Hootens.com Rankings
Class 4A, Week 9, 2011
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.

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

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 17 Highland at No. 19 Pocahontas
The winner earns at least a share of the league title. Pocahontas hasn't won a conference championship since 2006, while Highland won the 3-4A the following season. Pocahontas hasn't been to the playoffs since 2007, but the Redskins own victories at Osceola (33-30) and Gosnell (42-21) the past two weeks. Pocahontas senior dual threat quarterback Spencer Thielmier has passed for more than 1,300 yards this year and ran for 12 touchdowns. Senior receiver/cornerback Jonathan Adams makes tough catches and averages 15 tackles per game, said Pocahontas coach Dave Williams.

Highland slipped by Osceola 22-16 last week but lost at Gosnell 42-20 in Week 7. Highland junior QB Sterling Stowers has passed for 900 yards and rushed for 750 yards, while junior Jordan Brewer has rushed for 820 yards. Junior Ethan Hoppe (6-5, 200) paces the Rebels with 18 receptions and creates problems with his size. Highland has revamped each its defense the past month after losing every starting lineman with injury. Senior Cody Lacount now plays both ways. Junior Brennon Severn anchors Highland's secondary with four interceptions. "It'll come down to the offense executes the best," said Highland coach Spencer Hill.

LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly predicted 20 of 24 games (83 percent), nailing the point spread of Booneville by 28 over Waldron and Dardanelle by 18 over Subiaco Academy. For the season, Hootens.com has correctly predicted 203 of 245 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 9 PREDICTIONS (favored team in ALL CAPS followed by point spread)
1-4A
GRAVETTE (30) at Berryville: Gravette has lost consecutive games for the first time since opening 2006 with four straight setbacks. The Lions give up 17 points a game, while Berryville yields 37 points weekly.
PRAIRIE GROVE (18) at Gentry: Gentry QB Dylan Ochs threw three TD passes in last week's 26-point over Berryville. Prairie Grove earns at least a share of the league title with two more wins. Prairie Grove's 13-0 win over Pea Ridge last week was its first shutout since beating Huntsville 38-0 in Week 4, 2007.
Shiloh Christian at OZARK (3): The winner might get the conference title. Shiloh Christian has won six straight league crowns, while Ozark won back-to-back titles in 2006-2007. Ozark senior running back Asher Ree has gained 1,071 yards this year. Shiloh Christian junior receiver Ryan Michaelis has 31 catches, 556 yards and four TDs. Freshman QB Drew Tyler "has given us a spark the past two weeks," Shiloh Christian coach Josh Floyd said. "He makes good decisions and makes plays with his feet."
FARMINGTON (6) at Pea Ridge: Farmington defensive specialist Deon Clay played QB in the second half of last week's 28-20 loss to Ozark, completing nine of 16 passes for 113 yards. Pea Ridge can wiggle into the playoffs with two wins.

2-4A
Clinton at HEBER SPRINGS (10): Heber Springs clinches at least a share of its first conference title in 32 years with a win. Heber Springs senior QB Michael Ludwig and running back Markeyvus Mays form one of the top backfield tandems in the state. Clinton earns at least a share of the league title with two more wins. Clinton returned two interceptions for TDs in last week's 56-21 win over Newport. The Yellowjackets averaged 36 points a game. The game will be featured on Hootens.com.
STUTTGART (7) at Lonoke: Stuttgart's stingy defense gives up just 14 points a game. Senior Keith Humbert has rushed for almost 1,200 yards and 16 TDs this year, including five scores in last week's 29-point win at Cave City. Lonoke is in the playoffs after beating Marianna by 10 points a week ago.
NEWPORT (4) at Marianna: The winner stays in playoff contention. Newport has been to the playoffs a state-best 24 straight times.
Cave City at SOUTHSIDE BATESVILLE (2): The winner can still manage a playoff spot. Cave City has beaten the Southerners four straight times. Southside Batesville trailed Heber Springs 35-0 at halftime last week.

3-4A
GOSNELL (33) at Jonesboro Westside: Gosnell running back Farontae Royster has rushed for more than 800 yards this year, and he's caught a pair of TD passes the past two weeks.
Trumann at OSCEOLA (11): Osceola led Highland 16-13 in the fourth quarter last week before surrendering a late TD. Trumann senior running back Quenten Buchanan scored three TDs against Valley View in Week 7.
Highland at POCAHONTAS (2): Hootens.com Class 4A Game of the Week.
Valley View is open.

4-4A
POTTSVILLE (18) at Clarksville: Pottsville needs just one win to capture at least a share of its first-ever conference title. Apache sophomore quarterback Michael Perry has rushed for more than 1,000 yards this year, including a 293-yard effort in last week's 69-42 win over Mena.
BOONEVILLE (8) at Dardanelle: Booneville gives up just 16 points a game. Bearcat senior Anthony Napier has rushed for seven TDs over the past three weeks. Dardanelle's Steven Cline has rushed for more than 800 yards and five TDs this season.
Subiaco Academy at MENA (17): Mena tries to salvage a playoff spot over the final two weeks. The Bearcats gave up 69 points at Pottsville a week ago. Winless Subiaco Academy gets outscored by 27 points a game.
DOVER (7) at Waldron: Surprising Dover (only one conference win last year) makes the playoffs with two more wins. Pirate junior running back Blake Kriesel ran for 103 yards and three TDs in last week's 16-point win over Clarksville.

7-4A
Maumelle at ASHDOWN (8): Ashdown's suffocating defense held De Queen to 26 yards and won by 30 points a week ago. Panther running back Daven Burns rushed for 1,024 yards and 14 TDs this year, including a career-best 212 yards against De Queen. Maumelle QB/running back Eric Parks rushed for 197 yards and four TDs in last week's four-point win over Bauxite.
DE QUEEN (7) at Bauxite: De Queen needs one more victory to secure its first playoff berth since 2009. Bauxite rallied from a 29-point halftime deficit but lost at Maumelle 48-44 a week ago.
Nashville at MALVERN (1): Nashville beat the Leopards by five points a year ago. The Scrappers have won two straight league games by a total of six points, with QB Joel Hendry generating 344 yards in last week's 28-24 victory over Pulaski Robinson. Malvern finishes as the No. 2 seed with one win in the final two games.
PULASKI ACADEMY (25) at Pulaski Robinson: Pulaski Academy has won five straight over the Senators by an average of 24 points since the series renewed in 2006. The Bruins led Malvern 47-0 at halftime last week. Pulaski Robinson passed for 86 yards in last week's four-point loss at Nashville. The Senators must win at least one more game to have a chance at making the playoffs.

8-4A
MCGEHEE (7) at Dumas: Opportunistic McGehee continues finding ways to win. The Owls returned an interception 85 yards for a TD and forced four turnovers in last week's six-point win at Warren. Dumas can make the playoffs if it wins another game.
WARREN (2) at Hamburg: Hamburg rallied from a two-TD deficit but lost at Dollarway 32-27 a week ago. Senior running back LeMarco Harris has rushed for 15 scores this fall. The Lions beat Warren 7-6 two years ago. Warren threw an interception that was returned for a TD and fumbled a snap that led to another McGehee score in last week's 19-13 setback.
DOLLARWAY (21) at Lake Village: Dollarway would have finished at least second in the 8-4A and earned a nice playoff draw UNTIL it was ruled Monday night that the Cardinals had used an ineligible player and will forfeit wins over Gosnell, Warren, DeWitt and Dumas. Cardinal junior running back Jeremiah Young has rushed for more than 1,000 yards this year. Lake Village gives up 33 points a game.
DeWitt at STAR CITY (17): DeWitt led Dumas 14-0 at halftime last week but lost 26-14. Star City averages 28 points a game. Senior fullback Drue Harvey logged five carries for 101 yards and two TDs in last week's 42-point win at Lake Village.