8-4A Preview - Week 3

LJ06 · September 16, 2014, 10:47:13 pm

WEEK 3 PREVIEW

Projected Finish

1. Warren
2. Dollarway
3. Star City
4. Hamburg
5. Crossett
6. Monticello
7. DeWitt
8. Dumas

CO-GAME OF THE WEEK

5A #2 Pulaski Academy @ 4A #1 Warren

Pulaski Academy
Record: 1-1 (Wins: New Smyrna Beach - FL/Losses: Highland Park - TX)
PPG: 47
PAG: 34

Warren
Record: 1-1 (Wins: Stuttgart/Losses: Fort Smith Southside)
PPG: 25
PAG: 20.5

The seventh meeting between these two since Hembree took over for Warren and it should be another great game. Both teams feature how power offenses, but one has been showcasing it while the other is still trying to get into synch. The Bruins have looked exceptionally sharp in their first two games, both of which have been out of state. The Lumberjacks, however, have still yet to gel completely and play to their potential. They struggled mightly against Stuttgart on the road last week, but are looking to bounce back strong in week 3. Warren WR Jaylon Marshall will be back for this one after serving a one game suspension for being ejected against Southside in week 1. Look for an all out offensive showing so if scoring points is your thing, you should not miss this game. Last year, onside kicks and failed 4th down stops killed the Jacks. They can ill afford those same costly mistakes. Warren will show promise and look more like the week 1 team rather than the week 2 one, but will still fall just short.

Pulaski Academy 42
Warren 28

CO-GAME OF THE WEEK

4A #3 Dollarway @ 5A #3 Camden Fairview

Dollarway
Record: 2-0 (Wins: Helena-West Helena, Forrest City)
PPG: 40
PAG: 27

Camden Fairview
Record: 1-1 (Wins: Hamburg/Losses: El Dorado)
PPG: 27
PAG: 21

One of the biggest games in the state takes place Friday night in Quachita County. The impressive Dollarway Cardinals travel to Camden to take on the always stout Cardinals of Camden Fairview. Both teams are huge, fast, athletic, and just down right physical. This is a game in which football was meant to be played by means of hard nosed football. Ultimately this game will be won or lost in the trenches and it really could go either way IMO. Granted, Fairview are the favorites, but don't be surprised if Dollarway comes out on top. The Cardinals from Pine Bluff can play and aren't your typical slow starting Dollarway team. They are disciplined and rolling right now. However, they are very few teams that can actual challenge Camden, but Dollarway is one of those teams. Forrest City was getting rolled last week by Dollarway until they let their lead slip and barely held on for the win. They can't afford to let that happen this week if they are fortunate enough to obtain a lead. Dollarway will put up a heck of a fight, but it won't be enough in the end. Fairview takes care of business and hands Dollarway their first loss.

Camden Fairview 28
Dollarway 18

4A #4 Star City @ 5A #11 Little Rock Mills

Star City
Record: 2-0 (Wins: Lonoke, Lake Village)
PPG: 45.5
PAG: 12

Little Rock Mills
Record: 1-1 (Wins: Little Rock Hall/Losses: Little Rock Parkview)
PPG: 14
PAG: 12.5

Star City is on a tear right now after mauling a hapless Lake Village team last week. The week before they scored an impressive win over a very legit Lonoke team at Lonoke. These Bulldogs are experienced and extremely talented. Plus they boast some of the best linemen in the state. The only question mark about SC is their ability to knock of the big boys in which they'll have two more weeks to prepare for that. Mills, too saw success last season and hope to continue off their 9-3 record with a thrashing of LR Hall last week. A switch in offenses and a new QB still shows Mills has a lot to prove this season. A win over SC would go a long way in showing that. However, Star City is the more talented team and also the more experienced one. Look for them to take control of the tempo early and use RB DaJunn Harris to run over Mills. This game should be over by the half, but Star City has to come out hot like they did last week and not lackluster like the week prior. I'm taking SC all day long.

Star City 40
Little Rock Mills 14

3A #38 Lake Village @ 4A #9 Hamburg

Lake Village
Record: 0-2 (Losses: Monticello, Star City)
PPG: 12.5
PAG: 45.5

Hamburg
Record: 1-1 (Wins: McGehee/Losses: Camden Fairview)
PPG: 26.5
PAG: 23.5

Lake Village's start to the 2014 season is a complete non conference slate of teams all in the 8-4A. The conference Lake Village left when it dropped down to 3A football. So far they have started in similar fashion from where they left off last season...dropping contests to 8-4A teams. While the Beavers got pile driven into oblivion last week against Star City, they made a game of it against Monticello in week 1, only losing by 12. However, even after showing some promise this season, they face an opponent who is much like Star City, but maybe even more physical in Hamburg. The Lions are loaded at tons of positions this season, but have a new coaching staff in place. Their offense revolves around the talented back Trey Miller. While they are expected to finish around fourth in 8-4A this squad did give Camden Fairview all they wanted for a good portion of the game. This is a dangerous football team and once again poor Lake Village is going to get tossed around like a rag doll. People, please quit scheduling Lake Village. It just isn't fair.

Hamburg 54
Lake Village 8

4A #24 Monticello @ 3A #17 Fordyce

Monticello
Record: 1-1 (Wins: Lake Village/Losses: Magnolia)
PPG: 19
PAG: 19.5

Fordyce
Record: 0-2 (Losses: Rison, Crossett)
PPG: 19
PAG: 34.5

A battle of two teams who are really struggling. Monticello had to fend off a horrid Lake Village team in week 1 and lost to a mediocre Magnolia team in week 2. The Billies just aren't as talented as past teams and are once again having tough times offensively. However, they are facing a team in Fordyce that is struggling even more. The Redbugs got thumped last week against Crossett 35-8. Their defense has given up a ton of points in just two weeks and it may give Monticello opportunities to regain some offensive confidence. Look for Monticello to inflict damage almost to a degree like Crossett did last week except more points will be allowed. If Monticello comes out with a bad showing I would start to truly worry about their playoff chances if I was a Billie fan. I'm going with Monticello and Fordyce is left searching for their first win after starting the season 0-3.

Monticello 28
Fordyce 18

4A #31 Crossett @ 3A #10 McGehee

Crossett
Record: 1-1 (Wins: Fordyce/Losses: Magnolia)
PPG: 21.5
PAG: 14

McGehee
Record: 1-1 (Wins: Dumas/Losses: Hamburg)
PPG: 28
PAG: 30

This game is rather interesting and hard to predict. Crossett is an improved team no doubt, but what to extent just yet is unknown. Fordyce is down and Crossett did handle them rather easily last week, but the question is what can they do against better competition. Their spread attack is making strides in Ashley County and their defense is as well. McGehee is also a bit down this season and got throttled in week 1 against Crossett's conference rival Hamburg, but weathered the storm and took it to Dumas last week. However, Dumas is most likely the worst team in 8-4A so thats not exactly a win to brag about. I'm would like Crossett in this game with the upset, if not for the game being played in McGehee. The Eagles are showing a lot of promise, but with that said a win in this game won't be easy. Look for the Owls to pull out the win by a ever so slight margin and gear up for a daunting conference slate this year in 6-3A while Crossett eyes a return to the playoffs after missing out last season.

McGehee 22
Crossett 20

4A #28 Stuttgart @ 4A #32 DeWitt

Stuttgart
Record: 0-2 (Losses: Arkadelphia, Warren)
PPG: 12.5
PAG: 35

DeWitt
Record: 1-1 (Wins: Carlisle/Losses: Little Rock Episcopal)
PPG: 23.5
PAG: 33

The battle of Arkansas County or "ARCO" should be a highly contested game. There is no love loss in this one and if not for Warren and Dollarway playing highly ranked games, this one would have been game of the week. Now I know there are some Ricebirds fans out there who think this one may not be any contest, but thats just simply absurd. Stuttgart is down for their standards, while DeWitt is up for theirs. Now don't get me wrong, I do believe Stuttgart will win this ball game as they are better than some realize, but with that said so is DeWitt. There will be a lot of emotions and it will be a hard fought ball game. The Ricebirds have struggled offensively only scoring 3 touchdowns since the start of the season, but their defense can be stingy at times. DeWitt has shown that they can score points this season and they have the power running game along with a serviceable passing attack to possibly give Stuttgart some problems. Look for Stuttgart to break the offensive trend and finally start getting some points on the scoreboard.

Stuttgart 26
DeWitt 13

6A #16 Little Rock Hall @ 4A #33 Dumas

Little Rock Hall
Record: 0-1 (Losses: Little Rock Mills)
PPG: 0
PAG: 28

Dumas
Record: 0-2 (Losses: Mayflower, McGehee)
PPG: 31
PAG: 44

The battle of creampuffs takes place this Friday night. LR Hall hasn't won a game since 2011 and they are without a doubt the worst team in 6A. They are very talented, lack size, and lack the knowledge to win. Dumas on the other hand is very inexperienced and the offense flows as much as possible through TE Will Gragg. The Bobcats have looked somewhat better than last season and thats expected. It won't matter this Friday night, however, since Hall is just that bad. Look for Dumas to control the game early and often. Hall will score, but they will be outmatched.

Dumas 32
Little Rock Hall 12