Hootens.com

7A Rankings

By STEVEN JONES

Week 7, 2024

1.  Bryant (6-0, 3-0)

2. Conway (6-0, 3-0)  

3.  Fayetteville (5-1, 3-0) 

4. Pulaski Academy (5-1, 2-1) 

5. Bentonville (3-3, 3-0) 

6. Springdale (6-0, 3-0) 

7. Rogers (4-2, 2-1)  

8. Little Rock Christian (4-2, 2-1) 

9. Cabot (2-4, 1-2) 

10. Springdale Har-Ber (1-5, 1-2)

7A Central Unranked: Little Rock Southwest (1-5, 1-2), Little Rock Central (1-5, 0-3), North Little Rock (0-6, 0-3)

7A West Unranked: Bentonville West (0-6, 0-3), Rogers Heritage (0-6, 0-3), Springdale Har-Ber (1-5, 1-2), Fort Smith Northside (1-5, 0-3)

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK 

No. 6 Springdale (6-0, 3-0) at No. 7 ROGERS  (4-2, 2-1)  A 7A West showdown pits 2 of the conference's most improved clubs fighting for playoff seeding with 2 play-making quarterbacks — Springdale senior Jack Pounders and Rogers junior Jeff Regan — leading the way. The winner potentially hosts a first-round game in November.   

Rogers nearly won 2 weeks ago against reigning 7A state champion Fayetteville. The Mounties handled Bentonville West 38-3 on the road last week after losing to the Wolverines the previous 2 seasons. Regan lit up the scoreboard with 5 TDs (3 passing, 2 rushing). Regan totaled offensive 322 yards (142 passing, 180 rushing). Springdale crushed in-district rival Springdale Har-Ber 49-21. The Bulldogs took all of the momentum after a second-quarter slip screen from Pounders to Carson Hayter went for a 73-yard touchdown. 

Both teams are explosive with the football, but Rogers wins this one at home to end Springdale’s undefeated bid. The Mounties’ run-stopping defense did not allow a TD last week.

WEEK 7 PREDICTIONS (favored team in ALL CAPS and highlighted in yellow) 

LAST WEEK Hootens.com correctly picked 8 of 8 games (100 percent) involving 7A teams and has correctly picked 64 of 72 games (89 percent) in 2024. 

7A WEST

No. 3  Fayetteville (5-1, 3-0) at NO. 5 BENTONVILLE (3-3, 3-0) Bulldogs special teams made plays in the absence of injured UNLV commit Garyt Odom at QB. Will Price blocked 2 punts and Kaleb Johnson returned a kickoff for a TD. Johnson also rushed for more than 100 yards in the 42-7 win over Northside. Bentonville has won 3 games in a row by large margins to start conference play, including 48-0 over Rogers Heritage last week. Spoiler alert: Bentonville upsets the defending champ this week with tough defense that has improved each week.

Bentonville West (0-6, 0-3) at  NO. 10 SPRINGDALE HAR-BER (1-5, 1-2): Bentonville West's Tre Thompson made some plays last week (145 yards) but the defense was unable to keep Rogers out of the end zone at home. Springdale Har-Ber jumped into the top 10 after going toe to toe with undefeated Springdale in the first half last week. QB Evan Baker played well for the Wildcats. Springdale Har-Ber maintains its top 10 ranking with a win at home behind an offense that has improved weekly since the start of conference play.

Rogers Heritage (0-6, 0-3) at FORT SMITH NORTHSIDE (1-5, 0-3): Fort Smith Northside’s defense created turnovers last week but the offense was unable to capitalize in the loss to Fayetteville. Jayden Youngblood scored the Grizzlies' lone TD. The special teams unit looks to correct some problems after allowing 2 blocked punts and a kickoff return TD. Heritage has struggled defensively, giving up at least 48 points in each of its past 3 games. Cam Massey and Northside take down Rogers Heritage at home this week.

No. 6 Springdale (6-0, 3-0) at NO. 7 ROGERS  (4-2, 2-1): See game of the week, above.

7A CENTRAL

NO. 1 BRYANT (6-0, 3-0) at LR Southwest (1-5, 1-2): Bryant continues to solidify its No. 1 ranking with highlight-reel secondary play led by Jayden Welch. The Hornets took down Pulaski Academy 48-29 and improved to 6-0. Running backs Myron Thrash and Daniel Anderson continue to shine in the state’s deepest backfield. Little Rock Southwest is riding high after beating North Little Rock for the first time — 38-21. Bryant rolls over the Gryphons on the road this week.

Little Rock Central (1-5, 0-3) at NO. 2 CONWAY (6-0, 3-0): Central dropped to 0-3 in conference after a 35-0 loss to Little Rock Christian. The Tigers moved the football between the 20-yard lines but could not finish drives offensively. Conway blew out Cabot 56-7, an impressive win that boosted the Wampus Cats up a spot to No. 2 in the rankings.

NO. 4 PULASKI ACADEMY (5-1, 2-1) at No. 9 Cabot (2-4, 1-2): PA looks to bounce back from its loss to Bryant at Cabot. The Bruins led early and battled back and forth before the Hornets pulled away. Cabot could not stop Conway’s offense last week. The Panthers will need to make adjustments quickly as Pulaski Academy scores at a high rate. PA handles the Panthers on the road.

North Little Rock (0-6, 0-3) at NO. 8 LITTLE ROCK CHRISTIAN (4-2, 2-1): North Little Rock tries to rebound from its first loss to LR Southwest. Little Rock Christian controlled LR Central from start to finish in a 35-0 win. WR Tristan Watson hit Ryan Burket with a 61-yard TD pass on the game's first play from scrimmage and the Warriors never looked back. LRC continues its winning ways with efficient offense behind senior QB Kemp Keller.