Football: West Fork Tabbed 3A-1 Favorites

Brad Lindley and Thurman Shaw enter their second seasons as head coaches in the 3A-1 Conference with league championship aspirations.

Lindley and West Fork return 15 starters and have been tabbed the favorites by Hooten's Arkansas Football magazine and conference coaches. But Shaw's Elkins team also figures to be in the mix and was picked second by Hooten's and coaches.

3A-1 Preseason Coaches’ Poll

1. West Fork

2. Elkins

3. Mountain View

4. Greenland

5. Green Forest

6. Cedarville

7. Marshall

8. Yellville-Summit

Both teams are hopeful for improved seasons after finishing 5-6 with first-round playoff exits a year ago.

Mountain View is picked third by the magazine, while Greenland is tabbed to finish fourth. Last year's conference champion, Green Forest, is slated to finish fifth and will have to replace all-state quarterback Treyton Anderson, who accounted for 5,176 yards of total offense and 58 touchdowns in his three-year career. Cedarville is picked sixth, Marshall seventh and Yellville-Summit eighth.

West Fork figures to be improved thanks to a strong junior class led by all-conference quarterback Colton Wise, who threw for about 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns after winning the job in week three last year.

"He understands coverages and can extend plays with his feet," Lindley told Hooten's.

Elkins may start West Fork transfer Travis England at quarterback in the fall. He will have to beat out sophomore Eric Stills, but whoever wins the job will have the benefit of playing behind a sizeable line.

The Elks started 5-2 in Shaw's first season a year ago, but lost their final four games, including three conference losses by a combined 19 points. This year, Elkins will host West Fork in what promises to be a critical week-eight matchup Oct. 24.

Mountain View hopes returning its backfield duo of quarterback Dakota Davis (765 rushing yards, six TDs in 2013) and Josh Burns (1,067 yards, 13 TDs) will put them in position to compete for the conference championship after going 3-7 last year.

Greenland will try to better its 6-5 finish and first-round playoff last year after winning 26 games the previous three seasons, including a conference title in 2012. The Pirates have won seven or more games in five of coach Lee Larkan's seven seasons.

They will need to start conference play strong before finishing the regular season with showdowns against Elkins and at West Fork the final two weeks.

Sports on 07/14/2014

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