Arkansas Sports 360.com - July 2008 - (Page 99) Fountain Lake Gets Top 3A Billing By Philip Seaton OVERVIEW 3A PRESENTED BY THE 3A-5 CONFERENCE FEAtures defending state champion Glen Rose, but it also features 3A newcomer Fountain Lake. The Cobras, a 4A playoff team last season, have nine starters returning on offense and 10 on defense. Quinton Lindsey rushed for more than 1,100 yards last season and should carry the load while coach Tommy Gilleran breaks in a new quarterback. Charleston, Prescott and Rison have the tradition, while Rivercrest, Harding Academy and Hoxie have the talent for long playoff runs. Favorite: Charleston. The Tigers went 12-1 last season, but must replace nine starters on offense. Hot on Charleston’s heels: Greenland. This squad was a 4A playoff team last year. Dropping down will benefit the Pirates. Sleeper: Cedarville. A playoff team last season, nine starters are back on defense for coach Mike Guthrie. Favorite: Harding Academy. Roddy Mote takes the coaching reigns from Tommy Shoemaker. Quarterback Matt Lincoln leads the way. Hot on Harding Academy’s heels: Mayflower. DeShaun Bagby and Gavin Pace lead a talented backfield. The second year under coach Jed Davis should see Mayflower pushing Harding Academy for a conference title. Sleeper: Riverview. It’s their first year as a varsity program, but the Raiders will be a very athletic team in an athletic conference. Favorite: Lamar. Gone are the years just battling for respect. Coach Jay Holland’s squad starts the year as conference favorite. Hot on Lamar’s heels: Atkins. It’s tough to match the tradition of the Red Devils and the coaching of Charlie Sorrels. A good sign for the Red Devils? They host Lamar on Halloween. Sleeper: Yellville-Summit. It has been a few years since the Panthers were a factor in a conference race, but coach Calvin Mallett knows how to get his teams to the top. Favorite: Fountain Lake. The Cobras are loaded. Hot on Fountain Lake’s heels: Bauxite. Coach Johnny Watson doesn’t like his early schedule and says his team is in trouble, but the Miners are never to be counted out. Sleeper: Arkansas Baptist. After battling with Nashville, Central Arkansas Christian and De Queen in conference play last season, the Eagles won’t be intimated by anybody. Favorite: Prescott. Twin brothers Tremaine and Jermaine Henderson lead a talented squad. Mark your calendars for Nov. 7, Rison at Prescott. Hot on Prescott’s heels: Rison. Never discount a Clay Totty-coached squad and he gets senior signal-caller Trey Gerard back. Sleeper: Lafayette County. A new coach, but plenty of talent returns. Coachspeak: “Prescott is the team to beat, but Gurdon, Lafayette County and Rison are capable of winning the confrence,” Fouke coach Kevin Smith said. “This should be the best conference in the state—five quality teams that could win most conferences.” 3A-4 Conference Predictions 3A-1 Charleston Greenland Lavaca Mountainburg Cedarville Mansfield Elkins Lincoln 3A-4 Lamar Atkins Perryville Marshall Paris Yellville-Summit Green Forest Mountain View 3A-2 Harding Academy Mayflower Episcopal England Barton Brinkley Riverview Rose Bud 3A-5 Fountain Lake Bauxite Magnet Cove Jessieville Glen Rose Arkansas Baptist Centerpoint Bismarck 3A-1 3A-5 TIGER TAILBACK: Adam Sanderson of Mansfield. 3A-2 Favorite: Rivercrest. This is a good time for the Colts to drop down in classification, with seven starters coming back on both sides of the ball. Hot on Rivercrest’s heels: Hoxie. The Mustangs could very well be the favorite with mammoth defensive tackle Derek Johnson, a Texas commitment, leading the way. The Mustangs host the Colts Oct. 3. Sleeper: Corning. The Bobcats had an undefeated regular season last year and return enough starters to make a run. Coachspeak: “Very tough conference,” Harrisburg coach Keith Davis said. “Earle and Rivercrest will add speed, while Hoxie will be physical and competitive. Good diversity.” 3A-3 3A-3 Rivercrest Hoxie Harrisburg Earle Corning Cave City Piggott Manila 3A-7 Prescott Rison Gurdon Lafayette County Harmony Gove Fouke Parkers Chapel Drew Central 3A-7 New to 3A Arkansas Baptist Drew Central Greenland Earle Fountain Lake Jessieville Manila Mountain View Parkers Chapel Riverview TOP TEN Teams 1. Fountain Lake 2. Charleston 3. Prescott 4. Rison 5. Rivercrest 6. Harding Academy 7. Hoxie 8. Greenland 9. Bauxite 10. Gurdon O’Bryan Bell DeShaun Bagby Kane Drye Tyler Baxter Tremaine Henderson Ethan Gammill Jermaine Henderson Cody Stubbs Quinton Lindsey Trevor Stone Down from 4A First year for varsity Down from 4A Up from 2A Down from 4A Up from 2A First year for varsity Down from 4A Up from 2A First year for varsity Players To Watch 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. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. RB/LB RB RB RB QB QB/DB WR RB RB RB/LB Gurdon Mayflower Perryville Centerpoint Prescott Mountain View Prescott Atkins Fountain Lake Magnet Cove Games To Watch Sep. 5 Sep. 12 Sep. 19 Sep. 26 Oct. 3 Oct. 10 Oct. 17 Oct. 24 Oct. 31 Nov. 7 Fordyce at Rison Lafayette County at Bauxite Charleston at Ozark Prescott at Gurdon Rivercrest at Hoxie Fountain Lake at Magnet Cove Mayflower at Harding Academy Greenland at Lavaca Lamar at Atkins Rison at Prescott July 2008 ArkansasSports360.com 99 http://ArkansasSports360.com http://ArkansasSports360.com http://ArkansasSports360.comts360.com
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