Class 7A - Week 1 - 2011

Class 7A - Week 1 - 2011

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Hootens.com Rankings
Class 7A, Week 1, 2011
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.

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

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 12 Rogers Heritage vs. Springfield, Mo. (Hillcrest).
Hillcrest receiver Dorial Green-Beckham (6-6, 220), the nation's top-ranked recruit, leads Hillcrest. Green-Beckham (4.3 speed) caught 78 passes for 1,706 yards and 15 touchdowns a year ago. He set the Missouri state record with 23 TD grabs as a sophomore in 2009.

Rogers Heritage advanced to the playoffs the past two years and beat West Helena by 59 points in last year's opener. The War Eagles outscored Rogers and Fort Smith Northside by a combined 96-30 in consecutive weeks last September, but scored only 92 points in the final six games. The War Eagle offense returns six starters, including tight end Luke Oldham (30 catches, 398 yards in 2010).

TV SHOW
Hooten's Arkansas Football airs 7:30 p.m. Thursdays on KARZ (Z42 in Little Rock), Suddenlink Cable 22 in Northeast Arkansas and On Demand in Northwest Arkansas (Cox Ch. 644).

LAST SEASON
Hootens.com correctly predicted Class 7A winners at a 87 percent clip. For the season, hootens.com finished 93-14.

WEEK 1 PREDICTIONS (favored team in ALL CAPS followed by point spread)
7A/6A CENTRAL
Conway at FS SOUTHSIDE (10): Conway clobbered the Rebels by 18 points last year. Fort Smith Southside has advanced to at least the semifinals four of the past five seasons.
BENTONVILLE (18) at North LR: Bentonville, winners of two state titles in three years, blasted North Little Rock 45-0 a year ago. Tiger senior QB Dallas Hardison threw just three interceptions last season. North Little Rock running back Altee Tenpenny rushed for 1,232 yards and 15 TDs last fall and received scholarship offers from Arkansas, Alabama, Auburn, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State during the summer. Tenpenny is out with an ankle injury and not expected to play the first three games.
BRYANT (21) vs. Benton: Bryant has won five straight Salt Bowl games. The Hornets hammered Benton by 36 points a year ago. Bryant junior QB Hayden Lessenberry passed for 1,254 yards and six TDs last year, while junior running back Karon Dismuke rushed for 643 yards.
Jacksonville at CABOT (7): Cabot worked 12 sophomores with the varsity during fall camp, and the Panthers expect to compete for state titles in 2012 and 2013. Jacksonville all-state receiver D'Vone McClure (6-2, 190) could develop into a college prospect.
LR CENTRAL (3) at Texarkana: Little Rock Central led Texarkana 19-16 at halftime in last year's opener, but the Tigers lost by 18 points. LR Central's defensive line could develop into one of the state's best with highly-touted sophomore Jordan Seawood (6-3, 290).
RUSSELLVILLE (8) at Morrilton: Russellville has won five straight games over Morrilton by an average of 18 points. Morrilton junior running back Jamar Criswell rushed for 1,078 yards and tallied 683 yards receiving last year.
SPRINGDALE (7) at LR Catholic: The winner jumpstarts its season. Springdale beat the Rockets by eight points last fall. Senior running back Rahmon Taylor rushed for 971 yards and 20 TDs in nine games last season. Little Rock Catholic senior QB Zach Conque (2,151 yards and 14 TDs in 2010) committed to the University of Texas-San Antonio in the summer.
ALMA (3) at Van Buren: Alma has beaten Van Buren six of the past nine years, but the Airedales lost by 31 points in last year's opener. Alma QB Brady Bradley started four games last fall and the Airedales feature one of the bigger offensive lines in Class 5A.

7A WEST
ROGERS HERITAGE (21) vs. Springfield, Mo. (Hillcrest). The nation's top-ranked recruit Dorial Green-Beckham leads Hillcrest.
SPRINGDALE HAR-BER (35) vs. Lebanon, Mo. scheduled for 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 1 at Razorback Stadium: Lebanon went 10-0 last season while winning the Ozark Conference.
Conway at FS SOUTHSIDE (10): Conway clobbered the Rebels by 18 points last year. Top-ranked Fort Smith Southside has advanced to at least the semifinals four of the past five seasons.
BENTONVILLE (28) at North LR: Bentonville, winners of two state titles in three years, blasted North Little Rock 45-0 a year ago. Tiger senior QB Dallas Hardison threw just three interceptions a year ago. North Little Rock running back Altee Tenpenny rushed for 1,232 yards and 15 TDs last year and received scholarship offers from Arkansas, Alabama, Auburn, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State during the summer.
Parkway West, Mo. at FAYETTEVILLE (35): The Purple Dogs pummeled Parkway West by 49 points last season. Junior QB Austin Allen received two scholarship offers (Ole Miss and Tulsa) before ever taking a varsity snap, and he threw a pair of TD passes while backing up brother and University of Arkansas signee Brandon Allen last season.
SPRINGDALE (7) at LR Catholic: The winner jumpstarts its season. Springdale beat the Rockets by eight points last fall. Senior running back Rahmon Taylor rushed for 971 yards and 20 TDs in nine games last season. Little Rock Catholic senior QB Zach Conque (2,151 yards and 14 TDs in 2010) committed to the University of Texas-San Antonio in the summer.
PINE BLUFF (7) at FS Northside: Pine Bluff hammered Fort Smith Northside by 16 points a year ago, sending the Grizzlies to a 2-8 finish. Class 6A favorite Pine Bluff won 27 games over the past three years.
NEOSHO, MO. (10) at Rogers: Neosho ripped Rogers 32-0 in last year's opener. The Mounties scored 10 points or less in seven games last fall, but nine starters return.

 

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