Class 5A - Week 6 - 2012

Class 5A - Week 6 - 2012

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Hootens.com Rankings
Class 5A, Week 6, 2012
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.

1. Pulaski Academy (3-2)
2. Camden Fairview (5-0)
3. Wynne (5-0)
4. Watson Chapel (4-1)
5. Morrilton (3-1)
6. Greenbrier (5-0)
7. Batesville (3-2)
8. Alma (3-2)
9. Vilonia (4-0)
10. White Hall (3-1)
11. Jacksonville (3-2)
12. LR Christian (2-1)
13. HS Lakeside (3-2)
14. Hot Springs (3-2)
15. Sylvan Hills (2-3)
16. Forrest City (4-1)
17. Mills (3-2)
18. Shiloh Christian (1-4)
19. Blytheville (2-3)
20. Hope (2-3)
21. Nettleton (2-3)
22. Greene County Tech (1-4)
23. Harrison (0-5)
24. Huntsville (3-2)
25. Paragould (2-3)
26. West Helena (1-4)
27. Beebe (0-5)
28. De Queen (1-4)
29. Magnolia (0-5)
30. Clarksville (0-5)
31. LR McClellan (0-5)
32. North Pulaski (1-3)

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 6 Greenbrier at No. 5 Morrilton
The winner takes command of the 5A West. Morrilton has won three straight since losing to Class 6A Russellville by eight points in the opener. The Devil Dogs last conference title came in 2006, but they won just five games the next three seasons before Cody McNabb took over as coach. McNabb guided the Devil Dogs to 12 wins since 2010. Morrilton's backfield features senior quarterback Tony Hawkins and running back Jamar Criswell. Hawkins, a run/pass threat, has passed for 439 yards and rushed for 454 yards and six touchdowns this fall, while Criswell paces the Devil Dogs with 642 yards and six scores. Senior offensive tackles Gilberto Garcia and Devonte Walls keyed last week's 35-7 win over Alma by dominating the line of scrimmage. Senior linebacker Timmy Wilson leads Morrilton in tackles.

"I've thought all along that Morrilton was the team to beat," Greenbrier coach Randy Tribble said. "After watching them whip Alma, I'm more convinced of it."

Greenbrier counters with the league's top offense (38 points per game). Senior quarterback Seth Peters completes 66 percent of his passes and creates positive gains running the ball when passing plays break down. Peters has passed for 1,228 yards and 13 TDs this season, and he ran for a pair of TDs in last week's 41-31 win at Harrison. Senior running back Austin Fischer paces the Panthers with 37 catches for 448 yards and eight scores. "We were hoping to see a drop-off in quarterback play after (former all-state QB Neal) Burcham left, but we don't see it," Morrilton coach Cody McNabb said. "They don't do as many things as they did in the past, but they execute every play."

LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly predicted 12 of 16 games (75 percent). For the season, Hootens.com has correctly predicted 95 of 116 games (82 percent).

TV SHOW
Hooten's Arkansas Football airs Saturday mornings statewide at 8:30 on KARZ 42 (Little Rock) and Fox 24 (Fayetteville/Fort Smith). Vilonia's Jake Steward will be featured as the Air Guard Scholar Athlete of the Week.

WEEK 6 PREDICTIONS (favored team in ALL CAPS followed by point spread)

5A CENTRAL
Sylvan Hills at JACKSONVILLE (8): Although these campuses are separated by just nine miles, it took Jacksonville dropping into Class 5A to facilitate regular meetings between the teams. They were both members of the former AAAA-East from 1996-2001, splitting their six meetings. Sylvan Hills has won two of its past three games since sophomore Tra Doss took over as QB, including a 28-19 triumph over Mills last week. Jacksonville receiver Kevin Richardson has produced more than 400 total yards the past two weeks.
LR Christian at PULASKI ACADEMY (31): Little Rock Christian rides a two-game win streak after beating North Pulaski and Sylvan Hills by a combined 74-12 the past two weeks. Pulaski Academy senior QB Lawson Vassar threw four first-half TDs, while nursing a sprained ankle, in last week's 43-8 win at West Helena.
LR McClellan at WEST HELENA (7): Winless Little Rock McClellan scored 33 points against Jacksonville last week after scoring just 20 points in the opening four games. West Helena gives up 35 points per game and must cut down on turnovers.
North Pulaski at MILLS (25): Sylvan Hills snapped Mills' three-game win streak last week, despite the Comets gaining 352 yards. North Pulaski hasn't won a conference game since beating Crossett Week 8, 2010.

5A EAST
Blytheville at GREENE COUNTY TECH (1): Greene County Tech trailed Wynne 48-0 at halftime last week, and the Eagles surrender 43 points weekly. Blytheville intercepted a pass near the goal line to preserve last week's 12-7 win over Nettleton.
WYNNE (32) at Beebe: Beebe typically plays tough against Wynne. But the Badgers are 0-5 for the first time since John Shannon took over as coach in 2007. Wynne has scored at least 40 points in the first half the past three weeks, and the Yellowjacket first team defense hasn't given up a TD since Week 1.
Forrest City at BATESVILLE (14): Surprising Forrest City averages 41 points per game. The Mustangs secured the 2009 league title with a seven-point win over Batesville. Batesville hasn't lost a conference game since 2009.
Paragould at NETTLETON (7): The loser may have trouble making the playoffs. Paragould trailed Batesville 21-0 in the first half last week before losing by 32 points. Nettleton, which hasn't been to the playoffs since 2007, has lost four straight conference games, dating to last season.

5A SOUTH
CAMDEN FAIRVIEW (42) at Magnolia: Magnolia has beaten Camden Fairview three of the past seven seasons by a combined eight points. But the Panthers are winless this season. Undefeated Camden Fairview has scored at least six TDs in every game this fall.
HOT SPRINGS (11) at De Queen: Hot Springs coach Chris Vereen returns to De Queen, where he compiled a record of 18-25 from 2005-2008. Hot Springs hasn't made the playoffs since 2007, but the Trojans could this fall with senior running Quinn Coleman, who has rushed for almost 800 yards.
Hope at WATSON CHAPEL (25): Watson Chapel has won three straight games since SanAntonio Cole shifted from receiver to QB. Cole threw four TD passes in last week's 39-point win over De Queen.
WHITE HALL (8) at HS Lakeside: HS Lakeside has beaten White Hall the past two seasons in non-conference games. White Hall hung with Camden Fairview for a half last week before losing 47-8. HS Lakeside scored on five consecutive first-half possessions in last week's 34-point win at Magnolia.

5A WEST
Harrison at ALMA (9): Alma must rebound from last week's 28-point loss to Morrilton, when the Airedales where held to just 37 yards rushing. Harrison played its best game of the year in last week's10-point loss to Greenbrier. Sophomore QB Brock Humphrey passed for 334 yards and three TDs a week ago.
Clarksville at VILONIA (21): Undefeated Vilonia averages 32 points a game. Senior Drew Estes intercepted two passes, including one in the final minutes, to preserve last week's 35-32 win at Shiloh Christian. Winless Clarksville averages 9 points a game.
Greenbrier at MORRILTON (1): Hootens.com Class 5A Game of the Week.
Huntsville at SHILOH CHRISTIAN (14): Shiloh Christian must win to stay in playoff contention after last week's heartbreaking three-point setback against Vilonia. The Saints snapped the ball just six times in the third quarter last week and turned the ball over four times. Huntsville beat Clarskville 20-0 last week, but the Eagles haven't won multiple conference games in a season since 2009.

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