Class 2A Week 1 (zero) Rankings, Notes & Picks

Class 2A Week 1 (zero) Rankings, Notes & Picks

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hootens.com Rankings
Class 2A, Week 0, 2018
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.

1. Foreman
2. Junction City
3. Mount Ida
4. Hazen
5. Conway Christian
6. Mineral Springs
7. Hector
8. Hampton
9. Fordyce
10. McCrory
11. Earle
12. Des Arc
13. Parkers Chapel
14. Magnet Cove
15. Bearden
16. England
17. E. Poinsett County
18. Mountainburg
19. Clarendon
20. Salem
21. Gurdon
22. Marked Tree
23. Hackett
24. Mountain Pine
25. Cross County
26. Strong
27. Lavaca
28. Lafayette County
29. Poyen
30. Carlisle
31. Magazine
32. Quitman
33. Bigelow
34. Murfreesboro
35. Marianna
36. Dierks
37. Spring Hill
38. Rector
39. Brinkley
40. W. Yell County
41. J.C. Westside
42. Cutter M. Star
43. Marvell
44. Midland

GAME OF THE WEEK
FOREMAN vs. SMACKOVER (Monday, Aug. 27 at SAU)

Class 2A defending state champion Foreman opens Monday, Aug. 27 against Class 3A No. 17 Smackover at SAU in Magnolia as part of the Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield Kickoff Classic. Foreman returns starters at 15 positions but it will miss 12 seniors who graduated in May, specifically the leadership and experience of slotback C.J. Green and two-way lineman Logan Lindsey. Foreman's defense appeared ahead of schedule last week in a scrimmage blowout of Centerpoint. The offense sputtered at times and committed a few fumbles. Smackover counters with its third head coach in three years, (veteran) Brian Brown (last stop Red Oak, Texas) and a speedy group of running backs and receivers, including explosive newcomer RB Greg Turner (5-9, 190).

8-MAN CLUB
Former 11-man teams Augusta, Hermitage, Woodlawn and Decatur are playing 8-man club sport football this fall with no playoffs or title game. The Arkansas Activities Association plans to sanction 8-man football in 2020.

TV LAND
Hooten's Arkansas Football airs 10:30 a.m. Saturdays on KATV (ABC Little Rock) Channel 7, covering the Razorbacks, high school teams and players to watch.

LAST YEAR
Hootens.com correctly picked 84 percent of games involving Class 2A teams.

WEEK 0 PREDICTIONS (favored team in CAPS followed by point spread)
3-2A

HAZEN (18) at Cross County: No. 4 Hazen enters the season with internal expectations to match its ranking, led by all-state tackle/linebacker Cade Perry (350-pound bench press). Hazen worked hard in preseason camp to develop depth but likely starts eight players on both offense and defense. Cross County counters with one of the larger teams in Class 2A but team speed is a concern. Des Arc ran at will vs. Cross County in a recent scrimmage.
EPC is open.
Marked Tree is open.
McCrory is open.
Midland is open.
Rector is open.
Salem is open.

4-2A
ATKINS (7) at Hector:
Class 3A Atkins (averaged 37.1 points per week in 2017) expects to contend for its first league title since 2004 after consecutive runner-up finishes. Hector, which won league titles four of the past five seasons, welcomes first-year coach Scott Poteete, a former Morrilton assistant. Hector will start three sophomores on the line with a new offense and coordinator. Senior Cody Day has not played QB since junior high but threw it well in preseason drills and scrimmages. Day, at outside linebacker, and senior safety Dakota Davis have been solid in fall camp for new defensive coordinator Chris Taylor.
MANSFIELD (3) at Hackett: Summer camps highlighted shortcomings for Mansfield, which coaches are confident they've patched up in preseason camp. Junior Ethan Stovall showcases improved footwork and mechanics. Mansfield installed a new defense in the spring to fit its personnel and hopes to create more turnovers. Hackett counters with just 21 players, but all-state senior QB Brady Hester will test Mansfield's new defense with his ability to run and pass (1,800 tandem yards in 2017).
J.C. Westside at CEDARVILLE (14): Optimism abounds at Class 3A Cedarville after the best summer in the Coach Max Washausen era. Starters return at 20 positions and the sophomores finished 8-1 with a district title. Cedarville manhandled 4-2A member Magazine in a recent scrimmage.
Magazine at BIGELOW (2): Magazine should dress 23 players and Bigelow 26 for this opener. Magazine junior QB Xeng Yang and workhouse FB Caleb Hyatt fuel the Rattlers. Bigelow's scrappy linemen average just 193 pounds, but maturing QB Brady Reed, RB Ricky Dunlap and slotback Addison Brown provide firepower. Senior FB Colby Miller punished defenders in preseason practices.
Western Yell is open.
Mountainburg is open.
Hackett is open.
Lavaca is open.

5-2A
Conway Christian vs BAUXITE (10) (Saturday, Aug. 25):
These teams battle in the opener of the Arkansas Blue Cross & Blue Shield Kickoff Classic at 10 a.m. Saturday at North Little Rock's Charging Wildcat Stadium. The Class 4A Miners (13 wins in the past seven seasons) rely on senior QB Seth McDowell (eight TD runs in 2017) and running back Dawson Dabbs (1,100 yards and 10 TDs). Conway Christian counters with a talented receiving corps and all-state QB Jacob Woods, who accounted for 3,500 yards and 50 TDs last fall. All-league LB Russell Jackson led the Eagles last year in tackles.
DES ARC (5) at England: No. 12 Des Arc, which will dress 28 players, has returned to its Double Wing running roots with senior FB Donald McCoy and junior WB Cooper Roberts shredding Cross County for more than 300 yards in a recent scrimmage. England counters with speedy skill players and junior QB Mason Brazeal. England gave up 14 points on four sustained drives in a scrimmage last week to improved (Class 3A) Baptist Prep.
Magazine at BIGELOW (2): Magazine should dress 23 players and Bigelow 26 for this opener. Magazine junior QB Xeng Yang and workhouse FB Caleb Hyatt fuel the Rattlers. Bigelow's scrappy linemen average just 193 pounds, but maturing QB Brady Reed, RB Ricky Dunlap and slotback Addison Brown provide firepower. Senior FB Colby Miller punished defenders in preseason practices.
CUTTER M STAR (1) at Bismarck: Class 3A Bismarck, which expects to dress 20 players, got after Perryville in a recent scrimmage by forcing three turnovers. CMS, with 30 (six seniors) on its roster, won this matchup 27-6 a year ago for one of its three victories. CMS had beaten Bismarck four times in the past six years.
MAGNET COVE (3) at Mountain View: Magnet Cove methodically ran the football in a recent scrimmage vs Class 3A Smackover without the benefit of explosive plays. MC's two losses last year were by a combined 14 points to eventual quarterfinalists Conway Christian (38-31) and Hazen (20-14). Mountain View should be able to run or pass this year behind senior QB Gunner Willis, All-1-3A RB Derek Burns and all-state TE Samuel Treat. Class 3A Mountain View's seven losses last season came to teams that won at least one playoff game.
Drew Central at POYEN (12): Numbers (40-plus players) are high at Poyen, where all-league QB and college prospect Jacob Farmer threw the ball well this summer. Drew Central first-year head coach Matt Gonzales inherits a program that notched two wins last year over teams (Hermitage and Woodlawn) now playing 8-man.
Mountain Pine is open.
Quitman is open.

6-2A
HAZEN (18) at Cross County:
No. 4 Hazen enters the season with internal expectations to match its ranking, led by all-state tackle/linebacker Cade Perry (350-pound bench press). Hazen worked hard in preseason camp to develop depth but likely starts eight players on both offense and defense. Cross County counters with one of the larger teams in Class 2A but team speed is a concern. Des Arc ran at will vs. Cross County in a recent scrimmage.
DES ARC (5) at England: No. 12 Des Arc, which will dress 28 players, has returned to its Double Wing running roots with senior FB Donald McCoy and junior WB Cooper Roberts shredding Cross County for more than 300 yards in a recent scrimmage. England counters with speedy skill players and junior QB Mason Brazeal. England gave up 14 points on four sustained drives in a scrimmage last week to improved (Class 3A) Baptist Prep.
Earle is open.
Carlisle is open.
Clarendon is open.
Marianna is open.
Brinkley is open.
Marvell is open.

7-2A
FOREMAN (10) vs. Smackover (Monday, Aug. 27 at SAU):
See Game of the Week.
PRESCOTT (24) at Lafayette County: Prescott is big, strong and fast at every position. Senior QB/safety Ryan Johnson earned an offer in the spring from Purdue with several other Power 5 schools evaluated him. The Curley Wolves also boast Landers Super Teamers at receiver (Cameron Cox) and offensive line (Kobe Gillard).
Dierks is open.
Mount Ida is open.
Mineral Springs is open.
Gurdon is open.
Murfreesboro is open.
Spring Hill is open.

8-2A
Parkers Chapel vs. FOUKE (6) (Monday, Aug. 27 at SAU):
Night 2 of the 2018 Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield Kickoff Classic presented by hootens.com. Fouke seeks its sixth (a school record) straight playoff appearance (a school record), but three projected starters transferred over the summer, including a pair of two-way starters. Fouke must replace its leading rusher and tackler from 2017. Parkers Chapel threatens Fouke with skill players galore but not as much depth. PC's scrimmage last week was rained out and likely will not be rescheduled, meaning this could be its first live-game action of 2018.
C. Harmony Grove at JUNCTION CITY (14): Junction City drops back to Class 2A after two years, 21 wins and a state runner-up finish in Class 3A. Large, veteran lines return on both sides of the ball for Junction, and sophomore Gabe Richard (pronounced Ruh-shard) emerged this summer at QB. Senior WR Kevontae Haynes also has blossomed after averaging 12.5 yards per reception last year. Former Bearden coach Ernie Horstkamp takes over at Camden Harmony Grove, inheriting explosive RB Xaylong Falls and all-league WR Kentrell Hill but an arm injury may slow senior QB Gannon Bearden. This is the first meeting between the teams since 2007 (18-0 Junction City victory). Harmony Grove promotes to Class 3A after winning 25 times in its last three seasons in Class 2A.
Fordyce is open.
Hampton is open.
Bearden is open.
Strong is open.

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