Hootens.com Rankings
Class 2A, Week 1, 2011
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.

1. Magazine
2. Danville
3. Junction City
4. Bearden
5. Strong
6. Mineral Springs
7. McCrory
8. Carlisle
9. Bigelow
10. E. Poinsett County
11. Parkers Chapel
12. Spring Hill
13. Hackett
14. Magnet Cove
15. Horatio
16. Hazen
17. Walnut Ridge
18. Gurdon
19. Des Arc
20. England
21. Clarendon
22. Murfreesboro
23. Augusta
24. Norphlet
25. Mount Ida
26. Mountainburg
27. Cedar Ridge
28. Union Christian
29. Cross County
30. Woodlawn
31. Conway Christian
32. Hampton
33. Marked Tree
34. Quitman
35. Palestine-Wheatley
36. Mountain Pine
37. Dierks
38. Foreman
39. Salem
40. J.C. Westside
41. Poyen
42. Two Rivers
43. Hector
44. Marvell
45. Western Yell County
46. Decatur
47. Hartford

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 20 England at No. 5 Strong
This is one of the more intriguing Week 1 matchups in Class 2A. England pushed Strong in the 2010 opener and the improved Lions expect to play for the 6-2A title this year. Strong will dress more than 25 players, including Sonic Super Team QB/LB Kenneth Dixon (5-11, 205) and all-conference RB Arrion Gatson (5-9, 205). Four senior linemen average 265 pounds apiece. Historically, England rarely ran low of skilled players but lacked strong linemen. Coach Brandon Barbaree enters his third season at England and has brought continuity to the weight room with back-to-back demanding off-seasons. Senior tackles Chance Johnson (6-4, 200) and Drew Hudson (6-4, 240) open running lanes for an explosive backfield.

TV SHOW
Hooten's Arkansas Football airs 7:30 p.m. Thursdays on KARZ (Z42 in Little Rock), Suddenlink Cable 22 in Northeast Arkansas and On Demand in Northwest Arkansas (Cox Ch. 644).

LAST SEASON
Hootens.com was 250-56 (82 percent) for the 2010 season in games involving Class 2A teams.

WEEK 1 PREDICTIONS (favored team in ALL CAPS followed by point spread)
3-2A
Cross County at HARRISBURG (2): Both teams are rebuilding. Cross County beat eventual 3A state quarterfinalist Harrisburg by 10 points last fall.
MCCRORY (28) at Manila: McCrory's numbers up to 26, including the return of senior tackle and D-I recruit Jemar Clark (6-6, 305). Senior QB Collin Campbell, thought to go baseball only, is back to direct a potent offense.
Corning at WALNUT RIDGE (28): Corning enters 2011 with a 22-game losing streak. Walnut Ridge beat Corning 38-0 last year.
PIGGOTT (12) at Marked Tree: Piggott beat Marked Tree by 20 points in 2010. But Marked Tree's backfield, led by senior RB Thadious Moore (861 yards and 10 TDs in 2010), could give the youthful Mohawks fits.
Jonesboro Westside at SALEM (7): Class 4A Westside was winless last season, losing to Salem by 32.
CEDAR RIDGE (1) at Southside Batesville: Cedar Ridge reached .500 and the playoffs in just two years in the deep 3-2A. Harding University alum Kenny Simpson takes over at Southside Batesville, which hasn't won a game since 2008 and owns just eight victories in five varsity seasons.
Augusta at HAZEN (15): Augusta not known for fast starts, and Hazen has made sure of that recently. The Hornets have beaten Augusta by an average score of 42-17 the past three years.
E. POINSETT COUNTY (35) at Palestine-Wheatley: No. 10 EPC will put up big numbers this season, but will the Warriors play better defense than a year ago when they allowed 30 or more points six times?

4-2A
Union Christian at GREENLAND (14): Union Christian senior receiver and college prospect Matt Callaway caught 42 passes for 907 yards and 13 TDs last fall. Greenland returns seven starters from a defensive unit that allowed 14 points per game.
J.C. Westside at MOUNTAIN VIEW (21): J.C. Westside travels 270 miles round-trip for its opener. Mountain View senior RB Tyler Callahan ran for 1,386 yards and 13 TDs last year.
Cedarville vs. MOUNTAINBURG (6) (Tue.): These rivals meet at Hillbilly Stadium at 5:30 pm on Day 2 of Simmons First/Hootens.com Kickoff Week in Ozark. Cedarville has lost two in a row to the Dragons. Mountainburg senior RB Zach Ross rushed for 159 yards in last year's 21-14 win over Cedarville.
W. Yell County at CUTTER M. STAR (1): Western Yell County's defensive front keeps it close for first-year head coach Daniel Phipps, but Class 3A Cutter finds a way to win for its new head coach, T.C. Shamel.
MAGAZINE (7) vs. West Fork: Magazine began its 2A state title run last fall with a three-point win at West Fork. Senior QB Ryan Chambers earned all-state honors in 2010 after generating 2,675 yards and 31 TDs. Cory Chambers led Magazine with 30 catches for 713 yards and seven TDs. The twins combined for 98 tackles and 13 interceptions as cornerbacks. West Fork has won 41 games over the past five years (best in school history), including a 27-9 record under fourth-year coach Rodney Selph.
DANVILLE (3) at Dardanelle: This game usually goes to the wire. Danville beat Yell County rival Dardanelle by seven points a year ago, and the Little Johns return starters at 16 positions, including all-state QB Mike Jiles and all-league receiver Dadrian Ester.
Gore, Okla. at HACKETT (2): Gore beat the best Hackett team in 16 years by a touchdown last year. Speedy RB Dylan Yazel (10.8 ypc in 2010) and Hackett return the favor.
TALHEQUAH (Okla.) SOPHS (3) at Decatur: Seventeen practiced during preseason for Decatur with the anticipated arrival of a 6-4, 270-pound move-in from Rogers.
HECTOR (12) at Hartford: Hector the better of two struggling programs that combined for one win last year.

5-2A
Conway Christian at ARKANSAS BAPTIST (35): Look for Conway Christian to place the ball in the hands of junior receiver Andrew Dather. Arkansas Baptist scored a season-high 56 points in last year's 32-point win over Conway Christian.
Quitman at ROSE BUD (7): Rose Bud beat Quitman 39-33 last fall. Expect another close shootout. Quitman junior QB Hunter Martin passed for 1,613 yards and 18 TDs in 2010. Rose Bud senior QB Nick Cartwright passed for 2,125 yards and 15 scores.
BIGELOW (2) at Perryville: In a game it should have won, Bigelow gave up too many big plays in last year's one-point loss to Perry County rival Perryville.
JESSIEVILLE (25) at Mountain Pine: Jessieville senior RB Kalin Glover rushed for 1,243 yards and 11 TDs last fall when Jessieville whipped Mountain Pine 35-8.
B. HARMONY GROVE (14) at Poyen: Harmony Grove's small offensive line must clear the lanes for senior RBs Austin Traylor and Jarred Robinson. Harmony Grove popped Poyen 35-14 in 2010.
Two Rivers at DOVER (14): Class 4A Dover thumped Two Rivers by 20 points last year, and Two Rivers could start as many as 11 sophomores this fall.
HECTOR (12) at Hartford: Hector the better of two struggling programs that combined for one win last year.
Mount Ida at MAGNET COVE (10): Magnet Cove may not return to the state semifinals, but the Panthers will battle Bigelow again for the 5-2A crown.

6-2A
Riverview at CARLISLE (14): Riverview must eliminate turnovers to give itself a chance against the 6-2A champs. Carlisle senior RB Braxton Petrus and sophomore Bo Weddle each averaged 7 yards per carry a year ago.
Brinkley at CLARENDON (21): Brinkley loses its 14th straight game. Clarendon senior QB Jamarlin Jackson and junior RB Jamen Jackson ran for a combined 238 yards in last year's 40-14 win at Brinkley.
Mount Ida at MAGNET COVE (10): Magnet Cove may not return to the state semifinals, but the Panthers will battle Bigelow again for the 5-2A crown.
Augusta at HAZEN (15): Augusta not known for fast starts, and Hazen has made sure of that recently. The Hornets have beaten Augusta by an average score of 42-17 the past three years.
England at STRONG (2): One of 2A's more intriguing Week 1 matchups. In case Strong has forgotten, England pushed the Bulldogs in the 2010 opener and the improved Lions expect to play for the 6-2A title this year.
Des Arc at PARKERS CHAPEL (16): Parkers Chapel could win a lot of 2A conferences. In the 8-2A, they compete and make it to the playoffs, which probably feel like a vacation. Des Arc's new head coach Dustin Prescott watched in May as one of school's more talented classes graduated.
E. POINSETT COUNTY (35) at Palestine-Wheatley: No. 10 EPC will put up big numbers this season, but will the Warriors play better defense than a year ago when they allowed 30 or more points six times?

7-2A
BISMARCK (13) at Murfreesboro: Bismarck senior RB Miguel Garcia returned a punt 51 yards for a TD in last year's 27-7 win over Murfreesboro. Murfreesboro forced five turnovers in last year's affair but didn't score until the fourth quarter.
Centerpoint at DIERKS (6): Centerpoint has won two games over the past two years. Dierks beat the Knights 34-20 in 2010.
Gurdon at PRESCOTT (28): Gurdon lost to Prescott 34-7 a year ago. Prescott all-state senior RB Daniel McCoy ran for 1,269 yards and 17 TDs in 2010.
FOREMAN (2) at Genoa Central: Foreman debuts its Spread attack with junior QB Bobby Gipson. Genoa Central lost to Foreman 28-20 last season.
Fouke at MINERAL SPRINGS (21): Fouke lost to Mineral Springs by 25 points last year. Mineral Springs all-state junior RB Rashad Williams rushed for 2,301 yards and 29 TDs in 2010, gaining 11.1 yards per carry.
Lafayette County at SPRING HILL (12): Lafayette County gave up more than 300 yards rushing in last year's 34-point loss to the Bears. Spring Hill senior RB Kevin Aaron rushed for 140 yards of those yards and threw a 21-yard TD pass in the rout.
Mount Ida at MAGNET COVE (10): Magnet Cove may not return to the state semifinals, but the Panthers will battle Bigelow again for the 5-2A crown.
Woodlawn at HORATIO (24): Horatio won at Woodlawn by two TDs (later forfeited) in 2010, and this year the Lions should roll at home as the 7-2A preseason favorite.

8-2A
BEARDEN (4) at C. Harmony Grove: Bearden all-state senior QB Defonta Lowe passed for 1,233 yards and averaged 9 yards per carry in 2010. Harmony Grove senior QB Dalton McKelvin ran for more than 200 yards and two TDs in last year's 20-point win at Bearden.
RISON (17) at Junction City (Thurs.): Rison beat Junction City by 24 points last fall. Junction City senior RB/LB Bronte Elliott averaged 8.6 yards per carry and racked up 77 stops a year ago.
Norphlet at SMACKOVER (6): Norphlet beat Class 3A Smackover 31-13 in 2010, but the 2A Leopards are running low (16) on bodies in the preseason. Smackover senior TE/DE Jeff Savage hauled in three TDs and collected 53 tackles last year.
Des Arc at PARKERS CHAPEL (16): Parkers Chapel could win a lot of 2A conferences. In the 8-2A, they compete and make it to the playoffs, which probably feel like a vacation. Des Arc's new head coach Dustin Prescott watched in May as one of the school's more talented classes graduated.
England at STRONG (2): In case Strong has forgotten, England pushed the Bulldogs in the 2010 opener and the improved Lions expect to play for the 6-2A title this year.
Woodlawn at HORATIO (24): Horatio won at Woodlawn by two TDs (later forfeited) in 2010, and this year the Lions should roll at home as the 7-2A preseason favorite.
FORDYCE JV (1) at Hampton: Hampton dressed out 24 in preseason, will likely start three sophomores on both lines.
HERMITAGE, struggling to dress out 11 players, cancelled its varsity season.