Hootens.com Rankings
Class 4A, Week 8, 2011
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.

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

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 4 Malvern at No. 1 Pulaski Academy

Malvern makes its inaugural trek to Pulaski Academy's Rector Field. The Leopards have won five straight games since losing to Class 5A Hot Springs Lakeside 34-26 in Week 2. Malvern beat Maumelle 28-12 last week, rallying from a 12-7 second-half deficit. Junior quarterback Austin Warford bailed out Malvern's offense with his scrambling ability the past two weeks, running for both scores in a 14-7 double-overtime decision at Ashdown in Week 6 and keeping drives alive with some key first downs against Maumelle. Warford has completed 72 of 122 passes (59 percent) for 1,109 yards and nine touchdowns this year, and rushed for 462 yards and eight scores. The Leopards surrender 14 points weekly, with senior middle linebacker Justin James topping the tackle chart. Junior lineman Trey Broughton (6-0, 290) excels at stuffing the run. "Defensively, they are better than last year (41-21 Pulaski Academy win)," said Pulaski Academy coach Kevin Kelley. "They have size and run to the ball."

Undefeated Pulaski Academy is off to its best start since winning the first 12 games in 2001. The Bruins outscore opponents by an average of 51-23. Senior QB Fredi Knighten has completed 151 of 201 passes (75 percent) for 2,396 yards and 36 TDs this year, while throwing just four interceptions. Knighten also rushed for 418 yards and six scores. Senior Kendall Bruce (36 catches, 662 yards and eight TDs) and junior L.J. Wallace (29 catches, 629 yards and 11 TDs) pace Pulaski Academy's potent receivers. Junior tight end/receiver Hunter Henry has caught 36 passes for 529 yards and six scores, while senior Ben Fortson has 22 catches for 413 yards and six TDs. Sophomore linebacker Tyler Colquitt captains the defense with 68 tackles, while junior linebacker Wilson Tharp has 45 stops. Senior safeties Aum'Aire Wallace (43 tackles, one interception) and Jeremy Brady (41 tackles) rarely get passes thrown at them. "I don't think we'll be intimidated playing them," said Malvern coach John Fogleman. "But things can get out of hand on you if they recover a couple of onside kicks and get some momentum."

LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly predicted 19 of 24 games (79 percent), nailing the point spread of Pulaski Academy by 30 over Bauxite. For the season, Hootens.com has correctly predicted 183 of 221 games (83 percent).

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).

WEEK 8 PREDICTIONS (favored team in ALL CAPS followed by point spread)
1-4A
OZARK (2) at Farmington: Farmington upended previously unbeaten Gravette 20-13 last week, forcing six turnovers with a pressuring defense. Senior QB/defensive lineman Deon Clay ran for two TDs against Gravette. Ozark lost to Gravette by seven points two weeks ago. Hillbilly senior running back has rushed for 819 yards this year.
Berryville at GENTRY (7): Gentry was tied with Shiloh Christian 14-14 in the second quarter last week before committing two costly turnovers in a 49-14 setback. Pioneer workhorse Tanner Coy has generated more than 800 yards this year and galloped for a pair of long TDs in last year's 21-point win at Berryville.
Pea Ridge at PRAIRIE GROVE (14): Prairie Grove rides a three-game win streak, its longest since 2007. Tiger running back Weston Bartholomew has rushed for more than 200 yards the past two weeks.
GRAVETTE (1) at Shiloh Christian: Freshman QB Drew Tyler (three total TDs) sparked Shiloh Christian to a mercy-rule win over Gentry last week. Gravette committed six turnovers in last week's seven-point loss to Farmington, its first setback of the season.

2-4A
STUTTGART (24) at Cave City: Stuttgart held Clinton scoreless in the second half last week, winning 34-20. Ricebird junior QB Dontrell Brown ran for 154 yards and three TDs and passed for 91 yards against Clinton. Cave City gives up 31 points a game.
Newport at CLINTON (3): Clinton beat the Greyhounds 55-33 last year, the first meeting between the teams. Newport senior QB Michael Reynolds threw for three TDs and ran in two scores in the second half against undefeated Heber Springs last week.
Southside Batesville at HEBER SPRINGS (21): Southside Batesville has improved this fall, but the Southerners lost at Marianna by 26 points last week. Heber Springs led Newport 26-7 at halftime last week but were up 42-36 in the fourth quarter when senior QB Michael Ludwig ran in the clinching TD.
Marianna at LONOKE (4): Lonoke improved its playoff chances with last week's 20-point win at Cave City. Junior QB D.J. Burton accounted for four TDs last week and he helps the Jackrabbits average 27 points weekly. Marianna kept its playoff hopes alive with last week's 38-12 decision over Southside Batesville when senior QB Joshua Smith accounted for five scores.

3-4A
Pocahontas at GOSNELL (3): The winner could capture at least a share of the league title. Gosnell senior Farontae Royster has rushed for 920 yards and 11 TDs this year, and he caught a 55-yard TD pass in last week's 21-point win over Highland. Pocahontas senior Spencer Thielemier ran for three TDs, passed for two more and kicked the game-winning field goal with 23 seconds left at Osceola last week.
OSCEOLA (1) at Highland: Both teams coming off losses. This is Highland's final regular-season home game. If Osceola wins, it likely will likely earn at least a share of the 3-4A championship.
Jonesboro Westside at VALLEY VIEW (31): Valley View scholar athlete and quarterback Timmy Merten accounted for seven TDs (four rushing, three passing) in last week's 24-point win over Trumann.
Trumann is open.

4-4A
Waldron at BOONEVILLE (28): Booneville senior QB Taylor Hyatt ran for three TDs and threw a TD pass in last week's 39-point win at Clarksville. Senior running back Anthony Napier has rushed for 359 yards and four TDs in consecutive blowout victories. Waldron's eight-point win over Subiaco Academy last week was its first in a conference game since beating Ashdown in Week 4, 2008 as members of the 7-4A.
CLARKSVILLE (17) at Dover: These teams have split the past two meetings, which were decided by a total of seven points. Clarksville must bounce back from its first conference loss of the season.
Mena at POTTSVILLE (21): Pottsville jumpstarted its 2010 season with a five-point victory at previously undefeated Mena, and the Apaches have lost just once since. Pottsville sophomore QB Michael Perry threw three TDs in last week's 30-point win at Dover.
DARDANELLE (18) at Subiaco Academy: Subiaco Academy's one-point win over Dardanelle last year kept the Sand Lizards out of the postseason. Dardanelle senior Randy Velasquez kicked a 33-yard field goal in last week's 10-point win over Mena.

7-4A
ASHDOWN (1) at De Queen: De Queen could make the playoffs for the first time since 2009, possibly as high as the No. 2 seed if it wins out. Ashdown has endured consecutive gut wrenching losses, 14-7 against Malvern in Week 6 and 28-26 at Nashville last week.
Malvern at PULASKI ACADEMY (21): Hootens.com Class 4A Game of the Week.
Bauxite at MAUMELLE (12): Maumelle led Malvern 12-7 at halftime last week but lost by 16 points. Bauxite trailed Pulaski Academy 14-6 in the first quarter last week but the Miners trailed 42-6 at halftime.
Pulaski Robinson at NASHVILLE (6): This is the third meeting in 40 years for these teams, and the loser falls out of playoff contention. Nashville has led during the fourth quarter in six games this year, but won their first conference game of the season 28-26 over Ashdown with two TD passes in the final five minutes.

8-4A
DUMAS (4) at DeWitt: Dumas has beaten DeWitt five straight times since the rivalry renewed in 2006, winning by an average of 45-9. Both teams have beaten Lake Village this year, Dumas 18-0 in Week 4 and DeWitt 28-14 a week later.
STAR CITY (25) at Lake Village: Star City has won consecutive league games. Bulldog senior QB Austin White passed for 212 yards and two TDs in last week's 23-point win over Dumas. Lake Village has scored just 47 points over the past six weeks.
Hamburg at DOLLARWAY (2): Dollarway must shake last week's 7-0 loss at McGehee when the Cardinals committed too many turnovers. Hamburg junior running back LaMarco Harris has rushed for more than 800 yard this year.
MCGEHEE (1) at Warren: McGehee has beaten Warren twice in the past 12 years, including 57-20 a year ago and 45-19 in 2000, Bo Hembree's first season at Warren. McGehee sophomore David Shepard ran 40 yards for the winning TD against Dollarway last week. Warren starts five freshman and 14 sophomores. Sophomore receiver Von Eric Gonder and freshman Darvion Brown each have 100-yard games in the past two weeks.