CLASS 7A
Bentonville West at Fort Smith Southside
Jim Rowland Stadium, Fort Smith
KICKOFF 7 p.m.
RECORDS West 0-1; Fort Smith Southside 0-0
ON THE AIR The game is live-streamed at bentonvillesportsnetwork.com and thesouthsidemavericks.com.
BETWEEN THE LINES West will look to rebound from its 47-34 loss to Owasso (Okla.) last week, a game in which the Wolverines led heading into the fourth quarter. ... Southside was open last week. ... The Mavericks rolled to a 44-31 win last season against the Wolverines. ... West built a 34-19 lead against Owasso last week before giving up four straight scores including a blocked punt for a touchdown. ... Southside graduated most of its offensive firepower from last season including three-year starter at quarterback Taye Gatewood. Parker Wehunt will lead the Mavericks, who will lean on a solid run game and defense. ... West played a number of players on both offense and defense last week and wore down in the fourth quarter. The Wolverines will continue to monitor those players to try to get them breaks when possible in an effort to keep them fresh in the final quarter.
PLAYERS TO WATCH Bentonville West -- LB/RB Jonas Higson (Sr., 6-3, 220), Nick Whitlatch (Sr., 6-0, 185), QB Dalton McDonald (Jr., 6-0, 165), WR Stephen Dyson (Jr., 5-10, 160), WR A.J. Moss (Jr., 5-10, 165). Fort Smith Southside -- QB Parker Wehunt (Jr., 5-11, 190), RB Johntarrius Washington (Jr., 5-11, 150), OL Marlon Briggs (Sr., 5-11, 320), DT Shawn Rogers (Jr., 6-2, 265), Eli Lyles (Jr., 5-7, 140)
HOOTEN'S RANKINGS West is No. 6 is Class 7A; Southside is No. 12.
HOOTEN'S LINE West by 1
OUR TAKE West 24, Southside 21
-- Chip Souza • @nwachip
Alma at Van Buren
Blakemore Field
KICKOFF 7 p.m.
RECORDS Alma 0-0; Van Buren 1-0
ON THE AIR The game will be live-streamed at airedalenation.com and vanburenathletics.com.
BETWEEN THE LINES Van Buren comes into the game after a season-opening 35-21 win at Siloam Sprints. ... This is the season-opener for the Airedales. ... Last season Van Buren snapped a seven-year losing streak in this longtime Crawford County rivalry. ... Van Buren junior Jaiden Henry was named the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Player of the Week after a big performance last week. Henry returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, caught 3 passes for 94 yards, ran for 40-plus yards and intercepted a pass in the win over Siloam Springs. ... Alma returns quarterback Landon Blair, who passed for 1,348 yards and 17 touchdowns last season. ... Airedales receiver Grayson Bailey is one of the best in 5A. Bailey caught 44 passes for 776 yards last season. ... Van Buren quarterback Gary Phillips is a playmaker with his arm and legs. ... Van Buren receiver Jude Bartholomew is a big target in the passing game.
PLAYERS TO WATCH Alma -- QB Landon Blair (Sr., 6-1, 250), RB Ben Henley (Sr., 6-0, 200), WR Grayson Bailey (Sr., 6-2, 160), LB Gabe Jensen (Sr., 6-3, 230). Van Buren -- ATH Jaiden Henry (Jr., 5-10, 155), QB Gary Phillips (Sr., 6-0, 180), WR Jude Bartholomew (Sr., 6-1, 200), LB Devin Swearingen (Sr., 5-11, 180)
HOOTEN'S RANKINGS Alma is No. 12 in Class 5A; Van Buren is No. 13 in Class 7A.
HOOTEN'S LINE Van Buren by 7
OUR TAKE Van Buren 26, Alma 21
-- Chip Souza • @nwachip
Little Rock Parkview at Springdale High
Jarrell Williams Bulldog Stadium
KICKOFF 7 p.m.
RECORDS Little Rock Parkview 0-0; Springdale High 0-1
ON THE AIR The game will be live-streamed at springdaleathletics.com.
BETWEEN THE LINES Springdale fell behind early at Joe T. Robinson last week before battling back in the second half of the 49-28 loss. ... Conner Hutchins fired three touchdown passes last week in his second career start. All three scoring strikes went to Ladarius Wonsley. ... The Bulldogs are young at all the skill positions and learning on the fly. ... Parkview has shown tremendous improvement under coach Brad Bolding and made the playoffs last season. ... Patriots quarterback Landon Rogers is a dual-threat. ... Thomas McCauley ran for 855 yards last season and scored 15 touchdowns.
PLAYERS TO WATCH Little Rock Parkview -- QB Landon Rogers (Jr., 6-5, 220), RB Thomas McCauley (Sr., 6-1, 225), WR D.J. Feemster (Sr., 6-1, 170), NG Jared Summons (6-4, 320). Springdale High -- QB Conner Hutchins (Sr., 5-11, 150), RB Darrell Parchman (Sr., 5-9, 180), WR Ladarius Wonsley (Jr., 6-0, 165), OL Jesus Almaraz (Jr., 6-4, 315)
HOOTEN'S RANKINGS Springdale High is No. 14 in Class 7A; Little Rock Parkview is No. 8 in Class 5A.
HOOTEN'S LINE Little Rock Parkview by 2
OUR TAKE Springdale High 24, Little Rock Parkview 21
-- Chip Souza • @nwachip
Conway at Bentonville High
Tiger Stadium
KICKOFF 7 p.m.
RECORDS Conway 1-0; Bentonville High 1-0
ON THE AIR The game is live-streamed at bentonvillesportsnetwork.com.
BETWEEN THE LINES Conway outscored El Dorado 37-27 to win its opener. ... Bentonville High pounded Midwest City (Okla.) 54-21 in its opener. ... Bentonville running back Preston Crawford, who added about 15 pounds of muscle over the offseason, rushed for four touchdowns last week. ... Ben Pankau got the start at quarterback for the Tigers and ran for a pair of touchdowns, including a 41-yarder on the opening drive. He also fired a 41-yard scoring pass to Trenton Kolb. ... Two Conway backs rushed for more than 100 yards last week against El Dorado. Manny Smith had 125 yards on 11 carries including a 52-yard scoring run and Ja'Maal Bethune ran for 101. ... Conway senior offensive tackle Rob Scott has verbally committed to Ole Miss.
PLAYERS TO WATCH Conway -- QB Nick McCuin (Sr., 6-2, 175), RB Manny Smith (Jr., 5-9, 175), RB Ja'Maal Bethune (Jr., 5-9, 175), OT Rob Scott (Sr., 6-7, 295), LB Reed Hughes (Sr., 6-1, 195), ATH Bryce Bohannon (Jr., 5-10, 160). Bentonville High -- QB Ben Pankau (Sr., 6-1, 180), RB Preston Crawford (Sr., 5-11, 190), WR Trenton Kolb (Sr., 5-11, 170), LB Cole Joyce (Jr., 6-0, 215), RB Colby Reid (Sr., 5-11, 160), DB Levi Bennett (Sr., 5-10, 170).
HOOTEN'S RANKINGS Conway is No. 5 in Class 7A; Bentonville is No. 4.
HOOTEN'S LINE Bentonville by 1
OUR TAKE Bentonville High 28, Conway 24
-- Chip Souza • @nwachip
Rogers Heritage at Little Rock Central
Quigley Stadium
KICKOFF 7 p.m.
RECORDS Rogers Heritage 0-1; Little Rock Central 1-0
ON THE AIR Games will be live-streamed at www.gowareagles.com.
BETWEEN THE LINES Little Rock Central will be coming off a 24-18 win over West Memphis, while Rogers Heritage lost 36-7 to Fort Smith Northside in their season openers. ... Ethan Farris led Heritage with 72 yards rushing on 15 carries and its lone TD. ... Quarterbacks Dreagon Blackwell and Jeb Brown split time in the season opener for the War Eagles. ... Junior running back Samuel Franklin rushed for 162 yards and 3 TDs for the Tigers. ... Central's only win a year ago was over Heritage.
PLAYERS TO WATCH Rogers Heritage -- QB/S Dreagon Blackwell (Jr., 5-8, 160), RB J.J. Webb (Sr., 5-6, 175), WR Eli Craig (Soph., 5-10, 170), OL Tristan Ketter (Jr., 6-4, 275), LB Griffin Brown (Sr., 5-11, 185),DE/FB Noah Fricke (Jr., 6-3 230), DL/FB Nicholas Martin (Sr., 6-2 230), WR Ricky Perez (Sr., 6-3 175). Little Rock Central -- QB Lawson Gunn (Sr., 6-0 165), RB Samuel Franklin (Jr., 5-11 180), WR Antoine Westbrook (Jr., 5-10, 160).
HOOTEN'S RANKINGS Rogers Heritage is No. 16 in Class 7A. Central is No. 15.
HOOTEN'S LINE Little Rock Central by 35
OUR TAKE Little Rock Central 35, Rogers Heritage 7
-- Paul Boyd • @NWAPaulB
Pulaski Robinson at Rogers High
Whitey Smith Stadium
KICKOFF 7 p.m.
RECORDS Pulaski Robinson 1-0; Rogers High 0-0
ON THE AIR Games are live-streamed at www.gomounties.com.
BETWEEN THE LINES Rogers High is led by senior quarterback Hunter Loyd and receiver Mason Ross. ... The Mounties lost 35-14 to Robinson a year ago. ... The Senators whipped Springdale High 49-28 last week and improved to 3-1 against teams from the 7A-West over the last five years. ... Robinson rolled up 474 yards of total offense in its win a week ago. ... Running back Hunter Smith rushed for 167 yards and 2 TDs, while quarterback Buddy Gaston threw for 143 yards and a touchdown but was also intercepted twice.
PLAYERS TO WATCH Pulaski Robinson -- QB Buddy Gaston (Jr., 6-4, 205), QB/LB J.T. Towers (Sr., 6-4, 210), RB Hunter Smith (Jr., 5-11, 165), OL/DL Jonathan Blackmon (Sr., 6-0, 260). Rogers High -- QB Hunter Loyd (Sr., 6-4, 200), OL R.J. Long (Sr., 6-3, 290), RB Sammy Zamarron (Sr., 5-7, 172), WR Mason Ross (Sr., 5-9, 174), OL Carter Cox (Jr., 6-3, 290), OL Aaron Salinas (Sr., 6-3 280), WR/DB Chris Francisco (Jr., 5-7, 140), OL Jack Gilbreath (Sr., 6-3 285), DL Brian Wade (Jr., 6-0 220)
HOOTEN'S RANKINGS Rogers is No. 11 in Class 7A. Robinson is No. 4 in Class 4A.
HOOTEN'S LINE Robinson by 6
OUR TAKE Pulaski Robinson 28, Rogers High 21
-- Paul Boyd • @NWAPaulB
Fort Smith Northside at Greenwood
Smith-Robinson Stadium
KICKOFF 7 p.m.
RECORDS Fort Smith Northside 1-0; Greenwood 0-0
ON THE AIR The game is live-streamed at thenorthsidegrizzlies.com and greenwooddogpound.com.
BETWEEN THE LINES Northside dealt Greenwood its only loss of the season last year, but that didn't stop the Bulldogs from winning their second straight Class 6A state title and eighth in 15 years ... The Grizzlies went on to advance to their first state semifinal since 2005. ... Northside rolled in the season opener 36-7 over Rogers Heritage. ... The Grizzlies scored three times on their first three plays from scrimmage. ... Quarterback Dreyden Norwood ran for two TDs and threw for another. ... Greenwood is led by senior QB Jace Presley who guided the Bulldogs to a 21-17 win over Fayetteville in a two-quarter varsity scrimmage.
PLAYERS TO WATCH Greenwood -- QB Jace Presley (Sr., 6-3, 182), RB Hunter Wilkinson (Jr., 5-10, 190), WR Treyton Dawson (Sr., 6-0, 178), OL Nathan Nethers (Sr., 6-1, 217), OL Kevin Douglas (Sr., 6-2, 271), OL Halen Carter (Sr., 6-0, 218), OL Michael Emberson (Sr., 5-8, 264), OL Traven Nichols (5-10, 271), DT Aniken Lewis (Sr., 5-8, 249), LB Eli Martin (Sr., 5-11, 192) S Logan Workman (Sr., 5-7, 140). Fort Smith Northside -- QB Dreyden Norwood (Jr., 6-1, 180), ATH Jackson King (Sr., 5-9, 180), WR/DB J.T. Thorne (Sr., 5-9, 170), TE James Clayton (Sr., 6-2, 230), LB Stetson Van Metre (Sr., 6-1, 200), LB J.J. Mills (Sr., 6-0, 180), DB Montay Parks (Sr., 6-1, 185), OL Jacob Arnold (Sr., 6-1, 215).
HOOTEN'S RANKINGS Fort Smith Northside is No. 7 in Class 7A. Greenwood is No. 1 in Class 6A.
HOOTEN'S LINE Greenwood by 3
OUR TAKE Greenwood 27, Fort Smith Northside 21
-- Paul Boyd • @NWAPaulB
Fayetteville at Owasso (Okla.)
Owasso Stadium
KICKOFF 7 p.m.
RECORDS Both teams are 1-0.
ON THE AIR KRRD-FM 106.1 and streaming at fhsbulldogs.com
BETWEEN THE LINES Fayetteville and Owasso meet again after the Bulldogs defeated the Rams 45-31 last year at Harmon Field. .... Fayetteville opened the season with a 64-0 victory over St. Louis (Mo.) Vianney while Owasso rallied for a 47-34 win at Bentonville West. .... Owasso coach Bill Blankenship led Fayetteville to a state championship in 2016 before returning to Oklahoma in 2017 to guide Owasso to a state championship. .... The Rams are led by senior Isaiah Jacobs, a college prospect who had a 61-yard touchdown run against Bentonville West. ... Fayetteville is again expected to play Hank Gibbs and Quinn McClain at quarterback after the two combined for six touchdown passes in the win over St. Louis Vianney. ... Owasso defensive back Deuce Mayberry is verbally committed to Kansas. ... Fayetteville linebacker Quade Mosier is verbally committed to Central Florida. ... Fayetteville yielded only six first down to St. Louis Vianney, the defending state champions in Missouri's Class 5A.
PLAYERS TO WATCH Fayetteville -- WR Connor Flannigan (Sr., 5-11, 170), WR Beau Stuckey (Sr., 6-0, 180), LB Quade Mosier (Sr., 6-2, 220), LB Tyler Barnes (Sr., 6-1, 215), QB Hank Gibbs (Sr., 6-4, 215), QB Quinn McClain (Sr., 6-1, 215), DB Brooks Flannigan (Sr., 5-11, 190), OL Melvin Kumwenda (Sr., 6-2, 260). Owasso -- RB Isaiah Jacobs (Sr., 6-0, 216), QB Cole Dugger (Sr., 6-1, 180), DE Haydon Grant (Sr., 6-5, 215), DB Duece Mayberry (Sr., 6-1 180), FS Dawson Adams (Sr., 5-10, 170).
HOOTEN'S RANKINGS Fayetteville is No. 3 in Class 7A. Owasso is No. 2 in Oklahoma's Class 6A.
HOOTEN'S LINE Fayetteville by 7
OUR TAKE Fayetteville 48, Owasso 28
-- Rick Fires • @NWARick
CLASS 6A
Pryor (Okla.) at Siloam Springs
Panther Stadium, Siloam Springs
KICKOFF 7 p.m.
RECORDS Pryor 0-0; Siloam Springs 0-1
ON THE AIR The game will be live-streamed on Siloam Springs Athletics on YouTube.
PLAYERS TO WATCH Pryor (Okla.) -- QB/CB Trapper Gilstrap (Sr., 5-10, 175), WR/DB Garrett Mitchell (Sr., 6-0, 180), OL/DL Nate Silkey (Soph., 6-0, 225), RB/LB Ethan Chavez (Jr., 6-0, 185), OL/NG Alex Silverstone (Soph., 5-10, 190). Siloam Springs -- QB Taylor Pool (Sr., 5-11, 179), WR Gage Weaver (Sr., 5-9, 169), DT Mariano Dominguez (Sr., 6-0, 255), TE/DE Kolby Fesler (Sr., 6-3, 254), RB/S Jackson Norberg (Sr., 6-1, 173).
BETWEEN THE LINES Siloam Springs and Pryor meet for the second straight year. ... The Panthers won at Pryor 38-21 in last season's opener for both teams. ... The Panthers led 38-0 late in the second half, which would have been a mercy rule in Arkansas, but because the game was in Oklahoma the clock ran normally. ... Pryor returns quarterback Trapper Gilstrap, who completed 29 of 42 passes for 297 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in last year's game. ... Pryor wide receiver Gary Mitchell also had a big game against the Panthers, catching 11 passes for 113 yards. ... Pryor went 3-7 last year and went through a coaching change in the offseason as offensive coordinator Kenny Davis became head coach. ... The Panthers lost their 2019 season-opener 35-21 to Van Buren last week. ... The Panthers had five turnovers and came up empty in the red zone on three strips. ... Siloam Springs quarterback Taylor Pool completed 11 of 26 passes for 177 yards, one touchdown and one interception. ... Panthers senior wide receiver Gage Weaver caught five passes for 101 yards, including a 59-yard touchdown. ... The Panthers' defense forced three Van Buren turnovers, two fumbles and one interception. ... Defensively, Siloam Springs gave up 436 yards of offense to the Pointers.
HOOTEN'S RANKINGS Siloam Springs is No. 11 in Class 6A.
HOOTEN'S LINE Siloam Springs by 6
OUR TAKE Siloam Springs 31, Pryor (Okla.) 21
-- Graham Thomas • @NWAGraham
CLASS 5A
Prairie Grove at Farmington
Cardinal Stadium
KICKOFF 7 p.m.
RECORDS Season-opener for both teams
ON THE AIR www.farmcards.org and pgtiersonline.com
BETWEEN THE LINES Farmington unveils its new $16 million sports complex that includes a football stadium, indoor facility and outdoor track. ... The Cardinals are led by Drew Sturgeon, who Farmington coach Mike Adams considers one of the best receivers in the state. Sturgeon caught 56 passes for 834 yards and eight touchdowns last season. ... MarQuaveon Watson moves from receiver to quarterback to replace Tate Sutton, who tore his labrum again and will miss the season. ... Farmington went 4-5 last season while Prairie Grove finished 4-6 with a first-round playoff loss at Lonoke. .... Farmington is picked to finish sixth in a preseason poll of the 5A-West coaches while Prairie Grove is projected to place second by the coaches in the 4A-1 Conference. ... Junior Knox Laird takes over at quarterback for Prairie Grove. He is the son of Prairie Grove defensive coordinator Craig Laird and brother of Zeke Laird, who guided the Tigers to a 12-1 record in 2016. ... Prairie Grove has won at least 10 games in five of the past seven years.
PLAYERS TO WATCH Farmington -- WR Drew Sturgeon (Sr., 6-1, 165), QB MarQuaveon Watson (Sr., 5-7, 150), LB Colton Kilgore (Sr., 6-1, 210), LB Hayden Cox (Jr., 5-11, 190), FB/LB Josh Stettmeier (Sr., 6-2, 225), RB Jaden Schader (Sr., 6-1, 205), RB DeCory Thomas (Jr., 5-11, 145), OG Hayden Grantham (Sr., 5-10, 275). Prairie Grove -- RB Keiandrae Hobbs (Sr., 5-6, 155), RB Foster Layman (Jr., 5-9, 190), QB Knox Laird (Jr., 5-9, 165), OT Hayden Black (Sr., 6-2, 275), TE Graham Guenther (Sr., 6-2, 205).
HOOTEN'S RANKINGS Prairie Grove by 3
OUR TAKE Prairie Grove 34, Farmington 28
-- Rick Fires • @NWARick
Sports on 09/06/2019