Class 7A - Week 4 - 2012

Class 7A - Week 4 - 2012

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Hootens.com Rankings
Class 7A, Week 4, 2012
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.

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

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 6 Conway at Class 6A No. 6 Russellville
Conway has won the past two meetings by a combined 56-21, but improved Russellville (2-1) has already matched its win total of the past two seasons. Russellville had its worst offensive outing last week, losing on a last-second field goal at Class 5A No. 4 Alma 17-14.
Conway bruised Bryant 21-3 in a lightning-shortened season opener and last week pulled away from Cabot to win by 10. Conway tries to mash opponents this fall after spreading the field with more skill position players in recent seasons. The Wampus Cats crammed it down Cabot's throat for 312 yards rushing.
"They are completely different," Russellville coach Jeff Holt says.
The Cyclones try to slow Conway by rotating six defensive linemen (five weigh between 260 and 300 pounds) and then get the ball to their big-play slot receiver Jalen Curtis (5-9, 170). Russellville senior Mitch Mullen (5-11, 180) and junior Cody Jones (5-11, 190) take share snaps at quarterback. Mullen completed 11 of 19 passes for 175 yards at Alma. "We've been really good on defense all three weeks," Holt said. "We had trouble getting off the field some on third downs at Alma. Otherwise, we've been pleased."

LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly predicted nine of 12 (75 percent) games involving Class 7A teams. For the season, hootens.com has correctly predicted 28 of 38 games (74 percent).

TV SHOW
Hooten's Arkansas Football airs Saturday mornings statewide at 8:30 on Fox 24 (Fayetteville/Fort Smith) and at 9:30 on KARZ 42 (Little Rock) featuring the state's top players.

WEEK 4 PREDICTIONS (favored team in ALL CAPS followed by point spread)
7A/6A CENTRAL
FS Northside at GREENWOOD (30): Winless Northside allows 53.3 points weekly. Class 6A No. 1 Greenwood gutted its three non-conference opponents by a combined 133-70. Greenwood receiver Drew Morgan is ranked as the state's No. 5 recruit by hootens.com.
LR Parkview at FS SOUTHSIDE (20): Gone are the weekly 7A West wars that prepped FS Southside for 21 runs to at least the state semifinals.
LR CATHOLIC (26) at LR Hall: Catholic allowed a safety (snap over punter's head) in last week's 19-18 loss to Bryant. Hall, which has not won in more than a year, had an open date last week after dropping its first two games by a combined 40-6.
CONWAY (4) at Russellville: See Hootens.com Game of the Week.

7A/6A EAST
NORTH LR (17) at Cabot: If Conway (312 yards rushing) can cram it down Cabot's throat, North LR should do the same. North LR beat Cabot 48-0 last year.
LR CENTRAL (1) at Searcy: LR Central won the last meeting 35-0 in the first round of the 2003 playoffs. Searcy lost at Morrilton 21-17 last Friday and at Batesville 24-21 a week earlier.
WEST MEMPHIS (9) at Jonesboro: Jonesboro won at West Memphis 28-22 in overtime last October, ending the Blue Devils 32-game conference win streak. Hootens.com ranks West Memphis junior linebacker/fullback Jarvis Cooper (6-2, 235) as the state's top recruit in the 2014 class. He wowed in last week's win over pass happy, private power Pulaski Academy.

7A/6A SOUTH
BRYANT (14) vs. Benton: Bryant wins its seventh straight Salt Bowl. Benton kept it close last year, losing just 21-14. Bryant won the previous five meetings by a combined 164-42.

7A/6A WEST
BENTONVILLE (9)
at Springdale Har-Ber: Har-Ber coach Chris Wood correctly predicted Bentonville's defense to be beastly in 2012. Bentonville held Mississippi's No. 5 ranked team to 28 yards in the first half last week. Wood's Wildcats held FS Southside scoreless (and only seven first downs) in the first half of last week's 10-7 win.
Van Buren at FAYETTEVILLE (38): Defending state champ Fayetteville scored on all six first-half possessions to lead the Muskogee, (Okla.) Roughers 42-7 at halftime last week.
Springdale at ROGERS (2): Rogers' triple-option attack netted 594 yards on 34 carries (17.4 yards per carry) and never punted in last week's 64-28 win at FS Northside. The undefeated Mounties, who last started 3-0 when they advanced to the state championship game in 2006, have completed three passes this season. Springdale, which had committed one turnover in two wins, had three last week and didn't score until the fourth quarter in a 22-7 loss at Bixby, Okla.
ROGERS HERITAGE (9) at Siloam Springs: Siloam Springs makes its 7A/6A West debut after gutting Class 4A Gravette 35-14 last week. The Panthers beat Heritage 45-35 Week 2 last season. Heritage, which finished 1-9 in 2011, is 3-0. The War Eagles got eight turnovers in a rainy 34-16 win over Harrison last Friday.

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