Hootens.com Rankings
Class 2A, Week 8, 2021
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.

1. Bigelow (7-0)
2. McCrory (7-1)
3. Des Arc (6-1)
4. Hazen (5-2)
5. Clarendon (4-2)
6. Fordyce (4-3)
7. Quitman (5-2)
8. Hector (6-1)
9. Junction City (3-4)
10. Dierks (2-4)
11. Magnet Cove (4-4)
12. Gurdon (6-2)
13. Mount Ida (4-3)
14. Poyen (4-3)
15. E. Poinsett County (1-7)
16. Earle (3-4)
17. Marked Tree (3-3)
18. Hampton (2-4)
19. Carlisle (0-7)
20. Cross County (1-5)
21. Mountainburg (2-4)
22. Lafayette County (2-3)
23. Yellville-Summit (2-5)
24. Murfreesboro (3-3)
25. Magazine (1-5)
26. J.C. Westside (2-4)
27. Foreman (0-7)
28. Parkers Chapel (1-4)
29. Bearden (0-7)
30. Mineral Springs (0-5)
31. England (0-5)
32. Conway Christian (0-7)

GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 7 Quitman at No. 1 Bigelow
Quitman attempts to knock off No. 1 Bigelow, the reigning 4-2A champion. The scouting report on Bigelow says its team speed and skilled players are better than a year ago, and while the linemen are smaller, they play extremely hard. Senior QB Keithlin Brown has accounted for 1,269 yards and 23 TDs. A week ago, Bigelow led J.C. Westside 44-6 at the end of the first quarter and won 51-18. In one quarter, Bigelow senior RB Hunter Alexander carried five times for 75 yards and two TDs. Sophomore Hayden Wiles averaged 8 yards per carry the rest of the night.  Quitman senior QB/LB Will Litton turned in his standard performance last week: 10 of 13 completions for 189 yards and two TDs with nine rushing attempts for 111 yards and two TDs in the first half of a 41-0 blowout of Magazine. Sophomore receiver Greyson Ealy caught four passes for 89 yards and a TD. Depth critical for Quitman, which may not be at full strength. Quitman has won four of the past six meetings in this series, which began in 2008 when Quitman started varsity football. Bigelow leads the overall series 9-4. Watch extended highlights of Quitman’s 41-0 win over Magazine earlier this year.

LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly picked 13 of 16 games (81 percent) involving Class 2A teams. It is 124 of 145 (86 percent) for the season.

WEEK 8 PREDICTIONS (favored team in CAPS followed by point spread)
3-2A
E. POINSETT COUNTY (5) at Cross County: After leading No. 2 McCrory and Class 3A Salem in previous weeks before losing, EPC rallied past Earle 26-20 last week for its first win of 2021. Junior QB Carter Smith continues to improve, completing seven of 11 passes for 55 yards, while rushing 24 times for 164 yards and two TDs. Sophomore TB Dennis Gaines ran for 112 yards and two TDs. Senior DE Josh Gilmore paced EPC with 12 tackles, including four TFL. Cross County lost to McCrory 46-13. For the season, senior QB A.J. Beale and run and passed for a balanced 1,200 yards and 10 TDs behind a line anchored by junior tackle Adarius Richardson. Watch extended highlights of EPC’s 22-18 loss to McCrory earlier this year.
Marked Tree at DES ARC (25): Marked Tree forfeited on Tuesday due to a lack of bodies. No. 3 Des Arc led Carlisle 38-0 at the end of the third quarter last week and won 38-16. DA junior RBs Jack Kearby and Trevion Reed combined for 292 yards and four TDs. Senior LB Cooper Childers paced DA with 11 tackles. Marked Tree blanked 6-2A member England 20-0. MT junior Willie Marshall motored for 217 yards, while junior DE Braylon Kennedy and sophomore LB Timothy Risper led the Indians in tackles. Watch extended highlights of Des Arc’s 34-26 loss to McCrory earlier this year. 
EARLE and MCCRORY are open.

4-2A
Quitman at BIGELOW (18): See Game of the Week.
JC Westside at HECTOR (22): Hector quietly 6-1 with the blooming of sophomore QB Jackson Taylor, who has completed 75 of 116 passes (65 percent) for 913 yards and seven TDs. Taylor has rushed for 341 yards and seven TDs. Junior LB Drake Riley leads Hector with 60 tackles, including seven TFL, with three interceptions. The Hector defense has forced 20 turnovers this season and allowed an average of 12 ppg. JCW senior QB Brayden Edwards has accounted for 955 balanced yards and 13 TDs this fall. Senior RB Dakota Beavers has rushed for 439 yards and caught passes for 335 yards. Senior NG Justice Cato paces the Rebels with 29 tackles, five TFL and two forced fumbles. Hector handled Mountainurg 20-8 last week, while JCW lost to Bigelow 51-18.  
MOUNTAINBURG (8) at Conway Christian: CC coming off its best performance of the season in a 24-12 loss at Yellville-Summit. Senior noseguard Wyatt Buckman led the defensive front. Senior and first-year player Hayden Meeks, who moved to QB two weeks ago, completed timely passes, including two TD tosses to senior WR Drew Cochran. The CC junior high team is undefeated.  Mountainburg junior LB Landon Green leads the Dragons in tackles this fall, but junior DL Tanner Shaffer posted a team-high 13 stops last week in a 20-8 loss to Hector. 
YELLVILLE-SUMMIT (2) at Magazine: Y-S ran for 300 yards and passed for 65 last week in a 24-12 homecoming win over Conway Christian. Magazine has lost three straight games by a combined 120-3, including 41-0 last week at Quitman. Magazine senior RB/S Ashton Droemer producing another all-state season, leading the Rattlers in rushing yards (600) and tackles. Watch extended highlights of Magazine’s 41-0 loss to Quitman earlier this year.

5-2A
Bearden at MAGNET COVE (21): Bearden's 43-0 loss last week to Hampton was called in the third quarter after senior QB Kathan Emerson took a med-flight to Children's Hospital with a broken  fibula and tibia. Bearden, with 14 upperclassmen, will move up freshmen off its 4-2-1 junior high team to finish the season. Magnet Cove knocked off Gurdon 16-13 last week in dramatic fashion after trailing 13-0 to start the fourth quarter. With a minute to go, Magnet Cove reached the Gurdon 10-yard line after a targeting penalty and a jump ball pass to junior Kizer Kidder (6-5, 205). MC freshman kicker Anthony Villescez kicked the game-winning 27-yard FG with .3 of a second left. MC senior LBs Brett Williams and Julius McClellan logged 16 and 15 tackles, respectively. Senior DB Davis Dickinson tallied 12 tackles and forced three turnovers.
GURDON (8) at Poyen: Gurdon could not overcome six turnovers last week in a 16-13 loss to Magnet Cove. The Go-Devils fumbled the opening onside kickoff, threw an interception and lost four fumbles in heavy traffic. Poyen senior QB Colton Lowe played defense only due to an injury, but senior WR Nate Simmons shifted to QB and played well in a 20-14 loss to Mount Ida. Watch extended highlights of Gurdon’s 46-14 win over Earle earlier this year.
MOUNT IDA is open.

6-2A
Marked Tree at DES ARC (25): No. 3 Des Arc led Carlisle 38-0 at the end of the third quarter last week and won 38-16. DA junior RBs Jack Kearby and Trevion Reed combined for 292 yards and four TDs.Senior LB Cooper Childers paced DA with 11 tackles. Marked Tree blanked 6-2A member England 20-0. MT junior Willie Marshall motored for 217 yards, while junior DE Braylon Kennedy and sophomore LB Timothy Risper led the Indians in tackles. Watch extended highlights of Des Arc’s 34-26 loss to McCrory earlier this year.
Carlisle at CLARENDON (27): Clarendon coming off a 22-20 loss to Hazen. Senior QB and Kaleb Williams and RB Quincey McAdoo ran a combined 35 times for 246 of the Lions' 313 rushing yards. Five different receivers combined for nine receptions for 146 yards and a TD. Carlisle still seeking its first win after giving up 398 rushing yards in a 38-16 loss to third-ranked Des Arc. Watch extended highlights of Clarendon’s 22-20 loss to Hazen earlier this year.
England at HAZEN (13): England forfeited this game Wednesday due to a lack of bodies. After one of its worst outings in recent memory, Hazen dismissed two players last week, started four freshmen on its O line and two on its D line Friday night and left Clarendon's Harding Field with a 22-20 upset victory. Hazen sophomore LB Kolton Tosh recorded 21 tackles, a 65-yard INT return for a TD, and 13 receptions for 92 yards. Sophomore LB Braylon Anderson logged 16 tackles, while classmate Justin Schlenker tallied 13 stops. Junior QB Luke King completed 24 of 40 passes for 226 yards and a TD. England (0-5) seniors Ahmad Courtney and Andre Jones lead the Lions in tackles this fall. Watch extended highlights of Hazen’s 38-0 win over Stuttgart JV earlier this year. Watch extended highlights of Hazen’s 22-20 win over Clarendon earlier this year.   

7-2A
DIERKS (6) at Murfreesboro: In a defensive struggle last week, Murfreesboro intercepted two passes to get past winless Foreman 21-12. Murfreesboro sophomore LB Malachi Sanders recorded a game-high 21 tackles. Dierks was idle last week. Two weeks ago, Dierks senior QB Braxton Claborn completed three of five passes for 135 yards and three TDs in a 48-28 win over Foreman. Dierks has won three of the past four meetings vs. Murfreesboro.
Foreman at LAFAYETTE COUNTY (10): LC ran for 437 yards and eight TDs last week while allowing just 125 yards in a 64-8 win at Mineral Springs. Senior lineman Adrian Madison recored six champion blocks and five tackles, including a TFL and a sack. Foreman out-gained Murfreesboro in yards, 220 to 177, but lost 21-12.
MINERAL SPRINGS is open.

8-2A
JUNCTION CITY (12) at Hampton: Both teams coming off blowout victories. Junction City QB Jamal Johnson completed six of seven passes for 128 yards and two TDs, and the senior ran for another 100 yards on just six carries in a 60-28 rout of Parkers Chapel. Hampton junior LB Tavion Gilburt logged five tackles and returned a fumble 15 yards for a TD in a 43-0 shutout of Bearden. Junior QB Jonah Phillips completed three  of four passes for 75 yards and one TD, which Galburt caught. Watch extended highlights of Junction City’s 49-12 loss to Beebe earlier this year. Watch extended highlights of Junction City’s 42-6 loss to Fordyce earlier this year.
FORDYCE (13) at Parkers Chapel: PC forfeits this game with too many injuries and just four healthy linemen after losing last week to Junction City 60-28. Fordyce pushed Class 4A No. 25 Dardanelle but gave up more than 300 rushing yards and a pick-6 in a 45-35 loss. Watch extended highlights of Fordyce's 22-20 over Camden Harmony Grove earlier this year. Watch extended highlights of Fordyce’s 20-16 win over Rison. Watch extended highlights of Fordyce’s 42-6 win over Junction City earlier this year.
Bearden at MAGNET COVE (21): Bearden's 43-0 loss last week to Hampton was called in the third quarter after senior QB Kathan Emerson took a med-flight to Children's Hospital with a broke fibula and tibia. Bearden, with 14 upperclassmen, will move up freshmen off its 4-2-1 junior high team to finish the season. Magnet Cove knocked off Gurdon 16-13 last week in dramatic fashion after trailing 13-0 to start the fourth quarter. With a minute to go, Magnet Cove reached the Gurdon 10-yard line after a targeting penalty and a jump ball pass to junior Kizer Kidder (6-5, 205). MC freshman kicker Anthony Villescez kicked the game-winning 27-yard FG with .3 of a second left. MC senior LBs Brett Williams and Julius McClellan logged 16 and 15 tackles, respectively. Senior DB Davis Dickinson tallied 12 tackles and forced three turnovers.