Hootens.com 

Class 4A Rankings

Week 3, 2024

1. Elkins (3-0)

2. Arkadelphia (1-2)

3. Warren (1-2)

4. Mills (3-0)

5. DeWitt (2-0)

6. Prairie Grove (1-1)

7. Ozark (2-1)

8. Malvern (3-0)

9. Highland (2-0)

10. Southside (3-0)

11. Gravette (3-0)

12. Dardanelle (2-1)

13. Stuttgart (2-1)

14. Monticello (1-1)

15. Clinton (3-0)

16. Pottsville (3-0)

17. Nashville (1-2)

18. Ashdown (1-1)

19. Bauxite (1-2)

20. Star City (2-0)

Not Ranked

1-4A: Berryville (0-2), Gentry (3-0), Green Forest (1-1), Huntsville (0-2), Lincoln (3-0)

2-4A: Bald Knob 0-2), CAC (0-3), Forrest City (0-2), Hall Steam (1-2), Heber Springs (0-2), Lonoke (0-3), Riverview (0-1)

3-4A: Blytheville (0-2), Cave City (2-1), Gosnell (1-2), Jonesboro Westside (0-2), Pocahontas (1-2), Trumann (1-2)

4-4A: Mena (3-0), Dover (1-1), Lamar (2-0), Waldron (1-2)

7-4A: Fountain Lake (0-2), Genoa Central (0-2), HG Haskell (0-2)

8-4A: Crossett (0-3), Hamburg (2-0), Helena (3-0)

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK

CLASS 5A MAGNOLIA (2-0) at Hamburg (2-0): Hamburg beat Magnolia in 2012 and 2013.

Magnolia rallied from a 14-0 first-quarter deficit last week to down Bauxite 38-22. The Panthers ran for 195 yards and Antonio Brooks caught 4 passes for 76 yards, including a 45-yard TD. Hamburg jumped on Dumas 10-0 early last week and cruised to a 31-0 victory. The Lions defense allowed 120 yards, with LB Peyton Sellers racking up 13 tackles. Nikel Lewis carries 23 times for 170 yards and 3 TDs. “Magnolia is very athletic and fast,” Hamburg Coach Blake Johnson says. “We have to keep them in front of us and tackle well in space.”

LAST WEEK

Hootens.com predicted 32 of 36 games (89 percent) involving 5A teams, and is 61 of 74 (82 percent) for the season.

WEEK 3 PREDICTIONS (favored team in ALL CAPS)

1-4A

COWETA, OKLA. (0-2) at Prairie Grove (1-1): Coweta, Okla., coached by Arkansas native and former Mena and Des Arc coach Tim Harper, lost to Class 7A FS Northside 28-27 a week ago. Prairie Grove led rival Farmington 8-6 at halftime last week before losing 28-8. Prairie Grove ran for 190 yards, including 82 for Blake Coughran and 67 for Elijah Sugg.

Green Forest (1-1) at CLASS 3A GREENLAND (1-1): Greenland has won 7 of the past 10 meetings over Green Forest. Greenland beat Berryville 47-21 a week ago. Green Forest didn't play last week, and 2 week ago the Tigers beat West Fork 12-0, recording their first shutout win in 11 years. Junior LB Colton Fancher (15 tackles, 2 sacks) and senior free safety Brityn Gilliam (9 tackles, 1 interception) led the defense. Senior QB Mason Meador threw 2 TD passes to junior WR Gabe Serna.

Berryville (0-2) at CLASS 3A YELLVILLE-SUMMIT (1-1): Yellville-Summit has won 6 of the past 9 in the series. The Panthers lost to Hector 20-14 last week while mustering 251 yards. Berryville has been outscored 71-28 this season in losses to Mountain View and Greenland. “We showed a lot of improvement from Mountain View to Greenland,” Berryville coach Macklin Chermack says. “Yellville-Summit does a great job flying around and playing fast on defense.”

HUNTSVILLE (0-2) at Class 3A West Fork (0-2): These are former conference foes with Huntsville winning 15 of 17 regular-season matchups from 1985-2001 (West Fork beat Huntsville 21-13 in the first round of the 1985 playoffs). Huntsville has been outscored this season 91-20 in losses to Clinton and Lamar.

OPEN Elkins, Gravette, Lincoln and Gentry.

2-4A

LAMAR (2-0) at Heber Springs (0-2): Lamar gained 292 yards in last week's 13-12 victory over Mansfield. The Warriors forced 3 turnovers and held the Tigers to 244 yards. Heber Springs lost to rival Clinton 31-14 two weeks ago. Senior QB Liam Buffalo, who missed last year with an injury, ran for 2 TDs. “He's starting to get back into football form,” Heber Springs Coach Caleb Carmikle says. “The open week came at a good time, we had to heal.” LB Brodie Basford leads the Panthers in tackles.

CLASS 3A RIVERCREST (2-0) at Forrest City (0-2): Rivercrest senior QB Cadarius Washington (16-19-259-6 passing; 15-113-1 rushing) pushed the Colts past Class 2A EPC 56-32 last week. Forrest City's talented receivers (Roshawd Washington, Jacori Buchanan and Vonterrious Williams) will cause matchup issues for Rivercrest. Forrest City senior Dakwon Scott has taken over the QB spot and played well, Coach Reggie Swinton says.

CLASS 5A BROOKLAND (2-0) at Bald Knob (0-2): Bald Knob managed 152 yards in last week's 36-14 loss to Class 2A Des Arc. Brookland beat Pocahontas 21-14 last week by forcing 3 turnovers. Senior Calvin Spearmon led the Bearcats with 8 tackles and returned an interception for a TD. Spearmon also ran for a TD and caught a TD pass. Senior LB Sam Walton (11 tackles) and senior DT Javan Payne (10 tackles, 4 TFL) played solid on defense.

Jonesboro Westside (0-2) at RIVERVIEW (0-1): Jonesboro Westside has been outscored a combined 56-13 in losses to Brookland and Hoxie. “They run the Single Wing offense and will try to confuse our defense,” Riverview Coach Steve Williams says. Riverview's scheduled game with Highland was canceled last week. The Raiders offense revolves around RB Trey Greer and QB Ricky Lee.

OPEN CAC, Mills and Lonoke

3-4A

Jonesboro Westside (0-2) at RIVERVIEW (0-1): See comment in 2-4A.

OPEN Southside, Highland, Pocahontas, Gosnell, Blytheville, Trumann and Cave City

4-4A

LAMAR (2-0) at Heber Springs (0-2): See comment in 2-4A.

CLASS 5A CLARKSVILLE (0-2) at Dover (1-1): Clarksville has beaten Dover 6 of the past 8 meetings. Clarksville, with a 22-game losing streak, has shown improvement despite losing its 2 games to Ozark and Pottsville by a combined 62-19. Angel Alvarez threw a TD pass to Juan Gonzalez in the fourth quarter of last week's 31-6 loss to Pottsville. Dover QB Talvin Leavell (8-15-107-2 passing; 5-30-1 rushing) and RBs Matthew Honeycutt (20-91) and Timothy Callans (9-73) played well 2 weeks ago in a 41-26 setback to rival Atkins.

OPEN Ozark, Dardanelle, Clinton, Pottsville, Mena and Waldron.

7-4A

FOUNTAIN LAKE (0-2) at Class 3A Cutter Morning Star (0-2) (Thurs).: Fountain Lake led Centerpoint 12-8 at halftime last week before giving up 2 TDs in a 13-second span and losing 38-24. Cobras receivers Dustin Cox (9-118) and Kaise Haire (7-115-2) torched Centerpoint's secondary. Cutter Morning Star has struggled to slow Poyen and Mountain Pine's rushing attack the past 2 weeks.

H.G. HASKELL (0-2) at Class 3A Jessieville (1-1): Jessieville beat Mount Ida 31-28 a week ago and hung tough against unbeaten Mayflower (34-21 loss) in Week 0. H.G. Haskell trailed Rison 28-7 in the third quarter before rallying within 28-20. Junior RB/LB Cam Taylor (21-71 rushing; 10 tackles, 2 sacks on defense) played well for Haskell.

Ashdown (1-1) at IDABEL, OKLA. (1-1): Idabel, which beat Ashdown 27-0 a year ago, lost at Broken Bow 42-21 last week. Senior Ravian Larry has rushed for more than 200 yards and 3 TDs this fall. Ashdown's defense allowed 185 yards and forced 5 turnovers in last week's 26-14 win at Hope.

OPEN Arkadelphia, Bauxite, Malvern and Nashville

8-4A

Class 3A McGehee (0-2) at DEWITT (2-0): McGehee was tied with Star City 7-7 in the third quarter last week before losing 25-7. DeWitt's defense has allowed 2 TDs in 2 games this fall, beating CAC and Jacksonville. Junior RB Kori Graham (10-76-2), QB Justin Ross (4-7-65 passing; 8-58-1 rushing) played well in last week's 35-7 win at Jacksonville. Landon Jackson led the Dragons with 12 tackles, while Ross intercepted a pass.

CLASS 5A MAGNOLIA (2-0) at Hamburg (2-0): Hootens.com Class 4A Game of the Week.

MONTICELLO (1-1) at Class 3A Dumas (0-2): Dumas gained 112 yards in last week's 31-0 loss to Hamburg. Monticello didn't play last week and knocked off Bauxite 41-20 in Week 1. QB Tye Guthrie (10-18-150-3) and RB Joseph Accelus (19-125) led the Billies offense, while LBs Blaine Hayden (12 tackles) and Jagger Hines (9 tackles, 1 sack) paced the defense. Jackson Hines played well on both sides of the ball (6 carries, 41 yards and 1 TD; 4 tackles, 1 interception).

STAR CITY (2-0) at Class 3A Lake Village (1-1): Star City shutout McGehee in the second half of last week's 25-7 victory. Senior RB/LB Peyton Taylor scored 3 TDs (2 rushing, 1 receiving) had 14 tackles, 3 TFL and blocked a punt. The Bulldogs blocked 3 punts vs. McGehee and have 5 blocked punts this fall. Lake Village beat Bolivar, Miss., in Week 0 and lost to Hall Steam 40-0 a week ago.

OPEN Stuttgart, Warren, Helena and Crossett