Rebels will win the 2011 Battle of Rogers Avenue

story by Aric Mitchell
amtichell@thecitywire.com

Welcome to this, the last regular season week of picks from The Varsity Wire. We’ve been posting some pretty good numbers on our predictions all year long, but for a few of our schools, this is Rivalry Week, and that sees us with fewer games and fewer gimmes. Battle of Rogers Avenue, Battle of the Dogs, and the Battle of the Bearcats, all happen this week, with a few more close ones thrown in for good measure. Play along below, or just tell us how crazy we are.

4-2A
Quitman Bulldogs (7-2) vs. Mountainburg Dragons (7-2)

Probably the closest game of the week sees the Quitman Bulldogs traveling to Mountainburg to face another fellow 7-2 team. Quitman is averaging 36 points per game on offense, while Mountainburg is at 34. The Dragons’ home field advantage gives them a slight advantage, but will it be enough against a team that is offing its opponents by around 12 per game? We think so.

Final Score: Mountainburg 35, Quitman 31

Other games of interest (* denotes winner)
Decatur Bulldogs vs. Magazine Rattlers*
Danville Little Johns* vs. JC Westside Rebels
Hackett Hornets* vs. Hartford Hustlers
Union Christian Eagles* vs. Western Yell County Wolverines

4-3A
Lamar Warriors (5-3-1) vs. Paris Eagles (8-1)

It’s rare when losing a big game is actually a good thing for a team, but the 13-7 defeat Paris suffered at the hands of Charleston in Week 5 qualifies. Since that loss, Paris has distinguished itself as a major post-season contender, ripping Lavaca (55-6), Cedarville (54-0), Atkins (42-15), and Perryville (57-7). Considering Lamar struggled with all those teams save for Perryville, I’d say it doesn’t look too great for the Warriors Friday night.

Final Score: Paris 42, Lamar 14

Other games of interest (* denotes winner)
Cedarville Pirates vs. Lavaca Golden Arrows*
Mansfield Tigers vs. Charleston Tigers*

4-4A
Mena Bearcats (5-4) vs. Booneville Bearcats (7-2)

The Battle of the Bearcats is usually an interesting game. Most of the time, Booneville walks away with bragging rights, but you never know. Mena can surprise you, and with the purple-and-gold Highway 10 versions suffering two pretty convincing defeats against Ozark and Pottsville this year, which almost never happens, perhaps the red-and-black Bearcats can hope for a change of pace. They’ll have to deliver performances better than Week 3’s escape of severely overrated Mansfield and Week 5’s massacre at the hands of mediocre Clarksville to do it, though. Tall order.

Final Score: Booneville 42, Mena 21

Other games of interest (* denotes winner)
Waldron Bulldogs vs. Clarksville Panthers*
Subiaco Academy Trojans vs. Pottsville Apaches*
1-4A: Gentry Pioneers vs. Ozark Hillbillies*

5A West
Greenwood Bulldogs (9-0) vs. Alma Airedales (7-2)

Game of the Week is lack of options only here, folks. Greenwood made us look like idiots last week in an otherwise successful run of picks by destroying Greenbrier 59-35 at Greenbrier. We had picked the Greenbrier Panthers to squeak by based on their 49-17 demolition of the Airedales at Alma, but the Bulldogs showed they were in a completely different class than any of the other teams in the conference, and perhaps the state. They’ll have to travel the short distance to Airedale Country for Friday night’s contest, but don’t expect much to get in their way.

Final Score: Greenwood 56, Alma 14

7A West
FS Southside Rebels (6-3) vs. FS Northside Grizzlies (4-5)

This is it. First Battle of Rogers Avenue pick that we’ve had the honor of making since launch of The Varsity Wire, though we have written extensively about the rivalry itself. But this is real time drama. Rebels and Grizzlies going at it in what should be a classic. How this one turns out largely depends on which Northside team shows up at Mayo-Thompson Stadium. Also sort of depends on the Southside team as well. Both have been quite schizophrenic this season, though the Grizzlies seem to be the worse of the two. Northside will put up points. They always do. Thus far, they’ve averaged a little over 38 per game. But Southside’s defense is an ornery one. And defense is a side of the ball the Grizzlies have yet to learn. Also, the Rebels are averaging a respectable 32 per game when they’re not playing abysmally (see games against West Memphis and Bentonville). But ultimately, it’s that Grizzlies D that’ll be the big deciding factor. They play like they did last week, they’ve got a shot. They play like they normally do, giving up 47 per game, and it’ll be a repeat of the Fayetteville-Northside 50-31 hammering that the Grizzlies took in Week 6. We’re betting on Week 6.

Final Score: Southside 48, Northside 35

Other games of interest (* denotes winner)
North Little Rock Charging Wildcats* vs. Van Buren Pointers