Hootens Arkansas Football Rankings

Class 5A, Week 8, 2023
Copyright Seventy Seven's Football Publishing, Llc
1. LR Parkview (7-0)
2. Shiloh Christian (6-1)
3. Valley View (6-1)
4. Joe T. Robinson (6-1)
5. Mills (6-1)
6. Pine Bluff (6-2)
7. Hot Springs (6-1)
8. Southside (7-0)
9. HS Lakeside (5-2)
10. Camden Fairview (5-2)
11. Maumelle (4-3)
12. Nettleton (5-2)
13. Morrilton (5-3)
14. White Hall (3-4)
15. Harrison (4-3)
16. Alma (5-2)
17. Farmington (4-3)
18. Batesville (3-4)
19. Prairie Grove (4-3)
20. Wynne (2-5)
21. Texarkana (4-3)
22. Magnolia (3-4)
23. Dardanelle (3-4)
24. Pea Ridge (4-3)
25. Beebe (3-5)
26. Brookland (2-5)
27. Hope (2-5)
28. Paragould (2-5)
29. Vilonia (1-6)
30. Forrest City (1-6)
31. Clarksville (0-7)
32. Watson Chapel (0-7)
33. De Queen (0-7)

LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly predicted 13 of 16 games (81 percent) involving 5A teams, and for the season has picked 127 of 152 games (84 percent).

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK

VALLEY VIEW (6-1; 4-0) at Southside (7-0; 4-0):
The winner gets the conference title. Southside has 1 league title (2-4A title in 2019) in its history, while Valley View has won 5A East titles 3 times in the past 6 seasons.
Valley View's 4 conference wins this season have come by an average of 43-8. The Blazers blasted Brookland 42-3 last week. Senior QB Carson Turley, who some coaches say is the best player in the 5A East, proved a dual threat (8-14-81-2 passing; 11-128-1 rushing). Junior Drew Gartman caught 3 passes for 53 yards and 2 TDs, while Anthony Feliz ran for 79 yards. Laird Culled led the defense with 6 tackles and 2 interceptions. “Their quarterback is special,” Coach Kenny Simpson says, “and defensively have a lot of team speed.”
Southside trailed Nettleton 17-14 in the second quarter last week before running off 28 unanswered points and winning 42-17. Senior QB Savion Hall ran for 3 TDs and threw 1 TD pass, while Seth Case ran for 96 yards and 1 TD. Southside LB Andrew Plummer (15 tackles, 1 interception), DL Isaac Wallis (16 tackles) and sophomore DB Braden Simpson (10 tackles, 1 forced fumble) played well on defense. “Their offense is physical and tough to handle because of how effectively they run the ball,” Valley View Coach Sean Cockrell says.

WEEK 8 PREDICTIONS (favored team highlighted in ALL CAPS)
5A CENTRAL
PINE BLUFF (6-2; 5-1) at Morrilton (5-3; 4-2): Pine Bluff, minus 23 players including 2 starters, used a goal-line stand in the final seconds last week to take down White Hall 20-14. Senior Austyn Dendy, a Missouri commit, played QB due to the suspensions and ran for 89 yards and 2 TDs. He also intercepted a first-half pass near the goal line. Senior Marquez Brently sprinted 9 yards for the winning TD. Morrilton must rebound after last week's 26-14 loss to Maumelle. “No one played well against Maumelle,” Coach Cody McNabb says. “We must play better.”
Mills (6-1; 4-1) at JOE T. ROBINSON (6-1; 5-0): Mills plays for the first time since beating Pine Bluff 2 weeks ago in double overtime 24-21, but 12 players were suspended after the game for a brawl and can't play this week. Joe T. Robinson has won 6 straight games, including 43-27 over Beebe last week. Junior RB Nick Abrams (19-86-3 rushing; 1-21-1 receiving) keyed the offense.
WHITE HALL (3-4; 2-3) at Vilonia (1-6; 1-4): White Hall must bounce back from last week's 20-14 loss to Pine Bluff when the Bulldogs were stopped inside the 1 on the final play. Senior RB Jayden Smith (13-93-1 rushing) and QB Noah Smith (7-11-70-0 passing; 9-56-1 rushing) played well on offense, while junior Marshon Jordan (15 tackles) and senior James Thornton (12 tackles) paced the defense. Vilonia picked up its first win last week, downing Watson Chapel 49-12. Carter Massey threw 4 TD passes, including 2 to Eddie Flores.
MAUMELLE (4-3; 2-3) at Watson Chapel (0-7; 0-5): Maumelle broke a 0-0 tie in the third quarter last week, racing to a 26-14 win over Morrilton. The Hornets held Morrilton to 10 yards in the fist half. Jaiden Worsham led Maumelle's ground assault (24-249-1 rushing). Cornerback Cato Hunter broke up 7 passes, while Jonathan Williams made 12 tackles, 2 sacks and 1 forced fumble. Winless Watson Chapel trailed Vilonia 30-6 at halftime last week before losing 49-12. QB Demarrion Kye passed for 124 yards and 1 TD and ran 7 yards for a TD.
OPEN Beebe

5A EAST
VALLEY VIEW (6-1; 4-0) at Southside (7-0; 4-0): Hootens.com Class 5A Game of the Week, above
BATESVILLE (3-4; 3-1) at Brookland (2-5; 0-4): Batesville has rebounded from an 0-4 start with 3 wins in a row. The Pioneers gained 231 yards in last week's 11-10 win over rival Wynne. Sophomore TB Owen McLaughlin ran 23 times for 93 yards. Sophomore QB Cole Bentz passed for 78 yards and scored Batesville's only TD on a sneak, while senior LB Beau Baxter (15 tackles, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 safety) and kicker Jackson Elam (23-yard field goal) provided the other points. Brookland has lost to conference leaders Southside and Valley View the past 2 weeks by a combined 80-3. The Bearcats turned the ball over 5 times in last week's 42-3 loss to Valley View.
NETTLETON (5-2; 3-1) at Forrest City (1-6; 0-4): Nettleton's 5-game win streak was snapped by Southside 42-17 last week. The Raiders led 17-14 in the second quarter but failed to score again. Sophomore T.J. Brown ran for 208 yards and 2 TDs. Forrest City has lost 5 consecutive games, including 35-12 last week at Paragould.
Paragould (2-5; 1-3) at WYNNE (2-5; 1-3): Paragould continues improving weekly under first-year coach Randy Phillips. Four of its 5 losses have come by 11 points or less, and Paragould beat Forrest City 35-12 last week (first conference win in 2 years). Cole Chipman ran 22 times for 164 yards and 2 TDs and caught a 63-yard TD pass vs. Forrest City, while Eric Copeland ran 7 times for 48 yards and 1 TD. Wynne dropped a 1-point heartbreaker last week to Batesville. DL Abdul Fall made 8 tackles and 1 sack, while Cam Smith had 12 tackles. Smith led the offense with 105 yards rushing.

5A SOUTH
Magnolia (3-4; 1-3) at LR PARKVIEW (7-0; 4-0): Magnolia ran for 431 yards (despite injuries to its top 2 backs) in last week's 55-38 loss to Hot Springs. Backup fullback Jameion Young ran 22 times for 235 yards and 4 TDs, and Kaleb Roach ran for 74 yards. Magnolia turned the ball over 3 times — “We keep shooting ourselves in the foot,” Coach Mark King says. LR Parkview has won its 4 conference games by an average of 57-7. Senior QB Eric McGehee ran for 2 TDs and completed 5 of 9 passes for 67 yards in the first half of last week's 64-6 win over Texarkana.
HOT SPRINGS (6-1; 3-1) at Texarkana (4-3; 1-3): Texarkana had some success throwing deep passes in last week's 64-6 loss to LR Parkview. QB Nate Wall hit DeAndre Burnell for a 33-yard TD pass, and he completed a 44-yard pass to Javen Davis. Hot Springs won at Magnolia last week by 17 points. Senior QB Matthew Contreras (18-26-213-2 passing), WR T.J. Brogdon (7-102-2 receiving) and RB Perry Jones (26-161-2 rushing) led the offense vs. Magnolia, while Kendall Williams (20 tackles, 1 sack) led the defense.
HS LAKESIDE (5-2; 3-1) at De Queen (0-7; 0-4): HS Lakeside broke a 14-14 halftime tie with 21 points in the 3^rd quarter to run away from Hope last week 38-21. Senior tight end Skylar Purifoy made 2 grabs over defenders to keep the Rams in the game in the first half and he finished with 8 catches, 108 yards and 2 TDs. Senior QB Jacob Hermosillo (15-24-250-2 passing; 2-21 rushing), junior WR Ben Vincent (8-145-2 receiving) and junior RB Grady Ohman (15-108-1) played key roles on offense, while senior DL Eli Gammill made 7 tackles.
CAMDEN FAIRVIEW (5-2; 3-1) at Hope (2-5; 1-3): Camden Fairview beat De Queen 40-0 last week, its third consecutive conference victory. Junior QB Darrell Atkins (18-33-327-4 passing), junior RB Justin Frazier (15-133 rushing), and junior Trent Haygood (4-113-2 receiving; 4-82-2 rushing) played well on offense. Hope was tied with HS Lakeside 14-14 at halftime last week before losing 38-21. Senior LB Juan Ortiz led the Bobcats defense with 9 tackles, while senior QB Tyler Patterson passed for 157 yards.

5A WEST
SHILOH CHRISTIAN (6-1; 4-0) at Farmington (4-3; 3-1): A major game for the conference title chase. Farmington mixed its Spread scheme with the Wildcat in last week's 56-31 win over Clarksville. Junior Luke Elsik ran for 121 yards and 3 TDs and caught a 50-yard TD pass, while junior Russell Hodge logged 10 carries for 94 yards and 3 TDs. Shiloh Christian led Pea Ridge 28-12 at halftime last week before running to a 58-19 victory. Saints QB Evan Baker (17-22-217 passing; 11-91 rushing) and senior RB Bo Williams (19-181-6 rushing; 5-50-1 receiving) dominated.
ALMA (5-2; 3-1) at Prairie Grove (4-3; 2-2): Prairie Grove has notched consecutive conference victories, including last week 36-28 at Dardanelle. Junior QB Alex Abshier passed for 178 yards and 2 TDs, while Braxton Breshears intercepted a pass in the final minutes to seal the come-from-behind victory (trailed 21-8 late in the first half). Alma must regroup after last week's 39-35 loss when Harrison threw the winning 41-yard TD pass with 31 seconds left. QB Jackson Dailey (11-16-187-1 passing, 21-70-3 rushing) was the cog for Alma's offense, along with Isreal Towns Robinson (3-66-2 rushing) and Sam Schlegel (8-118 receiving). Robinson recorded 10 tackles, while Ashton Chanhnouvong had 21 stops.
PEA RIDGE (4-3; 1-3) at Clarksville (0-7; 0-4): Pea Ridge jumped on Shiloh Christian 6-0 early last week before losing 58-19. Seth Foster ran for 2 TDs and QB Gavin Dixon ran for another Pea Ridge TD. Clarksville lost at Farmington last week 48-31. QB Luke Seibenmorgan passed for 278 yards and 3 TDs, while Nathan Powell tallied 182 yards and 1 TD and Talan Case had 138 yards receiving.
HARRISON (4-3; 2-2) at Dardanelle (3-4; 1-3): Harrison trailed Alma 21-10 at halftime last week, but won 39-35. Goblins senior QB/OLB Mason Ketterman starred in the fourth quarter. He sacked Alma's QB and caused a fumble in the final minutes, then on 4th-and-17 threw the winning 41-yard TD pass to sophomore WR Eli McNutt with 31 seconds left. Senior Braden Long paced the Goblins with 30 carries, 236 yards, 2 TDs and he caught a 50-yard TD pass. Dardanelle led Prairie Grove by 13 points in the second quarter last week before losing 36-28. Sophomore QB Creed Vega (11-14-172-3 passing; 14-101-1 rushing) and sophomore WR Rod Chaten (7-105-2) keyed Dardanelle's offense. LB Hunter Anderson made 12 tackles and 2 sacks, Vega had 11 tackles and J.J. Earnest had 9 tackles.