With the release of Hooten’s Arkansas Football and Vype’s Arkansas Preview magazines, fans have a chance to see how well the rest of the state and 7-4A Conference coaches believe Arkadelphia High is going to perform in 2009.
With only four starters returning on offense and four on defense, the Badgers are somewhat of a mystery team entering the upcoming season.
Hooten's puts AHS at No. 5 in the Class 7-4A conference, behind De Queen at No. 1, Nashville, Ashdown, and Malvern.
Vype moves Arkadelphia up one spot in the conference rankings at No. 4, behind Nashville at No. 1, De Queen, and Oak Grove.
Along with the rankings, both magazines have complete different viewpoints when it comes to coverage of Arkansas high school football.
While perennial powers De Queen and Nashville look to reload, Arkadelphia continues to build the program under second-year Head Coach Billy Elmore in their final season in Class 4A, as the Badgers move back to the Class 5A Southwest conference in 2010 under the Reclassification numbers
One thing is certain for 2009: the Badgers will feature a quarterback who has no varsity experience, whether it be junior Michael Forthman or sophomore Garrett Rucker.
In the Hooten's magazine, Elmore spoke about the positive aspects of both players at the position.
Rucker “makes quick decisions, and we like his leadership ability,” Elmore said. When it came to Forthman, Elmore believes that he’s “an intelligent player who doesn’t get you beat.”
Anyone associated with high school football at any point of their lifetime knows that every team needs two solid, healthy quarterbacks to survive, and during the off-season, it looks like both are continuing to develop into quality signal callers.
The big question mark heading into every season for AHS is the position that never shows up in the stat sheet, but always in the win column: the linemen.
Beginning with the offensive line, the addition of adding senior Ashdone Bailey at right tackle solidifies this group into a unit that could provide massive improvement from a season ago. On the defensive line, sophomore Drevonne Adams gives the interior defensive tackle unit a big addition with a 6-0, 329 pound frame.
Bailey was named to the Class 4A All-Vype Squad and as an unheralded star by Hooten's, both at the linebacker position. Bailey has the opportunity to play against some of the state’s best athletes regardless of classification, when the Badgers host De Queen on October 30.
The Leopards have two players that have made headlines for the past season in practically every sport. Seniors Greg White and Jamario Ervin were both standouts in basketball and track during 2009, with Ervin leading the state with the fastest 100-meter dash time.
White will be the highest recruited athlete from the 7-4A Conference not named Ashdone Bailey. White rushed for 1,499 yards and 25 touchdowns in 10 games last season. White averaged a double double during his junior season in basketball.
Hooten's ranks De Queen as the No. 2 overall team in Class 4A, with Nashville at No. 4. Malvern rounds out the preseason final rankings predictions at No. 14.
Vype puts De Queen at No. 3, but no other 7-4A team is in the preseason coach’s top-10 poll.
The key to predicting a team’s upcoming success many times relies on a key factor in all cases: returning starters. No team returns more starters on either side of the football than De Queen, as the Leopards return eight on both the offensive end and defensive side for a total of 16 returnees with game experience.
After three-straight state titles from 2005-2007, Nashville lost to Pine Bluff Dollarway in the quarterfinals in 2008, and the frustration looks to continue to 2009, after the Scrappers graduated their top quarterback and running back prospects.
Ashdown returns 10 starters overall, led by wide receiver Tyrail Jetton, who recorded 60 catches for 1,064 yards and 10 touchdowns. Hooten's puts the Panthers at No. 3, while Vype ranks them at No. 7. Don’t expect Ashdown to fall to No. 7, because the Panthers return a load of offensive weapons in ‘09.
Malvern looks to be a dangerous team this season, after a strong showing in the Ouachita Baptist team football camp, and skill athletes all over the field. The Leopards look to be a lot like Pulaski Oak Grove in ‘09, with a strong core set at the skill positions and a weakness in line play.
Shiloh Christian may put together another undefeated campaign, after winning the Class 4A title in 2008 with a team full of underclassman. Osceola, Warren and Stuttgart will make noise in the playoff picture, but it looks like the Saints and their three Division I prospects will be battle-tested, but prevail again in 2009.
Hooten's and Vype both agree with that statement, putting Shiloh Christian at No. 1 overall.
Looking at Class 5A, three future Class 5A Southwest teams round out the top 10, with Little Rock Christian at No. 3, Magnolia at No. 6 and Central Arkansas Christian at No. 10 in the Hooten's overall rankings.
In other classifications, Springdale Har-Ber is tabbed at the top team in Class 7A, while Pine Bluff and Greenwood are picked as the state’s best in Class 6A and 5A.
In Class 3A and 2A, Charleston and Junction City continue their success, picked to win state titles in the state’s smallest two classifications.
It’s fun to be able to see where the rest of the state predicts Arkadelphia will finish, but remember this: rankings are for fans only.
The last time the Badgers had a winning record in 2003, Arkadelphia was predicted to finish seventh in the 5A Southwest conference.
The result? Arkadelphia finished with an 8-2-1 record that good enough for a No. 7 record in the entire state, finishing at No. 2 in the 5A Southwest conference, and losing a 27-14 game against Wynne in the first round of the 5A state playoffs.
2003 is a strong reminder that no path is set in stone until the games are decided on the field.