Hootens.com Class 3A Rankings

Week 3, 2023
Copyright Seventy Seven's Football Publishing, Llc

1. Booneville (1-1)
2. Prescott (2-1)
3. C. Harmony Grove (1-2)
4. Charleston (0-2)
5. Salem (3-0)
6. Hoxie (3-0)
7. Walnut Ridge (3-0)
8. Mansfield (2-0)
9. Magnet Cove (3-0)
10. Newport (1-2)
11. Bismarck (2-1)
12. Junction City (2-1)
13. Hackett (2-1)
14. Fordyce (1-2)
15. Glen Rose (0-2)
16. Lavaca (2-0)
17. Osceola (0-3)
18. Gurdon (2-1)
19. Fouke (2-1)
20. Barton (2-1)
21. Yellville-Summit (2-0)
22. Rison (0-3)
23. Quitman (1-2)
24. Perryville (1-2)
25. Paris (2-1)
26. Smackover (1-2)
27. West Fork (1-2)
28. Drew Central (1-2)
29. Melbourne (1-2)
30. Centerpoint (0-2)
31. Greenland (1-2)
32. Jessieville (1-1)
33. Lake Village (1-1)
34. Atkins (0-3)
35. Manila (0-2)
36. Cedarville (0-2)
37. Horatio (1-2)
38. Palestine-Wheatley (2-1)
39. Danville (0-2)
40. Piggott (0-3)
41. Two Rivers (0-3)

PREDICTIONS (Favored team highlighted and CAPS)

LAST WEEK

Hootens.com correctly predicted 22 of 29 games (75 percent) involving 3A teams and is 72 of 95 (76 percent) for the season.

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK

No. 7 Walnut Ridge (3-0) at No. 5 SALEM (3-0)

Walnut Ridge beat 2A EPC 34-30 on Friday night to remain unbeaten on the season. The Bobcats were led by Enrique Perez (109 yards rushing, 2 TDs) and Jersie Cunningham (118 yards rushing, 1 TD) on offense. Walnut Ridge Coach Jeff Blake thinks the key to the game against Salem this week will be to take care of the football and match the physicality of the Greyhounds. Salem stayed undefeated with a 38-12 win over 4A Riverview. Elijah Romine (179 yards rushing, 2 TDs) and Kaden Brink (102 yards rushing, 1 TD) led the Greyhounds offense. Colton Smith (safety, 3 TFLs, 1 TD) contributed on defense and special teams. Salem Coach Josh Watson says the key for the Greyhounds will be taking care of the football and matching Walnut Ridge on the line of scrimmage.

3A NONCONFERENCE GAMES

No. 6 HOXIE (3-0) at Melbourne (1-2): Hoxie beat 5A Paragould 19-18 to stay undefeated. QB Kayden Glenn (100 yards passing, 102 yards rushing, 3 TD) led the offense, hitting Camden Brooks (27 yards receiving, 67 yards rushing, 1 TD) with a 15-yard TD pass for its first score. Glenn accounted for all 3 of Hoxie’s touchdowns. Melbourne beat 4A Cave City 24-17 on Friday for its first win. Cole Bookout (12-15, 100 yards passing) and Robert Langston (118 yards rushing, 2 TDs) led the Bearkatz offense.

Atkins (0-3) at JESSIEVILLE (1-1): Atkins fell to 0-3 for the season with a 20-0 home loss to 2A Conway Christian. Lucas Sims (7 tackles, 2 INTs.) held strong for a defense that has received praise from Coach Matt Porter. Jessieville defeated 2A Mount Ida 47-0 last week. Atkins and Jessieville have split 4 games over the past 12 years. Jessieville won 48-8 last year.

Junction City (2-1) at HAYNESVILLE, La. (2-0): Junction City has bounced back from a season-opening loss with wins over 2A Carlisle in Week 1 and 41-14 over Lake Village. Haynesville (2-0) beat C. Harmony Grove 21-20 last week. Haynesville has won 3 of the past 4 matchups against the Dragons.

FORDYCE (1-2) at Glen Rose (0-2): Fordyce, which trailed 3-0 at halftime, lost 17-0 at No. 2 Prescott. The Redbugs' defense held strong against a tough Prescott squad, but Fordyce's offense was held to 100 yards. Akeem Allen (7 tackles, 1 sack) led Fordycer's stout effort on defense. Glen Rose, coming off a bye, took a 39-38 OT loss to Crossett in its opener, then lost 44-13 against 4A Malvern. Fordyce beat Glen Rose 28-20 lat season.

2A-3A NONCONFERENCE GAMES

LAVACA (2-0) at 2A Mount Ida (0-2): Lavaca remained undefeated with a 38-7 win over Horatio last week. QB Cutler Winters (217 yards passing), RB Michael Barwick (96 yards rushing) and WR Andrew Johnson (130 yards receiving) led the offense for the Golden Arrows.

2A Episcopal Collegiate (0-2) at PERRYVILLE (1-2): Perryville enters off a 32-9 loss to 2A Bigelow. The Mustangs look to get back on track against a Episcopal Collegiate team that beat Perryville 41-12.

YELLVILLE-SUMMIT (2-0) at 2A Mountainburg (2-0): Yellville Summit looks to stay unbeaten on the road against Mountainburg, which has won 2 of the past 3 meetings between the teams. Yellville-Summit beat Mountainburg 35-6 last season. Yellville Summit is coming off a 36-0 win over 2A J.C. Westside. Noah Cantrell (80 yards passing, 3 TDs) led Yellville-Summit.

Osceola (0-3) at 2A EPC (1-1): Osceola endured a 28-6 home loss to 4A rival Gosnell last week. The teams haven't played since 2003, when Osceola won 60-32.

2A MARKED TREE (1-1) at Piggott (0-3): Piggott lost to 4A Highland 20-12 on Friday. Will Lucas (76 yards receiving, 1 TD), Keegan Scudder (37 yards receiving, TD) and Ben Latimer (134 yards passing, 2 TDs) led the Mohawks offense.

2A Bigelow (3-0) at CENTERPOINT (0-2): Centerpoint returns after a bye week in search of its first win. Nathan Rogers (12-134 receiving) set a school record for catches in a 17-16 loss to Mena. Centerpoint Coach Cary Rogers thought the defense looked much improved against Mena.

2A HECTOR (1-2) at Danville (0-2): Danville still looking for its first win after falling to 2A Magazine 32-20. Gunner Wilkins (126 yards rushing, 1 TD) led the Little Johns. Hector has won the past 2 meetings between the schools. Danville's most recent win was 42-0 in 2008.

FOUKE (2-1) at 2A Foreman (0-3): Fouke beat 4A Waldron 47-0 last week. Fouke has scored 40 points or more in each of its wins. Fouke has outscored Foreman 182-52 in the past 4 meetings.

SMACKOVER (1-2) at 2A Hampton (0-2): Smackover will try to rebound from a 42-0 loss to 2A powerhouse Mineral Springs. Smackover is 7-0 against Hampton since 2004. The Buckaroos scored 40 or more points in 4 of those games.

GURDON (2-1) at 2A Murfreesboro (2-0): Gurdon comes of a 30-25 loss to 2A Dierks this past week. RB Jamari Williams (104 yards rushing, 3 TDs), QB Cooper Anderson (153 yards passing, 1 TD) and Labralon Washington (129 yards receiving, 1 TD) led the Go-Devils' offense. Dakota Bradshaw (6 tackles) and Bradyn King (5 tackles for loss) lifted Gurdon's defense.

2A Lafayette County (0-2) at HORATIO (1-2):Horatio fell to Lavaca last week 38-7. The Lions have won the last 2 matchups against Lafayette County, outscoring the Cougars 60-2.

2A Earle (1-1) at DREW CENTRAL (1-2): Drew Central lost 32-30 to out-of-state opponent D’Arbonne Woods, La. last week. Kalani Collins, Tre’Bennett Fuller and Jayden Jones combined to rush for 308 yards. Hunter Phillips (14 tackles) anchored the defense.

4A-3A NONCONFERENCE GAMES

No. 1 Booneville (1-1) at 4A No. 3 HARDING ACADEMY (2-0): Booneville beat rival Ozark 48-35 in the opener before losing last week to Class 5A Camden Fairview 30-22. The Bearcats tied the game at 8-8 in the second quarter when senior Dax Goff (27-143 rushing) threw a 13-yard TD pass on a trick play, then ran in the 2-point conversion. Booneville got contributions from Conner Lentz (9-70 rushing; 13-yard TD reception) and 15 carries for 63 yards and 1 TD from senior Rylen Ray who missed last season with an ACL injury.

No. 4 Charleston (0-2) at 4A No. 6 NASHVILLE (2-1): Defending 3A champion Charleston looks for its first victory. The Tigers trailed 14-7 in the third quarter after sophomore QB Carter Little threw a TD pass to Eli Huck in a 28-7 loss to Ozark. Hunter Little (15 tackles), David Childers (8 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 interception) and Huck (6 tackles) led the Charleston defense. Nashville beat De Queen 49-0 last week. Senior Tre Hopkins (13-86 rushing, 3 TDs); Tucker Dixon (7-93 rushing, 2 TDs) and sophomore QB Karson Chambers (14-22 passing, 120 yards, 1 TD; 6-65 rushing, 1 TD) led the offense. Zaccheus Harris led the defense with 5 tackles and 2 TFL.

No. 8 MANSFIELD (2-0) at 4A Waldron (0-3): Mansfield has won 14 of the past 21 over its former conference opponent. Waldron committed 4 turnovers (2 were turned into scores) in last week's 47-0 loss to Fouke. Undefeated Mansfield didn't play last week, and beat Magazine and Paris by a combined 103-9 in its opening 2 games.

Cedarville (0-2) at 4A GREEN FOREST (1-1): Green Forest has won 4 of the past 7 over Cedarville, including last season by 10 points. The Tigers didn't play last week, and 2 weeks ago beat Greenland 56-52. Junior QB Mason Meador completed 11 of 15 passes for 194 yards and 2 TDs against Greenland, and ran for a TD. Junior Ridge Gordon-Swofford led Green Forest with 36 carries for 171 yards and 5 TDs. Gordon-Swofford has rushed for 385 yards and 7 TDs this year, while Colton Fancher is the second-leading tackler. Cedarville lost to 2A Mountainburg 17-8 last week.

No. 10 Newport (1-2) at 4A TRUMANN (1-1): These teams have split the past 4 meetings with Trumann winning last season by 12 points; 21 years ago, Newport notched a 25-22 double-OT thriller in the 2002 playoffs. Newport ran 47 times for 278 yards but fumbled 2 times in last week's 33-14 loss to Stuttgart. Trumann beat Manila last week 27-0. The offense was sparked by Jake Osment (18-144 rushing, 3 TDs) and Cade Hatton (16-121 rushing 1 TD). Hatton had 1 interception to lead the defense, along with Jonathan Vazquez (12 tackles); while Carson Smith and Gavin Cubit each made 10 stops.

Manila (0-2) at 4A HARRISBURG (0-2): 3A Manila (0-3) at HARRISBURG (0-2): Manila gets outscored by an average of 43-12 this fall. Harrisburg has lost to 2A Cross County (42-12) and 3A Palestine-Wheatley (22-16) this fall. Junior Max Tracy passed for 122 yards and 1 TD vs. Palestine-Wheatley, while senior Trey Blackwood ran 9 times for 71 yards.

No. 2 PRESCOTT (2-1) at 5A Hope (1-1): Prescott has won 16 of the past 22 over its neighbor, including last season by 43 points. Hope's 14-12 win a week ago over Ashdown was its first non conference victory since beating Ashdown and Prescott in consecutive weeks in 2015. Senior QB Tyler Patterson passed for 142 yards and 1 TD, and senior Tamorien Lindsey ran 18 times for 139 yards and 1 TD. Senior Kdarius Gulley racked up 11 tackles, while Richard Cunningham made 8 tackles and 5 sacks. Prescott held Fordyce to 110 yards last week in a 17-0 victory.

No. 3 C. HARMONY GROVE (1-2) at 4A Cave City (0-3) Camden Harmony Grove clobbered Cave City a year ago by 40 points. But the Hornets must rebound after consecutive tough losses to powerhouses Harding Academy (38-7) and Haynesville, La., (21-20). Winless Cave City has lost to Clinton, Walnut Ridge and Melbourne by a combined 112-24. Shawn Walling (18-132 rushing, 1 TD) leads the offense; Millie Beller has made all 3 extra points and a 33-yard field goal. Christopher Robinson averages 12 tackles per week, and Tristan Wiles logged 12 tackles in last week's 24-17 setback to Melbourne.

BARTON (2-1) at 4A Bald Knob (1-2) Barton has won 5 of the past 7 in the series, including 32-24 last season. Barton blasted Marianna 53-14 a week ago. Ne'Taveus Johnson had 3 carries (all went for TDs), while La'Davion Willis caught a TD pass and returned an interception 39 yards for a TD. Braylon Harvey ran 7 times for 50 yards and contributed 7 tackles and 1 forced fumble. Bald Knob lost to Class 2A No. 2 Des Arc a week ago 26-12.

Lake Village (1-1) at 4A DUMAS (2-0): Dumas has won this nonconference matchup 13 of the past 17 seasons. Dumas senior QB Joseph Jones ran for 3 TDs and junior Tylan Bell ran for 2 TDs in last week's 35-8 win at Helena. Junior free safety Chancey Dale had 1 interception and 1 fumble recovery. Senior linebacker Jerry McGehee (8 tackles) and senior end Malcolm Crompton (2 tackles, 1 sack) fortified the defense.

Open: Hackett, Greenland, West Fork, Quitman, Palestine-Wheatley, Bismarck, No. 9 Magnet Cove, Paris, Two Rivers, Rison