Hootens.com Rankings
Class 6A, Week 9, 2009
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.

1. El Dorado (8-0)
2. West Memphis (8-0)
3. Lake Hamilton (6-2)
4. Watson Chapel (6-2)
5. Jonesboro (7-1)
6. Pine Bluff (4-4)
7. LR Parkview (6-2)
8. Marion (5-3)
9. Texarkana (2-6)
10. Mountain Home (4-3-1)
11. Searcy (3-5)
12. Sheridan (3-5)
13. Jacksonville (2-6)
14. Benton (1-7)
15. LR Hall (1-7)
16. LR Fair (1-7)

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 5 Jonesboro at No. 8 Marion
Jonesboro raced to a 6-0 start in 2009 by outscoring opponents 212-44, but the last two weeks the Hurricane struggled, falling 53-26 to West Memphis and squeaking by Searcy 21-14. Against Searcy, the Hurricane jumped to a 21-0 first-quarter lead behind two scores from senior all-state running back Kowan Wright (5-9, 165).  Senior C.J. Jones (5-8, 160) added 159 rushing yards and one touchdown on 17 carries, but the Hurricane committed six turnovers. Wright has tallied 809 yards and seven TDs this season on the ground, and he has 14 catches for 312 yards and four TDs.  Sophomore QB Moe Malugen (6-0, 180) has amassed more than 1,100 yards through the air with 11 TDs.  This week, the Hurricane hope to avoid another shootout with the Patriots like last year's 35-34 squeaker.  "Last year's game was a rollercoaster ride," Jonesboro coach Randy Coleman says. "We need a big performance to gain momentum for the playoffs.  We knew we'd have to win every game to win conference, but now we just need to win get rolling for the postseason. Containing (Marion's) Justin Carlow will be crucial to winning the ball game." Last year, the Hurricane jumped to a 14-point lead, and later trailed by 13 before rallying for the win.

Marion could force a three-way tie for second in the East.  Marion and Parkview sit at 3-2 with Parkview holding the edge by beating Marion 42-26 in Week 6. If Marion takes down Jonesboro, which beat Parkview, a tie results.  Marion cruises into this matchup off back-to-back strong performances.  Two weeks ago, the Patriot defense suffocated Mountain Home in a 21-7 victory, and last week Marion downed Hall 34-0. Senior QB Justin Carlow passed for two TDs, and senior Jonathon Millikin (6-0, 180) rushed for 90 yards and a TD against Hall.  Millikin also caught one of Carlow's TD passes.  In last year's game against Jonesboro, Millikin tossed two TD passes, including a 60-yard bomb to Carlow.

TV SHOW
Hooten's Arkansas Football airs weekly at 11 a.m. Saturday on KFSM in Fort Smith/Fayetteville and Today's THV 11 in Little Rock. The Class 6A games scheduled to be featured this week include El Dorado at Benton and Mountain Home at Parkview.

LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly picked 8 of 8 winners (100 percent). Hootens.com is 68-17-1 (80 percent) for the season.

WEEK 9 PREDICTIONS (favored team in ALL CAPS followed by point spread)
6A EAST
Jacksonville at WEST MEMPHIS (30): Jacksonville forced three interceptions, led 21-20 in the fourth quarter, and had the ball inside the five with 29 seconds remaining before falling 26-21 to Parkview.  West Memphis starters, led by Phaison Boston's 110 yards, rushed for 269 yards in the first-half in a 34-7 romp of Mountain Home.
JONESBORO (7) at Marion: Game of the Week. Jonesboro won 35-34 last year after being outscored 44-7 in the previous two years by Marion.
LR Hall at SEARCY (17): Searcy sophomore QB Dezmond Stegall tossed two TD passes last week, but the Lions lost to Jonesboro 21-14.  Hall fell 34-0 to Marion, the fourth time the Warriors have been blanked this season.
Mountain Home at LR PARKVIEW (6): Mountain Home scored just seven points for the second straight week in its 34-7 loss last week to West Memphis. Parkview senior QB Benjamin Anderson carried the Patriots to victory over Jacksonville 26-21 with a TD pass, a TD run, and an interceptions return for a score.

6A SOUTH
EL DORADO (35) at Benton: El Dorado's defense posted its second shutout of 2009 a week ago, downing Lake Hamilton 28-0 to secure the 6A South title. Junior tailback James Ford rushed for 105 yards and two TDs on 23 carries for the Wildcats.  Benton earned its first win of the year as Christian Danielson booted a 27-yard field goal in overtime to beat Fair 9-6.
Texarkana at LAKE HAMILTON (20): Texarkana Junior QB Kierra Harris completed 12 of 23 passes for 169 yards last week in a losing effort to Watson Chapel (30-6). Lake Hamilton was shutout by El Dorado 28-0 last week, the Wildcats' first since a 13-0 playoff loss to Texarkana in 2007.  The Wolves still hold the second seed in the South.
PINE BLUFF (34) at LR Fair: Pine Bluff Sonic Super Team QB Claude Johnson connected on eight of 11 passes for 274 yards and three TDs in the Zebras' 42-6 blitz of Sheridan.  Fair fell to Benton in OT by a field goal.
WATSON CHAPEL (24) at Sheridan: Watson Chapel compiled 344 yards on the ground and cruised by Texarkana 30-6.  Wildcat Senior QB C.J. Branch accounted for 219 total yards and one TD.  Sheridan Junior running back Alden Fletcher notched Sheridan's only points on a 61-yard TD run in a 42-6 loss at Pine Bluff.

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