Hootens.com Rankings

Class 7A Week 4, 2024

Seventy Seven's Football Publishing

1. Bryant (3-0)

2. Fayetteville (2-1)

3. Conway (3-0)

4. Pulaski Academy (3-0)

5. Bentonville (0-3)

6. Springdale (3-0)

7. Rogers (2-1)

8. Cabot (1-2)

9. Little Rock Christian (2-1)

10. Bentonville West (0-3)

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK

No. 9 LR Christian (2-1) at NO. 8 CABOT (1-2): Little Rock Christian beat 6A East opponent West Memphis 48-7. The mercy rule victory was a good one for the Warriors as they head into conference play. Junior QB  Kemp Keller (25-36 passing, 349 yards, 3 TDs) led the Warriors, who did not suffer a turnover. Senior LB Carson Crum returned an interception for a touchdown. Cabot comes in having played the tougher nonconference schedule, with its losses coming against defending 7A state champion Fayetteville and defending 5A Louisiana state champion Ruston. Cabot defeated Bentonville West 44-38 in overtime in Week 1.

“Cabot’s had one of the toughest nonconference schedules in the state," LR Christian Coach Dustin Grimmett said. "They are well-coached, big up front, and physical. We will have to play them well on the road to beat them.” Give Coach Scott Reed's battle-tested Panthers the edge here.

WEEK 4 PREDICTIONS (favored team in ALL CAPS and highlighted in yellow)

LAST WEEK Hootens.com correctly picked 4 of 6 games (67 percent) involving 7A teams and has correctly picked 41 of 48 games (86 percent) in 2024.

7A WEST

Springdale Har-Ber (0-3) at NO. 5 BENTONVILLE (0-3) Bentonville has lost to 2 top-tier out-of-state teams, along with No. 3-ranked 7A rival Conway. Junior WR Conrad Smitch put the Tigers ahead last week with an 87-yard kickoff return TD but Lee’s Summit North scored 23 unanswered points en route to a 39-24 win in Missouri. Har-Ber actually beat Farmington 65-50 in Week 1, but had to forfeit the win because it was ruled to have used an ineligible player. Junior RB Titus Cramer has totaled 9 TDs. Look for Bentonville to open conference play with a home win.

No. 10 Bentonville West (0-3) at NO. 2 FAYETTEVILLE (2-1) Fayetteville led Texas High of Texarkana 35-19 at the half before falling 55-54 last week when Texas High converted a 2-point play to win late. Bentonville West is winless after falling 70-35 to Class 6A No. 1 Greenwood in the opener, but played tough in an overtime loss to Cabot and a 49-48 loss at Muskogee, Okla. Look for Coach Casey Dick’s Fayetteville Bulldogs to win at home.

Fort Smith Northside (1-2) at NO. 7 ROGERS (2-1): A victory over Coweta (Okla.) followed by a bye week has Northside rested and ready for conference play. Senior LB Lucas Caldarera makes plays from sideline to sideline for the Grizzlies. Rogers lost to Muskogee (Okla.) 33-28 in Week 1, but defeated North Little Rock (43-0) and Sheridan (43-7) with ease. The Mounties are yielding 13.3 points per game, and they get the edge here.

Rogers Heritage (0-3) at NO. 6 SPRINGDALE (3-0): Springdale, under Coach Brett Hobbs, is off to its best start in 6 years. Senior QB

Jack Pounders leads a Bulldogs Flexbone attack that rushed for 262 yards last time out. Heritage has struggled offensively in losses to Siloam Springs, Carl Junction (Mo.) and last week to LR Central. Heritage was tied with Central in the second half, but the Tigers scored twice in the fourth quarter to end their 33-game losing streak. Springdale is favored at home to improve to 4-0.

7A CENTRAL

Little Rock Central (1-2) at NO. 1 BRYANT (3-0) Coach Anthony Robinson’s Tigers scored 2 fourth-quarter touchdowns (both by Ray Stewart) to win its first game since 2020, ending a 33-game losing streak. Top-ranked Bryant has posted 3 quality nonconference victories — over Class 6A Benton, Christian Brothers (Mo.) and defending 5A state champion LR Parkview. Senior QB Jordan Walker has thrown for 11 TDs with 2 INTs. Look for Bryant to handle Central at home.

NO. 3 CONWAY (3-0) at LR Southwest (0-3): Conway averages 48.7 points per game behind senior QB Grayson Wilson. The Hornets' defense shut down Marion in a 49-7 victory. The Gryphons are winless, but they put up 28

points last time out against Class 6A Fort Smith Southside. Senior QB Chase Forte passed for 3 TDs in the loss to Southside.

NO. 4 PULASKI ACADEMY (3-0) at North Little Rock (0-3): Senior QB Brandon Cobb leads a Bruins offense that averages 54.0 points and has produced 5 receivers who each have totaled more than 100 receiving yards in 3 games. North Little Rock has been outscored 112-30 in 3 losses, but the Charging Wildcats were competitive in a 27-17 loss to Catholic last Friday.  Pulaski Academy makes its 7A Central debut a winning one at North Little Rock.

No. 9 Little Rock Christian (2-1) at NO. 8 CABOT (1-2) See Game of the Week, above.