Hooten’s Arkansas Football Rankings

Class 2A, Week 3, 2023

Copyright Seventy Seven’s Publishing

1. Mineral Springs (3-0)

2. Des Arc (2-0)

3. Hazen (2-1)

4. Bigelow (3-0)

5. Conway Christian (3-0)

6. EPC (1-1)

7. Carlisle (2-1)

8. Cross County (1-1)

9. Marked Tree (1-0)

10. England (1-1)

11. Earle (1-1)

12. Dierks (2-1)

13. McCrory (1-1)

14. Clarendon (1-2)

15. Murfreesboro (2-0)

16. Poyen (1-2)

17. LR Episcopal (0-2)

18. Mountainburg (2-1)

19. Mount Ida (0-2)

20. Hector (1-2)

21. Hampton (0-1)

22. Marianna (1-2)

23. Magazine (1-2)

24. Bearden (1-2)

25. JC Westside (1-2)

26. Lafayette County (0-3)

27. Baptist Prep (0-3)

28. Foreman (0-2)

LAST WEEK

Hootens.com correctly predicted 10 of 17 games involving Class 2A teams. For the season, Hootens.com is 40-12 (77 percent)

THIS WEEK’S GAMES: Favored teams in ALL CAPS.

GAME OF THE WEEK

No. 2 DES ARC (2-0) at No. 7 Carlisle (2-1)

This is another rivalry game between nonconference teams. Carlisle beat Des Arc 42-0 last season before Des Arc righted the ship, winning the 1-2A title and advancing to the quarterfinal round of the playoffs. Des Arc came back with a different mindset this season, and it showed as the Eagles upset defending state champion Hazen in OT in Week 1. They bounced back last week to beat 4A Bald Knob 26-12. QB Cache Flanagan continued his hot start with 130 yards rushing and 3 TDs.The Carlisle bounced back from its loss to beat Cross County 7-0. Kayleb Elliott scored the only Bison TD in the third quarter. Carlisle’s Gabe Boyle had 11 tackles. If Carlisle can slow down Des Arc’s vaunted running game, it has a chance. Shutting out a talented Cross County team shows a lot. But Des Arc had no letdown and came out in the second half to take control against Bald Knob.

 CLASS 2A NONCONFERENCE

No. 5 CONWAY CHRISTIAN (3-0) at Dierks (2-1): Conway Christian is led by the running back combo of Aaron Lovelace and Brady Domokos, but sophomore backup QB Xander Stone (122 passing yards, TD pass, TD run) has done well replacing injured starter Jeryn Thomas. Dierks’ Jordan Hill rushed for more than 200 yards in the Outlaws’ 30-25 win over Gurdon.

Johnson County Westside (1-2) at No. 10 ENGLAND (1-1): JC Westside beat Two Rivers 40-12 for its first win last week. Trenton Jones had 3 TD catches and over 200 yards receiving. QB Cooper Hilton threw for more than 300 yards and returned an INT for a TD. England was idle last week after losing to Bigelow in Week 1. Justin Barber rushed for 98 yards and a TD in the loss. He also had 5 tackles and an INT. Jayquan Mays returned a kickoff 67 yards for a TD. Ty’un Miller had 9 tackles, including 2 for losses.

No. 3 HAZEN (2-1) at McCrory (1-1): Hazen bounced back from its first regular season loss since 2021 to beat Clarendon 34-20. Kolton Tosh led the offense with 192 yards and 3 TDs on the ground. He also led the defense with 13 tackles. Leevi Tucker led the Jaguars with 109 yards rushing and a TD on 15 carries in their loss to Hector. He also returned a kickoff 80 yards for a score.

Bearden (1-2) at No. 1 MINERAL SPRINGS (3-0): The Bearden Bears got their first win last week, beating Lafayette County 14-12. Marky Jimerson had 92 yards rushing and 27 yards passing. He account for 2 TDs. Kemari Nettles had a receiving TD. Ad’Lee Allen and Hunter Stringfellow had 6 tackles each. Evan Erwin passed for 146 yards and 2 TDs in Mineral Springs’ win over Smackover. Javen Fricks (5-131 receiving, 2 TDs) and Katrevion Thomas (7-100 rushing) helped out.

POYEN (1-2) at Baptist Prep (0-3): Poyen struggled in a 41-8 loss to Bismarck. Poyen QB Colt Barrett threw a 64-yard TD pass to Ryan Ray to account for the team's only TD. Baptist Prep fell to 0-3 with a 76-7 loss to Magnet Cove. Malachi Jones was 22 for 45 passing for 245 yards and a TD to Nic Middlebrook.

CLASS 2A-3A NONCONFERENCE

3A Centerpoint (0-2) at No. 4 BIGELOW (3-0): Bigelow’s Ryan Hobbs had an interception for the third consecutive game as the Panthers beat Perryville 32-9. Brandt Tipton led the offense with 92 yards receiving and a TD.

3A Danville (0-2) at HECTOR (1-2): Hector beat McCrory 24-20 for its first win. QB Jackson Taylor passed for 266 yards and 2 TDs. Peter Waite led the defense with 18 tackles.

3A Osceola (0-3) at EPC (1-1): EPC’s Dennis Gaines rushed for 123 yards and 2 TDs in the Warriors’ 34-30 loss to Walnut Ridge. Cooper Argo rushed for 95 yards and passed for 137 yards.

MARKED TREE (1-1) at 3A Piggott (0-3): Marked Tree has not played since Week 0 because of a scheduling conflict with an opponent from Tennessee. TJ Hodges rushed for 190 yards and 2 TDs.

Earle (1-1) at 3A DREW CENTRAL (1-2): Earle was idle last week. Two weeks ago, Karon Alston passed for 353 yards and ran for 108 in the Bulldogs’ 52-14 win over Helena. Joseph McVay (9-143 receiving, 2 TDs), Jaylen Robinson (7-152 receiving, 2 TDs) and Clifton Wren (15 tackles) pitched in for Earle.

3A GURDON (2-1) at Murfreesboro (2-0): Murfreesboro’s Brandt Stevens rushed for 148 yards in the Rattlers’ win over LR Episcopal. Noah Cox ran for 3 TDs.

3A LAVACA (2-0) at Mount Ida (0-2): The Mount Ida Lions have committed 12 turnovers and have yet to score in 2 games. 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.

Lafayette County (0-2) at 3A HORATIO (1-2): Lafayette County’s Andrew Mack rushed for 264 yards and 2 TDs in a 14-12 loss to Bearden.

3A FOUKE (2-1) at Foreman (0-3): Foreman’s matchup with Hampton was stopped because of lighting three minutes into the game with Hampton leading 8-0. 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.

LR Episcopal (0-2) at 3A PERRYVILLE (1-2): Episcopal’s Jaxon Coleman caught 3 passes for 72 yards in a touchdown in the Wildcats’ loss to Murfreesboro last week. 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 last season.

3A SMACKOVER (1-2) at Hampton (0-2): The Hampton Bulldogs were leading 8-0 when their game with Foreman was stopped Friday night three minutes into the game because of lighting. The game never resumed. Aden Williams scored the TD for the Bulldogs. Smackover will try to rebound from a 42-0 loss to 2A No. 1 Mineral Springs. Smackover is 7-0 against Hampton since 2004. The Buckaroos scored 40 or more points in 4 of those games

CLASS 2A-4A NONCONFERENCE

4A BERRYVILLE (1-1) at Magazine (1-2): This will be the first meeting between these teams. The Magazine Rattlers got their first win last week, beating Danville 32-20. Kolton McCubbin ran for 150 yards and 2 TDs. Ethan Vasquez rushed for a TD and caught another. “The offense line controlled the game all night,” Magazine Coach Ryan Chambers said.

OPEN Cross County, Marianna, Clarendon