By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Of the three games scheduled for the Alltel Hooten's Kickoff Classic on Saturday, the biggest may well be the Wynne-Shiloh Christian matchup.
The Classic will be played at Little Rock Central's Quigley Stadium and will start at noon when the West Memphis Blue Devils hook up against the LR Central Tigers.
The Tigers are the second-ranked team in the Associated Press preseason poll while West Memphis is fifth headed into the 2001 prep season.
Hooten's has Central second and West Memphis fourth while the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette preseason poll ranked Central third but left the Blue Devils out of the preseason mix.
That game will be followed by Wynne and Shiloh, set to kick off at approximately 2:30 p.m.
Wynne is ranked third in Class AAAA while Shiloh is the No. 1 preseason team in Class AA, according to the AP poll. Hooten's has Wynne second in the AAAA-East and Shiloh first in the 1AA.
Shiloh has returning quarterback Rhett Lashlee back who is rated as the top "drop-back" quarterback in the nation.
The Yellowjackets have three undefeated seasons to their credit in their past five football campaigns, including the last two regular seasons.
Rob Lawson is Wynne's starting quarterback. Lining up behind Lawson will be senior tailback DeAngelo Williams, already being heavily recruited by several colleges, including Arkansas and Arkansas State.
The third game will put unranked Fayetteville against Marshall, Texas at 5 p.m.
Marshall is a traditional power in Texas' 12 AAAAA, possibly the top prep football conference in the nation.
Marshall boasts several Division I prospects, two of which are being recruited by Arkansas.
The games will be the season openers for all six of the teams involved.
Wynne has been the opening-season opponent for the Forrest City Mustangs the past six seasons. The Yellowjackets, who will return to the leadoff spot on the Forrest City schedule next year, have been replaced on this year's Mustang schedule by Osceola.
Tickets for the Classic are $7 at the gate and the one price is good for all three games.
More than 10,000 fans attended the Kickoff Classic a year ago which saw Shiloh edge Osceola 47-46 and Cabot turn back Conway 35-34.
PREP FOOTBALL
Junior High School
Thursday, August 30
Forrest City Blue at Marianna, 7 p.m.
Marion at Hughes, 6 p.m.
Friday, August 31
Osceola at Forrest City, 7:30 p.m.
Altheimer at Palestine-Wheatley, 7:30 p.m.
Hughes at Barton, 7:30 p.m.