Hootens.com Rankings
Class 2A, Week 3, 2020
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.
1. Fordyce (2-0)
2. Gurdon (2-0)
3. Junction City (2-1)
4. Des Arc (3-0)
5. Poyen (3-0)
6. Magnet Cove (2-1)
7. Clarendon (2-0)
8. Foreman (0-3)
9. McCrory (1-2)
10. Bigelow (3-0)
11. Cross County (1-0)
12. Hampton (1-1)
13. Dierks (2-0)
14. Hazen (1-2)
15. Mount Ida (0-3)
16. E. Poinsett County (1-1)
17. Magazine (1-1)
18. Hector (1-1)
19. Carlisle (0-2)
20. Quitman (1-1)
21. Mountainburg (0-1)
22. Murfreesboro (1-2)
23. Earle (1-1)
24. Marked Tree (1-1)
25. Bearden (1-2)
26. Parkers Chapel (1-2)
27. Mineral Springs (1-2)
28. Strong (1-0)
29. Yellville-Summit (1-1)
30. Cutter M. Star (0-3)
31. Conway Christian (0-2)
32. England (0-3)
33. Lafayette County (0-1)
34. J.C. Westside (1-1)
35. Cedar Ridge (0-2)
36. Marvell (0-1)

GAME OF THE WEEK
Class 3A Jessieville at No. 13 Dierks
Dierks did not attempt a pass last week but rushed for 346 yards (7 yards per attempt) in a 42-0 rout of Cutter Morning Star. Senior Andrew Kirby and sophomore Eli Sharp rushed for identical 114 yards and one TD apiece. Class 3A Jessieville drove 95 yards in the last four minutes of the game and scored with 37 seconds left to rally past Mount Ida 28-22. Junior RB Matthew Huff sprinted for 170 yards and a TD in the win.

LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly picked 20 of 26 (77 percent) of games involving Class 2A teams. It is 50 of 69 (72 percent) for the season. 

WEEK 3 PREDICTIONS (favored team in CAPS followed by point spread)
3-2A
Barton at CROSS COUNTY (4): Cross County jumped to a three-TD lead Saturday and held off Hampton late for a 28-26 victory, the first for new HC Cody Goulart. Senior QB Jamaille Beale passed for 206 yards and two TDs without an interception, while junior slotback A.J. Beale accounted for 215 yards and four TDs. The brothers connected on a 73-yard TD pass and catch just before halftime to put Cross County up 21-0. Barton QB Harley Wright completed six of 10 passes (in a 52-18 loss to Des Arc) for 115 yards and a TD,  and the senior ran for 168 yards and a score.
PIGGOTT (13) at Marked Tree: MT opened with a one-point win over Class 3A Palestine-Wheatley but lost by two points (20-18) last week to 3A Manila. MT sophomore RB LaRay Brown rushed for 117 yards and a TD, while sophomore QB Brylan Honeycutt completed 13 of 24 passes for 134 yards and a TD in the loss. Class 4A Highland slipped Piggott 36-34 in a game that featured six lead changes. 
Yellville-Summit at CEDAR RIDGE (8): Cedar Ridge was off last week after losing Week 1 to Class 4A Bald Knob 63-28 and Week 0 to Class 3A Baptist Prep 63-28. Y-S opened with a 42-6 win over Class 3A Two Rivers but fell 40-0 last week at Class 3A Corning. Cedar Ridge junior QB Jesse Massey returns from an off-season surgery this week.
CLARENDON (10) at E. Poinsett County: EPC did not play last week when 3A opponent Walnut Ridge cancelled due to covid quarantines. Two weeks ago, EPC beat 3A Manila 22-7. Clarendon passed its first road test of 2020 by rallying past McCrory 54-46. Clarendon amassed 547 yards, including  junior QB Kaleb Williams' 186 yards and three TDs and junior ATH Quincey McAdoo's 157 yards and two TDs. McAdoo also caught a 71-yard TD pass and returned a kickoff 75 yards for a TD.
DES ARC (28) at Earle: Earle just lost (42-8) for the fourth time in three years to Hazen by a combined 162-20. Fourth-ranked Des Arc dropped Class 3A Barton 52-18 with junior FB Brock Devorak running for 167 yards and two TDs and senior slotback Eyan Holloway rushing for 169 yards and two TDs. Holloway also returned a kickoff for a TD.
MCCRORY is open.

4-2A
MAGAZINE (24) at Cutter M. Star: Magazine's improved line play led to 120 yards and two TDs on 20 carries last week by senior RB Kobe Faughn. Magazine also forced three turnovers while beating the Lamar JV 26-7. Cutter Morning Star managed 21 yards last week in a 42-0 loss to Dierks.
Mountainburg at HACKETT (2): Former 4-2A rivals, Hackett moved up this fall to Class 3A. Hackett has won six of the past 10 meetings in the series. Only once in the past eight years has the score been close; Hackett won 26-25 in 2015. Mountainburg lost 34-6 to Class 3A Cedarville in its only game this fall. Hackett lost all-state QB Avery Hester last week to a second ACL injury (in 10 months) on the same knee. Mountainburg junior QB Noah Johnson runs behind senior linemen Jayden Nixon and Ryan Steinsiek.
MOUNTAIN VIEW (7) at Quitman: Quitman used last week's open date to work on fundamentals after losing to Class 3A Melbourne 34-6 two weeks ago. Quitman completed 20 of 26 passes for 217 yards in the loss. Class 3A Mountain View, which handled Hector 46-27 last week, counters with a large line and speedy quarterback Elijah Carlton and running back J'air Jackson.
Yellville-Summit at CEDAR RIDGE (8): Cedar Ridge was off last week after losing Week 1 to Class 4A Bald Knob 63-28 and Week 0 to Class 3A Baptist Prep 63-28. Y-S opened with a 42-6 winnower Class 3A Two Rivers but fell 40-0 last week at Class 3A Corning. Cedar Ridge junior QB Jesse Massey returns from an off-season surgery this week.
DANVILLE (2) at Hector: Hector committed four turnovers (twice in red zone) last week in a 46-27 loss to Class 3A Mountain View. All-league RB Ty Day carried 18 times for 138 yards and two TDs. Class 3A Danville surrendered 322 yards in a 27-8 loss to Greenland.
PERRYVILLE (7) at Conway Christian: Conway Christian allowed 202 passing yards and five passing TDs in a 42-0 loss to Class 3A Atkins. Class 3A Perryville gave up 330 rushing yards and six rushing TD to rival Bigelow in a 40-8 rout. 
J.C. WESTSIDE is open.
BIGELOW is open.

5-2A
GURDON (35) at Mineral Springs: MS forfeited its games last week to Class 3A Fouke after falling short Week 1 to Bearden 24-20. No. 2 Gurdon, which benched starters in the third quarter last week, held Bearden to 19 yards on 32 snaps in a 33-0 shutout.
MAGNET COVE (15) at Parkers Chapel: PC netted less than 10 yards last week against the first-team defense of Class 3A No. 2 Prescott and lost 51-0. Magnet Cove committed three turnovers in a 35-6 loss to Class 3A No. 10 Glen Rose, including an interception return that set up a TD. A long punt return set up another GR TD. Magnet Cove junior center Alex Adcock and sophomore safety Julius McClellan (one INT) played well in defeat.
Murfreesboro at POYEN (28): 7-2A member Murfreesboro makes its second foray to the 5-2A after losing Week 0 at Magnet Cove 67-32. This time the Rattlers travel without sophomore QB Sloan Perrin (torn labrum Week 1 vs. Centerpoint) who is out for the season. Junior Jay Stuard completed five passes for 84 yards and rushed for another 75 yards and a TD in a 22-0 win over Class 3A Horatio. Poyen whipped Class 3A Bismarck 49-14, forcing five turnovers while limiting the Lions to 65 rushing yards. Poyen senior QB Jaxson Carter playing at a high level by completing seven of 10 passes for 226 yards and two TDs, including an 86-yard bomb to senior slotback Brandon Sanchez.
Bearden at MOUNT IDA (13): Mount Ida moved to a two-QB system last week when sophomore MLB Caleb White took his first snaps, running for a TD and completing a 65-yard TD pass to classmate Jack Hoeksema in a 28-22 loss to Class 3A Jessieville. Bearden managed 19 total yards in a 33-0 loss to No. 2 Gurdon.
MAGAZINE (24) at Cutter M. Star: Magazine's improved line play led to 120 yards and two TDs on 20 carries last week by senior RB Kobe Faughn. Magazine also forced three turnovers while beating the Lamar JV 26-7. Cutter Morning Star managed 21 yards last week in a 42-0 loss to Dierks.

6-2A
DES ARC (28) at Earle: Earle just lost (42-8) for the fourth time in three years to Hazen by a combined 162-20. Fourth-ranked Des Arc dropped Class 3A Barton 52-18 with junior FB Brock Devorak running for 167 yards and two TDs and senior slotback Eyan Holloway rushing for 169 yards and two TDs. Holloway also returned a kickoff for a TD.
CLARENDON (10) at E. Poinsett County: EPC did not play last week when 3A opponent Walnut Ridge cancelled due to covid quarantines. Two weeks ago, EPC beat 3A Manila 22-7. Clarendon passed its first road test of 2020 by rallying past McCrory 54-46. Clarendon amassed 547 yards, including  junior QB Kaleb Williams' 186 yards and three TDs and junior ATH Quincey McAdoo's 157 yards and two TDs. McAdoo also caught a 71-yard TD pass and returned a kickoff 75 yards for a TD.
England at MELBOURNE (38): England senior Darren McClinton raced 80 yards on the first snap of the second half to give the Lions their only first down, TD and 80 of their 90 total yards in a 49-6 loss to Class 3A Rison. England completed one of 14 passes for 1 yard. Melbourne has outscored its opposition 132-39 during its 3-0 start. 
Marvell at BAPTIST PREP (35): Marvell dressed 15, played 14 and netted a negative 8 yards of offense last week in 42-6 loss to Class 3A Palestine-Wheatley.
LAMAR (14) at Carlisle: Carlisle takes on its third Class 4A opponent of the season, having lost 55-6 Week 0 to Lonoke and 32-16 last week to CAC. Carlisle gashed CAC for 315 yards with sophomore FB J.J. Sullivan carrying 27 times for 163 yards and two TDs.  
HAZEN is open.

7-2A
JESSIEVILLE (6) at Dierks: See Game of the Week.
Horatio at FOREMAN (20): Foreman led Junction City 12-6 at halftime last week and scrummed for 236 rushing yards on the night with senior RB Javon Allen carrying 24 times for 148 yards. Allen added seven tackles and a tackle for loss. Both of sophomore QB Hunter Fowler’s completions were TDs. Watch full-game highlights of the Gators at Junction City HERE. Class 3A Horatio managed 151 yards in a 22-0 loss to Murfreesboro.
Murfreesboro at POYEN (28): 7-2A member Murfreesboro makes its second foray to the 5-2A after losing Week 0 at Magnet Cove 67-32. This time the Rattlers travel without sophomore QB Sloan Perrin (torn labrum Week 1 vs. Centerpoint) who is out for the season. Junior Jay Stuard completed five passes for 84 yards and rushed for another 75 yards and a TD in a 22-0 win over Class 3A Horatio. Poyen whipped Class 3A Bismarck 49-14, forcing five turnovers while limiting the Lions to 65 rushing yards. Poyen senior QB Jaxson Carter playing at a high level by completing seven of 10 passes for 226 yards and two TDs, including an 86-yard bomb to senior slotback Brandon Sanchez.
GURDON (35) at Mineral Springs: MS forfeited its game last week to Class 3A Fouke after falling short Week 1 to Bearden 24-20. No. 2 Gurdon, which benched starters in the third quarter last week, held Bearden to 19 yards on 32 snaps in a 33-0 shutout. 
LAFAYETTE COUNTY is open.

8-2A
STAR CITY (15) at Hampton: Hampton fell behind 21-0 by halftime Saturday at Cross County, rallied in the second half but lost 28-26. Hampton sophomore LB Zy Johnson and senior LB Cymeon McRae recorded 14 and 12 tackles, respectively. Senior QB Ashton Rice threw for a TD and passed for another. Class 4A Star City’s big, athletic defensive front and its 40-man roster may prove too much for Hampton (20-man roster).
Monticello at FORDYCE (16): Fordyce has won four straight in the series by a combined score of 149-57. Top-ranked Fordyce destroyed Camden Harmony Grove 62-13 last week, pulling most of its starters in the third quarter. Senior QB Jaheim Brown completed 11 of 12 passes for 250 yards and five TDs. Senior WR Ja’Quez Cross caught four passes for 134 yards and two TDs, while senior Mantrell Neal caught two passes for 80 yards and two TDs. Monticello senior Doerian Allen is an explosive playmaker. Watch highlights of Monticello's Week 1 win over Bauxite HERE.
Bearden at MOUNT IDA (13): Mount Ida moved to a two-QB system last week when sophomore MLB Caleb White took his first snaps, running for a TD and completing a 65-yard TD pass to classmate Jack Hoeksema in a 28-22 loss to Class 3A Jessieville. Bearden managed 19 total yards in a 33-0 loss to NO. 2 Gurdon.
Strong at DREW CENTRAL (12): Strong knocked off Class 3A Lake Village 16-14 last week. Sophomore LaQuincy Shelton and junior Byron Maze led Strong in rushing and receiving, respectively. Opponents have outscored Class 3A Drew Central 81-6 this season. 
MAGNET COVE (15) at Parkers Chapel: PC netted less than 10 yards last week against the first-team defense of Class 3A No. 2 Prescott and lost 51-0. Magnet Cove committed three turnovers in a 35-6 loss to Class 3A No. 10 Glen Rose, including an interception return that set up a TD. A long punt return set up another Glen Rose TD. Magnet Cove junior center Alex Adcock and sophomore safety Julius McClellan (one INT) played well in defeat.
JUNCTION CITY is open.