Hootens.com Rankings
Class 5A, Week 1, 2010
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.

1. Watson Chapel
2. Camden Fairview
3. Greenwood
4. Batesville
5. Greenbrier
6. Alma
7. West Helena
8. Magnolia
9. Forrest City
10. Vilonia
11. Wynne
12. CAC
13. White Hall
14. Blytheville
15. Greene Co. Tech
16. Hope
17. Mills
18. Siloam Springs
19. Monticello
20. Harrison
21. Crossett
22. Beebe
23. LR Christian
24. HS Lakeside
25. Morrilton
26. Hot Springs
27. Paragould
28. Arkadelphia
29. Sylvan Hills
30. Nettleton
31. Huntsville
32. North Pulaski

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
Shiloh Christian vs. No. 1 Watson Chapel. The first night of Simmons First/Hootens.com Kickoff Week in Pine Bluff features a battle of No. 1 ranked teams. Shiloh Christian, the top team in Class 4A and one of the top teams nationally, returns 15 starters who've helped the Saints win consecutive state championships. Senior quarterback Kiehl Frazier committed to Auburn, while linemen Travis Bodenstein and Sam Harvill committed to Kansas and Kansas State, respectively. Frazier generated more than 4,500 yards of offense last season. "He's one of the best I've ever seen," Saint coach Josh Floyd said.

Watson Chapel drops into Class 5A this fall after advancing to the Class 6A semifinals the previous two seasons. The Wildcats, who lost to eventual state champion El Dorado by three points in the playoffs a year ago, returns 10 starters, including versatile QB/receiver Kyle Coleman, whose dad Monte played for the Washington Redskins and coaches at UAPB. Watson Chapel's staunch defense gave up a touchdown or less in six of 13 games last season.

TV SHOW
Hooten's Arkansas Football TV show airs at 11 a.m. Saturdays on Fox 16 in Little Rock and KFSM in Fort Smith/Fayetteville, featuring Shiloh Christian vs Watson Chapel, Sylvan Hills vs Vilonia, GCT vs Jonesboro and Mills vs Parkview.

LAST YEAR
Hootens.com correctly predicted 166 of 212 (78 percent) Class 5A games.

WEEK 1 PREDICTIONS (favored team in ALL CAPS followed by point spread)
5A EAST
BATESVILLE (10) at Newport: Newport owned this series for more than two decades, winning 23 out of 24 meetings from 1976-2000. But Batesville has won eight of the past nine. Newport running back/cornerback Artez Brown could emerge as a Division I recruit.
VALLEY VIEW (4) at Paragould: Valley View faces its first Class 5A team in the program's five-year varsity history. Paragould's top two running backs left the program for various reasons in the off-season.
OSCEOLA (2) at Blytheville: Each school breaks in new head coaches. Blytheville's Maurice Moody installed the Wing T in spring drills. Osceola promoted junior high coach Russell Leggett in July after former coach Clinton Gore (171-67-2 record) left for start-up program Melbourne.
Forrest City at WEST MEMPHIS (21): West Memphis has won six straight league titles, and the Blue Devils have outscored Forrest City by 93 points over the past three years. Senior running back Quintin Sparkman impressed college coaches at various combines and camps in the summer.
MARION (3) at Wynne: Marion has beaten Wynne five straight times by a total of 34 points. Wynne has missed the playoffs two of the past three seasons while winning just 10 games in that span.
Beebe at GREENBRIER (10): Greenbrier broke a five-year losing streak to the Badgers with last year's nine-point triumph. The Panthers return some of Class 5A's more talented skill players (QB Neal Burcham and running back Hunter Winston).
Greene Co. Tech vs. JONESBORO (10): Greene County Tech's lack of veteran skill players hurts against the deeper, more athletic Hurricane. The University of Arkansas offered a scholarship to Jonesboro running back/receiver Zac Brooks in the spring.
Nettleton at MOUNTAIN HOME (8): These two teams combined for 15 wins over the past two years. Mountain Home native Benji Mahan returns to Baxter County as head coach after former coach Shane Patrick left for in February Springdale High.

5A SOUTHEAST
SHILOH CHRISTIAN (7) vs. Watson Chapel (Mon., at UAPB): Two-time defending state champion Shiloh Christian faces a brutal non-conference schedule before rolling to its sixth consecutive league championship. The high-octane Saints averaged 45 points a year ago.
Hamburg at MONTICELLO (6): Former Monticello assistant Greg Tiner debuts as head coach against the program that gave him his first assistant's job. Tiner also assisted at Sheridan, Star City, Louisiana State University and Mississippi State over the past three decades. Billy running back Bryan Handley rushed for 1,144 yards with limited touches a year ago.
ROGERS HERITAGE (11) vs. West Helena (Thurs., at Razorback Stadium): The final night of Simmons First/Hootens.com Kickoff Week features two teams that made the playoffs a year ago. Conference coaches picked Rogers Heritage to finish fifth in the rugged 5A West this season. The War Eagles won nine games a year ago, including a seven-point triumph over Little Rock Catholic in the playoffs. West Helena's skill players are among the best in Class 5A.
HS Lakeside at WHITE HALL (9): White Hall's 10-point win in last year's opener was its first in the three years over the Rams. The Bulldogs will throw the ball more in 2010 after installing field turf in the off-season.
LR PARKVIEW (6) vs. Mills: Little Rock Parkview, the Capital City's most successful team over the past two years (15 wins) must find a successor for graduated, two-time all-state QB Benjamin Anderson. Mills QB Chris Hampton makes plays with nimble feet.
MAGNOLIA (7) at Crossett: Magnolia continues to dominate the Eagles, winning five straight times by an average of 15 points per game. Panther QB Addison Henson passed for more than 1,000 yards a year ago. Crossett has won five games in five of the past six years.
VILONIA (16) vs. Sylvan Hills: Sylvan Hills coach Jim Withrow's most inexperienced team in two decades can't hang with the Eagles. Vilonia junior running back/safety James Sax could develop into one of the state's more recruited players in 2011.
North Pulaski at SEARCY (24): North Pulaski promoted assistant Therrod Hatcher to head coach in late July. Searcy won four games a year ago, more than the previous four years combined. The Lions lost to North Pulaski by six points two years ago.

5A SOUTHWEST
PULASKI ACADEMY (2) vs. CAC: CAC has beaten rival Pulaski Academy just once (2005) in the past 11 years, although they tied 26-26 in 2007. Both teams may rely heavily on sophomores this fall.
NASHVILLE (8) at Hope: Hope has lost four straight to the Scrappers. Nashville first-year coach Tim Perry compiled a record of 68-19-1 at Central Arkansas Christian from 2001-2007.
PULASKI ROBINSON (7) at Hot Springs: Hot Springs first-year coach Chris Vereen led DeQueen to 18 victories over the past two years. He inherits a Trojan squad that won 18 games over the past six years.
Arkadelphia at MALVERN (10): Malvern has won three straight over Arkadelphia by a combined 101-35. Malvern lineman Grady Ollison (6-4, 270) committed to the University of Arkansas during the summer.
LR Christian at PULASKI OAK GROVE (1): Pulaski Oak Grove usually plays its rival tough. The Hornets beat Little Rock Christian 21-7 in 2008 and lost by a TD last fall. Pulaski Oak Grove features a speedy backfield with Eric Parks and Trooper Tolbert.
Camden Fairview at EL DORADO (1): El Dorado has played in the past two Class 6A title games, winning it all last season, while Camden Fairview played for its first-ever state title in 2009. Camden Fairview's improved defense gave up 15 points per game last season under first-year coordinator Marc Jones.
MAGNOLIA (7) at Crossett: Magnolia continues to dominate the Eagles, winning five straight times by an average of 15 points per game. Panther QB Addison Henson passed for more than 1,000 yards a year ago. Crossett has won five games in five of the past six years.
HS Lakeside at WHITE HALL (9): White Hall's 10-point win in last year's opener was its first in the three years over the Rams. The Bulldogs will throw the ball more in 2010 after installing field turf in the off-season.

5A WEST
Beebe at GREENBRIER (10): Greenbrier broke a five-year losing streak to the Badgers with last year's nine-point triumph. The Panthers return some of Class 5A's more talented skill players (QB Neal Burcham and running back Hunter Winston).
Sallisaw, Okla. at GREENWOOD (1): Oklahoma power Sallisaw won 11 games a year ago. Greenwood has recorded at least 11 wins in six seasons under Coach Rick Jones.
Van Buren at ALMA (6): Alma has beaten Van Buren six of the past eight years, with the teams tying 36-36 a year ago. Alma could use multiple schemes on defense this fall.
VILONIA (16) vs. Sylvan Hills: Sylvan Hills coach Jim Withrow's most inexperienced team in two decades can't hang with the Eagles. Vilonia junior running back/safety James Sax could develop into one of the state's more recruited players in 2011.
Sheridan at HARRISON (1): Harrison has won four straight season-openers by an average of 33 points. Sheridan first-year coach Louis Campbell installed an option attack in the spring and conducted practices with college efficiency.
Morrilton at RUSSELLVILLE (7): Russellville has won four straight games over Morrilton by an average of 20 points. First-year Morrilton head coach Cody McNabb coordinated Russellville's defense the past six seasons.
Siloam Springs at CLAREMORE (OKLA.) SEQUOYAH (2): Siloam Springs opens against a solid Oklahoma program that benefits from drawing additional players from nearby power Claremore. Siloam Springs QB Braden Pippen successfully transitioned from middle linebacker with a solid summer.
FARMINGTON (10) at Huntsville: These former conference foes meet in the opener after Huntsville moves up to Class 5A. Farmington beat the Eagles by 20 points a year ago and has won six straight in the series.