Class 7A Week 3 Rankings, Notes & Picks

Class 7A Week 3 Rankings, Notes & Picks

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Hootens.com Rankings
Class 7A, Week 3, 2016

Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.

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

GAME OF THE WEEK
Class 6A No. 6 Russellville at No. 8 Springdale

Springdale improves to 3-0 for its best start since 2005 when Coach Gus Malzahn guided the Bulldogs to a 14-0 finish. Springdale stuffed Class 5A No. 4 Alma last Friday on fourth down at the 28-yard line with nine seconds left to win 27-26. Springdale QB Layne Hutchins completes 64 percent of his passes, totaling 450 yards and four TDs with no interceptions this season. The Bulldogs rush for 225 yards weekly. Senior Kyler Williams, one of the state’s top receivers, gains 20.4 yards per catch with 11 snags so far this fall.
Russellville’s defense played extremely well in wins over Morrilton and Heritage. Russellville handled Heritage 28-6 last week. Senior quarterback Cale Fulsom passed for 265 yards and two touchdowns. The Cyclones recorded 15 tackles for loss and six sacks. Senior defensive linemen Layton Bicanovsky (22 tackles), Matt Campbell (19 tackles) and Paul Chiolino (15 tackles) are one, two and three, respectively, on the tackle chart.

TV SHOW
Hooten's Arkansas Football previews the Arkansas vs. Texas State game at 10:30 a.m. Saturday morning on KATV Ch. 7 (ABC/Little Rock)

LAST WEEK
Hooten's Arkansas Football correctly predicted 12 of 13 games (92 percent) involving Class 7A teams. For the season, HAF is 19-7 (73 percent).

7A CENTRAL
CABOT (38) at LR Fair: Cabot likely get less from this than a light practice. The Panthers flogged Fair by a combined 83-6 the past two seasons. Class 5A Fair, a team that lost to Johnson County Westside (ranked No. 39 out of 47 teams in Class 2A) last season, has won two games over the past four years. Cabot QB Jarrod Barnes, a Razorback commit, carried 18 times for 181 yards in last Friday’s 28-13 win at El Dorado. The Panthers play host to LR Catholic, their first 7A opponent of the season, to open conference play next Friday.
BENTONVILLE (18) at Conway: Bentonville owns a 6-2 turnover margin this season after forcing 5 last week to beat Bixby, Okla., 44-34. Bentonville strong-armed senior Canaan Ross completed 17 of 24 passes for 304 yards, including an 80-yard TD on the game’s first play. The Tigers are a tipped pass in overtime from being 2-0. Conway’s two losses are by a total of 10 points. Wampus Cat Marquise Pleasant totaled 359 all-purpose yards (205 kick-return yards) at Jonesboro last Friday.
LR Parkview at NORTH LR (49): North LR remains the team to beat in 7A Central. Class 5A Parkview had minus-18 yards offense last week at Class 6A Benton.
PINE BLUFF (6) at FS Northside: Northside rushed for 339 yards in a 42-14 win at Van Buren. Senior Hunter Pendleton rushed for 100 yards and two TDs. Senior Kedrick Thomas (118 yards rushing) returned a punt 72 yards for a score. Class 6A No. 2 Pine Bluff senior QB Simeon Blair ran 17 times for 134 yards and two TDs in last week's 38-13 win over Watson Chapel.
FS SOUTHSIDE (15) at Rogers Heritage: Heritage allowed 15 TFL and six QB sacks last Friday at Class 6A No. 6 Russellville. Southside has allowed 103 points, including last week’s 56-34 loss to Class 6A No. 1 Greenwood.
JONESBORO (4) at LR Catholic: Catholic trailed Jacksonville early and led 14-6 at halftime last week before pulling away with a 31-6 win. Sophomore RB Samy Johnson (5-11, 171) ran 12 times for 130 yards and a TD. Johnson could be one of the state’s top recruiting prospects in 2019. As predicted, Jonesboro edged Conway 41-38 last week but Hurricane junior QB A.J. Ayock broke his collarbone midway through the first quarter. Junior Tyson Williams took over at QB or Jonesboro, completing eight of 10 passes for 108 yards and two TDs while junior RB Ji'marcus Bibbs ran 17 times for 125 yards and two TDs . All-state senior receiver Jonathan Adams, Jr. paces the Hurricane this season with 10 catches for 219 yards and four TDs.
LR Central at WEST MEMPHIS (4): Both teams are 2-0. Central (3-7 in 2015) has defeated 7A West members Heritage and Bentonville West by an average of 20 points. Little Rock Central senior kicker Jason Ronnel (3.8 GPA, 29 ACT) has put 11 of 14 kickoffs in the end zone, kicked all eight PATs and four of field goals, including a 45-yarder this season. West Memphis' two wins have been over Class 5A schools Forrest City and Blytheville. The Blue Devils held off a late rally last week to beat Blytheville 35-25. All-state senior RB Devontae Dean ran 22 times for 113 yards and two TDs. Senior Rayshaad Hall returned a kickoff 88 yards for a score. A year ago, West Memphis topped Central 21-14.

BRYANT (15) at Lake Hamilton: Bryant battled well last week, trailing just 13-7 late in the second quarter before falling to Fayetteville 43-10. Bryant sailed a snap over its punter's head, setting up Fayetteville at the 7-yard line for an easy TD just before halftime. The Hornet offense could come to life this week. Lake Hamilton gave up more than 400 yards rushing last week in a 35-33 loss to Malvern.


7A WEST
Russellville at SPRINGDALE (3): Game of the Week.
BENTONVILLE (18) at Conway: Bentonville owns a 6-2 turnover margin this season after forcing 5 last week to beat Bixby, Okla., 44-34. Bentonville strong-armed senior Canaan Ross completed 17 of 24 passes for 304 yards, including an 80-yard TD on the game’s first play. The Tigers are a tipped pass in overtime from being 2-0. Conway’s two losses are by a total of 10 points. Wampus Cat Marquise Pleasant totaled 359 all-purpose yards (205 kick-return yards) at Jonesboro last Friday. 
FS SOUTHSIDE (15) at Rogers Heritage: Southside has allowed 103 points, including last week’s 56-34 loss to Class 6A No. 1 Greenwood. Heritage allowed 15 tackles for loss and six QB sacks last Friday at Class 6A Russellville.
Siloam Springs at VAN BUREN (1): Van Buren looks to end a nine-game losing skid that includes last year's 26-24 loss to Siloam Springs. Siloam Springs has lost eight of its past nine games, winning at Van Buren 26-24 Week 6 last season. Siloam allows 42 points per game this year in losses to Rogers and Harrison.
Fayetteville at DALLAS BISHOP DUNNE (14): Fayetteville remains undefeated but less than sharp. QB Taylor Powell, a Wake Forest commit, sat a series in first quarter last week at Bryant while sophomore Darius Bowers (6-1, 185) directed a scoring drive. Powell finished completing 17 of 29 passes for 212 yards and 3 touchdowns and rushed for 2 more TDs in a 43-10 victory. Bishop Dunne (2-0), regarded as a Top 20 program in Texas, outscores opponents 101-38.
SPRINGDALE HAR-BER (1) at Jenks, Okla.: Top-ranked Har-Ber hammers two highly-regarded opponents to start 2016, outscoring FS Southside and Jeff City, Mo., 101-14. Jenks scored a TD in final minute to beat Bixby, Okla., which lost to Bentonville last Friday. Since 1993, the Trojans have been dominant in Oklahoma Class 6A, winning championships in 1993, 1996–2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, and 2012–2015, for a total of 16 state titles.
St. Louis (Mo.) Normandy at ROGERS (9): Rogers improves to 3-0, equaling its win total over the past two seasons. The Mounties gain 234.5 yards rushing and 157 yards passing weekly. Jeb Brain carried 24 times for 151 yards in last Friday’s 26-20 win at Claremore, Okla. St. Louis Normandy (2-2) won its opener 19-18, lost to Parkway West last week 55-0 last week. Normandy is 5-36 over the past four seasons.
FS SOUTHSIDE (15) at Rogers Heritage: Heritage allowed 15 TFL and six QB sacks last Friday at Class 6A No. 6 Russellville. Southside has allowed 103 points, including last week’s 56-34 loss to Class 6A No. 1 Greenwood.
MUSKOGEE, OKLA. (18) at Bentonville West: Toughest opponent yet for first-year program Bentonville West. The Muskogee Roughers (2-0), who run a balanced offense, beat Midwest City 16-14 in their opener and mauled McAlister 51-13 last Friday.

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