Class 4A Week 10 Rankings, Notes & Picks

Class 4A Week 10 Rankings, Notes & Picks

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Hootens.com Rankings
Class 4A, Week 10, 2019
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc. 

1. Arkadelphia (8-1)
2. Shiloh Christian (9-0)
3. Joe T. Robinson (8-1)
4. Nashville (8-1)
5. Ozark (8-1)
6. Warren (8-1)
7. Crossett (6-3)
8. Dardanelle (8-1)
9. Pea Ridge (6-3)
10. Mena (7-2)
11. Bauxite (6-3)
12. Riverview (7-2)
13. Southside Batesville (7-2)
14. Hamburg (5-4)
15. Star City (6-3)
16. Jonesboro Westside (7-2)
17. Gosnell (5-4)
18. Pottsville (6-3)
19. Rivercrest (6-3)
20. Pocahontas (6-3)
21. DeWitt (5-4)
22. CAC (6-3)
23. Lonoke (5-4)
24. Gentry (6-3)
25. Mills (0-9)
26. Prairie Grove (3-6)
27. Malvern (4-5)
28. H. Grove Haskell (4-5)
29. Elkins (5-4)
30. Helena (5-4)
31. Brookland (4-5)
32. Heber Springs (3-6)
33. Gravette (4-5)
34. Lincoln (5-4)
35. Monticello (2-7)
36. Trumann (3-6)
37. Bald Knob (2-7)
38. Ashdown (2-7)
39. Stuttgart (1-8)
40. Highland (1-8)
41. Waldron (1-8)
42. Berryville (2-7)
43. Dumas (1-8)
44. Fountain Lake (1-8)
45. Subiaco Academy (2-7)
46. Green Forest (2-7)
47. Cave City (0-9)
48. Dover (0-9)

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 9 Pea Ridge at No. 2 Shiloh Christian
It's senior night at the Field of Champions. The winner gets the conference title, No. 1 playoff seed and home field advantage until the semifinals. Shiloh Christian won the league title last season (its first since 2010), while Pea Ridge has won or shared two of the past five titles.
Pea Ridge has won six straight games after starting 0-3. “The start tested our senior leadership, mentality and character,” Coach Stephen Neal says. The Blackhawks led Green Forest 44-0 in the first quarter last week, after senior Samuel Beard returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. Beard has 118 carries this year for 961 yards and 13 TDs, while senior QB Tate Busey has 67 carries for 518 yards and eight TDs. The Blackhawk win-streak coincides with improved play from offensive linemen Michael Ericson (6-3, 235) and Cooper Tillman (6-0, 205) at tackle, center Hagen Schader (6-3, 235) at center, and guards Thad Timmons (6-2, 290) and Phillip Brown (6-1, 265). The first-team defense has limited big plays during the past two months. Senior linebacker Lance Nunley has 55 tackles and three sacks this year. 
Shiloh Christian has applied the 35-point sportsmanship rule on every league opponent this fall, and given up a TD or less in six of those games. “We've played well in every phase of the game,” Coach Jeff Conaway says. The Saints have forced 18 turnovers this fall, while committing only three (one interception and two fumbles). Senior QB Eli Reece completes 74 percent of his passes (161 of 218) for 2,477 yards and 25 TDs, while senior Truitt Tollett has 73 catches for 1,293 yards and 20 TDs. Tollett also has one rushing TD and four on special teams. He needs seven more TD catches to tie Greg Washington (Nashville) for most in state history.

LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly predicted 22 of 24 games last week (92 percent). Hootens.com has picked 225 of 274 games (82 percent) this season.

WEEK 10 PREDICTIONS (favored team in CAPS)
1-4A
Pea Ridge at SHILOH CHRISTIAN (3): Hootens.com Game of the Week.
Gravette at GENTRY (8): Gentry gets the No. 3 seed with win after beating Prairie Grove and Lincoln the past two weeks. Senior QB Brandon Atwood has passed for 1,666 yards and 17 TDs this year, and rushed for 788 yards and 10 TDs. Gravette is in the playoffs after going 1-9 a year ago. Lion junior QB Cy Hilger has passed for 1,373 yards and 13 TDs this year.
BERRYVILLE (3) at Green Forest: Neither team makes the playoffs, but a win Friday night carries bragging rights in Carroll County for a year. Berryville has won 12 of the past 18 in the series. Green Forest's Reiley Gordon has rushed for five TDs and paces the Tiger D with 65 tackles and one interception. Berryville's Dominic Henry ran for 150 yards and a TD in last week's 25-point loss to Prairie Grove.
Lincoln at PRAIRIE GROVE (7): Prairie Grove has won 13 of the past 14 in the series. The Tigers are in the playoffs for the ninth straight season. PG junior Cade Grant ran 10 times for 70 yards and a TD in last week's 46-21 win at Berryville. Lincoln trailed Gentry 14-13 at halftime last week before losing by 21 points. The Wolves turned the ball over four times.

2-4A
CAC (3) at Stuttgart (Thurs.): Stuttgart tries to avoid its first winless season since 1945. The Ricebirds have seven losses this year by a TD or less. CAC makes the playoffs with a win and can finish as high as the No. 3 seed. Senior slot receiver Gentry Miller ran for a pair of TDs in last week's 34-6 win over Bald Knob.
Lonoke at RIVERVIEW (4) (Thurs.): Riverview must win to capture its first ever conference title and No. 1 playoff seed, following last week's 49-35 setback at Heber Springs. Senior QB Logan Miller has more than 1,500 yards this year. Lonoke snapped a three-game losing streak with last week's 35-28 win over Stuttgart. The Jackrabbits get in the playoffs with a win, and could still make it with a loss and some help.
SOUTHSIDE BATESVILLE (21) at Bald Knob: SS Batesville gets at least a share of the league title with a win and an outright title with help from Lonoke. Senior Alex Palmer has rushed for 766 yards and 16 TDs this year and has 76 stop at linebacker. Bald Knob senior QB Johnson Capps has more than 2,000 yards this year.
HEBER SPRINGS (2) at Mills: These are two of the four teams tied for third-place in the league (CAC and Lonoke the other two), and the winner will make the playoffs. Heber Springs forced three turnovers and held Riverview to 18 yards passing in last week's 14-point triumph. Heber Springs senior QB Adam Martin has passed for 1,354 yards and 10 TDs this year, and rushed for 716 yards and eight TDs. Mills trailed Southside Batesville 36-15 at halftime last week and lost 50-23, while allowing 394 yards rushing. 

3-4A
TRUMANN (18) at Cave City (Thurs.): Trumann has won four of the past seven over Cave City, and must win this week and get held from Rivercrest to make the playoffs for the fifth straight season. The Wildcats lost at Jonesboro Westside 21-0 a week ago, after trailing 14-0 at halftime. Winless Cave City has one victory the past three years. 
RIVERCREST (9) at Brookland: Rivercrest earns either the No. 3 or No. 4 seed with a win. Junior QB Cam Turner has passed for almost 800 yards and five TDs this year, while running for almost 700 yards and seven TDs. Brookland must win or have Cave City beat Trumann to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in school history. The Bearcats bump up to Class 5A next season. 
Gosnell at JONESBORO WESTSIDE (1): The winner gets the No. 1 playoff seed and a first-round bye. Jonesboro Westside has four straight conference wins since losing to Pocahontas Week 5 by three points. Senior Logan McPherson ran 34 times for 290 yards and three TDs in last week's 21-0 win over Trumann. Gosnell's 45-18 loss to Pocahontas last week snapped a five-game win streak. The Pirates trailed 24-12 at halftime, and surrendered 457 yards.
Highland at POCAHONTAS (24): Pocahontas jumped on Gosnell 10-0 in the first quarter last week and cruised to an easy victory. The Redskins are getting healthy at the right time. Junior QB Dawson Chester passed for 199 yards and a pair of TDs at Gosnell, while running for 86 yards and two TDs. The Redskins will finish between the No. 2 and No. 4 seed. Highland has lost four straight games since beating Cave City by 40 points Week 5. Senior receiver David Jones has 16 catches for 318 yards and three TDs.

4-4A
Dover at WALDRON (10) (Thurs.): Neither team makes the playoffs. Dover has beaten Waldron nine of the past 13 years. Dover gets outscored 48-9 weekly, while Waldron gets outscored 35-18. Waldron junior Braden Williams has passed for 1,482 yards and 12 TDs and ran for a pair of TDs this fall.
Mena at DARDANELLE (2): Dardanelle gets the No. 2 seed with the win, while a Mena win likely forces a three-way tie for the two seed. Mena gives opponents fits with a smothering 3-4 defense that yields 13 ppg. Bearcat juniors Mason Brotherton and Gaven Hooper each have four TD catches. Dardanelle senior Nathan Smith played tight end in the opening six games before moving to guard the past three games “and that has solidified us,” Coach Phil Vega says. Senior Blake Chambers has rushed for 1,273 yards and 18 TDs this year, while QB Jordan Metcalf has thrown for 964 yards and six TDs and rushed for 554 yards and nine TDs. 
Elkins at OZARK (21): Ozark repeats as conference champion, has the No. 1 seed locked up and plays Malvern in the first round. The Hillbillies surrender 7.7 ppg. Senior outside linebacker Bryant Burns has 33 tackles and three sacks this fall, while junior Keystan Durning has 90 tackles this fall, highlighted by 21 and 20 stop efforts against Mena and Dardanelle. Elkins finishes as the No. 5 seed and travels to Warren next week. Junior QB Kain Johnson has passed for 1,782 yards and 21 TDs this year and rushed for 401 yards and 10 TDs.
POTTSVILLE (28) at Subiaco Academy: Pottsville has beaten Subiaco Academy 11 of the past 13 years. The Apaches are in the playoffs and finish anywhere between the No. 2 and 4 playoff seed. Pottsville led winless Dover 28-0 in the first quarter last week before winning 48-13. Senior fullback Drew Rust paces the attack with almost 1,000 yards and 13 TDs. Subiaco Academy gives up 40 ppg, and the Trojans haven't been to the playoffs since 2010.

7-4A
H.G. Haskell at JOE T. ROBINSON (35) (Thurs.): Joe T. Robinson finishes as the No. 1 seed with a win, while Haskell will miss the playoffs. HG Haskell senior Ryan Reidmuller ran nine times for 144 yards and a pair of TDs and caught a TD pass in last week's 41-14 win over Fountain Lake. Joe T. Robinson led Ashdown 42-12 at halftime last week before easing to a 55-12 victory. Junior QB Buddy Gaston has passed for 1,921 yards and 26 TDs this year, while dynamic junior Hunter Smith has rushed for 1,133 yards and 11 TDs.
Malvern at ARKADELPHIA (21): The winner of the Ouachita River Rumble winner gets the championship belt presented by College of the Ouachitas. Both teams are in the playoffs this year. Arkadephia has beaten Malvern the past four years, including the past two by identical 66-0 margins. Arkadelphia senior Cannon Turner returned from a shoulder injury last week (missed three blowout wins), throwing for a TD and running 25 yards for another in a sportsmanship rule win at Bauxite. Senior Kyren Harrison ran 13 times for 125 yards and four TDs at Bauxite, and he has 1,149 yards and 26 TDs this fall. Watch highlights of Arkadelphia's win at Bauxite HERE. Malvern went 0-10 a year ago, but trailed Nashville 7-6 early in the second quarter last week (trailed 30-6 at halftime). Freshman QB Cedric Simmons has three TD passes this year and 14 TD runs.
ASHDOWN (1) at Fountain Lake: Ashdown's two wins this year are over teams with a combined record of 1-18, and the Panthers get outscored 36-15 per game. Fountain Lake's only win was over winless Dover, and the Cobras get outscored 37-17 a game.
Bauxite at NASHVILLE (13): Bauxite finishes as the No. 3 seed with a win or four seed with a loss, while a Nashville win gives it at least a share of the league title and No. 2 seed. Hard-nosed Bauxite trailed Arkadelphia 14-7 at halftime a week ago, and was tied with Joe T. Robinson 14-14 in the fourth quarter the previous week. Junior Connor Stacy has passed for 1,040 yards and five TDs and rushed for 580 yards and 13 scores. Watch highlights of Bauxite's win earlier this season over Glen Rose HERE. Watch extended highlights of Nashville's win earlier this season at Arkadelphia HERE.

8-4A
HAMBURG (14) at Dumas (Thurs.): These teams have split the past 18 meetings, and Dumas used last year's 36-8 triumph to fuel its semifinal run. But the Bobcats have lost six straight games this year after several key players left the team. Hamburg, picked by coaches to finish fifth in the preseason, qualifies for the postseason for the eighth straight year. 
Star City at CROSSETT (7) (Thurs.): For the first time in three years, this game doesn't determine a playoff spot. Crossett is the league champion (first time since 2003), No. 1 seed and gets a first-round bye. Star City is the No. 3 seed and hosts a team from the 1-4A next week (probably Gravette or Prairie Grove). Crossett senior QB Justin Stokes threw three passes to sophomore Dwayne Ashford in last week's 29-0 win at Helena. Star City gave up 488 yards and 44 points last week, but beat DeWitt by 11 points. 
DEWITT (4) at Monticello (Thurs.): Monticello gets in the playoffs with a win, just one season after going 0-10. DeWitt gets in with a win and Helena loss. DeWitt senior QB Seth Courtney passed for 359 yards and five TDs last week at Star City. Monticello sophomore Stran Smith threw a pair of TD passes to junior Nick Smith in last week's 30-6 win at Dumas.
WARREN (11) at Helena (Thurs.): Helena has lost four straight games after starting 5-0. The Cougars must win and get some help to make the playoffs. But Helena enjoys getting after the Lumberjacks (won 60-36 a year ago). Warren gets the No. 2 seed and hosts Elkins in the first round. Warren sophomore Cedric Calbert returned a fumble 81 yards for the winning TD last week at Hamburg. 

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