HEBER SPRINGS Two Faulkner County teams, Vilonia and Mayflower, are picked by coaches to finish second in their conferences in the 2008 edition of Hooten's Arkansas Football, which was officially unveiled Monday during a coach/media gathering here.

Vilonia, picked to finish behind Greenwood in 5A-West, is the third-ranked team in 5A behind No. 2 Greenwood and top-ranked Pulaski Academy. Mayflower, picked by coaches to finish second behind Harding Academy in 4-3A, is ranked eighth in preseason in Class AAA.

Conway High is the coaches' seventh pick among eight teams in 7A-Central (Cabot is favored), and Greenbrier is picked eighth by coaches among eight teams in 5A-West.

Conway Christian, last year's Arkansas Christian Conference eight-man state champion that is making its in Arkansas Activities Association 11-man play, is picked by the league's coaches to finish sixth among nine teams in 5-2A ahead of Hector, Quitman and Little Rock Lutheran and behind No. 1 Mountain Pine, Danville, Bigelow, Ola and Cutter Morning Star.

Vilonia, which the magazine ranks as having the best offensive linemen in Class 5A, placed three players on the magazine's 5A Super Team running back Aaron Oade, offensive lineman Tyler Stauch and defensive lineman Heath Riggins.

The staff of the 16th edition of the 432-page magazine predicts the following high school state champions: Fort Smith Southside (7A), Lake Hamilton (6A), Pulaski Academy (5A), Nashville (4A), Prescott (3A),and Bearden (2A).

For the first time in its history, the magazine has a dual cover. UCA quarterback Nathan Brown is the cover subject in magazines distributed in selected counties in central Arkansas. New Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino is the cover subject for the magazines distributed to the rest of the state.

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