Arkansas Sports 360.com - July 2008 - (Page 86) PRESENTED BY 4A 4A-4 OVERVIEW Want a 4A Favorite? Take Your Pick By Philip Seaton Conference Predictions 4A-1 Shiloh Christian Gravette Farmington Huntsville Gentry Prairie Grove Berryville Pea Ridge Dardanelle Clarksville Booneville Ozark Pottsville Dover West Fork Subiaco Academy PICKING A TOP TEAM IN CLASS 4A is no easy task with so many talented players returning to the classification. Nashville, led by senior quarterback Pierre Vaughn, gets the top billing and will be a tough team to beat in 2008. After that, Pine Bluff Dollarway, Osceola, Newport, Warren, Lonoke, Shiloh Christian … you get the picture. It should be a fun year to follow football in 4A. Favorite: Shiloh Christian. Back to the 4A, but still keeping the conference favorite label. Talented sophomore Kiehl Frazier transferred in from West Fork, giving the Saints another weapon. Hot on Shiloh Christian’s heels: Gravette. With Ethan McKinzie and Teddy Selby in the backfield the Lions will be a dangerous team in 2008. Sleeper: Gentry. Caleb Ramsey is back under center this fall for the Pioneers and so are seven starters on defense. Gentry also closed out last season with two wins in its last three games. Favorite: Lonoke. With quarterback Rollins Elam and receiver Clarence Harris playing catch again this season, the Jackrabbits will a tough team in 4A. Hot on Lonoke’s heels: Stuttgart. Coach Todd Barnes must replace seven starters on offense and eight on defense, but the Ricebirds get Lonoke at home on Halloween night. Sleeper: DeWitt. Eight starters are back on offense for the Dragons to begin the Doug Corley era. Coachspeak: “Very tough conference with most teams on the up- swing,” Southside Batesville coach Jon Johnston said. “I would not be surprised to see several of these teams go deep into the playoffs.” Favorite: Osceola. The Seminoles shared the 4A-3 conference title last season with Highland. Nine starters are back on offense for coach Clinton Gore’s squad, but Newport slides over from the 4A-2 conference. Hot on Osceola’s heels: Newport. Coach Greg Brannon lost some playmakers off his 10-1 squad from last season, but that has just opened spots for different playmakers, plus the Greyhounds host the Seminoles in Jackson County. Sleeper: Valley View. A playoff team a year ago, enough starters are back for firstyear coach Shannon Sherman. Coachspeak: “Osceola has many returning starters,” Highland coach Clay Wiggins said. “Newport’s a top 10 all last year, but has graduated some key players. Pocahontas always turns out quality teams. Trumann is in its second year in the spread; Gosnell graduated an all-conference running back; Valley View and Westside have new coaches.” Favorite: Dardanelle. Senior quarterback Kendall Pickney is as talented as any quarterback in 4A, and having seven starters back on defense doesn’t hurt either. Hot on Dardanelle’s heels: Clarksville. Coach Michael Banning’s squad made the playoffs last season, and seven starters are back on offense. Sleeeper: Pottsville. Coach Bryan Rust guided his Apaches to the playoffs in their final season in the 3A. Moving up doesn’t hurt as much with seven starters back on offense, including quarterback Josh Falls. 4A-3 Coachspeak: “I think it will be a crazy year and anything could happen,” Pottsville coach Bryan Rust said. “I really think the conference teams are evenly matched.” Favorite: Nashville. In Scrapper Country football is king, and five starters back from coach Billy Dawson’s state championship squad should keep the faithful happy this season. Hot on Nashville’s heels: De Queen. Enough starters are back for coach Chris Vereen’s squad that the Leopards can challenge the Scrappers. Sleepers: Malvern and Arkadelphia. Both teams drop down from 5A, and both have enough talent coming back to push to the top of the conference standings. Favorite: Pine Bluff Dollarway. Allstate quarterback Jesse Gandy and allstate running back Michael Willingham return from a Cardinal squad that won nine straight before falling to Nashville in the state championship game. Hot on Dollarway’s heels: Warren. No problems for coach Bo Hembree — send a bunch of talent into the college ranks and just watch more stars come in right behind. Junior quarterback Hayden Smith, senior receiver Quinn Franklin and junior running back Courtney Haskell all return. Sleeper: Fordyce. Coach Clark Watkins’ second year at the helm should be more productive with talented quarterback Clint Fawcett returning. Coachspeak: “The conference will be a lot closer from top to bottom than it has been in the past,” Fordyce coach Clark Watkins said. “The conference race for playoff spots could get very interesting.” ❍ 4A-7 4A-2 Lonoke Stuttgart Marianna Heber Springs DeWitt Clinton Bald Knob Southside Batesville 4A-7 Nashville De Queen Pulaski Oak Grove Malvern Arkadelphia Ashdown Mena Waldron 4A-1 4A-3 Osceola Newport Pocahontas Highland Trumann Gosnell Valley View Jonesboro Westside 4A-8 Pine Bluff Dollarway Warren Dumas Star City Hamburg Fordyce McGehee Lake Village 4A-8 4A-2 New to 4A Arkadelphia Lake Village Malvern Pea Ridge Pottsville Shiloh Christian West Fork 4A-4 Down from 5A Up from 3A Down from 5A Up from 3A Up from 3A Up from 3A Up from 3A TOP TEN Teams 1. Nashville 2. Pine Bluff Dollarway 3. Osceola 4. Newport 5. Warren 6. Lonoke 7. Shiloh Christian 8. Stuttgart 9. Dardanelle 10. De Queen The ArkansasSports360.com Top 10 Players to Watch is not necessarily the top 10 prospects for each classification, but 10 players that did not make our All-Preseason Team that you should be reading a lot about this Fall. Rollins Elam Darion Griswold Daniel Holiday Caleb Ramsey Dedrick Rattler Justin Jones Jarvis Purifoy Josh Falls Braylon Mitchell Sage Gasaway Players To Watch Sr. So. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. QB QB QB/DB QB WR QB QB QB RB QB Lonoke Dumas West Fork Gentry Osceola Malvern Arkadelphia Nashville Heber Springs Star City Games To Watch Sep. 5 Sep. 12 Sep. 19 Sep. 26 Oct. 3 Oct. 10 Oct. 17 Oct. 24 Oct. 31 Nov. 7 Batesville at Newport Osceola at Dumas Greenwood at Shiloh Christian Warren at Pine Bluff Dollarway Pocahontas at Gosnell Pulaski Oak Grove at Nashville Osceola at Newport Shiloh Christian at Gravette Lonoke at Stuttgart Dardanelle at Clarksville 86 ArkansasSports360.com July 2008 http://ArkansasSports360.com http://ArkansasSports360.com http://ArkansasSports360.com
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