Hootens.com Rankings
Class 4A, Week 5, 2012
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.

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

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 1 Stuttgart at No. 9 Heber Springs

This could decide the 2-4A title. Defending champion Heber Springs has won two straight games since losing to Pottsville 35-14 in the opener. Heber Springs senior QB Michael Kramer continues to impress in his first season as a starter. Kramer ran for a crucial touchdown in last week's 21-6 win at Lonoke, passed for 224 yards and two TDs in Week 3 against Gentry and completed seven of his first eight attempts at Harding Academy in Week 2 before the game was ruled a no contest because of lightening. Senior receiver Clint Ligon, one of the top hurdlers in the state, paces the Panthers in receptions after classmate Ethan Bly broke his leg. Kramer completed eight passes for 144 yards against Lonoke, while Chandler Marquardt ran 12 times for 123 times and a TD. Heber Springs senior linemen Derrik Fisher and Ethan Lee must fend Stuttgart's physical, quick defensive front. "Heber Springs does everything right," Stuttgart coach Billy Elmore says. "They don't beat themselves."

Top-ranked Stuttgart outscores opponents 43-18. The Ricebird offense clicks with senior QB Dontrell Brown, who ran for two TDs in last week's 40-0 win over Southside Batesville. Brown hasn't thrown an interception this fall. "His development as a passer makes them tough to defend," Heber Springs coach Steve Janski said. "Last year, we didn't have to worry with him as a passer. He's got our attention now." Stuttgart's defense improved the past two weeks, holding Dumas to 13 points and shutting out Southside Batesville. "It's the best defensive front we'll see all year," Janski said. Senior inside linebacker Waymon Johnson paces the Ricebirds in tackles, Elmore said. The Ricebirds alternate seven or eight linemen every game, relying on stout ends Dominique Criner and Taylor Daniels and tackle Chris Hooks to make plays behind the line of scrimmage. Stuttgart has intercepted 12 passes this fall.

TV SHOW
Hooten's Arkansas Football airs Saturday mornings at 8:30 on KARZ 42 (Little Rock) and Fox 24 (Fayetteville/Fort Smith), featuring the top players and teams from across the state. Booneville lineman Tanner Fritsche will be featured as the Air Guard Scholar Athlete of the Week.

LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly predicted 21 of 24 games (88 percent). For the season, Hootens.com has correctly predicted 121 of 144 games (84 percent).

WEEK 5 PREDICTIONS (favored team in ALL CAPS followed by point spread)
1-4A
Farmington at PRAIRIE GROVE (7): A battle of unbeatens. Farmington has beaten the Tigers four of the past six seasons. The Cardinals trailed Gentry 14-0 in the first quarter last week before winning 61-20. Prairie Grove has outscored its three opponents 124-6 this year. Senior Jon Halbert returned an interception 62 yards for a TD last week against Ozark.
Gentry at GRAVETTE (10): Gentry hasn't beaten Gravette since 2003. Gentry gave up 47 unanswered points to Farmington last week. Pioneer running back Jarod Cousins has rushed for more than 500 yards this year. Gravette QB Chase Brody completed eight straight passes in the second half against Pea Ridge.
OZARK (28) at Berryville: Ozark must bounce back after losing to Prairie Grove last week. Ozark senior QB Jonathon McKenzie has accounted for five TDs this fall. Berryville's Ethan Chapin has rushed for almost 300 yards this year.
PEA RIDGE (2) at Lincoln: A battle of unbeatens that could decide playoff positioning. Lincoln sophomore QB Drew Harris and junior Dalton Simmons each accounted for a pair of TDs in last week's 31-point win over Berryville. Pea Ridge senior Dayton Winn has rushed for 617 yards and 10 TDs this fall. Pea Ridge's eight-point win over Gravette last week was its first over the Lions since 1994.

2-4A
CLINTON (4) at Southside Batesville: Clinton clobbered Southside Batesville by an average of 27 the past four years. Clinton led Marianna 44-0 in the first quarter last week before winning 62-0. Improved Southside Batesville trailed top-ranked Stuttgart 33-0 at halftime last week. Southside Batesville senior Jordan Childress has rushed for more than 400 yards and five TDs this fall.
Lonoke at NEWPORT (2): Newport has beaten Lonoke three of the past four meetings. Lonoke trailed Heber Springs 7-6 in the fourth quarter last week before losing 21-6. Newport freshman running back Carl Turner has rushed for almost 300 yards the past two weeks.
DOLLARWAY (38) at Marianna: Marianna hasn't scored this season, while Dollarway averages 38 ppg. Dollarway senior Jeremiah Young scored four TDs in last week's 44-42 overtime win over Newport.
STUTTGART (7) at Heber Springs: Hootens.com Class 4A Game of the Week.

3-4A
Cave City at GOSNELL (4): This is the first meeting between these teams. Gosnell notched its first win of 2012 last week, beating first-year program Brookland by 13 points. Senior Richard Razor ran for four TDs and caught a TD pass a week ago.
HIGHLAND (35) at Brookland: First-year program Brookland hung with Gosnell last week before losing 40-27. Defending league champion Highland jumped on Jonesboro Westside 30-0 in the first quarter last week.
Jonesboro Westside at TRUMANN (7): Jonesboro Westside hasn't produced a winning season in 26 years. Trumann has scored 13 points the past two weeks.
Pocahontas at VALLEY VIEW (2): Pocahontas held Trumann to 87 yards last week. Valley View junior QB Noah Johns completed 16 of 19 passes for 229 yards and three TDs in last week's 35-point win over Cave City.

4-4A
Dardanelle at POTTSVILLE (7): A battle of unbeatens. Pottsville beat Dardanelle 36-10 last year, snapping the Sand Lizards five-game win streak in the series. Pottsville junior QB Michael Perry has rushed for more than 500 yards and six TDs this year. Dardanelle's Antonio Garcia has kicked four field goals the past two weeks, and senior QB Evan Carter has thrown nine TD passes this fall.
MENA (14) at Dover: Mena appears a new team since QB Austin Warren and receiver Malachi McGee returned from injuries two weeks ago. The Bearcats trailed Maumelle 34-29 with less than two minutes left last week, before Maumelle scored a late TD. Dover gets outscored 20 points per game.
Subiaco Academy at BOONEVILLE (32): Booneville averages more than 300 yards rushing per week. Sophomore Bryson May ran for three TDs in last week's 35-0 win at Waldron.
Waldron at MAUMELLE (28): Maumelle notched its first win of the season last week when Terry Rhoades ran for two TDs and passed for another in a 41-29 win at Mena. Waldron scored just 15 points this season.

7-4A
Arkansas Baptist at ARKADELPHIA (25): The last time undefeated Arkadelphia started 4-0, the Badgers won the 1987 state title. Arkadelphia must avoid a letdown after rallying from a 21-point deficit to beat Nashville 56-42 last week. Arkadelphia junior QB Jakahari Howell threw two TD passes and ran for another while junior Kris Oliver ran for a pair of scores and threw a TD pass.
ASHDOWN (28) at Bauxite: Ashdown hasn't allowed a point the past two weeks. Junior QB Jake Alexander completed eight of 11 passes for 174 yards and two TDs and and backup QB Starnes York generated three TDs in last week's 49-0 homecoming win over Pulaski Robinson.
NASHVILLE (6) at CAC: Nashville rides a two-game losing streak, the longest under Coach Billy Dawson. The Scrappers were up on Arkadelphia 42-21 in the third quarter last week, but failed to score in the second half and lost by 14 points. CAC senior QB Chase Dowell passed for 209 yards last week against Arkansas Baptist.
MALVERN (35) at Pulaski Robinson: Pulaski Robinson beat Malvern by one-point in overtime two years ago. Malvern has tallied at least 400 yards each of the past two weeks in dominating wins over Hot Springs Lakeside and Bauxite.

8-4A
CROSSETT (1) at Dumas: Crossett rallied with three late TDs but failed on a potential game-tying two-point conversion attempt in last week's 34-26 setback against Warren. Dumas won its first game of 2012 last week, dumping Lake Village 54-24.
DeWitt at LAKE VILLAGE (2): Lake Village has beaten DeWitt three of the past four years. The Beavers trailed Dumas 14-12 in the second quarter last week before losing by 30 points. Winless DeWitt hasn't scored a point this season.
Hamburg at MONTICELLO (7): Monticello failed to score in two of its opening three games this year. But the Billies exploded with 28 points in last week's one-point win at Star City. Senior QB Cole Connelley ran for 107 yards and a TD last week. Hamburg has won its past two games, including 30-0 at DeWitt last week when senior Logan Morris threw a pair of TD passes.
Star City at WARREN (1): Star City has beaten Warren twice in the past 10 years, including 48-30 two years ago. The youthful Bulldogs failed on a two-point conversion attempt in the final minutes of last week's 28-27 setback to Monticello. Warren sophomore running back Kilay Cox has ran for five TDs this fall.