Class 7A Week 15 2009
Hootens.com Rankings
Class 7A, Week 15, 2009
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.
1. Springdale Har-Ber (12-1)
2. FS Southside (9-5)
3. Cabot (10-2)
4. North LR (9-3)
5. Bentonville (9-2)
6. Rogers Heritage (9-3)
7. Russellville (8-3-1)
8. Bryant (8-3)
9. Conway (5-7)
10. Fayetteville (5-5-1)
11. Springdale (4-7)
12. LR Catholic (5-6)
13. FS Northside (3-7)
14. Rogers (2-8)
15. Van Buren (1-8-1)
16. LR Central (0-10)
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 1 Springdale Har-Ber vs. No. 2 FS Southside
These two battle for the fourth time in two years at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in Little Rock. The past three have been decided by a total of nine points, including Har-Ber's 16-13 overtime win Oct. 23 in Springdale.
This is the fourth consecutive year for two 7A West members to meet in the state finals.
Hooten's preseason favorite Har-Ber, in only its fourth year of football, returns to the championship for the second time in three seasons. Har-Ber lost to Fayetteville 28-7 in the 2007 finals and in the semifinals at FS Southside 8-7 last year.
Har-Ber's only loss this fall was Week 10 at Bentonville 17-0. FS Southside beat Bentonville twice this year, 31-21 at midseason and 27-24 in the playoff quarterfinals.
Har-Ber running back Gordon Welch averages 104 yards rushing weekly while junior QB Ryan Luther passes for 151 yards. Luther completed 21 of 32 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns to senior Jordan Nicholson, including a 19-yarder with 24 seconds left for a 14-10 win last week at Cabot.
FS Southside makes its third title game appearance in four seasons and its 11th in 27 years. The Rebels, 7-3 in title games since 1983, have won four straight, all on the road, including playoff victories at Bryant (35-24), Bentonville (27-24) and North LR (24-23).
FS Southside rallied from a 13-0 deficit to force overtime at Har-Ber in the first meeting. It then held Har-Ber to a field goal in overtime before fumbling to end the game.
"(Har-Ber) is solid defensively, fill their gaps, understand where they're supposed to be and are great tacklers," says FS Southside coach Jeff Williams. "On offense, getting (leading receiver) Josh McKinney (6-2, 200) back from injury helps them open it up more than the first time we played."
FS Southside outscores opponents 24.6 to 18.9. Its no-name defense doesn't have a player with 100 tackles, and the Rebels have totaled just 69 yards more than their opponents through 13 games. The Rebels enjoy a plus-7 turnover margin, including 15 interceptions.
FS Southside junior Lee Hollis (6-0, 190), a former QB turned running back, has 819 yards rushing and 14 TDs while sophomore Julius Jones averages 4.8 yards per carry. Junior QB Hunter Wharton (5-11, 160) has completed 101 of 189 passes (53 percent) for 1,477 yards and eight TDs with four interceptions. Spiritual leader Tyler Falleur (4.6 speed) has 57 catches for 884 yards. Senior lineman Sean Robinson leads a formidable Rebel defensive front with 16 tackles for loss and 10 QB sacks.
FS Southside lost to Bentonville 32-20 in last year's state title game. It beat Rogers 23-22 for the 2006 championship.
LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly predicted the 7A championship game. For the season, hootens.com is 73-22-2 (76 percent).
(c) 1993-2009 Hooten Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved. No portion of this site may be retransmitted without the express written consent of Hooten Publishing, Inc.
Class 7A, Week 15, 2009
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.
1. Springdale Har-Ber (12-1)
2. FS Southside (9-5)
3. Cabot (10-2)
4. North LR (9-3)
5. Bentonville (9-2)
6. Rogers Heritage (9-3)
7. Russellville (8-3-1)
8. Bryant (8-3)
9. Conway (5-7)
10. Fayetteville (5-5-1)
11. Springdale (4-7)
12. LR Catholic (5-6)
13. FS Northside (3-7)
14. Rogers (2-8)
15. Van Buren (1-8-1)
16. LR Central (0-10)
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 1 Springdale Har-Ber vs. No. 2 FS Southside
 |
This is the fourth consecutive year for two 7A West members to meet in the state finals.
Hooten's preseason favorite Har-Ber, in only its fourth year of football, returns to the championship for the second time in three seasons. Har-Ber lost to Fayetteville 28-7 in the 2007 finals and in the semifinals at FS Southside 8-7 last year.
Har-Ber's only loss this fall was Week 10 at Bentonville 17-0. FS Southside beat Bentonville twice this year, 31-21 at midseason and 27-24 in the playoff quarterfinals.
Har-Ber running back Gordon Welch averages 104 yards rushing weekly while junior QB Ryan Luther passes for 151 yards. Luther completed 21 of 32 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns to senior Jordan Nicholson, including a 19-yarder with 24 seconds left for a 14-10 win last week at Cabot.
FS Southside makes its third title game appearance in four seasons and its 11th in 27 years. The Rebels, 7-3 in title games since 1983, have won four straight, all on the road, including playoff victories at Bryant (35-24), Bentonville (27-24) and North LR (24-23).
FS Southside rallied from a 13-0 deficit to force overtime at Har-Ber in the first meeting. It then held Har-Ber to a field goal in overtime before fumbling to end the game.
"(Har-Ber) is solid defensively, fill their gaps, understand where they're supposed to be and are great tacklers," says FS Southside coach Jeff Williams. "On offense, getting (leading receiver) Josh McKinney (6-2, 200) back from injury helps them open it up more than the first time we played."
FS Southside outscores opponents 24.6 to 18.9. Its no-name defense doesn't have a player with 100 tackles, and the Rebels have totaled just 69 yards more than their opponents through 13 games. The Rebels enjoy a plus-7 turnover margin, including 15 interceptions.
FS Southside junior Lee Hollis (6-0, 190), a former QB turned running back, has 819 yards rushing and 14 TDs while sophomore Julius Jones averages 4.8 yards per carry. Junior QB Hunter Wharton (5-11, 160) has completed 101 of 189 passes (53 percent) for 1,477 yards and eight TDs with four interceptions. Spiritual leader Tyler Falleur (4.6 speed) has 57 catches for 884 yards. Senior lineman Sean Robinson leads a formidable Rebel defensive front with 16 tackles for loss and 10 QB sacks.
FS Southside lost to Bentonville 32-20 in last year's state title game. It beat Rogers 23-22 for the 2006 championship.
LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly predicted the 7A championship game. For the season, hootens.com is 73-22-2 (76 percent).
(c) 1993-2009 Hooten Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved. No portion of this site may be retransmitted without the express written consent of Hooten Publishing, Inc.
12/7/2009
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