Hootens.com Rankings
Class 4A, Week 9, 2009
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.

1. Shiloh Christian (7-1)
2. Nashville (8-0)
3. Booneville (8-0)
4. Warren (5-3)
5. Bald Knob (8-0)
6. Osceola (6-1-1)
7. Ashdown (7-1)
8. Star City (7-1)
9. DeQueen (5-3)
10. Gravette (7-1)
11. Stuttgart (6-2)
12. Heber Springs (6-2)
13. Newport (4-4)
14. Malvern (6-2)
15. Dumas (6-2)
16. Gosnell (6-2)
17. Lonoke (5-3)
18. Clinton (6-2)
19. West Fork (6-2)
20. Clarksville (5-3)
21. Dover (5-3)
22. Farmington (5-2-1)
23. Fordyce (3-5)
24. McGehee (4-4)
25. Hamburg (4-4)
26. Valley View (4-4)
27. Subiaco Academy (4-4)
28. Dollarway (0-7)
29. Ozark (3-4-1)
30. Prairie Grove (3-5)
31. Pottsville (3-5)
32. Huntsville (3-5)
33. Arkadelphia (3-5)
34. Dardanelle (3-5)
35. Gentry (3-5)
36. Mena (1-7)
37. Highland (3-5)
38. Trumann (2-6)
39. Pulaski Oak Grove (2-5-1)
40. Marianna (2-6)
41. Lake Village (2-5)
42. Pocahontas (1-6)
43. Jonesboro Westside (3-4)
44. Waldron (1-7)
45. DeWitt (0-8)
46. Pea Ridge (1-7)
47. Berryville (1-6-1)
48. Southside Batesville (0-8)

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 16 Gosnell at No. 13 Newport
The winner finishes second in the 3-4A and gets a good playoff draw with at least two home games, the loser finishes third and heads to Shiloh Christian in the second round. Gosnell has beaten Newport two of the past three years, scoring at least 47 points in each victory. The Pirates passed for almost 200 yards in last year's 20-point triumph. "But we haven't executed in the passing game this year," said Gosnell coach Brian Sims. Osceola held Gosnell to 99 yards (28 passing) last week when the Pirates fumbled five snaps. Pirate running back Zach Perrin has rushed for more than 700 yards this year, while Gavin Sullivan and B.J. Allen have combined for more than 800 yards. Senior Francois Mann (6-0, 275) and junior Alan O'Neal (6-3, 250) have played well on both lines, Sims said.

Newport started the season 0-3, but the Greyhound defense hasn't allowed a point four of the past five weeks. Junior running back Artez Brown has rushed 97 times for 1,121 yards (11.6 yards per carry) and 12 touchdowns this year, while senior fullback Darrion Watkins has gained 687 yards and nine TDs. Senior quarterback Ryan McGaughey triggers the Greyhound attack, rushing for 539 yards and eight TDs and passing for 273 yards and two scores. Newport defensive ends Aaron Newman (42 tackles), Joe Hardin (52 tackles, five sacks) along with tackle Wesley Graddy (6-5, 325) are key to stopping Gosnell's double wing scheme. "It's something we only see once a year, so it's hard to prepare to stop it," Newport coach Greg Brannon said. "It takes you out of your base defense."

LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly predicted 21 of 24 games (88 percent). For the season, Hootens.com has correctly predicted 220 of 253 games (87 percent).

TV SHOW
Hooten's Arkansas Football airs 11 a.m. Saturday on Today's THV 11 in Little Rock and KFSM in Fort Smith/Fayetteville. Games featured this week include Gosnell at Newport, Stuttgart at Lonoke, Ozark at West Fork and Booneville at Dardanelle. Ozark receiver Jackson Wimberly will be featured as the Arkansas Air Guard Scholar Athlete of the Week.

WEEK 9 PREDICTIONS (favored team in ALL CAPS followed by point spread)
1-4A
GRAVETTE (28) at Berryville: Gravette must protect the ball better. The Lions committed six turnovers in last week's 39-point loss at Shiloh Christian. Berryville gives up more than 400 yards weekly.
FARMINGTON (17) at Pea Ridge: Farmington's D and special teams continue providing big plays. Pea Ridge gives up 31 points a week.
PRAIRIE GROVE (6) at Gentry: Gentry upset the Tigers 19-12 last season, and Prairie Grove has posted a record of 3-8 since. Pioneer QB Caleb Ramsey makes plays rushing and passing (295 total yards in last week's 41-7 win over Berryville).
SHILOH CHRISTIAN (35) at Huntsville: The Saints led by at least 35 points in every league game this season. They built a 42-0 halftime advantage against Gravette last week. Huntsville running back Phillip Hoskins missed the final three quarters of last week's loss at Farmington with a knee injury, and the Eagles hope he can return in Week 10 against Gentry.

2-4A
Clinton at HEBER SPRINGS (8): A Thursday game that likely decides the No. 3 playoff seed. Heber Springs' Braylon Mitchell plays well on both sides of the ball. He scored four first-half TDs in last week's 55-0 win over Southside Batesville. Clinton has allowed 62 points in the past two games.
BALD KNOB (25) at Marianna: Bald Knob needs just one win to clinch the league title and top playoff seed. The Bulldogs give up just 11 points per conference game. Marianna must win its final two games to make the post-season.
DEWITT (7) at Southside Batesville: Both teams searching for their first win of the year. DeWitt's losses are by an average of 46-14, and Southside Batesville's by an average of 43-6.
STUTTGART (2) at Lonoke: The top game in the league this week. Lonoke has won three straight games and the defense improves weekly. Stuttgart QB Zach Boleware and running back Kamario Robinson pace an explosive offense (29 points a game).

3-4A
Gosnell at NEWPORT (6): Hootens.com Game of the Week. The winner takes second place in the conference.
Highland at OSCEOLA (31): Osceola held Gosnell to 99 yards in last week's 24-point win. Seminole running back Tony Dancy (1,403 yards and 18 TDs) is the top running back in a league loaded with speed.
Jonesboro Westside at TRUMANN (8): The winner keeps its playoff dreams alive. The Wildcat defense must improve to slow Jonesboro Westside's running attack.
VALLEY VIEW (14) at Pocahontas: Valley View changed its scheme to focus on the running attack in last week's 35-8 win over Trumann. Blazer running back Ron Hubbard can break a long play any time.

4-4A
BOONEVILLE (35) at Dardanelle: Booneville wraps up the league title, top playoff seed and first-round bye with another mercy-rule victory. Booneville junior running back Talor Tatterson has rushed for 995 yards with limited touches this year.
Dover at CLARKSVILLE (1): The winner holds an edge for the second playoff seed. Clarksville's Wesleigh Foster has rushed for 978 yards and nine TDs this year. Dover gets balance from running backs Colton Freeman (501 yards and four TDs) and Jamie Moorhouse (467 yards  and six TDs). QB Colton Williams has passed for 535 yards and seven TDs and rushed for 743 yards and seven scores this season.
Ozark at WEST FORK (6): West Fork can secure the league's No. 2 seed with a win. Ozark lost to Subiaco Academy by a TD last week, the second straight year it fell to the Trojans.
Pottsville at SUBIACO ACADEMY (1): Subiaco Academy needs one more win to secure the first playoff berth in school history. Trojan Ethan Rueswald has rushed for more than 700 yards this year. Pottsville needs help to make the playoffs for the first time as members of Class 4A.

7-4A
DEQUEEN (14) at Arkadelphia: DeQueen must erase last week's nine-point loss to Ashdown. The Leopards can clinch the third playoff spot with a win, and they'll likely head to Booneville in the second round. Arkadelphia's Markel Hendrix rushed for 180 yards and two TDs in last week's 18-point win at Pulaski Oak Grove.
Pulaski Oak Grove at ASHDOWN (28): Ashdown can clinch the No. 2 playoff seed with a win, and the Panthers will likely travel to Osceola in the second round. Pulaski Oak Grove sophomore Trooper Tolbert has rushed for more than 400 yards this year.
NASHVILLE (17) at Malvern: Nashville needs one win to clinch its fifth league title in six years. Scrapper running back Devencio Hawthorne's (791 yards and 14 TDs) emergence relieves pressure from junior QB Cole Moore (1,653 yards and 13 TDs).
MENA (8) at Waldron: Mena can make the playoffs, but the improved Bearcats need some help. They led Malvern 7-3 at halftime last week but lost 23-7. Waldron has scored just 20 points in the past six games.

8-4A
DOLLARWAY (2) at Lake Village: Neither team has won a conference game this year, and Dollarway hasn't won a game this year, but two of its past three league losses were decided in the final minutes.
Fordyce at STAR CITY (10): Star City can clinch the league's second seed with a victory. Bulldog senior Ty Towers tallied 175 total yards and three TDs last week at Lake Village. Fordyce junior Dexter Walker has rushed for more than 1,000 yards this year.
McGehee at DUMAS (7): Dumas' running attack must carry the Bobcats to the playoffs. Seniors Jamarean Buchanan and Sherodrick Smith combined for 343 yards and three TDs at Fordyce last week. McGehee's defense allowed just one TD at Warren a week ago, and the Owls give up just 15 points a game.
WARREN (16) at Hamburg: Warren has won its past two league games by two TDs each. Lumberjack senior QB Hayden Smith manages the game and doesn't force bad plays. Hamburg kept its playoff hopes with last week's one-point win over Dollarway.

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