Hooten's Class 7A Rankings
Posted on Tuesday, October 7, 2008
HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 9 Bryant at No. 5 Russellville
Undefeated Russellville begins the tougher part of its schedule with Bryant for homecoming. Road trips to No. 6 LR Catholic and No. 7 Cabot loom. Russellville's defense hasn't allowed a touchdown in three games (LR Central, Dardanelle and Morrilton). Cyclone senior Lucas "Crazy"Frazee blocked LR Central's extra-point attempt in last week's one-point win. Three interceptions and a new look from LR Central's defense limited Russellville to a season-low seven points. Russellville failed to make a first down on five straight first-half possessions.
Bryant bounced back from its conference-opening loss at LR Catholic to beat Van Buren 28-13 last Friday. Bryant trailed 13-12 in the second quarter when Sonic Super Team linebacker Austin Humbard tackled Van Buren punter Jacob Thompson for a safety. Bryant allows 10.6 points weekly.
Traditionally known for passing, both are running and playing great defense. Bryant's Chris Rycraw (22 carries for 131 yards and two TDs last week) leads the Hornets while Russellville coach Jeff Holt calls Kenneth Golden "the best back I've coached here."
HOOTEN'S TV SHOW
Hooten's Arkansas Football airs statewide 11 a.m. Saturdays on CBS (KFSM TV 5 and Todays THV 11). Games featured this week involving Class 7A teams include Van Buren at LR Catholic, LR Central at Conway and North LR at Cabot. Har-Ber quarterback Zach Faust (4.0 GPA) will be featured as the Arkansas Air Guard Scholar Athlete of the Week.
LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly predicted five of eight games (63 percent) involving Class 7A teams, nailing the seven-point spread on Bentonville over FS Southside. For the season, hootens.com is 46 of 56 (82 percent).
WEEK 6 PREDICTIONS (favored team in ALL CAPS followed by point spread)
p>7A CENTRALBryant at RUSSELLVILLE (1): Hootens.com Game of the Week. Winner likely secures at least one home playoff game.
Van Buren at LR CATHOLIC (10): Rockets in conference driver seat with wins over No. 7 Cabot and No. 9 Bryant. And No. 5 Russellville must visit Catholic in two weeks. New 7A Central member Van Buren will win one or two more and make the playoffs for the first time this century.
LR Central at CONWAY (3): Skirmish between Class 7A's winless teams. LR Central's offense didn't score again last week, yet only attempted three passes. Tigers are 0-5 for first time since 1970.
North LR at CABOT (7): Over-pursuing could cost North LR's speedy and stingy defense (6 points per game) at Cabot. Come playoff time, passing teams from the West will salivate watching film of Cabot's loss last week to LR Catholic.
7A WEST
BENTONVILLE (21) at Rogers Heritage: Coach Barry Lunney gets 176th career win. Heritage, young and small, had five turnovers last week and allows 54 points per conference game.
FS Northside at FAYETTEVILLE (1): Grizzly defensive end Tevin McElwee continues to clobber quarterbacks (4 sacks last week) and disrupt offenses. Defending state champ Fayetteville, loser of three straight, must find a way to win with FS Southside and Har-Ber just ahead.
Rogers at HAR-BER (7): Har-Ber punted 12 times in last week's loss at FS Northside. Rogers' ground game is best in the West led by decathlon champ Michael Tibbs (623 yards and nine TDs).
Springdale at FS SOUTHSIDE (1): Springdale scored 55 on Fayetteville before Coach Kevin Johnson called off the Red Dogs. FS Southside held Bentonville to a season-low 146 yards but lost to the Tigers 14-7 trying to defend a short field after four interceptions.
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