Hootens.com Rankings
Class 4A, Week 5, 2011
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.

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

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 2 Heber Springs at No. 8 Stuttgart

This could decide the 2-4A conference title. Heber Springs hasn't won a conference title since capturing the former 1-AA East in 1979. During that span, Stuttgart has won 11 league titles and two state crowns.

Heber Springs' 20-14 win last year was its first ever over Stuttgart. Two years ago, Heber Springs fumbled late in the fourth quarter, setting up Stuttgart's late TD in a 15-12 triumph. Heber Springs' 4-0 start is its best in more than four decades. Panther senior quarterback Michael Ludwig has generated more than 1,000 total yards and 15 touchdowns, while senior Geoffrey Anderson has rushed for 413 yards and four scores. Seniors Andrew Davis and Austin Childers provide leadership up front.

Stuttgart won three games this year with a smothering defense. The Ricebirds give up 8.5 points per game, shutting out McGehee and Southside Batesville. In last week's 18-0 win at Southside Batesville, junior safety Regan Counce returned an interception 75 yards for a TD. Senior Jake Baden started at quarterback, replacing injured junior Dontrell Brown last week, completing six passes for 110 yards and a TD. Senior Keith Humbert has rushed 56 times for 457 yards and six TDs this year. Stuttgart shifted end Waymon Johnson (6-3, 211) to linebacker last week to stifle Southside Batesville's rushing attack.

"Stuttgart's defense is the best we've seen," Heber Springs coach Steve Janski said. "We've got to keep the ball away from them, and try to wear them down."

TV SHOW
Hooten's Arkansas Football airs at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays on KARZ 42 (Z42 in Little Rock), Suddenlink Channel 22 in Northeast Arkansas, and On Demand in Northwest Arkansas (Cox Ch. 644).

LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly predicted 21 of 24 games (88 percent), nailing the spread of Clarksville by three points over Dardanelle. For the season, Hootens.com has correctly predicted 126 of 149 games (85 percent).

WEEK 5 PREDICTIONS (favored team in ALL CAPS followed by point spread)
1-4A
Berryville at OZARK (28): Undefeated Ozark yields 13 points weekly. Senior Asher Ree ran for 170 yards and a TD in last week's 13-10 win at Prairie Grove. Winless Berryville surrenders 32 points a game.
Prairie Grove at FARMINGTON (2): Farmington has beaten the Tigers four of the past five years by a total of 16 points. Farmington senior Jared Martin scored three TDs in last week's 35-0 win over Gentry. Prairie Grove held Ozark scoreless in the second half but lost by three points last week.
GRAVETTE (18) at Gentry: Gentry hasn't beaten Gravette since 2003. The Pioneers average just nine points a game. Gravette senior QB Clayton Alexander has passed for 796 yards and 11 TDs.
SHILOH CHRISTIAN (24) at Pea Ridge: Improved Pea Ridge needs to score just 24 points to duplicate its offensive output from last season. Shiloh Christian has won 41 consecutive conference games.

2-4A
Marianna at CAVE CITY (1): A battle of winless teams. Marianna tied Forrest City 24-24 in Week 3, wile Cave City was tied with Newport in the fourth quarter last week before losing 22-15.
Southside Batesville at CLINTON (14): Clinton clobbered Southside Batesville by an average of 34 points a game the past three years. But improved Southside Batesville held Stuttgart's offense to 12 points last week. Clinton senior Dylan Toney ran for three scores in the first half at Marianna last week.
Newport at LONOKE (1): Newport has won all three meetings over the Jackrabbits this decade by a total of 137-45. Lonoke shifted from the Veer to a Spread scheme last week, scoring 46 points at Heber Springs. One 2-4A coach says Lonoke "may not lose another conference game."
HEBER SPRINGS (6) at Stuttgart: Hootens.com Class 4A Game of the Week.

3-4A
TRUMANN (24) at Jonesboro Westside: Jonesboro Westside hasn't produced a winning season in 25 years. Trumann led Pocahontas 28-7 in the first quarter last week but got outscored 42-0 the rest of the game.
GOSNELL (2) at Osceola: Gosnell's 49-34 win over Osceola last year was its first in the series since 2003. Osceola's highly-touted junior running back duo Corliss Marshall and Jamal Jackson each ran for two TDs in last week's 20-point win at Valley View, Osceola's first of the season.
Valley View at POCAHONTAS (3): Defending league champion Valley View tied Nettleton in Week 3 and surrendered more than 400 yards against Osceola a week ago. Undefeated Pocahontas off to its best start since 2006 when the Redskins opened with 10 straight wins. Pocahontas senior running back Dylan Housh ran for 135 yards against Trumann last week, while senior QB Spencer Thielemier scored four times.
Highland is open.

4-4A
POTTSVILLE (4) at Booneville: Booneville native and Pottsville coach Brian Rust readies the Apaches for Booneville's attack. Pottsville has played Booneville better than any league opponent over the past three years, losing 36-22 in 2008, 28-21 in 2009 and 28-14 a year ago, but the Apaches have never beaten Booneville.
MENA (3) at Clarksville: Mena has won three straight since losing at De Queen in the opener. Mena sophomore QB Cameron Robinson passed for 170 yards and a TD in last week's 21-point win over Dover, while Clarksville QB Andrew Redman ran for two TDs and threw for another in a three-point win at Dardanelle.
Subiaco Academy at DOVER (6): Subiaco Academy has scored just 19 points this season. Since beating Two Rivers in the opener, Dover has sandwiched a tie with Lamar around losses at Atkins and Mena.
DARDANELLE (11) at Waldron: The winner likely gets a playoff spot. Dardanelle missed a late potential tying field goal in last week's 20-17 setback to Clarksville. Waldron averages 10 points a game.

7-4A
Bauxite at ASHDOWN (24): Ashdown wins with defense. The Panthers scored two defensive TDs and returned a blocked punt for a score in last week's 28-0 triumph at previously unbeaten Pulaski Robinson. Ashdown senior running back Daven Burns has rushed for 571 yards and six TDs this fall. Bauxite coach Shane Clancy says his defense improved during last week's 23-0 loss at Malvern.
De Queen at MAUMELLE (2): De Queen can't afford a letdown after demolishing rival Nashville by 25 points last week. Leopard junior QB Devon Hagood threw three TD passes against Nashville. Maumelle gave up 34 points in the opening three games but trailed top-ranked Pulaski Academy 42-6 at halftime last week.
Pulaski Robinson at MALVERN (7): Malvern seeks revenge for a one-point overtime loss at Pulaski Robinson last year. Malvern defensive lineman Morgan Mason (6-0, 255) scooped a fumble and rumbled 22 yards for a score against Bauxite last week. Pulaski Robinson's defense only allowed seven points against Ashdown last week.
PULASKI ACADEMY (21) at Nashville: A preseason game of interest has turned into a yawner after three straight Nashville losses, the Scrapper's first such streak since the start of the 2003 season when they lost five of their first six but advanced to the playoffs and beat Warren in the first round. Pulaski Academy averages 53 points a game.

8-4A
LAKE VILLAGE (3) at DeWitt: Lake Village has beaten DeWitt by a combined 94-50 over the past three years and the Beavers haven't lost to the DeWitt in more than a decade. DeWitt rallied with three straight TDs but lost at Hamburg 28-26 a week ago.
Hamburg at MCGEHEE (7): Hamburg gained 359 yards and held DeWitt to 246 yards in last weeks' two-point win. Junior LaMarco Harris ran 19 times for 106 and a TD, while Austin Fitts ran for 78 yards and a score. McGehee jumped to a 12-0 lead and held off Star City 19-7 a week ago. McGehee junior Steven King has ran for three TDs the past two weeks.
Dumas at DOLLARWAY (1): Dumas has beaten Dollarway just three times over the past 12 years. The Bobcats picked up their first win (18-0 over Lake Village) of the season last week. Dollarway junior Jeremiah Young ran for 308 yards and three TDs in last week's five-point win at Warren.
Warren at STAR CITY (4): Star City's 48-30 win last year was its first over Warren since 2003. Bulldog senior QB Austin White has passed for more than 700 yards and seven TDs this fall.