Hootens.com Rankings
Class 7A, Week 10, 2012
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.

1. Bentonville (9-0)
2. North Little Rock (8-1)
3. Fayetteville (7-2)
4. Springdale Har-Ber (5-4)
5. Fort Smith Southside (6-3)
6. Conway (6-2)
7. Rogers Heritage (6-3)
8. Bryant (7-2)
9. West Memphis (6-3)
10. Rogers (6-3)
11. Little Rock Central (4-5)
12. Cabot (5-4)
13. Springdale (4-5)
14. Fort Smith Northside (3-6)
15. Van Buren (1-8)
16. Little Rock Catholic (2-7)

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 3 Fayetteville at No. 1 Bentonville.
These two not only met during the regular season but played for the state championship the past two seasons. Bentonville won both matchups in 2010 and won at Fayetteville 41-6 last year before losing to the Purple Dogs in the 2011 state finals, 29-28 in overtime. Bentonville won the 2010 regular-season meeting 38-34 in overtime.
Bentonville shows restraint, outscoring its past five opponents 257-13. The Tigers covered a 42-point spread last week, scoring on their first seven possessions to spank Springdale 63-0. Bentonville juniors Jack Kraus (6-5, 235) and Chase Morris (6-4, 225) form the top tight-end tandem in the state. Bentonville three-year standout running back Tearris Wallace and three-year standout linebacker Garrett Kaufman are on the Farm Bureau Awards watch list for offensive and defensive player of the year, respectively. Kaufman quickly analyzes offensive formations and plays. Wallace ran for 90 yards and two TDs in the first quarter last week at Springdale. Bentonville junior receiver Jimmie Jackson (6-2, 190) returns from injury this Friday.
Fayetteville beat Har-Ber last week for the first time in five years, picking up five fumbles, including a scoop-and-score late to beat the Wildcats 38-21. Fayetteville quarterback Austin Allen, safety Alex Brignoni and linebacke Brooks Ellis are committed to the University of Arkansas.
Allen makes throws like no other QB in the state. Bentonville will likely drop eight defenders into coverage, as usual, but its front three will pressure Allen enough to make it hard for Fayetteville to keep up. Bentonville's defense is arguably the best in Arkansas and its offensive line is better than a year ago. Wallace should have another big night rushing.
This game determines the No. 1 and No. 2 playoff seeds out of the West. Both teams have already secured a first-round bye.

LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly predicted 10 of 13 games (77 percent) involving Class 7A teams. For the season, hootens.com has correctly predicted 87 of 109 games (80 percent).

TV SHOW
Hooten's Arkansas Football airs Saturday mornings at 8:30 on KARZ 42 (Little Rock) and Fox 24 (Fayetteville/Fort Smith) and Sunday nights at 11 p.m. on KAIT 8 (Jonesboro), featuring the top players and teams from across the state.

WEEK 10 PREDICTIONS (favored team in ALL CAPS followed by point spread)
7A/6A CENTRAL
FS SOUTHSIDE (19) at FS Northside: It's the Battle of Rogers Avenue. Northside leads the series 27-21-2 but Southside has won the past seven meetings. Southside won 56-7 Week 10 last year and two weeks later beat the Grizzlies, again, 41-24 in the playoffs. Southside's veteran secondary intercepted three passes and junior QB Isaac Jackson accounted for five TDs and 251 yards in last week's 42-0 route of Russellville. FS Northside must beat FS Southside and hope either Searcy beats Cabot or North LR beats LR Central to make the playoffs, but not even that scenario guarantees the Grizzlies postseason play. Northside's three wins are over teams with a combined 4-22 record, including Class 6A members LR Parkview and LR Hall. FS Southside has already secured a No. 2 playoff seed and first-round bye. Rebel linebacker Collin Moore suffered a concussion last Friday and will not play.
LR Catholic at CONWAY (7) (Thurs.): A win secures Conway a No. 3 playoff seed and homefield advantage in the first round against the loser of this week's game between Rogers and Rogers Heritage. The winner in the first round likely plays at defending state champ Fayetteville the following Friday. Conway's Jeff Anderson carried 16 times for 153 yards, including a 70-yard TD in the first half last week at Greenwood.

7A/6A EAST
LR Central at NORTH LR (11) (Thurs.): North LR secures a first-round bye and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, likely battling the loser of this week's Fayetteville at Bentonville game in the semifinals. LR Central last beat North LR 7-0 in 2007. North LR has the past four years by an average score of 32-5.
Searcy at CABOT (7) (Thurs.): Cabot helped its playoff chances with last week's 38-12 win over Jonesboro. Three of Cabot's four wins have been over Class 6A teams. The Panthers could battle Bryant in the first round. Searcy beat West Memphis (23-15) for the first time last week, scoring twice in the fourth quarter.
Mountain Home at WEST MEMPHIS (8) (Thurs.): West Memphis just lost to Searcy for the first time and its six wins this year have been by an average of seven points. West Memphis beat Mountain Home 21-14 a year ago. Mountain Home allows 47 points weekly. West Memphis looks to secure a No. 4 playoff seed and homefield advantage in the first round against the winner of this week's game between Rogers and Rogers Heritage. The winner of that first round game likely plays at Bentonville the following Friday.

7A/6A SOUTH
BRYANT (3) at El Dorado (Thurs.): A Bryant victory likely means a matchup with FS Northside, LR Central or Cabot in the first round. Bryant led 14-0 before Lake Hamilton ran an offensive play in last week's 49-14 win. The Hornet starters have not played more than a half the past month. Bryant's three-year starting QB Hayden Lessenberry approaches 5,000 career yards passing after completing his first 10 passes, including four for TDs last Friday. He completes 59 percent of his passes for 1,581 yards with 16 TDs and just five interceptions this fall.

7A/6A WEST
Fayetteville at BENTONVILLE (22): Game of the Week.
Springdale vs. SPRINGDALE HAR-BER (17): Har-Ber, which lost just five fumbles in its first eight games, gave up five in last week's 38-21 loss at defending state champ Fayetteville. Har-Ber led 21-17 at halftime and totaled a season high 301 yards rushing at Fayetteville, gaining 5.68 yards per tote. Springdale, which hasn't won this rivalry since 2006 (Har-Ber's first year of football), has lost back-to-back games and can not make the playoffs. Har-Ber will play at home in the first round as either the No. 3 or No. 4 seed.
Rogers at ROGERS HERITAGE (8): This game determines the No. 5 and No. 6 playoff seeds. Rogers is headed to the playoffs for the first time since it played for a state championship in 2006. The Mounties have also secured their first winning season since 2007. The return of starting QB Nick Wary sparked Rogers in last week's 34-21 win over Siloam Springs. Heritage junior QB Josh Qualls, who passed for 323 yards last week at Van Buren, should have another big night against Rogers' suspect secondary.
VAN BUREN (9) at Siloam Springs: Van Buren, gritty at times this season, can finish its season feeling good. Siloam Springs, which has only beaten Class 4A neighbor Gravette, joins all the other 6A teams in the playoffs.