Dragons, Bulldogs favored; Trojans are underdogs

GAME OF THE WEEK No. 2 Mount Ida at No. 1 Foreman

This is (likely) the 7-2A title game and a rematch of the 2017 state championship won by Foreman 24-12.

Mount Ida won this matchup 36-7 in the 2017 regular season.

Two run-oriented offenses and stingy defenses should keep the scores low and the game short Friday night at Foreman's Memorial Stadium, known by locals as "The Swamp."

Senior quarterbacks Cade Jackson and Kyren Batey trigger Mount Ida's veer and Foreman's flexbone, respectively, routinely churning out more than 300 rushing yards that would be more if starters played longer in blowout victories.

Both teams boast defensive fronts that many larger schools would covet.

Foreman sophomore defensive end Chris Haywood (12 tackles for loss) garners DI recruiting attention, but senior defensive end Davin Cross (12 tackles for loss) and tackle Jeremy Jones (eight tackles for loss) have excelled.

Foreman has held each of its past five opponents to zero points and less than 100 yards.

Mount Ida senior tackle Oscar Pinedo (37 tackles, 11 tackles for loss) and senior end Ethan Winkley (38 tackles, 13 tackles for loss) anchor a front that frees senior linebackers Jonathan Lagrange (49 tackles, six tackles for loss) and Drew Allen (50 tackles) to pace Mount Ida in tackles.

LAST WEEK

Hootens.com correctly picked 20 of 22 games (91 percent) played last week.

Hootens.com has picked 138 of 169 (82 percent) or the season.

WEEK 7 PREDICTIONS (favored team in CAPS followed by point spread) 3-2A

McCrory at E. POINSETT COUNTY (6): League-leading East Poinsett County managed just 157 yards (153 rushing) last week, but it forced three turnovers to get past rival Marked Tree 20-12.

East Poinsett County junior Rayshon Gates carried 22 times for 95 yards and two touchdowns.

McCrory, with a 1-2 record in league play, drove inside the Cross County 10-yard line twice but could not score in a 12-point loss.

Senior athlete T.J. Alford (ankle), who missed the past two weeks, remains questionable.

SALEM (21) at Marked Tree: No. 9 Salem and senior running back Jordan Turner (1,317 yards) are running roughshod through the 3-2A.

Turner torched Midland last week for 238 yards and five touchdowns.

Junior Peyton Barker added 157 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.

Marked Tree outgunned East Poinsett County 211 to 157 yards last week, but lost by eight points.

CROSS COUNTY (6) at Rector: Already matching last season's win total (two), Rector has a shot at reaching the postseason for the first time since 2000.

Cross County eyes its fourth conference crown in the past five years with a monster line opening running and passing lanes for senior quarterback Hunter Like.

Like completed four of five passes for 100 yards and a touchdown last week against McCrory and rushed 20 times for 115 yards and three touchdowns in the 26-14 win.

Cross County’s line includes senior guard Eli Hill (6-2, 250), junior guard Jordan Cummings (5-10, 300), junior center Trace Davis (5-6, 305), senior tackle Caleb McCammon (6-4, 275) and sophomore tackle Mathew Newby (6-5, 340).

MIDLAND is open.

4-2A

Hector at HACKETT (2): Both teams have lost at Magazine, and both need a win to stay in contention for a league title.

Hackett, which was idle last week, is as healthy as it has been since early this season.

Hector could not keep up with Magazine a week ago, managing 300 yards while giving up 454 in an 18-point loss.

Hackett senior QB Brady Hester has accounted for 1,008 of Hackett's 1,588 total yards this fall.

MAGAZINE (8) at Lavaca: Magazine took advantage of five Hector fumbles last week, recovering one in the second quarter at its 3-yard line.

The Rattlers then drove 97 yards to take a commanding 18-7 lead en route to a 39-21 victory, ending a three-game losing skid in the series. Magazine amassed 454 yards with junior Caleb Hyatt (5-11, 200) rushing for 195 yards and two touchdowns.

Lavaca counters with senior running back Tyler Armstead (605 yards, 10 touchdowns), linebacker Trevon Moore (63 tackles, five tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries) and junior linebacker Tucker Marshall (eight tackles for loss and three sacks).

Western Yell at MOUNTAINBURG (27): Mountainburg stays atop the league standings.

Sophomore dual-threat quarterback Ethan Gregory has passed for 402 yards and rushed for 404 yards.

Senior Austin Taylor has rushed for 490 yards and nine touchdowns.

5-2A

CONWAY CHRISTIAN (19) at Quitman: Quitman showed great endurance last week, clawing back from a 28-point deficit against Magnet Cove to get within six points before losing 60-41.

Quitman's defense gets no breather this week against No. 5 Conway Christian, which buried England by halftime 50-14 and shut out the Lions in the second half.

Conway Christian quarterback Jacob Wood completed 6-of-13 passes for 225 yards and three touchdowns, while running for another 131 yards and four touchdowns.

Senior Jack Stapleton led Conway Christian with six tackles.

Bigelow at POYEN (28): Bigelow tries to halt a three-game losing skid that started Week 4 with a heartbreaking (19-16) loss to Quitman.

Sophomore Brandon Sanchez leads Poyen in rushing (549 yards, eight touchdowns) and receiving (554 yards, four touchdowns).

Poyen senior quarterback Jacob Farmer has passed for 1,363 yards and 16 touchdowns with three interceptions.

MAGNET COVE (15) at Mountain Pine: No. 13 Magnet Cove jumped Quitman 41-13 at halftime last week and held on for a 60-41 win with senior Eli Dawson rushing 25 times for 232 yards and two touchdowns.

Junior Jaryd McJunkins (back) played for the first time this season, recording two touchdown receptions (19 and 65 yards) and an interception.

Junior quarterback Tyler Hodges has triggered Magnet Cove's new-found passing game, completing 4-of-6 last week for 131 yards and three touchdowns.

Magnet Cove did not complete a touchdown pass in 2017.

Cutter M. Star at ENGLAND (38): England rushed for just 39 yards last week in a 50-14 loss at Conway Christian, but junior quarterback Mason Brazeal completed 25-of40 passes for 327 yards and two touchdowns.

England should reach the end zone often this week against a Cutter Morning Star defense that just allowed 505 yards and 42 points to Poyen.

6-2A

Marianna at CARLISLE (33): Homecoming at Carlisle, which wins its second straight after scoring 52 points in the first quarter last week and rolling to a 66-12 win over Marvell.

Brinkley at DES ARC (35): No. 11 Des Arc held explosive Hazen in check most of the night, but could not generate enough big plays of its own, averaging 3.4 yards per rush, to offset two turnovers.

Senior linebacker Will Kearby leads Des Arc in tackles (60) as he did in an all-conference junior season.

Marvell at EARLE (56): Speedy senior quarterback Tavarius Thomas (5-5, 165) fuels No. 8 Earle behind a physical line. Earle has bludgeoned 6-2A have-nots the past three weeks by a combined 202-6.

Marvell fumbled three straight kickoffs last week and trailed Carlisle 52-0 after the first quarter.

Clarendon at HAZEN (32): No. 4 Hazen bigplayed Des Arc last week in a 22-6 win with junior Ay'Jon Green recording nine tackles and an interception.

Junior Rasheed Mills dove for a 37-yard reception that set up a 1-yard touchdown.

Classmate Tarrall Penn bolted 57 yards for a touchdown and collected eight tackles.

All-state senior LB Cade Perry racked up 16 stops.

7-2A

Mount Ida at FOREMAN (2): See hootens.com Game of the Week.

Dierks at LAFAYETTE COUNTY (10): Lafayette County netted 39 yards on 29 snaps last week in a 49-0 loss to top-ranked Foreman.

Two weeks ago, Foreman limited Dierks to minus-19 total yards in a 56-0 blowout.

MINERAL SPRINGS (35) at Murfreesboro: Murfreesboro simply does not own the horses to run with Mineral Springs’ speedy skill players.

Murfreesboro netted 130 yards and committed four turnovers last week in a 62-6 loss to Gurdon.

GURDON (45) at Spring Hill: Gurdon continues to improve weekly and should claim the league's third playoff seed at the very least.

It scored touchdowns on eight of nine possessions and rushed for 357 yards last week in a 62-6 rout of Murfreesboro.

Gurdon sophomore running back Jameson Threadgill carried nine times for 123 yards and three touchdowns.

8-2A

Bearden at JUNCTION CITY (16): Junction City was idle last week, while Bearden got past Parkers Chapel 28-23. Junction City toppled Camden Harmony Grove 52-50 Week 0, and a week later, Harmony Grove took down Bearden 22-14.

Team speed advantage goes to Junction City, featuring leading rusher and dangerous return man Jakiron Cook (607 rushing yards, seven touchdowns) and receiver Kevontae Haynes (238 yards, two touchdowns).

Junction City has nine defenders with double-digit tackle totals, led by junior Kyle Kidwell (31 tackles, six tackles for loss).

FORDYCE (13) at Parkers Chapel: No. 7 Fordyce took down Class 3A Barton 15-14 last week when sophomore playmaker Jaheim Brown completed touchdown passes of 63 and 7 yards.

Brown has completed 51 percent of his passes this fall for 820 yards and 11 touchdowns with five interceptions.

Fordyce has nine speedy defenders with double-digit tackle totals, led by senior linebacker Wanya Morris (52 tackles, six tackles for loss).

Parkers Chapel turned in its best performance in a month last week, a 28-23 loss to Bearden.

Parkers Chapel outgained Bearden, passing for 263 yards and three touchdowns, but it turned the ball over on downs and threw an interception on Bearden's side of the field.

J.C. Westside at STRONG (12): Strong junior quarterback/safety Derrion Davis, an all-state basketball player, makes plays on both sides of the ball.

Strength of schedule favors winless Strong.

HAMPTON is open.