The annual Hooten’s Arkansas Football magazine is now available for purchase throughout the state, and the Hooten brothers (Chad and Chris) and their support staff have once again picked the Greenwood Bulldogs to win the 6A state football title this coming fall. Big surprise? Way to go out on a limb, guys.
The ‘Dogs defeated Lake Hamilton last season in the championship game and are predicted to do so again in 2021. Last year Hooten’s picked Benton as the 6A champ in the preseason, but the Panthers lost in the regular season to Greenwood, 42-28, and were later knocked out of the playoffs by Covid-19. All three teams remain among the best in the 6A West conference.
According to Hooten’s, “Top-ranked Greenwood captures a second straight state title and fourth in five years. The Sebastian County outfit has players galore and didn’t flinch last season when it dominated en route to the title following the February 2020 departure of legendary coach Rick Jones. To earn the title, Greenwood will vanquish No. 2 Lake Hamilton twice, once for the 6A West title and once at War memorial Stadium for the state title.”
That’s precisely the formula the Bulldogs followed last season, defeating the Wolves, 38-28, in the regular season finale at Lake Hamilton, then whipping them for the state crown at War Memorial Stadium last December, 49-24. Even more impressive, Greenwood trailed by double-digits in both games before rallying with a strong second half.
With his rookie season (as a head coach) now behind him, an unbeaten Chris Young has very little left to prove after the departure of Coach Jones to the University of Missouri. Both men worked closely together and were part of eight state championships over a span of 16 years, and now Young, along with his revamped and top-notch staff, have one for themselves after doing an amazing job last season under extremely difficult circumstances related to the pandemic. No doubt more state titles are coming.
The Bulldogs have a big senior class (30) with lots of playing experience, plus a very large (46) and talented sophomore group that went unbeaten in 2020 and won the River Valley Conference title. The junior class is smaller than normal, but boasts some of the team’s most critical position players like starting quarterback Hunter Houston, safety Storm Scherrey, running back Javon Williamson, receiver Aiden Kennon, and offensive lineman Hayden Webb.
While Lake Hamilton has the edge in returning starters (13) compared to Greenwood’s seven, the Bulldogs have many players who gained extensive playing experience last season even though they may not have started. Since moving up to Class 6A in 2012, Greenwood has endeavored to develop 22 starters, split between the offense and defense, and not use players both ways unless absolutely necessary. The coaches also do a good job of subbing in reserves to keep the starters fresh, helping the team stay strong deep into the second half.
Of course, Greenwood is also well-known for its summer FASDOGS program that stresses flexibility, agility, and speed training while building a foundation of endurance and physical conditioning unmatched by other state schools.
The Bulldogs just completed their 2021 summer session last week and are preparing to begin practice in just days with the season opener scheduled for August 27th at Muskogee, Oklahoma. The coaching staff and the team’s seniors also just returned from their annual Father-Son retreat, something they could not do last year because of Covid-19.
Naturally, preseason predictions like Hooten’s can be biased or deceiving, but not so much in this case. Still, the Bulldogs must perform on the field on Friday nights to make it come true, and barring some disaster related to Covid-19 or serious injuries to key players at the wrong time, it’s safe to assume they have a great shot at fulfilling their destiny and winning another crown this fall.
In other predictions related to area teams, Hooten’s picks Fort Smith Northside to finish fifth in the 7A Central and crosstown rival Southside to place sixth in the 7A West. Van Buren is picked to finish seventh in the 6A West, and Alma is likewise expected to finish just out of the basement in the 5A West.
The Paris Eagles, now under Head Coach Jeff Weaver, the former GHS assistant and former head coach at Mena, Little Rock Christian, and Russellville, are expected to play well and finish second behind first-place Booneville in the Class 4-3A conference.
Small school powerhouse Charleston is predicted to remain atop the 1-3A conference, followed by Cedarville in second place. Other local teams from that league include Hackett, Lavaca, and Mansfield, expected to finish in that order at the bottom of the conference standings.
For all the details relating to the 187 high school teams in the state, plus extensive information on the Southeastern Conference and the Arkansas Razorbacks, entering their second season under Head Coach Sam Pittman, and other state schools, pick up Hooten’s Arkansas Football, available at Walmart, Books-a-Million, and various other area retailers.