My 2A Top Ten--Week 5

[Mike Bonds]

1.  Conway Christian
2.  Rison
3.  Mount Ida
4.  Danville
5.  Hector
6.  Earle
7.  Hampton
8.  Foreman
9.  Bearden
10.  Mountain Pine

[NWA Hawg]

Lol thats a good one!

[Eaglefan70]

I'm not against what you put but what made you put Mountain Pine in top 10?

[stuck in between]

Good conversation generator, sadly it ends at that.

[Mike Bonds]

I'm not against what you put but what made you put Mountain Pine in top 10?

Normally, I'd be very wary of putting any team that didn't finish the prior season very high, but Mountain Pine looks like they're improving every week.  I saw them play against Jessieville and thought this would be a very long season for the Red Devils.  There were some things that I did notice though:

First, they had a considerable number of kids out for a 2A team, especially one that didn't finish the prior season.
Two, they looked like a team that was still working it out--no doubt a hangover from last year's lack of time.
Third, it was clear that they had some move-ins that, if things settled in, could help Mountain Pine win.

So there are your pros on Mountain Pine, coupled with a lack of other teams standing out; I think they've got to be considered the favorite in their games for the next two weeks until a date with Foreman.  I very nearly put Parkers Chapel back in at #10, where they were last week before the loss to Hampton. 

[HorseFeathers]

1.  Conway Christian
2.  Rison
3.  Mount Ida
4.  Danville
5.  Hector
6.  Earle
7.  Hampton
8.  Foreman
9.  Bearden
10.  Mountain Pine

Don't normally do this...But Conway Christian at #1?

[Hornet4ever]

Don't normally do this...But Conway Christian at #1?

Bro Mountain Pine is at #10, let's talk about that first .

[HorseFeathers]

Bro Mountain Pine is at #10, let's talk about that first .

Meh...3-1 and Mike admitted to watching them in person...personal bias at #10 doesn't bother me.

[MagicMike]

Mountain Pine ismt a top 25 team

[Mike Bonds]

Meh...3-1 and Mike admitted to watching them in person...personal bias at #10 doesn't bother me.

Since when is watching a team live a negative?

[Mike Bonds]

Don't normally do this...But Conway Christian at #1?

Yes, as I see it now. I know a lot of folks have trouble not seeing Mount Ida at #1 in the s poll.

[HorseFeathers]

Since when is watching a team live a negative?

Not a negative but could cause bias

Yes, as I see it now. I know a lot of folks have trouble not seeing Mount Ida at #1 in the s poll.

I have rison/mt ida as 1a and 1b. Was just curious as to why CCS at #1.

[Mike Bonds]

Not a negative but could cause bias

I have rison/mt ida as 1a and 1b. Was just curious as to why CCS at #1.

In the interests of full disclosure and my integrity, I've seen in person this year:

Mountain Pine
Jessieville
Newport
Lonoke
Conway
Jonesboro

Decided to take a break on Friday night this week, but try to see something if I'm close--with two kids 11 and 6, I do the best I can.  Of course, read a lot of recaps and catch the FF show. 

Here are my thoughts on Conway Christian:

They've got a returning QB that threw for over 3,000 yards and 35 TDs.  They averaged about 40 ppg last season, and they're right back there again.  Not only that, but they've shown they can get the job done on the ground, not just through the air.  Their RB, Gates, is a senior, and it shows.  The worry that I had was defense with just 4 starters returning, but they're holding opponents to 13 ppg.  They've got a quality win over Danville and a decent win over Rose Bud.  They've also got a penchant for playing well in the post season.  Mount Ida put them out last year on the way to winning the title.  Conway Christian is on the other side of the playoff bracket from both Rison and Mount Ida.

Mount Ida is, of course, the defending champion.  They've got nearly the entire team back, including the QB, although Mount Ida doesn't ask their QB to do as much in a veer package.  They've got a potent 1-2 punch at RB.  Their defense is stingy, but their only quality win this season, IMO, is over Jessieville.  I don't think their conference will do much to prepare the Lions for the playoffs this year--Foreman is probably the only team in the conference that has the potential to really push Mount Ida.  Had last year's Foreman game went the other way, the Lions would have finished in a tie for 3rd in the 7-2A with Dierks--a tie in which the Outlaws had the tie-breaker.  That path through the playoffs would have been radically different.  The Lions had close scrapes, but in their defense, they won those games. Making Mount Ida your #1 team in a poll is totally logical, but I think they haven't been tested much yet.

Rison is the other #1 contender.  Like Mount Ida, they've got lots of guys back.  They're also Rison.  Like the other two teams (I'm sensing a trend), they return an experienced QB.  They've also got a strong ground game. Statistically, they're hard to argue on PPG either direction.   It looks like the Wildcats have overcome the twists and turns of the 2016 season.  They've got a win this season over rival Fordyce, but the Redbugs are having a tough go in 2017; the Bearden win was a good win.  The Wildcats should get tested in their conference by some quality teams:  Parkers Chapel, Camden Harmony Grove, and Hampton.  If Mount Ida and Rison win through the playoffs, they'll meet in a huge semifinal game.

[Lions84]

Good list.