MY POINT EXACTLY : Who will win the 7AWest ?
Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Your guess is well, almost as good as mine. But if you said the 7 A-West was a craps shoot, you'd never be more correct than this year.
Depending on whose view you value most, the West could shake out in a number of scenarios.
Last season, most who cared to weigh in concurred that Bentonville would top the conference. While the Tigers' defense and colossal offensive line were much-improved in 2007, they proved too dependent on one offensive player for all the marbles and it cost them against Fayetteville in the Class 7 A semifinals.
The Tigers finished second and Springdale Har-Ber rode the conference's top seed to a state title game cameo. And for the secondstraight year, the fourthseed from the 7 A-West mustered enough magic to win a state championship. It was Fayetteville's first state football title in school history. While Fayetteville has had more talented teams, none came up as big when it counted most.
That's what it takes to win the 7 A-West. The most talented team doesn't always win. Just ask Bentonville. On the flipside, Har-Ber can speak from experience as well.
Heart isn't in the box score but it's what helped Fayetteville win four straight games on the road en route to a state title after routing Har-Ber, which had beaten the Purple Dogs, 42-41, in overtime in Week 9. After having their heart ripped out, it was Fayetteville's heart that beat loudest at War Memorial.
Who has the most potent blend of heart, guts and physical talent this season ?
Fayetteville no doubt likes the taste of victory after 103 years of chewing on disappointment. But will the hunger to return to greatness be enough to win the 7 A-West, a task the Purple Dogs failed to complete even last year as state champions ?
Fayetteville has never won its conference outright under head coach Daryl Pat ton. The Purple Dogs came closest in Patton's first year (2003 ) before an injury to starting quarterback Woody Wilson in Week 9 spelled doom. Fayetteville began 9-0 but was trounced 33-0 by Bentonville in the regular-season finale, forcing the Purple Dogs to share the conference title with Fort Smith Southside.
For the Purple Dogs to get over that particular hump this season, their success will hinge upon the play of sophomore signal caller, Brandon Allen, and depth on the offensive line.
An improved defense with several new stratagems up its sleeve must convert potential to production on Friday nights for Fayetteville to maintain its championship swagger.
But parity reigns in the 7 A-West at a level like no other conference in the state. This season bodes to be no different. With the exception of West rookie Rogers Heritage, it's anyone's conference title to win.
Hooten's Arkansas Football believes it's Fort Smith Southside's for the taking. The magazine ranked the Rebels No. 1 in its preseason poll but the coaches tabbed them third in the conference.
While the Rebs will make the playoffs in the new, more inclusive format in which six teams qualify compared to four last year, they will be cutting it close in this scribe's estimation. The Rebs will finish fourth in the conference.
Uncertainty at quarterback is a key issue. With two studs in the backfield, the Rebs will again look to pound teams to death. Sportswriters covering Southside will have no trouble meeting deadline.
While Southside is snaring the bulk of the attention, cross-town counterpart Fort Smith Northside will sneak into the No. 2 spot in the conference. The Grizzlies are the lone playoff team that returns a full-time starting quarterback.
Northside also returns the league's best running back in Semaj Edwards, who rushed for 1, 146 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior last season. The Grizzlies are the conference's wild card but have immense potential. The question is whether Northside can transform that potential into consistent execution on game night.
After beginning the past two year's as Hooten's preseason No. 1, Bentonville takes a break from the hype at No. 4 heading into the 2008 slate. The West coaches predicted a second-place finish for the Tigers in conference play.
The key for the Tigers will be replacing the best offensive line in the state. The best tailback in the state, Anthony Blackmon, is also gone. But the Tigers find a way to secure the conference's third seed with nine returning starters from Barry Lunney Sr. 's best defensive unit at Bentonville.
Har-Ber will have trouble duplicating the success of last season when its reached the state title game in only the program's second season.
Head coach Chris Wood is tasked with replacing nine starters on offense and eight on defense.
Only senior quarterback Zach Faust, who split time behind center with Patrick Calcagni last season, and running back Derek Brinker return on offense.
Brinker rushed for 1, 009 yards last season, which will help take some of the pressure off Faust.
Defense, though, will be the issue. Har-Ber may have to outscore its opposition this season. But under the new playoff format the Wildcats' fifth-place finish in the West is enough to reach the postseason.
Har-Ber's intercity foe Springdale High is another squad that will benefit from the new playoff bracket. The Red Dogs return more total starters (eight on offense, eight on defense ) than any other squad in the West.
Senior QB Ashton Glaser was a touchdown magnet last season, throwing for 22 scores and rushing for another 12. Glaser will benefit from an experienced offensive line but will have to find new targets at receiver. Defense is the question mark for the Red Dogs, who surrendered 32 points per game last season.
The City of Rogers will likely stay home this postseason, thanks to a split in the talent pool. Rogers High now shares the city's allegiance with Rogers Heritage.
Rogers QB Andy Courture showed promise over the summer in 7 on 7 and the Mounties return seven starters on offense. But the Mounties will be the odd man out in this year's new format, thanks to a lack of depth at multiple positions and a loaded conference.
To cast your vote on who will win the 7 A-West visit the Northwest Arkansas Times' High School Clipboard Blog at www. nwanews. com / blogs / highschool.
Heath Allen is a sportswriter for the Northwest Arkansas Times.
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