How is 7-2a looking?

[#1Rattlerfan]

Will South Pike County have a chance to win to take the conference Title?

[BLUEBLOOD]

IMO it's not probable.  Mt Ida lost a lot but they are the team to beat, especially with Gurdon moving up to 3A.  Lafayette Co has some athletes, but loss of a great "every down" back hurts.  Playmakers they have, 25-30 carry/game guys I don't know.  Dierks also lost a majority of offensive production, as did Springhill. 

When the young guys get under the lights, we will see what happens.  I'm not ready to make my pre-season predictions on finish, but Mt Ida has to be at the top. 

[stuck in between]

I am a transplant to the  7-2A this year coming from the 6-3A, but being as that I played single A ball (which is now the 2-A) I tried to keep up with what was going on in my old classification. So now (although mostly due to boredom) I will give my predictions and see how I fair come  mid-November.

1. Mt. Ida- Although it appears that they are loosing a lot to graduation this year it is still their conference to loose. Especially with Gurdon moving up to 3-A. Coming off their best season since their 2007 state championship run I think there will be a little bit of a let down, but with the overall weakness of the conference they should still be the King of the jungle.

2.  Lafayette County - Loosing their stud back will hurt. I'm not sure if they have someone ready to fill the shoes that Mr. Burks has left empty, but one thing they always have an abundance of in Lower Arkansas is speed and speed will kill a lot of other teams chances of competing for the top spots in the conference.

3. Dierks - The Outlaws are to the 7-2A what South Carolina is to the SEC. They are always a good team, but have a hard time competing with the top guns in the conference. Look for their passing game to give the rest of the conference listed below fits if they do not shoot themselves in the foot.

4-7. - You could put these four team's names in a cup shake it around and would be just as likely to pour them out in the correct order as picking them. So here is my opinion in how it will go.

4. Murfreesboro - Is coming off from a 4-7 season in which 0 of those wins were against an above .500 team. Having the largest student enrollment of all the members of the 7-2A I'm not too sure why the Rattlers cannot put together a successful football program year in and year out. However I do think they will bite a couple of teams and should secure a playoff spot.

5. Foreman - Yes, that is correct I have Foreman in the top 5. They started last year off with a win (which turned out to be the only one of the season) before loosing their Quarterback and leader to a season ending knee injury. With him being back along with a very successful Freshman class moving up I think some teams will be caught off guard and will become gatorbait as they will make a move upwards and finish well above their normal last spot, but having 4 coaches in 4 years is a hard obstacle to overcome.

6. Mineral Springs - A program that saw moderate success the first three years of this decade has fallen on hard times as of late. As us Arkansan's commonly say "thank God for Mississippi" when it comes to National rankings the Hornets have relied on Foreman to keep them from being on the bottom. They should finish the season with at least  two conference victories and could possibly sting a 3rd or even a 4Th opponent if things go their way.

7. Spring Hill - The Bears started out last season as hot as anyone clawing out 4 straight wins, but when the competition stiffened they broke and finished the season showing very little fight with a lopsided loss to a less talented Mineral Spring team. their star running back graduating this Spring isn't gonna help matters at all. As much as L.C. has speed S.H. needs it. I'm afraid it's going to be a long year for the Bears. When will the Askew boys that led them to several play off appearances start reproducing?

8. Mt. Pine - The Red Devils are riding a crippled mule into another conference just to get it handed to them every Friday night. When the mill packed up and left town a few years ago it took the football program with it. I'm sorry Red Devil fans but look to be every team's whipping boy for Homecoming this year.

There it is folks one man's opinion. Good luck to all.

[beach bum]

Very good assessment above.... +1

[fleaflicker24]

IMO it's not probable.  Mt Ida lost a lot but they are the team to beat, especially with Gurdon moving up to 3A.  Lafayette Co has some athletes, but loss of a great "every down" back hurts.  Playmakers they have, 25-30 carry/game guys I don't know.  Dierks also lost a majority of offensive production, as did Springhill. 

When the young guys get under the lights, we will see what happens.  I'm not ready to make my pre-season predictions on finish, but Mt Ida has to be at the top.

If I'm not mistaken Spring Hill is losing only their tight end off of last years O'line... New coach on the way now from what I understand.

[Raider80]

I think they also graduate a good running back.

[BLUEBLOOD]

If I'm not mistaken Spring Hill is losing only their tight end off of last years O'line... New coach on the way now from what I understand.

I guess I thought Crow kid was a senior too.  Is he or not??  MaxPreps listed him a senior.  A 4-6 (1-6 conference) team that loses an All-State RB has to be replacing a lot of offensive production. 

[fleaflicker24]

I guess I thought Crow kid was a senior too.  Is he or not??  MaxPreps listed him a senior.  A 4-6 (1-6 conference) team that loses an All-State RB has to be replacing a lot of offensive production. 

My bad! You are right the Crow Kid was or is a senior. And yes he was their offensive production for the most part. I misread your statement I thought it said losing most of their offensive line.

[BLUEBLOOD]

My bad! You are right the Crow Kid was or is a senior. And yes he was their offensive production for the most part. I misread your statement I thought it said losing most of their offensive line.

O-line makes a difference but 2A teams don't have multiple all-state running backs walking the halls.  My Outlaws are facing the same predicament trying to replace offensive production of McKinney.

[tacklethis...]

Offense is a question for Dierks, however, I think the defense will be pretty good early on. Alot of guys returning...good corner coming back, good safety, good linebackers, good noseguard, etc....

[Hornet4ever]

I am a transplant to the  7-2A this year coming from the 6-3A, but being as that I played single A ball (which is now the 2-A) I tried to keep up with what was going on in my old classification. So now (although mostly due to boredom) I will give my predictions and see how I fair come  mid-November.

1. Mt. Ida- Although it appears that they are loosing a lot to graduation this year it is still their conference to loose. Especially with Gurdon moving up to 3-A. Coming off their best season since their 2007 state championship run I think there will be a little bit of a let down, but with the overall weakness of the conference they should still be the King of the jungle.

2.  Lafayette County - Loosing their stud back will hurt. I'm not sure if they have someone ready to fill the shoes that Mr. Burks has left empty, but one thing they always have an abundance of in Lower Arkansas is speed and speed will kill a lot of other teams chances of competing for the top spots in the conference.

3. Dierks - The Outlaws are to the 7-2A what South Carolina is to the SEC. They are always a good team, but have a hard time competing with the top guns in the conference. Look for their passing game to give the rest of the conference listed below fits if they do not shoot themselves in the foot.

4-7. - You could put these four team's names in a cup shake it around and would be just as likely to pour them out in the correct order as picking them. So here is my opinion in how it will go.

4. Murfreesboro - Is coming off from a 4-7 season in which 0 of those wins were against an above .500 team. Having the largest student enrollment of all the members of the 7-2A I'm not too sure why the Rattlers cannot put together a successful football program year in and year out. However I do think they will bite a couple of teams and should secure a playoff spot.

5. Foreman - Yes, that is correct I have Foreman in the top 5. They started last year off with a win (which turned out to be the only one of the season) before loosing their Quarterback and leader to a season ending knee injury. With him being back along with a very successful Freshman class moving up I think some teams will be caught off guard and will become gatorbait as they will make a move upwards and finish well above their normal last spot, but having 4 coaches in 4 years is a hard obstacle to overcome.

6. Mineral Springs - A program that saw moderate success the first three years of this decade has fallen on hard times as of late. As us Arkansan's commonly say "thank God for Mississippi" when it comes to National rankings the Hornets have relied on Foreman to keep them from being on the bottom. They should finish the season with at least  two conference victories and could possibly sting a 3rd or even a 4Th opponent if things go their way.

7. Spring Hill - The Bears started out last season as hot as anyone clawing out 4 straight wins, but when the competition stiffened they broke and finished the season showing very little fight with a lopsided loss to a less talented Mineral Spring team. their star running back graduating this Spring isn't gonna help matters at all. As much as L.C. has speed S.H. needs it. I'm afraid it's going to be a long year for the Bears. When will the Askew boys that led them to several play off appearances start reproducing?

8. Mt. Pine - The Red Devils are riding a crippled mule into another conference just to get it handed to them every Friday night. When the mill packed up and left town a few years ago it took the football program with it. I'm sorry Red Devil fans but look to be every team's whipping boy for Homecoming this year.

There it is folks one man's opinion. Good luck to all.

You should post more. +1 very nice.

[tacklethis...]

Offense is a question for Dierks, however, I think the defense will be pretty good early on. Alot of guys returning...good corner coming back, good safety, good linebackers, good noseguard, etc....

Forgot to mention, these seniors also won the district (without Mt. Ida, with Gurdon) as 9th graders and a very talented senior returns from Mineral...

[brotherdew]

Forgot to mention, these seniors also won the district (without Mt. Ida, with Gurdon) as 9th graders and a very talented senior returns from Mineral...

Is Strode coming back?

[tacklethis...]

He came back during Christmas, he was very helpful to our baseball season.