Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
HOOTEN’S ARKANSAS FOOTBALL WEEK 13 RANKINGS
CLASS 7A
1. Bryant (10-1)
2. Conway (9-2)
3. North Little Rock (10-2)
4. Fayetteville (9-2)
5. Cabot (8-4)
6. Bentonville (8-3)
7. FS Northside (7-5)
8. Rogers (8-3)
9. Bentonville West (6-5)
10. Springdale Har-Ber (3-8)
11. LR Catholic (3-8)
12. FS Southside (2-9)
13. Springdale (1-9)
14. LR Southwest (2-8)
15. LR Central (0-10)
16. Rogers Heritage (0-10)
HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
NO. 2 CONWAY AT NO. 3 FAYETTEVILLE
7A West champion Fayetteville trailed by 21 points in the third quarter last Friday before rallying past 7A Central No. 4 seed Cabot 34-27. Fayetteville failed to score on four of five trips inside the Cabot 20-yard line in the first half. Senior QB Bladen Fike fired a 6-yard TD to classmate Jalen Blackburn (6-2, 195) with 3:35 remaining for the Purple Dogs first lead. Fayetteville’s Fike, Fayetteville won state titles in 2015 and 2016 but hasn’t advanced to the finals since. Conway creamed Rogers 49-0 last Friday and aims for its first trip to the state championship game since 1993 when it lost to Pine Bluff 42-6. Conway finished with a 506-167 advantage in total offense. Conway sophomore QB Donovyn Omolo ran for a TD and completed two scoring strikes to diminutive senior Manny Smith last week. Conway’s fast-paced attack scores 42.6 PPG with losses only to No. 1 Bryant (32-29) Week 10 and at Fayetteville 41-24 in the season opener (Aug. 27). Conway totaled 530 yards offense but gave up 631 all-purpose yards, including 28 of 40 passing for 419 yards, in its first meeting with Fayetteville.
LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly predicted all 4 winners in Class 7A games. For the season, hootens.com is 94-10 (90 percent) in Class 7A.
WEEK 13 PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
(Favored teams in ALL CAPS followed by points spread)
TOP HALF OF BRACKET
CONWAY (1) at Fayetteville: Game of the Week
BOTTOM HALF OF BRACKET
North Little Rock at BRYANT (7): Bryant, aiming for its fourth straight state title, rides a 40-game win streak against Arkansas opponents, including six in a row over North Little Rock. The Hornets handled North Little Rock in the 2018, 2019 and 2020 state title games and just three weeks ago beat the Charging Wildcats 24-12 at Bryant. Bryant belted FS Northside 42-10 last Friday and has scored 44.7 points in its 10 wins. Bryant QB Carson Burnett completes 67 percent of his passes and has totaled more than 2,500 yards offense this fall. North Little Rock limited Bentonville to 13 yards rushing on 13 carries in the first half of its 24-21 win at Bentonville last week. Senior noseguard Braxton Johnson (60, 205) anchors the North Little Rock defense for first-year head coach Randy Sandefur, who served as an assistant at North Little Rock the previous 38 seasons.
CLASS 6A
1. Greenwood (8-3)
2. LR Parkview (9-3)
3. El Dorado (9-2)
4. Marion (6-6)
5. Benton (9-2)
6. Lake Hamilton (9-3)
7. Jonesboro (7-4)
8. Russellville (5-6)
9. Mountain Home (4-7)
10. Sylvan Hills (7-4)
11. Searcy (4-7)
12. Van Buren (4-6)
13. Siloam Springs (1-9)
14. Pine Bluff (2-7)
15. West Memphis (4-7)
16. Sheridan (2-8)
HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
NO. 2 LR PARKVIEW AT NO. 1 GREENWOOD
Greenwood looks to avenge its 48-28 loss at LR Parkview in the conference opener and claim its 11th state championship (all since 2000) at 12 noon next Saturday (Dec. 3). The Bulldogs, much healthier now than in their first meeting with LR Parkview, finished the regular season mercy-ruling Lake Hamilton and enjoyed a first-round bye before bombing Mountain Home 42-0 last week. Greenwood has posted three straight shutouts. Junior QB Hunter Houston, who did not play vs. Parkview in the first meeting, completed 25 of 35 passes for 359 yards last week.
West No. 4 seed LR Parkview, now boasting eight players with D-1 offers, including four with SEC offers, advanced to the semis beating Searcy 52-6 and winning last Friday at 6A East champion Jonesboro 31-21. Senior QB and Ole Miss commit Jaylon White completed 14-of-20 passes for 190 yards and three TDs last Friday at Jonesboro while Razorback RB commit James Jointers rushed 25 times for 144 yards and two scores.
LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly predicted 2 of 4 winners in games involving Class 6A teams. For the season, hootens.com is 89-21 (81 percent) in Class 6A.
WEEK 13 PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
(Favored team in ALL CAPS followed by points spread)
TOP HALF OF BRACKET
LR Parkview at GREENWOOD (7): Game of the Week.
BOTTOM HALF OF BRACKET
Marion at EL DORADO (4): Marion, voted by coaches to finish seventh in the 6A East in Hooten’s Arkansas Football, is on a roll under former Little Rock Christian defensive coordinator and first-year head coach Lance Clark. The Patriots ran over 6A East champ Jonesboro 50-43 Week 10 before earning its second straight semifinal appearance with physical victories over Russellville (45-21) and at 6A West champion Benton (59-37). The Patriots advance to the Final 4 last November with a Covid quarantine forfeit from Benton and a 55-34 win over Van Buren. Marion hasn’t lost since getting mercy ruled Week 7 (Oct. 15) at El Dorado 36-7. El Dorado sacked Marion five times in the first meeting and Patriot QB Ben Gerrard left with injury and didn’t play the next two games. Gerard returned to help knock off Jonesboro and last Friday completed 18 of 24 passes for 428 yards and five TDs at Benton.
The nine-time state champions eye their first finals appearance since 2013. The Wildcats won it all in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013 under former Coach Scott Reed. El Dorado QB Sharmon Rester has passed for 3,196 yards and rushed for 707 yards as a senior. El Dorado junior RB Shadarious Plummer has 1,106 yards rushing with 18 TDs. El Dorado allowed 364 yards rushing in last week’s 48-27 win over Lake Hamilton. Jonesboro had tremendous success using three deep safeties and blitzing a linebacker on most downs when it beat El Dorado (31-20) Week 4.
The Wildcats are 6-0 against Marion, including playoff victories of the Patriots in 2008, 2011, 2014 and 2016.
1. Pulaski Academy (11-1)
2. Greenbrier (10-2)
3. White Hall (10-2)
4. LR Christian (10-2)
5. Nettleton (11-1)
6. Camden Fairview (10-2)
7. Wynne (10-2)
8. Magnolia (6-6)
9. Vilonia (9-2)
10. Farmington (8-3)
11. Harrison (7-4)
12. Valley View (7-4)
13. Maumelle (4-7)
14. HS Lakeside (5-5)
15. Hot Springs (5-6)
16. Greene Co. Tech (5-6)
17. Batesville (3-7)
18. Brookland (5-5)
19. Hope (2-8)
20. Alma (3-7)
21. Clarksville (2-8)
22. Morrilton (3-7)
23. Beebe (3-6)
24. Pea Ridge (2-7)
25. Texarkana (2-7)
26. Jacksonville (1-8)
27. De Queen (1-9)
28. Forrest City (2-8)
29. Watson Chapel (0-8)
30. Paragould (0-9)
HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK NO. 4 LR CHRISTIAN AT NO. 2 WHITE HALL
Three teams from the 5A Central are in the semifinals, including this rematch from Week 5, which White Hall won 1410 after falling behind 10-0 in the third quarter. The Bulldog defense held LR Christian to 237 yards, and senior Braylon Johnson intercepted a pass at the 14-yard line with less than one minute left to preserve the victory. Johnson also recovered a fumble.
The Bulldogs are in the semifinals for the second time in three years after beating Camden Fairview a week ago 35- 14. Senior quarterback Matthew Martinez completed 11 of 16 passes for 149 yards and a pair of touchdowns at Camden Fairview, including three passes to senior Steven Weston. Martinez has passed for more than 1,200 yards this season, and he’s one of three Bulldogs ( along with senior runnings Durran Cain and Zaire Green) with at least 700 yards rushing. The Bulldogs start one sophomore, left tackle Landen Meredith. Weston, who has two interceptions in the past three games, also starts on a defense that features 10 seniors, gives up 12 points weekly and held five opponents scoreless. “Our entire defense is playing well,” White Hall coach Bobby Bolding says. “It’s not one guy standing out, I can honestly say it’s a team effort.” LR Christian limited White Hall to 201 yards on 52 plays in the meeting earlier this year, and the Warriors have held six teams to a TD or less. Linebacker Preston Davis, one of three sophomores starting on defense, has 137 tackles this fall, while junior linebacker Holt Chappel has 113 stops. Senior end Titus Colquitt has 76 tackles this fall, including 32 tackles for loss. After scoring 26 points in consecutive midseason games against Maumelle and White Hall, “our offense has become more proficient and found an identity,” LR Christian coach Eric Cohu says. Senior Jayvean-Dyer Jones has 217 carries this fall for 1,676 yards and 20 TDs, including a 166-yard, two-TD effort in last week’s 35-7 win at Nettleton. Sophomore QB Walker White has completed 120 of 218 passes (55 percent) for 1,917 yards and 23 TDs, and rushed for 388 yards and three TDs. “They are a completely different team than the one we played earlier,” Bolding says. “They’ve gotten better on the offensive line, and you have to stop (Dyer-Jones) from running all over the field.”
LAST WEEK
Hootens. com correctly predicted all four quarterfinal games. For the season,
Hootens.com has predicted 177 of 199 games (89 percent).
WEEK 13 PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
(Favored team in ALL CAPS followed by points spread)
TOP HALF OF BRACKET PULASKI ACADEMY (16) at Greenbrier:
These teams meet for the first time. Greenbrier is the in semifinals for the first time since 2009, while Pulaski Academy is in the semis for the 12th time since 2009 and 16th time since 2003. Greenbrier notched a 14-0 win over Wynne a week ago “and the shutout was our most impressive stat of the night,” Coach Randy Tribble says. Senior QB Cooper Wilcox injured his shoulder in the first half and didn’t return. Senior Nick Huett ran 17 times for 81 yards and made 14 tackles at linebacker, while sophomore Eli Weaver logged eight totes for 56 yards and had nine stops. Huett has rushed for 956 yards this fall and has 56 tackles. Senior Jacob Mathis caught a 5-yard TD pass and registered 13 tackles at linebacker. Senior Keaton Whitley sealed the victory by recovering a fumble in the end zone late in the fourth quarter. Pulaski Academy trailed Magnolia 7-0 after the first play last week, but the Bruins cruised to a 56-25 decision, enacting the 35-point sportsmanship rule late in the third quarter. The Bruins put up 691 yards and notched 30 first downs. Senior Joe Himon ran 11 times for 103 yards and a TD and caught nine passes for 55 yards and two TDs. Himon has rushed for 1,256 yards and 24 TDs this fall, and caught 62 passes for 732 yards and 10 TDs. Sophomore Kenny Jordan has emerged as a threat over the past two months. Jordan had six carries for 116 yards and a TD against Magnolia and caught a 25-yard pass to set up another TD, while senior QB Charlie Fiser completed 33 of 53 passes for 442 yards and five TDs. Fiser has completed 282 of 458 passes (62 percent) this fall for 4,272 yards and 51 TDs. Senior linebacker Joseph Osment racked up 10 tackles against Magnolia, while junior OLB Hunt Harrison had eight stops. Osment has a team-best 94 tackles this season, with 16 TFL’s and 6.5 sacks.
BOTTOM HALF OF BRACKET
LR CHRISTIAN (2) at White Hall: Hootens. Class 5A Game of the Week.
CLASS 4A
1. Shiloh Christian (11-1)
2. Warren (10-1)
3. Stuttgart (11-1)
4. Joe T. Robinson (11-1)
5. Crossett (9-3)
6. Arkadelphia (9-3)
7. Rivercrest (9-2)
8. Lamar (10-2)
9. Ashdown (9-3)
10. Ozark (8-3)
11. Prairie Grove (9-3)
12. Pocahontas (9-3)
13. Southside (9-3)
14. Malvern (6-6)
15. Trumann (8-4)
16. Elkins (8-3)
17. Lonoke (8-3)
18. DeWitt (6-5)
19. Star City (7-4)
20. Dardanelle (6-5)
21. Fountain Lake (5-6)
22. Clinton (5-6)
23. Mena (5-6)
24. Gentry (7-4)
25. Jonesboro Westside (6-5)
26. Cave City (6-5)
27. Mills (6-5)
28. Monticello (5-6)
29. Nashville (4-6)
30. Huntsville (5-6)
31. Pottsville (3-8)
32. H. Grove Haskell (2-8)
33. Bauxite (2-8)
34. Heber Springs (3-6)
35. Hamburg (2-8)
36. Dumas (2-7)
37. Blytheville (2-8)
38. Highland (2-8)
39. Waldron (2-7)
40. Berryville (2-6)
41. Green Forest (2-7)
42. Gravette (1-9)
43. Bald Knob (1-9)
44. CAC (2-8)
45. Gosnell (1-8)
46. Dover (0-10)
47. Helena (0-10)
HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK NO. 3 STUTTGART AT NO. 2 WARREN
Warren won its first game of the season Week 2, whipping Stuttgart 47-27 despite injuries to senior running back Cedric Calbert and three-year starting offensive lineman Connor McDiarmid. Senior Jecari Lee slid from receiver to running back in that game, logging six carries for 119 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the first half. Calbert and McDiarmid have returned from their injuries, and Warren has won 10 straight games. Calbert ran for a pair of first-half TDs in last week’s 35-7 win over Trumann. The Lumberjacks built a 28-0 halftime advantage behind two early TDs from senior quarterback Riley Cornish. “Warren
is very balanced, they throw and run it well,” Stuttgart coach Josh Price says. “They are very sound in all three aspects of the game. We will have to play our best game of the year.”
Stuttgart stomped Elkins 63-34 a week ago. Senior Daniel Poole ran for three TDs, while senior QB Tymir Coppins threw a pair of TD passes. Junior Jaiden Strange scored three TDs (TD catch, run and punt return) while classmate Cedric Hawkins ran for a TD and returned a punt for another. Coppins added seven tackles on defense, with two tackles for loss and one forced fumble. Senior end Lavontae Clark recorded three tackles for loss. Warren has lost four times in the quarterfinals since Bo Hembree took over as coach in 2000, and each time it was to the eventual state champion. Stuttgart’s past two playoff losses were each to the eventual state champ (Shiloh Christian in 2020 and Arkadelphia in 2018).
LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly predicted six of eight games (75 percent). Hootens.com has predicted 273 of 312 games (88 percent) correctly this season.
WEEK 13 PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
(Favored team in ALL CAPS followed by points spread)
SHILOH CHRISTIAN (25) at Rivercrest:
This is a rematch of last year’s state title game, which Shiloh won 58-20. The Saints haven’t lost to an in-state team since falling to Joe T. Robinson in the 2019 state championship game. In last week’s 21-0 win over Ashdown, the Saint defense forced five turnovers and held Ashdown to 143 yards, including 25 yards rushing on 20 attempts. Senior LB Kaden Henley registered eight tackles, two tackles for loss and intercepted a pass in the end zone. Junior DL Noah DeJarnatt made 11 tackles, while senior Brent Gwatney made seven tackles, with three TFL’s and two sacks. The Saints scored on fourth-and-six with nine seconds left in the first half and again on fourth down in the fourth quarter. Junior QB Eli Wisdom completed 13 of 26 passes for 109 yards and a TD and ran 20 times for 124 yards and a TD. Senior Ben Baker had 14 totes for 69 yards. Rivercrest advances after rallying past Malvern 28-21. The Colts trailed by seven points in the fourth quarter and were down 21-20 with 2;49 left when sophomore Michael Rainer burst 29 yards for the winning TD. Senior QB Mike Sharp threw a pair of TD passes, including a 93-yarder to senior Lath Lathom in the fourth quarter.
Arkadelphia at CROSSETT (1): This is a rematch from the 2019 quarterfinals, when Crossett stopped Arkadelphia’s bid of a three-peat with a 28-27 triumph. Crossett started seven sophomores in that game, including current QB Tyrique Jones and receivers Dwayne Ashford and Jackson Moore (seven catches for 109 yards in 2019 game). Jones ran 15 times for 133 yards and five TDs in last week’s 44-20 victory at Ozark, and completed 14 of 18 passes for 133 yards and a TD. Jones has completed 111 of 181 passes (61 percent) this fall for 1,973 yards and 22 TDs with only two interceptions, while rushing for 1,248 yards and 19 TDs. Moore has a team-high 46 receptions this fall for 713 yards and seven TDs, and he’s rushed for 550 yards and five TDs. Ashford caught four passes for 50 yards at Ozark, and has 28 catches for 669 yards and 10 TDs this year. Senior LB Denzel Watkins has 112 tackles and four sacks. Senior corner Jaedon Williams, who tackled Arkadelphia’s QB at the 1-yard line on the game-deciding twopoint play in 2019, registered four stops last week at Ozark. Arkadelphia advances to the quarterfinals for the fourth time in the five years after last week’s 31-point win at Southside. Senior Jaishon Davis ran nine times for 62 yards and two TDs, while senior Braylon Bailey caught three passes for 92 yards and two TDs, and ran three times for 55 yards. Junior QB Donovan Whitten completed eight of nine passes for 223 yards and five TDs.
BOTTOM HALF OF BRACKET
Stuttgart at WARREN (6): Hootens.com Class 4A Game of the Week.
Lamar at JOE T. ROBINSON (28): Lamar advances to the quarterfinals for the fourth time in school history, but first time as members of Class 4A. The Warriors rallied past Prairie Grove a week ago, 24-23, scoring the winning TD with 2:36 remaining. The ball-control Warriors ran 43 more plays (72 to 29) than Prairie Grove, and completed only one pass. Senior Damien Hendrix, who barreled for the final TD and winning two-point conversion, logged 14 carries for 64 yards. Senior Tony Balmer paced Lamar with 25 carries for 122 yards, while senior QB Landon Harrison had 12 carries for 61 yards and a pair of TDs. Senior Joseph Dalton paced the defense with six solo tackles. Joe T. Robinson advances to the quarterfinals after a 42-point win over Pocahontas. Senior QB Jack Cleveland completed all nine of his pass attempts for 285 yards and three TDs in the first half. Seniors Gykyson Wright and Kirby Owens each had more than 100 yards in the half. Cleveland has passed for 2,352 yards and 28 TDs this fall. Robinson’s defense held Pocahontas’ top rusher (junior QB Connor Baker) to 16 yards on 17 carries. Junior LB Ashtyn Williams has 129 tackles and seven sacks this season.
CLASS 3A
1. Prescott (12-0)
2. McGehee (12-0)
3. Booneville (12-1)
4. Harding Academy (10-2)
5. Hoxie (11-0)
6. Glen Rose (9-2)
7. Centerpoint (9-3)
8. Newport (6-4)
9. C. Harmony Grove (8-4)
10. Charleston (10-1)
11. Melbourne (6-4)
12. Rison (8-4)
13. Manila (9-3)
14. Cedarville (8-3)
15. Paris (10-2)
16. Bismarck (6-5)
17. Jessieville (6-4)
18. Hackett (8-3)
19. Osceola (6-4)
20. Perryville (7-4)
21. Riverview (5-6)
22. Mountain View (5-5)
23. Salem (6-4)
24. Atkins (5-5)
25. Dollarway (5-4)
26. Lake Village (3-6)
27. Harrisburg (5-5)
28. Walnut Ridge (4-6)
29. Lincoln (3-8)
30. West Fork (3-8)
31. Lavaca (5-5)
32. Danville (3-8)
33. Smackover (4-6)
34. Baptist Prep (5-5)
35. Genoa Central (4-6)
36. Greenland (2-7)
37. Fouke (2-8)
38. Mansfield (2-7)
39. Horatio (3-7)
40. Corning (3-7)
41. Mayflower (2-7)
42. Barton (1-8)
43. Piggott (1-9)
44. Drew Central (0-10)
45. Palestine-Wheatley (0-9)
46. Two Rivers (0-10)
LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly picked six of eight games (75 percent) involving Class 3A teams. It is 252 of 308 for the season (82 percent).
HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK NO. 2 MCGEHEE AT NO. 5 HOXIE
McGehee remains alive in its bid to win the school’s eighth state championship after routing Melbourne last week 6828. McGehee’s last state title came in 1999. McGehee senior fullback Channing Woodson rushed for 286 yards and three TDs last week. Senior quarterback Sam Polite scored three TDs while running for 74 yards and passing for 61, while senior RB Jody Easter rushed for 87 yards and two TDs. Senior WR A.J. Jordan caught a 9-yard TD pass from Polite. Both teams are No. 1 playoff seeds, but unbeaten Hoxie gets to host this quarterfinal game because it’s at the top of the bracket. Hoxie coach Tom Sears called last week’s 42-0 win over Cedarville his team’s most complete game, and the Mustangs are healthy for a run at the school’s first state title. Senior QB Cade Forrester completed eight of 10 passes last week for 229 yards and three TDs, while running for 104 yards and a TD. Junior WR Kayden Glenn caught four passes for 169 yards and three TDs. Senior RB Seth Brooks ran for 66 yards and a TD. Senior MLB Jace Benesch logged 16 tackles and two interceptions.
TOP HALF OF BRACKET
MCGEHEE (6) at Hoxie: See Game of the Week.
Newport at PRESCOTT ( 28): Newport opened 2021 with a 56-6 loss to Prescott, but the Greyhounds welcome the rematch in their quest for a fourth state championship. A week ago, Newport beat Paris 28-17. Newport junior QB Dylan Braxton passed for 275 yards and a TD, while senior RB Jadarius Reed ran for 119 yards and two TDs. Newport might match Prescott’s speed but not its depth. Prescott beat Bismarck last week (28-14) for the second time this season but wasn’t nearly as dominating. Prescott passed for just 37 yards after passing for 300 yards and four TDs in the first meeting. Senior RB Jaylen Hopson rushed for 313 yards and all four of Prescott’s TDs last week. Hopson (14.5 YPC in 2021) has rushed for 1,880 yards and 30 TDs. Junior QB Carston Poole remains one of the top passers in 3A with 2,195 yards and 26 TDs. Senior WR Jacaylon Zachery leads Prescott with 33 receptions for 662 yards and seven TDs. He’s also rushed for 431 yards and six TDs. Senior DE Caleb Harris and LB Jason Patrick lead the defense. Prescott has won five state championships, the last coming in 2016.
BOTTOM HALF OF BRACKET
Centerpoint at HARDING ACADEMY (21):
Possible trap-game for two-time defending champion Harding Academy, which whipped Rison 48-20. Harding Academy has won eight state titles overall, while Centerpoint has never won a state championship. Centerpoint has reached the third round of the playoffs for the second straight year with its 28-23 win at Osceola last week. Senior QB Josh Lawson has passed for nearly 3,000 yards and 30 TDs to a deep receiving corps featuring senior WRs Kaden Owens and Dillon Fox and sophomore WR C.J. Fox. Harding Academy junior QB Kade Smith has completed 70 percent of his passes for 2,400 yards and 22 TDs. Smith has rushed for 343 yards and nine TDs. Senior RB Andrew Miller paces HA with 1,256 rushing yards and 24 TDs. Miller has caught 28 passes for 418 yards and six TDs. Senior WR Jackson Fox leads HA with 42 receptions for 835 yards and 10 TDs. Junior WR Landon Koch follows with 33 catches for 489 yards and five TDs.
Glen Rose at BOONEVILLE (18): Glen Rose advanced last week with a 28-7 win over Camden Harmony Grove. Glen Rose lost to 4A Malvern in its season opener and then to 5- 3A champion and top-ranked Prescott. Glen Rose’s young lineup features sophomore QB Rein Bland and sophomore RB Heath
Balance. Glen Rose lists senior Conner Taylor as a receiver, but he’ll sneak in at running back from the Wildcat formation. Booneville’s Flexbone impresses. Senior QB Randon Ray hasn’t thrown an interception this year, but he’s only thrown 14 passes in his 13 starts. Ray has rushed for 1,238 yards and 27 TDs. Junior RB Rocky Ross has rushed for 803 yards and 11 TDs. Sophomore RBs Rylan Ray and Dax Goff have combined for 1,710 yards and 22 TDs.
CLASS 2A
1. McCrory (10-1)
2. Clarendon (8-2)
3. Fordyce (8-3)
4. Des Arc (10-2)
5. Hazen (9-2)
6. Bigelow (11-1)
7. Magnet Cove (7-4)
8. Poyen (7-4)
9. E. Poinsett County (5-7)
10. Quitman (8-4)
11. Hector (8-4)
12. Mount Ida (7-4)
13. Dierks (5-5)
14. Gurdon (7-5)
15. Junction City (5-5)
16. Hampton (3-7)
17. Lafayette County (5-5)
18. Earle (3-6)
19. Marked Tree (5-6)
20. Carlisle (1-10)
21. Mountainburg (4-6)
22. Cross County (1-9)
23. Yellville-Summit (4-7)
24. Murfreesboro (3-8)
25. Foreman (2-9)
26. Parkers Chapel (1-8)
27. Conway Christian (1-9)
28. Magazine (2-7)
29. J.C. Westside (2-7)
30. Bearden (0-11)
31. England (0-9)
32. Mineral Springs (0-9)
HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
NO. 4 DES ARC AT NO. 1 MCCRORY
This is a rematch of a hard-hitting Week 1 clash between then-No. 1 Des Arc and then-No. 5 McCrory. McCrory won 34-26 in September by rushing for 238 yards (5.6 YPC), while senior QB Cason Campbell completed eight of 15 passes for 175 yards and three TDs with one interception. Des Arc ran for 302 yards in the loss with junior slotback Trevion Reed carrying for 147 yards and two TDs. For the season, Reed has rushed for 829 yards (14.3 YPC) and 18 TDs. Junior FB Jack Kearby has carried for 1,084 yards (6.7 YPC) and eight TDs. Senior LB Cooper Childers has recorded 86 tackles, five FF, three FR and an INT. Des Arc, the 6-2A second seed and defending Class 2A state runner-up, reached the quarterfinals with decisive wins over Parkers Chapel (52-6) and Gurdon (42-12). McCrory, the 3-2A champion, whipped Yellville-Summit (44-8) and Mount Ida (36-7) the past two weeks. For the season, Campbell has passed for 1,184 yards and 11 TDs with three interceptions. Senior RB Reid Kennon has rushed for a team-high 1,142 yards and 17 TDs. Senior LB Lathan Briley leads the Jaguars with 92 tackles.
LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly picked six of eight games (75 percent) involving Class 2A teams. It is 164 of 194 (85 percent) for the season.
WEEK 13 PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
(Favored team in ALL CAPS followed by point spread)
TOP OF THE BRACKET
FORDYCE (24) at Magnet Cove: 5-2A champion Magnet Cove has won five straight games, bolstered by a defense that has allowed 19 points during the run. Magnet Cove defeated 3-2A fourth seed Marked Tree 34-16 last week. Junior QB Jacob Clausen completed nine of 12 passes for 89 yards and five TDs to four different receivers. Senior RB/LB Brett Williams rushed 16 times for 97 yards and logged seven tackles. Twotime defending state champion Fordyce counters with the biggest linemen left in the 2A playoffs, averaging 290 pounds on the offensive line and 275 pounds on the defensive line. Fordyce manhandled Hector 42-7 last week when eight rushers carried a combined 46 times for 439 yards. Junior Jarique Walker paced Fordyce with 12 totes for 139 yards. E. Poinsett County at CLARENDON (19):
Second-ranked Clarendon blew out Des Arc 47- 0 three weeks ago, bombed Bearden 56-6 Week 11 and shut out Lafayette County 43-0 last week. Ten ball carriers combined on 28 rushing attempts for 245 yards and three TDs against LC. Senior ATH Quincey McAdoo recorded a team-high 5.5 tackles and a fumble return for a TD to go along with two receptions for 56 yards and a TD. After an 0-6 start, 3-2A runner-up EPC has won five straight games, including a 28-20 mild upset of Quitman last week. EPC super sophomore Dennis Gaines followed up a 240-yard rushing performance Week 11 by running 21 times for 92 yards at Quitman. Gaines logged eight tackles and recovered a fumble in the end zone for a TD. Senior LB Josh Gilmore tallied nine stops, including four sacks. Junior QB Carter Smith completed five of 14 passes for 67 yards and two TDs, including the game-winning 10-yard TD toss to sophomore Tyler Moore with 4:39 left in the game.
BOTTOM HALF OF BRACKET
HAZEN (8) at Poyen: Hazen knocked off then-No. 1 Bigelow 16-13 last week with junior QB Luke King completing 16 of 30 passes for 195 yards and a TD. For the season, King has passed for 2,662 yards and 30 TDs. Sophomore Justin Schlenker caught six passes last week for 110 yards and a TD to go with 11 tackles. Freshman LB Landon Adkins logged 12 tackles, including two sacks. Senior LB Austin Duck led Hazen with 16 tackles. Poyen defeated Dierks (48-27) for the fourth time in two seasons and by almost the same score as in the second round of the 2020 playoffs (48-26). Poyen senior QB Colton Lowe rushed for 222 yards and five TDs, virtually matching his numbers (224 rushing yards and four TDs) from Week 5 at Dierks. Senior LB Tony Nannemann (five tackles) led 13 Poyen defenders who recorded tackles last week. Des Arc at MCCRORY (6): See Game of
the Week.