Arkansas high school football: Class 2A predicted order of finish

Breaking down the four 2A conferences

Bigelow head coach Luke Stark /

With the Arkansas high school football season a few weeks away, the SBLive staff is looking at each classification's conferences. We will predict the order of finish in each league. In the final installment, we predict Class 2A.

2A-1

1. Bigelow

2. Conway Christian

3. Mount Ida

4. Hector

5. Mountainburg

6. Mountain Pine

7. J.C. Westside

8. Magazine

Why Bigelow?

Conway Christian is going to be very good, but it’s hard to pick against the Class 2A defending state champions who are probably being undervalued by some pundits because of the loss of key players. Head coach Luke Starks is a young, rising star and will lean on a veteran defense to once again challenge for 2A supremacy. Jayden Dunlap has starred on defense and now gets more carries at running back, and he could be a difference-maker. The showdown at Conway Christian to end the regular season likely will determine the conference title.

2A-2

1. Marked Tree

2. Des Arc

3. Cross County

4. EPC

5. Earle

6. McCrory

7. Izard County

8. Marianna

Why Marked Tree?

The Indians are one of the most athletic teams in Class 2A and feature 14 returning starters, including senior quarterback Kenyon Carter. The 2A-2 is going to be very competitive, as it was last fall, and Marked Tree and others in this league will have chances to make deep playoff runs.

2A-3

1. Junction City

2. Mineral Springs

3. Mufreesboro

4. Gurdon

5. Spring Hill

6. Lafayette Co.

7. Dierks

8. Foreman

Why Junction City?

The veteran Dragons advanced to the quarterfinals a season ago and seem ready to make a deeper run this season. Second-year coach Devin Ball has some explosive playmakers on offense and a hard-nosed defense. A game at powerful Mineral Springs on Oct. 4 is a big one, but the Dragons will survive and cruise the rest of the way.

2A-4

1. Carlisle

2. England

3. Hazen

4. Bearden

5. Poyen

6. Clarendon

7. Baptist Prep

8. Hampton

Why Carlisle?

The perennial power Bison narrowly missed a trip to the state title game last fall. Carlisle, which has won 11 games in each of the past two seasons, is primed for back-to-back league titles and another chance to return to War Memorial Stadium.

SEE ARKANSAS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCORES HERE

SEE ARKANSAS ARKANSAS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHEDULES HERE

-- Nate Olson | nate@scorebooklive.com | @ndosports