Hootens.com Rankings
Class 4A, Week 1, 2011
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.

1. Pulaski Academy
2. Nashville
3. Shiloh Christian
4. Heber Springs
5. Star City
6. Pottsville
7. Dumas
8. Stuttgart
9. Lonoke
10. Warren
11. Ashdown
12. Gravette
13. Booneville
14. Dollarway
15. McGehee
16. Mena
17. Gosnell
18. Prairie Grove
19. Newport
20. Highland
21. Osceola
22. Ozark
23. Malvern
24. Valley View
25. Clinton
26. Subiaco Academy
27. Maumelle
28. Farmington
29. Pulaski Robinson
30. Clarksville
31. Hamburg
32. Pocahontas
33. DeQueen
34. Cave City
35. Dardanelle
36. Gentry
37. DeWitt
38. Trumann
39. Marianna
40. Lake Village
41. Dover
42. Berryville
43. Pea Ridge
44. Bauxite
45. Waldron
46. Southside Batesville
47. Jonesboro Westside

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 3 Shiloh Christian vs. No. 4 Heber Springs
Three-time defending state champ Shiloh Christian won a state-best 66 games over the past five years. The sSaints lack experience (just six returning starters) but not tradition (seven state titles in 13 years). Interior offensive linemen Jed Beach (6-2, 265) and Joseph Paulino (5-11, 205) provide leadership.

Heber Springs has won 39 games over the past five years, finishing as conference runners-up the past two seasons. The Panther offense thrives with senior QB Michael Ludwig (more than 1,500 yards last year) and running back Markeyvus Mays (1,800 yards). Panther coach Steve Janski challenged his team in January to win its first league title in 32 years.

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 correctly predicted 263 of 317 games (83 percent) of Class 4A games.

WEEK 1 PREDICTIONS (favored team in ALL CAPS followed by point spread)
1-4A
SHILOH CHRISTIAN (7) vs. Heber Springs (Thursday, Sept. 1 at UA): Hootens.com Game of the Week. Three-time defending state champion Shiloh Christian reloads with a brutal non-conference schedule.
Yellville-Summit at BERRYVILLE (3): Berryville has won nine games over the past four years and lost at Yellville-Summit by one point in 2010. Yellville-Summit junior QB Alex Beck accounted for more than 1,400 yards and 16 TDs a year ago.
Lavaca at PRAIRIE GROVE (14): Lavaca has beaten Prairie Grove three of the past five seasons by an average of 12 points per game. But Prairie Grove's junior and sophomore groups were league champions.
Huntsville at FARMINGTON (14): Huntsville went through spring and summer workouts without a head coach following Ken Harriman's resignation in April. Former Harrison coach Tommy Tice took over in August. Farmington beat Huntsville by 20 points a year ago when Jared Martin ran for 137 yards and two TDs.
GRAVETTE (17) at Jay, Okla.: Gravette has won 37 games over the past four years, including a 28-point victory over Jay, Okla., last year. The Lions gave up 14 points per game a year ago and held Jay, Okla., to 60 yards rushing.
Booneville at OZARK (2): Booneville has won six of the past seven over the Hillbillies. Ozark returns starters at 14 positions, but former coach Brooks Coatney resigned in May. Booneville returns just seven starters after posting a record of 30-5 over the past three years.
GENTRY (3) at Colcord, Okla.: Gentry has beaten the Colcord (Okla.) Hornets by a total of nine points over the past two seasons. Pioneer running back Tanner Coy rushed for almost 800 yards a year ago.
Pea Ridge at ELKINS (7): Pea Ridge has won just four games over the past three years, losing three straight to Elkins by a total of 32 points.

2-4A
Newport at BATESVILLE (17): Batesville beat Newport by 27 points a year ago, and the Pioneers feature a one of the stoutest running attacks in Class 5A with juniors Jordan Childress (1,958 yards and 20 TDs) and Daron Stigger (900 yards and eight TDs). Newport first-year coach Jeromy Poole coordinated Greenwood's defense last year, which held Batesville to 13 points in the semifinals.
McGehee at STUTTGART (3): McGehee snapped a two-game losing skid to the Ricebirds with a one-point triumph a year ago. Stuttgart first-year coach Billy Elmore inherits a strong junior class and a deep secondary.
SHILOH CHRISTIAN (7) vs. Heber Springs (Thurs., at U of A): Hootens.com Game of the Week. Three-time defending state champion Shiloh Christian reloads with a brutal non-conference schedule.
LONOKE (1) vs. Star City (Monday, Aug. 29 at UAPB): Star City won 11 games last season, advancing to the semifinals for the first time in school history. But Lonoke, which didn't qualify for the playoffs, beat Star City by nine points during Simmons First Kickoff Week. Lonoke's offensive line returns a trio of three-year starters.
CLINTON (28) at Marshall: Clinton defeated Marshall by 73 points over the past two years. Senior QB Park Parish generated more than 1,800 total yards a year ago.
Cave City at HIGHLAND (14): Former Rebel player Spencer Hill takes over as head coach at his alma mater. Junior QB Sterling Stowers produced more than 2,000 total yards a year ago.
CEDAR RIDGE (1) at Southside Batesville: 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.
MARIANNA (6) at Mayflower: Marianna won six games and advanced to the playoffs for the first time since 2006 last fall. Class 3A Mayflower has advanced to the post-season six straight times.

3-4A
Cave City at HIGHLAND (14): Former Rebel player Spencer Hill takes over as head coach at his alma mater. Junior QB Sterling Stowers produced more than 2,000 total yards a year ago.
Blytheville at OSCEOLA (2): Osceola went winless in September last season, but the seasoned Seminoles return starters at 14 positions, including running backs Korliss Marshall (973 yards and 12 TDs) and Jamal Jackson.
Paragould at VALLEY VIEW (2): Valley View won nine games last year and its first league title since the program started in 2006. Blazer junior running back Kadin Hydrick ran for more than 500 yards a year ago. Paragould won two games last year and nine over the past three years.
Gosnell at DOLLARWAY (12): Dollarway beat the Pirates by 13 points last year and in overtime in the 2009 playoffs. The Cardinals feature the biggest offensive line in Class 4A (starters average 289 pounds).
BALD KNOB (6) at Pocahontas: Pocahontas has won just nine games over the past three years and lost at Bald Knob by 31 points in 2010.
Trumann at RIVERCREST (14): Rivercrest romped Trumann by a total of 60 points over the past two years. Trumann senior QB Jimmy Creecy and running back Quentin Buchanan combined for more than 3,200 yards last year.
Jonesboro Westside at SALEM (7): Jonesboro Westside went winless last season, losing the opener to Salem by 32 points. It was Salem's only win.

4-4A
Booneville at OZARK (2): Booneville has won six of the past seven over the Hillbillies. Ozark returns starters at 14 positions, but former coach Brooks Coatney resigned in May. Booneville returns just seven starters after posting a record of 30-5 over the past three years.
Clarksville at CHARLESTON (7): Charleston has beaten Clarksville by a combined 59 points over the past three years.
MENA (10) at DeQueen: Mena snapped a three-game losing streak to the DeQueen with a 23-point triumph a year ago. The Bearcats won nine games last fall, advancing to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2000.
Two Rivers at DOVER (14): Dover thumped Two Rivers by 20 points last fall, and youthful Two Rivers could start as many as 11 sophomores this fall.
POTTSVILLE (14) at Atkins: Pottsville spoils first-year coach Tommy Cody's debut at Atkins. The Apaches emerge as a conference title contender in 2011. Apache senior lineman Jeremy Ward (6-4, 290) committed to the University of Arkansas in the winter.
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 4-2A receiver Dadrian Ester.
Lamar at SUBIACO ACADEMY (7): Subiaco Academy stomped Lamar by 28 points a year ago, but a pair of top playmakers transferred from the private school in the spring.
MANSFIELD (7) at Waldron: Mansfield has beaten Waldron five straight seasons, including an eight-point victory last year. Mansfield scored in the final minute of a one-point triumph in 2009. Waldron has won just 10 games over the past seven years.

7-4A
Hope at NASHVILLE (18): Hope has lost five straight to the Scrappers, including a 45-9 decision a year ago. Nashville QB Joel Hendry gained valuable experience with two starts last season. Hope won only once last season and its defense must improve in 2011.
CAC vs. PULASKI ACADEMY (16): Pulaski Academy handles its former conference foe. The Bruins averaged 46 points per game last season and scored a season-high 59 points in last year's opening win over CAC.
Malvern at ARKADELPHIA (1): Former Ouachita Baptist University defensive coordinator J.R. Eldridge takes over at Arkadelphia. The Badgers won seven games last season, advancing to the playoffs for the second straight year. Malvern beat the Badgers by eight points a year ago.
HOT SPRINGS (1) at Pulaski Robinson: Hot Springs has won just four games over the past two years, but the Trojans beat LR Christian and Magnolia last October. Pulaski Robinson returns just two starters (both on defense) after winning 11 games and advancing to the semifinals a year ago.
ASHDOWN (17) at LR McClellan: Ashdown promoted Matt Richardson to head coach in July when William Frazier left for Conway. Richardson, the third coach in as many seasons and fourth in five years, coordinated a defense that held six opponents to a TD or less last year. Little Rock McClellan has won just six games over the past six years.
MENA (10) at DeQueen: Mena snapped a three-game losing streak to the DeQueen with a 23-point triumph a year ago. The Bearcats won nine games last fall, advancing to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2000.
Maumelle at LR CHRISTIAN (3): Maumelle High (formerly Pulaski Oak Grove) debuts against an opponent it whipped by 42 points last fall. LR Christian averaged just 11 points per game last fall, but return veteran receivers.
GLEN ROSE (2) at Bauxite: Glen Rose beat Bauxite by 26 points a year ago, but the Beavers graduated starters at 15 positions. Bauxite gave up 43 points per game last fall but should improve after bulking the defensive front in the off-season.

8-4A
LONOKE (1) vs. Star City (Mon. at UAPB): Star City won 11 games last season, advancing to the semifinals for the first time in school history. But Lonoke, which didn't qualify for the playoffs, beat Star City by nine points during Simmons First Kickoff Week. Lonoke's offensive line returns a trio of three-year starters.
Gosnell at DOLLARWAY (12): Dollarway beat the Pirates by 13 points last year and in overtime in the 2009 playoffs. The Cardinals feature the biggest offensive line in Class 4A (starters average 289 pounds).
Fordyce at WARREN (7): Warren beat Fordyce by a point in last year's opener and the Lumberjacks scored at least three TDs in every regular season game. Fordyce junior QB Cole Johnson started nine games a year ago.
WATSON CHAPEL (2) vs. Dumas (Monday, Aug. 29 at UAPB): Hootens.com Class 5A Game of the Week. Watson Chapel could start seven sophomores on defense and the Wildcats will peak in November, not September. Dumas' three losses last year were by a total of eight points.
McGehee at STUTTGART (3): McGehee snapped a two-game losing skid to the Ricebirds with a one-point triumph a year ago. Stuttgart first-year coach Billy Elmore inherits a strong junior class and a deep secondary.
MONTICELLO (8) at Hamburg: Hamburg first-year coach Mike Cox won 61 games in five years as head coach at Bearden. Monticello beat the Lions by 30 points in last year's opener, and the Billies rely on three-year linebacker Troy Brunson.
DeWitt at BARTON (12): DeWitt has won just 11 games over the past 12 years and lost last year's opener to Barton by 30 points. Barton won eight games last year under first-year coach Van Paschal.
LAKE VILLAGE (28) at Marvell: Marvell hung with the Beavers before losing by eight points in 2009. Lake Village senior QB/receiver Lamarcus Armour ran on the Beavers state champion 400-meter relay team in May.