Hootens.com Rankings
Class 6A, Week 8, 2011
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.

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

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 2 Lake Hamilton at No. 1 El Dorado
Lake Hamilton lost to El Dorado twice last year by a combined nine points. The Wolves last beat El Dorado 42-28 in the 2008 state title game. Lake Hamilton leads Class 6A in scoring this fall (45 points per game) and averages 378 yards weekly. Senior quarterback Levi Runyun has completed 76 of 126 passes (60 percent) for 1,432 yards and 19 touchdowns. Senior running back Austin Essner has 78 carries for 502 yards and eight TDs. Senior playmaker Dre Bennett gains 16.1 yards per play. "They're very multiple on offense," El Dorado coach Scott Reed says. "We can't let them run the ball. They're explosive throwing it and we can't give them easy stuff."

Two-time defending state champion El Dorado has lost four league games (two to Lake Hamilton) since Reed took over in 2007. The Wildcats feature a stingy defense (10 ppg), powerful running attack and sound kicking game. Junior RB Marque Burris has 128 carries for 1,113 yards and 15 TDs this year. Senior kicker Colby Murphy has made five of six field goals (long of 45 yards) and missed one extra point, while booting 36 of 47 kickoffs for touchbacks. "They do everything well," Lake Hamilton coach Jerry Clay says. "They're powerful with their running game and are making everybody go a long way with the kicking game."

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

LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly picked six of nine games (67 percent) involving 6A teams. For the season, HAFR has correctly predicted 66 of 84 games (79 percent).

WEEK 8 PREDICTIONS (favored team in ALL CAPS followed by point spread)
7A/6A CENTRAL
CONWAY (7) at Van Buren: Conway beat the Pointers 44-26 a year ago. Van Buren junior kicker Houston Ray kicked a 40-yard field goal as time expired in last week's 24-21 win at Russellville.
LR CATHOLIC (3) at Russellville: LR Catholic beat the Cyclones 56-21 last year. Russellville has lost three league games by four points or less.

7A/6A EAST
LR PARKVIEW (3) at Jacksonville: The Patriots have beaten Jacksonville two of the past three seasons (lost 28-14 in 2010). Parkview junior RB Rashad Earls ran 30 times for 101 yards and three TDs in last week's 28-7 win at LR Hall. Jacksonville returned two fumbles for scores in a 41-19 loss at Searcy.
Searcy at JONESBORO (9): Searcy senior QB Dezmond Stegall threw a 20-yard TD pass and ran 1 yard for a score in last week's 41-19 win over Jacksonville. Jonesboro scored 16 unanswered points in a 28-22 win at West Memphis. Senior receiver/kicker Luke Ferguson caught a 14-yard TD pass (kicked the extra point) and booted a field goal in the final three minutes of regulation to force overtime. Sophomore QB D.J. Anderson ran 9 yards for the game-winning score.
MARION (27) at LR Hall: Marion averages a league-high 44 ppg. The Patriots beat Mountain Home 36-13 last week after trailing 13-6 at halftime. Senior RB Tre Franklin has rushed for more than 1,100 yards and 21 TDs this fall.
WEST MEMPHIS (28) at Mountain Home: West Memphis beat the Bombers 55-14 last fall. Mountain Home sophomore QB Drake Walker has accounted for 1,380 yards (629 passing, 751 rushing) and 12 TDs this season.

6A SOUTH
BENTON (1) at LR McClellan: Benton has lost its four league games by an average of 19 points. The Panthers lost to Sheridan 24-8 last week. McClellan lost at Sheridan by one point Week 5.
Lake Hamilton at EL DORADO (4): See Hootens.com Game of the Week.
TEXARKANA (36) at LR Fair: Texarkana lost to Pine Bluff 54-47 last week after leading 27-26 at halftime. Senior QB Elgie Richards threw two TD passes, while senior RB Ke'Darious Grissom ran 22 times for 94 yards and two scores. Fair has been outscored 295-42 this year.
Sheridan at PINE BLUFF (14): Sheridan whipped Benton 24-8 last week, generating 315 yards offense with 32 minutes of possession. Pine Bluff senior RB Jalen Dabner ran 19 times for 181 yards and three TDs in a 54-47 win at Texarkana.