Hootens.com 

Class 2A Rankings

Week 5, 2024

1. Carlisle (4-0)

2. Conway Christian (4-0)

3. Junction City (2-2)

4. Marked Tree (3-1)

5. Des Arc (3-1)

6. McCrory (4-0)

7. Bigelow (2-2)

8. Mineral Springs (2-2)

9. Poyen (3-1)

10. Hector (3-1)

11. East Poinsett County (2-2)

12. Murfreesboro (2-2)

13. Mount Ida (3-1)

14. Cross County (2-2)

15. Earle (1-3)

16. Gurdon (1-3)

17. Dierks (3-1)

18. Baptist Prep (3-1)

19. Hampton (3-1)

20. Lafayette County (2-2)

Not ranked:

1-2A: Mountain Pine (1-3), JC Westside (1-2), Magazine (1-2), Mountainburg (1-3)

2-2A: Izard County Consolidated (0-4), Marianna (0-3)

3-2A: Spring Hill (1-2), Dierks (3-1), Foreman (0-4)

4-2A: Bearden (1-3),  Hazen (1-3), Clarendon (0-3), England (1-3)

LAST WEEK

Hootens.com correctly predicted 14 of 16 games involving Class 2A teams. For the season, Hooten’s has correctly predicted 80 of 93 games (86 percent).

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK

No. 6. McCrory (4-0, 1-0) at NO. 11 EPC (2-2, 1-0):

McCrory is off to its best start since the 2018 season when it went 4-0 before finishing 5-5. The Jaguars won the 2021 state title when they started 3-1. McCrory beat Cross County 22-14 last Friday. Keaton Massanelli had a rushing TD and threw for 124 yards and 2 more scores. Will Rushing had 124 yards receiving and 2 TDs. 

McCrory Coach Cade Campbell says Coach Brandon Powell's Warriors are talented and athletic.

“EPC is always a tough place to play, especially in a big conference game," Campbell says. "We know we will have to play disciplined and mistake-free if we want to have a chance this Friday.”

The Warriors, who went to the 2A state title game a year ago, are 2-2 following a 56-6 win over Izard County Consolidated in the conference opener. Jacob Gaines rushed 9 times for 101 yards and 3 TDs. He also caught a 27-yard TD pass. Eli Blagg completed 10 of 15 passes for 139 yards and 2 TDs. Dee Buchanan had 5 rushes for 77 yards and a TD. 

“This is a big-time conference game for us,” EPC's Powell says. “They are 4-0 and playing great football. They are very well-coached, physical, and they play hard on both sides of the football."

If the Jaguars continue to get good production from Massanelli and Blagg, it could be a win for the McCrory. But EPC, with 13 consecutive home victories, will be difficult to beat. 

WEEK 4 PREDICTIONS (favored teams in ALL CAPS)

1-2A

Mount Ida (3-1) at CONWAY CHRISTIAN (4-0): Mount Ida beat JC Westside 41-0 as Ben Woodfield (116 rushing, 2 TDs; 6 tackles, 2 INTs.) and Kaeston Phimvongsa (56 rushing, 2 TDs) led the way. “ Conway Christian is a very well-coached team with great talent,” Mount Ida Coach Mike White said. “We must play flawless to win.” The Eagles beat Mountainburg 44-0. Caleb McKinney rushed for a season-high 146 yards and 3 TDs. QB Jeryn Thomas passed for 2 TDs. 

Hector (3-1) at BIGELOW (2-2): Hector QB Drew Newport (257 passing, 3 passing TDs; rushing TD) and Landon Darter (96 rushing, TD) led the Wildcats’ 36-12 win over Mountain Pine. Hector Coach Trevor Cooper says Bigelow returns a lot of talent on defense from last year's state championship team. “We look forward to the challenge,” Cooper says. Bigelow broke a 2-game skid by beating Magazine 45-12. Kicker Aaron Moore was 6 for 6 on PATs and kicked a 32-yard FG. Jayden Dunlap (2 rushing TDs) and Rush Hill (7-85 rushing, blocked kick, INT.).

Mountainburg (1-3) at MAGAZINE (1-2): Mountainburg lost to Conway Christian 44-0, but it received notable defensive efforts from Hayden McGill (15 tackles, INT.); Bryce Beasley (10 tackles, including 2 QB sacks) and Conner McClarty (12 tackles). Magazine's Daniel Green (96 rushing, 32 receiving, 2 TDs) led the Rattlers in their 45-12 loss to Bigelow. Chakong Yang and Hunter Inklebarger each had 8 tackles. “Mountainburg is a big, physical team,” Magazine Coach Ryan Chambers says. “Their QB is really good running downhill. He’s big and physical.”

Mountain Pine (1-3) at JC WESTSIDE (1-2): Mountain Pine QB Cale Slaten passed for 207 yards and a TD in the loss to Hector. Zach Middleton also scored a rushing TD. JC Westside lost to Mount Ida 41-0. Kyle Wain intercepted a pass and returned a missed FG attempt for 50 yards.

2-2A

MARKED TREE (3-1) at Earle (1-3): Marked Tree beat Marianna 22-0 with TJ Hodges (10-140 rushing, 3 TDs; 3 tackles) leading the wat. Earle was held to less than 100 yards in a 44-8 loss to Des Arc. Middle linebacker Clifton Wren had 16 tackles. Earle Coach AC Coleman says his team is looking forward to Friday's game against Waylon Dunn's Indians. “Coach Dunn has his kids firing on all cylinders,” Coleman says. 

DES ARC (3-1) at Marianna (0-3): Des Arc had a bounce-back win, routing Earle 44-8. Daviyon Bell had 138 yards rushing and a TD. Jamie Collins had 96 yards and 2 TDs. Marianna got back on the field in a 22-0 loss to Marked Tree after forfeiting its previous game. The Trojans have scored 6 points in the 2 games actually played. 

MCCRORY (4-0) at East Poinsett County (2-2): See HOOTENS.COM Game of the Week, above.

Izard County Consolidated (0-4) at CROSS COUNTY (2-2): Izard County, moving up to 11-man football from 8-man this year, has scored 20 points in 4 losses. Cross County, coming off a 26-14 loss to McCrory, received hearty defensive efforts from Gunner Land (11 tackles, including 2 TFLs) and Dayvion Simmons (9 tackles, fumble recovery).

3-2A

NO. 3 JUNCTION CITY (2-2) at No. 8 Mineral Springs (2-2): Junction City beat Foreman 49-6 to even its record after starting 0-2. QB Dakorey Larry (197 passing, 3 TDs; 78 rushing, 2 TDs) led Junction City. Mineral Springs has also won 2 in a row after starting 0-2. The Hornets beat Spring Hill 56-20 last Friday, led by Javeon Fricks (10-236 rushing, TD; receiving TD).

Foreman (0-4) at MURFREESBORO (2-2): DJ Anderson returned a punt 59 yards for a TD in Foreman’s 49-6 loss to Junction City. Mufreesboro knocked off Gurdon 22-7 behind Brody Maroon (134 rushing, 3 TDs; 13 tackles). Lathan Compton and Bubba Stinson had 14 tackles apiece. 

Lafayette County (2-2) at GURDON (1-3): Lafayette County fell to Dierks 32-22 despite strong efforts from Rod Bailey (178 total yards, TD, 2-point conversion) and Jaz’mond Bradford (185 yards total, TD) on offense and Ricardo Wimbley (11 tackles) on defense. Gurdon fell to Murfreesboro 22-7. RB Jamari Williams rushed 16 times for 78 yards and a TD. 

DIERKS (3-1) at Spring Hill (1-2): Jordan Hill (23-99 rushing, 2 TDs) led Dierks' win over Lafayette County last week. Grayson Kersey and Juan Salazar also scored TDs. Kason Dougan led Dierks with 7 tackles. Spring Hill struggled in a 56-20 loss to Mineral Springs. QB Jaxon Smith passed for 105 yards and rushed for 63 yards and 3 TDs. 

4-2A

NO. 1 CARLISLE (4-0) at Clarendon (0-3): The No. 1 Bison rolled past Baptist Prep 56-7. QB Ty Tanksley (197 passing, 3 TDs); Kaidon Clingmon (3 TD receptions) and Jayden Elliott (136 rushing, 2 TDs) led Carlisle. Clarendon fell 6-0 to Hampton as Roderick Stewart (12-63 rushing) and William Wise (9 1/2) led the Lions.

HAZEN (1-3) at England (1-3): Hazen beat Bearden 14-12 in OT for its first win. QB JJ Pinkney scored on a 9-yard run and ran for the game-winning 2-point conversion. Landon Adkins scored Hazen’s TD in overtime. England fell to Poyen 20-16. QB Nick Brown Jr. (12-17 passing, 90 yards, TD), Nehemiah Solee (6-58 receiving) and Cooper Price (10 tackles, PBU) led England.

Bearden (1-3) at BAPTIST PREP (3-1): Bearden's Bears fell in OT to Hazen 14-12, but Landon Faucett (194 passing, TD), Kemari Nettles (73 receiving yards, TD; rushing TD) and Tristan Olvey had 5 tackles and an INT. turned in strong efforts. Baptist Prep played without starters at 15 positions in a 56-7 loss to Carlisle. Nick Cummings passed for 120 yards and a TD to Austin Herring. 

Hampton (3-1) at POYEN (3-1): Hampton beat Clarendon 6-0 last week as Deondre Smith scored the game’s lone TD on a 40-yard run. James Austin had 7 tackles, including 3 TFLs, a sack, a fumble recovery and a pancake block. Braiden Girard had 8 1/2 tackles and a sack. Poyen, a newcomer to the 4-2A, beat England 20-16. QB Colt Barrett (104 passing yards, TD) and Alejandro Guzman (19-123 rushing, TD) were the leaders on offense.