Hootens.com Class 2A Rankings

Week 8, 2024

1. Carlisle (7-0)

2. Conway Christian (7-0)

3. Junction City (5-2)

4. Des Arc (6-1)

5. Marked Tree (5-2)

6. Bigelow (5-2)

7. Poyen (5-2)

8. Murfreesboro (5-2)

9. Mount Ida (5-2)

10. McCrory (5-2)

11. Cross County (5-2)

12. Mineral Springs (4-3)

13. Hector (4-3)

14. East Poinsett County (4-3)

15. Hazen (3-4)

16. Bearden (4-3)

17. Gurdon (2-5)

18. Dierks (4-3)

19. Earle (2-5) 

20. England (3-4)

LAST WEEK

Hootens.com correctly predicted 13 of 16 games involving Class 2A teams. Hooten’s has correctly predicted 118 of 141 games (84 percent) for the season.

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK

No. 11 Cross County (5-2, 3-1) at NO. 4 DES ARC (6-1, 4-0): Playoff implications abound as Cross County, Marked Tree and EPC are tied for second behind Des Arc. Cross County’s lone conference loss came to McCrory, but it did beat EPC 2 weeks ago. The Thunderbirds host Marked Tree on Nov. 1. Des Arc has games with EPC and McCrory (2-2) to close out the regular season.  Cross County beat Marianna 56-8 last week, led by running back Caden Crawford (225 rushing, 5 TDs). Crawford has averaged 184 yards in the past 4 games, scoring 10 TDs.  Des Arc has played well since falling to No. 1 Carlisle 30-8 on Sept. 20, averaging 49.3 points in wins over Earle, Marked Tree and Izard County. Daviyon Bell rushed for 104 yards and 3 TDs last week against Izard County Consolidated. Jamie Collins had 132 yards rushing, 1 TD and four 2-point conversions.

1-2A

Magazine (3-3, 2-2) at NO. 2 CONWAY CHRISTIAN (7-0, 4-0): Magazine got a much-needed 24-22 OT win over JC Westside as Kolton McCubbin (15-88 rushing) scored the game-winning 2-point conversion in OT. Nate Smith ran 9 times for 71 yards and completed 3 passes for 84 yards. Two of those completions came on a 99-yard drive to tie the game. Conway Christian rolled past Mountain Pine 63-0 behind QB Jeryn Thomas (2 passing, 1 rushing TD) and Brady Domokos (1 INT. TD, 1 TD reception). The Eagles are eyeing a Week 10 showdown with Bigelow. 

NO. 6 BIGELOW (5-2, 4-0) at No. 9 Mount Ida (5-2, 3-1): Bigelow has won 5 in a row after an 0-2 start but can't afford to look too far ahead, with a Week 10 showdown vs. Conway Christian looming. Bigelow beat Mountainburg 49-7 last week behind QB Martell Macon (7-9 passing, 136 yards, 2 TDs; 8-71 rushing). Mount Ida beat Hector 62-36, led by Ben Woodfield (32-368 rushing) and Dakota Beech (9-129 rushing; 10 tackles). had 129 yards on 9 carries. The Lions rushed for 608 yards on 53 carries. 

NO. 13 HECTOR (4-3, 2-2) at JC Westside (1-5, 0-4): Hector QB Drew Newport passed for 339 yards and 2 TDs in a 62-36 loss to Mount Ida and Cayden Manrique caught 5 passes for 165 yards and a TD. Hector needs a win to remain relevant in the playoff race. Westside enters off a 24-22 OT loss to Magazine. Hayden Edwards scored 2 rushing TDs in regulation, added a 2-point conversion and accounted for a safety. Trent Jones caught a TD pass from Cooper Hilton in OT. 

Mountain Pine (2-5, 1-3) at MOUNTAINBURG (1-6, 0-4): Both teams enter off decisive losses: Mountain Pine falling 63-0 to Conway Christian and Mountainburg losing 49-7 to defending state champion Bigelow. Mountainburg QB Ryan Allen rushed for 107 yards and a TD and passed for 84 yards. Hayden McGill had 9 tackles.

2-2A

Izard County (0-7, 0-4) at NO. 5 MARKED TREE (5-2, 3-1): Izard County is getting outscored by 40.4 points per game in its transition to 11-Man football, but QB Kyler Brashear passed for 195 yards and a TD in last week's 46-13 loss to Des Arc. Marked Tree edged McCrory 38-30. TJ Hodges (26-250 rushing) and Kenyon Carter passed for 117 yards and 2 TDs to Dawson Smith. 

Marianna (0-6, 0-4) at NO. 14 EPC (4-3, 3-1): Marianna scored its second TD of the season in a 56-8 loss to Cross County last week, while EPC beat Earle 36-26. Dee Buchanan (23-242 rushing, 2 TDs; 3-37 receiving, 2 TDs) led East Poinsett County. Jacob Gaines added a TD. 

Earle (2-5, 1-3) at NO. 10 MCCRORY (5-2, 2-2): Earle, coming off a 36-26 loss to EPC, needs a win here to keep playoff hopes alive. QB Taron Thurston passed for 178 yards and 2 TDs and rushed for 78 yards and another TD. Dontay Bell caught 2 TD passes and intercepted 2 passes. McCrory fell to fifth place in the conference after a 38-30 loss to Marked Tree, it but owns a victory over second-place Cross County. Leevi Tucker (105 rushing, TD) and Will Rushing (77 rushing, TD; 93 receiving yards, 2 TDs) in the loss to Marked Tree. Keaton Massanelli threw 2 TD passes. 

3-2A

No. 8 Murfreesboro (5-2, 4-0) at NO. 3 JUNCTION CITY (5-2, 4-0): The winner takes the inside track to the conference crown. Murfreesboro routed Lafayette County 54-8 last week as Brody Maroon scored 3 TDs (rushing, receiving, fumble return), Bubba Stinson rushed for a TD and Logan Burrus returned a fumble for a score. “Junction has weapons all over the field,” Murfreesboro Coach Brad Chessir says. Junction City beat Dierks 47-20 last week behind Dakorey Larry (90 yards rushing, 24 passing, TD), Brady Penister (2 rushing TDs) and Nolan Dismuke (rushing TD; 66-yard KO return TD). “We’ve had the Murfreesboro game highlighted since the summer,” Junction City Coach Devin Ball says.

NO. 12 MINERAL SPRINGS (4-3, 3-1) at Lafayette County (3-4, 1-3): Mineral Springs beat Gurdon 32-13 as Malik Matthews (2 rushing TDs; TD reception), Evan Erwin (123 passing, TD; 54 rushing, TD) and Brandon Allen (2 INTs.) led the way. Mineral Springs Coach Jason Hathcock says his team will have to slow down Lafayette County's Rod Bailey, who totaled more than 200 all-purpose yards, including a kickoff return TD.

No. 17 Gurdon (2-5, 1-3) at SPRING HILL (2-5, 1-3): Rhett Ledbetter and Remington Ellis each scored TDs in Gurdon's 32-13 loss to Mineral Springs while Xavier Laster and Jamari Williams each rushed for 70 yards. Spring Hill beat Foreman 48-14 for its first conference win as Tucker Vickers (10-111 rushing, 2 TDs) and Jaxon Smith (101 rushing, 3 TDs; passing TD) led the way.

NO. 18 DIERKS (4-3, 2-2) at Foreman (0-7, 0-4): Dierks RB Jordan Hill rushed for 123 yards in the Outlaws’ 47-20 loss to Junction City. QB Peyton Boeckman passed for a TD and rushed for another and Grayson Kersey had a rushing TD. Foreman fell to Spring Hill 48-14 as Brody Bearden (17-152 rushing), Everette Martz (2-56 receiving, TD; interception) and DJ Anderson (85-yard KO return for TD) amassed stats. 

4-2A
NO. 1 CARLISLE (7-0, 4-0) at Bearden (4-3, 3-1): Carlisle pulled away to beat Poyen 62-20 in a game that was closer than the score indicates. QB Ty Tanksley (210 passing, 3 TDs), Gavin Davis (8-92 receiving, 2 TDs) and Jaden Elliott (20-120 rushing, 2 TDs) led Carlisle. Bearden, one of the surprise teams in Class 2A, knocked off Hampton 36-6 behind Landon Faucett (158 passing, 2 TDs), Treydon Quarles (TD reception) and Marky Jimerson (9-116 rushing, 2 TDs). Hunter Stringfellow had 8 takes and 2 sacks. “We have played better football the past 3 weeks,” Bearden Coach Brandon Austin said. “It’s going to make even more improvement this week. It’s no secret Carlisle is a great team with great tradition. I think our guys are up to the challenge.” 

Hampton (3-4, 1-3) at ENGLAND (3-4, 2-2):  Hampton has lost to Poyen, Carlisle and Bearden consecutively after a 3-1 start. Deondre Smith rushed for more than 100 yards and a TD in last week's 36-6 loss to Bearden. England beat Clarendon 52-12 for a second consecutive win behind QB Nick Brown (234 passing, 2 TDs), Jordan Palmer (8-154 receiving, 2 TDs) and El’Wyon Johnson (64 rushing, TD). Nehemiah Solee and Trent Arnold both scored defensive TDs. 

Clarendon (0-6, 0-4) at HAZEN (3-4, 3-1): Winless Clarendon enters this matchup after a 52-12 loss to England. Ky-mani Fluker rushed for 66 yards Brandon Cartwright scored a TD. Hazen kept pace in the conference standings with a 44-0 win over Baptist Prep. QB JJ Pinkney (163 rushing, 4 TDs; KO return TD) and Noah Adkins (TD) supplied the offense. “They are dangerous,” Hazen Coach Joe Besancon says of Clarendon. “They are as fast as anybody in this conference, I promise you.”

Baptist Prep (3-4, 0-4) at NO. 7 POYEN (5-2, 3-1): Baptist Prep has lost 4 in a row after the injury bug hit the Eagles hard after a 3-0 start. Levi Yager (10 tackles), Jacob Dunn (7 tackles, 2 TFL, sack) shined on defense. Poyen  rallied from a 34-6 deficit to cut Carlisle's lead to 41-20 before things got out of hand in the fourth quarter in a 62-20 loss. QB Colt Barrett (241 passing, 23 rushing, 3 TDs). Sutter Speer caught 7 passes for 92 yards.