Hooten’s Arkansas Football Rankings

Class 2A, Week 4, 2023

Copyright Seventy Seven’s Publishing

1. Mineral Springs (4-0)

2. Bigelow (4-0)

3. Carlisle (3-1)

4. Des Arc (2-1)

5. Hazen (3-1)

6. Conway Christian (4-0)

7. EPC (2-1)

8. Marked Tree (2-0)

9. Cross County (1-1)

10. England (2-1)

11. Earle (2-1)

12. Murfreesboro (3-0)

13. Dierks (2-2)

14. Hector (2-2)

15. McCrory (1-2)

16. Clarendon (1-2)

17. Mountainburg (2-1)

18. Baptist Prep (1-3)

19. Poyen (1-3)

20. LR Episcopal (0-3)

21. Marianna (1-2)

22. Magazine (1-3)

23. Bearden (1-3)

24. JC Westside (1-3)

25. Lafayette County (1-3)

26. Mount Ida (0-3)

27. Hampton (0-2)

28. Foreman (0-3)

LAST WEEK

Hootens.com correctly predicted 14 of 17 games involving Class 2A teams. For the season, Hootens.com is 54-16 (77 percent)

THIS WEEK'S PREDICTIONS (favored teams highlighted in CAPS)

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK

No. 11 Earle (2-1) at No. 3 DES ARC (2-1)

The Earle Bulldogs are coming off a 44-28 win over Class 3A Drew Central. QB Tyron Hurst (20-31, 278 passing; 78 rushing) and Joseph McVay (6-107 receiving, 2 TDs) led the offense. Clifton Wren had 16 tackles. Jaylyn Robinson scored 2 offensive TDs and returned an interception for a score.

Des Arc, which previously beat No. 1 Hazen, lost to Carlisle 27-20 last week. The Eagles gave up a 17-play, 10-minute drive to the Bison on the game’s opening possession, and fell behind 21-8. Des Arc made a game of it behind QB Cache Flanagan (22-124 rushing).

Des Arc has a chance to win if it can control the clock like it loves to do, and defend against Earle’s big-play ability. Des Arc won this matchup 28-24 last season.

1-2A

NO. 2 BIGELOW (4-0) at Mountainburg (2-1) Bigelow forced 5 turnovers in a 40-8 win over Centerpoint. Bennett Wilson caught a TD pass and returned an INT for another. Mountainburg lost to Yellville-Summit 36-35. Ryan Allen rushed for 134 yards and 2 TDs while passing for 225 yards and 2 more scores. He also had an INT. and 7 tackles on defense.

CONWAY CHRISTIAN (4-0) at North Platte, Mo. (3-1) Conway Christian overcame the absence of 5 starters in a 16-14 win over Dierks. QB Xander Stone passed for 208 yards and a TD. Brady Domokos scored the go-ahead TD and 2-point conversion in the fourth quarter.

JC Westside (1-3) at HECTOR (2-2) JC Westside defender Moose Yarborough stood tall in the Rebels’ 52-6 loss to England. Hector’s Greyson Mulder caught a TD pass and returned an INT for one in the Wildcats’ 48-7 win over Danville. PJ Henderson returned a punt 80 yards for a score.

OPEN Magazine

2-2A

Clarendon (1-2) at EPC (2-1): Clarendon had the week off after falling to Hazen 34-20 in Week 2. QB Greyson Miller (267 passing, 3 TDs) and London Hunter (6-44 receiving; 6 tackles) sparked the Lions. EPC’s Jacob Gaines scored 2 TDs in the Warriors' 40-30 win over Osceola.

MARKED TREE (2-0) at Marianna (1-2): Marked Tree beat Piggott 46-8 to go 2-0. QB KC Carter (138 passing yards) and TJ Hodges (6-205 rushing, 5 TDs) led the way. Marianna lost to Palestine-Wheatley 22-8 last week.

Earle (2-1) at DES ARC (2-1): See Hootens.com Game of the Week, above.

McCrory (1-2) at CROSS COUNTY (1-1) McCrory was within 18-0 at the half before suffering a 46-8 defeat to Hazen. Leevi Tucker led the Jaguars with 105 yards rushing and a TD. Will Rushing led McCrory with 10 tackles. Cross County had the week off after losing to Carlisle 7-0. Cross County held the Bison to 79 yards of offense, led by Roderick Williams and Danny Beale up front.

3-2A

No. 1 MINERAL SPRINGS (4-0) at Foreman (0-8): Mineral Springs routed Bearden 49-6 behind Evan Erwin’s 156 yards passing and Malik Matthews' 130 yards rushing. Camarion Stuart led the Hornets with 9 tackles, including 6 unassisted. Foreman lost 61-12 to Fouke. DJ Anderson rushed for 97 yards. Brody Bearden rushed for 66 yards and a TD. He also caught 2 passes for 20 yards.

DIERKS (2-2) at Lafayette County (1-3): Dierks surrendered a 14-8 lead late against Conway Christian last week. Jordan Hill scored the Outlaws’ only offensive TD on a 5-yard run in the first quarter. Kason Dougan scored on a fumble return. Lafayette County beat Horatio 42-38 for its first win. Andrew Mack (260 yards total offense, 2 TD passes, 1 rushing TD; fumble return TD) was the star. Ricardo Wimbley led the Cougars with 12 tackles and 3 sacks.

Poyen (1-3) at MUFREESBORO (3-0): Poyen led 18-0 before falling 27-24 to Baptist Prep. QB Colt Barrett passed for 173 yards and 2 TDs. Murfreesboro rushed for 316 yards in a 40-0 win over Gurdon. Brandt Stevens (97 yards, 2 TDs) led the way with help from Laytan Wilcher and Lathan Compton, who each rushed for a TD.

OPEN Mount Ida

2A-4

HAZEN (3-1) at Hampton (0-2): Hazen QB Josh Dawson (254 passing, 4 TDs) and Justin Schlenker (9-200 receiving, 3 TDs) led the way in a 46-8 win over McCrory. Hampton lost 30-0 to Smackover. Aden Williams had 83 yards rushing and 25 yards passing. Leland Gilbert (9 tackles) and Connor Rowland (8.5 tackles) anchored the defense.

ENGLAND (2-1) at Baptist Prep (1-3): England QB Nick Brown passed for 152 yards and 4 TDs in a 52-6 win over Johnson County Westside. Cooper Price (7 unassisted tackles) and Justin Barber (5 tackles, INT.) shined on defense. Baptist Prep rallied from an 18-0 deficit to beat Poyen 27-24. Malachi Jones passed for 168 yards and 2 TDs. Ryan Brent rushed for 96 yards. The defense got a lift from Canton Hatcher (INT., blocked punt TD).

Bearden (1-3) at No. 3 CARLISLE (3-1): Bearden’s Marky Jimerson threw a TD pass to Ad’Lee Allen for the Bears’ score in a 49-8 loss to Mineral Springs. Carlisle held off Des Arc in last week’s featured game, 27-20. Kayleb Elliott (24-149 rushing, 2 TDs) led the Bison.

OPEN Episcopal