running back/ hurdler, has enlisted in the Marines, Eagles Coach Jim Stanley said. ... New Camden Fairview defensive coordinator Darrell Burnett is the nephew of Arkansas State defensive backs coach David Gunn.

Burnett was the starting quarterback on Gunn’s final team at Little Rock McClellan as a junior in 2001. ... Camden Fairview’s new offensive line coach, Quion Brock, coached Horatio the past two seasons.

Scrimmage schedule AUG. 20 Fayetteville at Pulaski Academy, 6 p.m.

Pulaski Robinson at Sylvan Hills, 5:30 p.m.

Shiloh Christian at Rogers, 5:30 p.m.

AUG. 21 Alma at FS Southside, 6:30 p.m.

LR Hall at Bryant, 6 p.m.

Mills at Benton, 6 p.m.

Vilonia at Sheridan, 7 p.m.

Sports, Pages 29 on 07/29/2012

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