MOUNTAIN PINE -- With only 10 players, Mountain Pine has forfeited its opening football game against Jessieville Friday night.
Injuries have decimated the Red Devil lineup, said first-year coach Sam Counce. Mountain Pine had similar problems last year, ending two games prematurely because of low numbers and finishing 1-9.
"We're doing everything that we can to maintain and keep it positive, but this was a tough blow," Counce said. "They were disappointed because they've worked so hard this year to get ready to play."
Counce said he expects five players to return from injuries before a Sept. 9 game at Cutter Morning Star, which the Red Devils defeated last year for the program's only victory since 2011.
"This is just a one-week decision for us right now," Counce said. "We're anticipating that everybody will be ready to go next week so we're just working on preparing for that."
Jessieville has replaced Mountain Pine with Lakeside's junior varsity for a game Friday night at Phillips Field, T.J. Burk's first as head coach of the Lions.
"We didn't want to continue playing against ourselves like we've done for the last four weeks of practice," said Burk, a former Jessieville High player and Lakeside assistant. "I called coach (Jared) McBride at Lakeside and he was nice enough to agree to send a team over so we can still get some competition in."
Lake Hamilton plays at Hot Springs and Fountain Lake goes to Pottsville in other Garland County openers Friday night.
Lupus benefit golf
scheduled Sept. 10
Lupus Foundation of Arkansas Inc.'s 19th annual benefit golf tournament is Sept. 10 at Diamondhead Country Club.
Registration begins at noon with tee time at 1 p.m. Entry fees are $55 per Diamondhead property owner, no golf cart included, and $60 for others. The four-person scramble offers men's, women's and mixed flights with players signing up as a team or individually. One may register online at www.lupus-arkansas.com.
The Terry Paul Phode Memorial golf tournament is one of two major athletic fund-raisers in behalf of Lupus Foundation of Arkansas Inc., chaired locally by Jamesetta Smith. For more information, call 501-525-9380 or 800-294-8878.
Haskell HG-Fountain Lake
FOUNTAIN LAKE -- Olivia Cox had five aces among 11 service points and added four kills as Fountain Lake defeated Haskell Harmony Grove 3-0 in varsity volleyball Monday.
Kalynn Bennett had seven winning serves, nine kills and 10 digs in the Lady Cobras' 25-7, 25-15, 25-11 triumph.
Fountain Lake defeated Harmony Grove's junior varsity 2-1 (25-20, 17-25, 15-7) with 12 service points and six kills by Emiley Burke.
The Lady Cobra junior high won 2-1 (25-11 19-25, 15-8) behind 11 service points from Erin Gray. Emery Martin had four winning serves, eight kills and two blocks in the victory.
Malvern-Lakeside JH
Both Lakeside junior-high volleyball teams remained unbeaten in home matches Monday against Malvern.
Olivia Lawrence had 10 service points and seven assists in the junior varsity's 25-4, 25-12 triumph. McKaila Davis and Hattie Ann Douglas each had five service points, combining for three kills, while Abby Mahoney and Maddie Trusty each had three kills for the Lady Rams (5-0).
With a slew of serving power, Lakeside's eighth-graders (3-0) won 25-6, 25-6. Meredith McGue had 13 winning points (five aces), Ava Monte 10 (three aces) and EC Arnold and Wesley Divers seven each with a combined four aces.
Lakeside's junior-high teams play Magnolia at home Thursday.
Cobra golfers win
over LH at DeSoto
HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE -- Fountain Lake's top two players shot in the 70s as the Cobras downed Lake Hamilton by 25 strokes in an 18-hole match Monday at DeSoto Golf Course.
Senior Hunter Thompson was low at 77 with junior Montana Carden next at 79 and junior Kyle Thomas adding an 86 for 242. Isaac Triplett had an 85 and Austin Adamkiewicz an 88 for Lake Hamilton.
Fountain Lake plays conference rivals Nashville and Pulaski Robinson in a nine-hole match Thursday at Magellan Golf Course in Hot Springs Village.
Sports on 08/31/2016