Hootens.com Rankings
Class 2A, Week 0, 2019
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.

1. Junction City
2. Hazen
3. Gurdon
4. Fordyce
5. Foreman
6. Des Arc
7. Hector
8. Earle
9. Conway Christian
10. Mountain Pine
11. Mineral Springs
12. E. Poinsett County
13. England
14. McCrory
15. Magazine
16. Mountainburg
17. Salem
18. Poyen
19. Hampton
20. Carlisle
21. Quitman
22. Parkers Chapel
23. Magnet Cove
24. Mount Ida
25. Bearden
26. Rector
27. Lafayette County
28. Hackett
29. Lavaca
30. Clarendon
31. Murfreesboro
32. Cross County
33. Dierks
34. Bigelow
35. JC Westside
36. Marked Tree
37. Cutter M Star
38. Marianna
39. Spring Hill
40. Strong
41. Midland
42. Marvell 

GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 1 Junction City at Camden Harmony Grove
Battle of preseason number ones. Class 3A No. 1 Camden Harmony Grove is far ahead of Spring 2018 when Coach Ernie Horstkamp came over from Bearden. Seventeen stout seniors include all-state defensive lineman and fullback Daniel Hicks (5-10, 244), who power cleans 330 pounds. Senior QB Zack Smith is much improved after a great spring and summer. Versatile strong safety Jermaine Edwards and returning OT Matthew Ealy have developed into solid, if not impact, players. Class 2A No. 1 Junction City counters with a 44-man roster that features All-8-2A QB Brady Hutcheson, RB/S Jakiron Cook, FB/NG Kyle Kidwell and OT/DT Jamie Carroll. Junction City must replace four starters from a defense that held nine opponents to 14 or fewer points in 2018. Junction City won this matchup last year 52-50 in overtime.

LAST YEAR
Hootens.com correctly picked 80 percent of games involving Class 2A teams.

WEEK 0 PREDICTIONS (favored team in CAPS followed by point spread)
3-2A
Cross County at HAZEN (12): While Hazen returns some of the top skill players in Class 2A, it will start an all new offensive line in front of freshman QB Luke King (6-0, 180), allowing University of Arkansas commit Blayne Toll to line up at tight end and split end. Opposing coaches thought Cross County would have played for the 3-2A title last fall, if not for injuries, and the Thunderbirds boast the skill players to challenge again.
MCCRORY (4) at Highland: Class 4A Highland switches to the Wing T after going 1-9 last year. McCrory likely dresses 33 for the opener and starts four sophomores on both sides of the ball. Those sophomores went 17-0 and claimed consecutive junior high league titles.  
Salem is open.
Rector is open.
Marked Tree is open.
Midland is open.
EPC is open.

4-2A
MOUNTAINBURG (13) at Lavaca: These 4-2A members open with a non-conference clash. Lavaca veteran coach Mark Headley (80-65 record from 2002-2015 at Lavaca) returns to the sideline after the Golden Arrows posted four wins three of the past four years. Mountainburg looks to defend its first league title in school history with a roster loaded with all-conference performers, including bruising senior RB/LB Malachi West (6-3, 250).
Hackett at MANSFIELD (10): Former Charleston slotback and Rison assistant coach Michael Meador takes over a Hackett program that slipped below .500 (4-6) last year for to first time since 2009. Senior OT Briar Goins (5-10, 320) developed into a team leader over the summer.
Hector at ATKINS (13): Hector second-year HC Scott Poteete expects to dress 37 against Class 3A Atkins, including a veteran offensive line and returning junior QB Gunner Garrison, who enjoyed a good spring and summer. The Wildcats struggled early last year, missing two injured starters in a 30-point loss to Atkins in the 2018 opener.
CEDARVILLE (28) at JC Westside: Class 3A Cedarville expects to be improved over a year ago when it walloped JC Westside 50-0.
BIGELOW (6) at Magazine: Former Bigelow HC Jeff and son/new HC Luke Starks join forces with Jeff staying on as OC and line coach. Luke coaches quarterbacks and defensive backs. Magazine returns All-4-2A FB Caleb Hyatt, speedy WB/CB Xeng Yeng. Emerging sophomore Kacy Frederick (5-10, 255) vies for a starting role up front after playing football for the first time last year. 

5-2A
BIGELOW (6) at Magazine: Former Bigelow HC Jeff and son/new HC Luke Starks join forces with Jeff staying on as OC and line coach. Luke coaches quarterbacks and defensive backs. Magazine returns All-4-2A FB Caleb Hyatt and speedy WB/CB Xeng Yeng. Emerging sophomore Kacy Frederick (5-10, 255) vies for a starting role up front after playing football for the first time last year. 
DES ARC (1) at England: Des Arc expects to dress 30 in the opener for first-year had coach Tyler Paschal. The Des Arc defense, paced by tenacious senior linebacker Will Kearby, tries to slow a talented England offense with speedy RB Kvon McPherson and All-5-2A QB Mason Brazeal.
Conway Christian at MCGEHEE (17): Class 3A McGehee is the first of two smashmouth running offenses (Clinton Week 3) to test Conway Christian's defense. CC plans to dress 29 at McGehee, including developing RB/LB Miguel Thorpe and utility athlete John Michael Scherry, who can line up at QB, running back or receiver.
BISMARCK (7) at Cutter M Star: Cutter Morning Star expects to dress 26 for the opener, including All-5-2A athlete Matthew Cook and LB Tyler Mace. 
Mountain View at MAGNET COVE (10): Magnet Cove should dress 37, including hard-driving newcomer Bentley Garibay (6-2, 220) at defensive end. Magnet Cove features its best skill players in recent history and better linemen than a year ago.
Rose Bud at QUITMAN (38): Quitman dresses 26 for the opener against a Rose Bud program that did not field a team beyond Week 3 a year ago and cancelled its 2016 season after Week 4.
Mountain Pine is open.
Poyen is open.

6-2A
Cross County at HAZEN (12): While Hazen returns some of the top skill players in Class 2A, it will start an all new offensive line in front of freshman QB Luke King (6-0, 180), allowing University of Arkansas commit Blayne Toll to line up at tight end and split end. Opposing coaches thought Cross County would have played for the 3-2A title last fall, if not for injuries, and the Thunderbirds boast the skill players to challenge again.
DES ARC (1) at England: Des Arc expects to dress 30 in the opener for first-year had coach Tyler Paschal. The Des Arc defense, paced by tenacious senior linebacker Will Kearby, tries to slow a talented England offense with speedy RB Kvon McPherson and All-5-2A QB Mason Brazeal.
LONOKE (14) at Carlisle: This was originally scheduled for Week 1, but Carlisle will play host to J.C. Westside Week 1 to keep a 10-game regular-season schedule after Brinkley dropped to 8-man. Carlisle should trend upward under second-year head coach Caleb Shock with the return of talented skill-position players and All-6-2A linebacker and tackle leader Ian Seidenschwarz. This could be a payoff season for Lonoke, but the talented Jackrabbits transitioned to a new, young staff in May after former HC Taggart Moore left coaching. 
Earle is open.
Clarendon is open.
Marianna is open.
Marvell is open.

7-2A
BEARDEN (8) at Lafayette County: Look for Bearden to dress 22, including junior QB Kendrick Juniel and CB Maruis Nelson and senior RG C.J. Quarles. Junior receivers Jamalachi Hartley and Zach Marlar developed over the summer. LC has won six times over the past three seasons.
Foreman is open.
Gurdon is open.
Mineral Springs is open.
Dierks is open.
Mount Ida is open.
Murfreesboro is open.
Spring Hill is open.

8-2A
Junction City at C. HARMONY GROVE (3): See Hootens.com Game of the Week.
Glenbrook (La.) Academy at PARKERS CHAPEL (10): PC plays host to a Bayou State private school that won once in 2018 while allowing 40 ppg. 
Hampton at SMACKOVER (21): Hampton transitions from an option to multiple attack under former Norphlet HC and Hope DC Doug Means. Junior Ashton Rice appears to be the front-runner in the QB battle with junior Easton Welch. Both can play receiver.
BEARDEN (8) at Lafayette County: Look for Bearden to dress 22, including junior QB Kendrick Junie and CB Maruis Nelson and senior RG C.J. Quarles. Junior receivers Jamalachi Hartley and Zach Marlar developed over the summer. LC has won six times over the past three seasons.  
Fordyce is open.
Strong is open.