Hooten’s Arkansas Football Rankings

Class 7A, Week 9, 2023

Copyright Seventy Seven’s Football Publishing, LLC

1.  Conway (8-0)

2.  Fayetteville (8-0)

3.  Bentonville(5-3)

4.  Bryant (7-1)

5.  Bentonville West (6-2)

6.  Rogers (5-3)

7.  Fort Smith Southside (5-30

8.  Cabot (4-4)

9.  Jonesboro (4-4)

10.  North Little Rock (3-5)

11.  Springdale Har-ber (2-6)

12.  Fort Smith Northside (1-7)

13. Little Rock Southwest (1-7)

14.  Springdale (2-6)

15.  Rogers Heritage (1-7)

16.  Little Rock Central (0-8)

KEVIN KELLEY'S COMMENTS

No changes in the poll this week. The high-ranked teams prevailed in nearly all matchups. Fort Smith Southside is putting up some points this year. Good to see North Little Rock get in the win column again. Bryant ended the Cabot's 10-game winning streak at. Those are just a few of the things that stood out last week. Much more to come below.  Went 6-2 last week bringing the season total to 61-18 (77.2 percent).

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK

7A WEST

NO. 5 BENTONVILLE WEST (6-2, 4-1) at No. 7 Fort Smith Southside (5-3, 2-3)

The Wolverines come in off a 53-0 win over Rogers Heritage last week. Dalton Rice got the scoring started the scoring with a short TD pass to Collier DeClerk. Cole Edmondson had a short TD run for the next score. Rice hit Jaxson Brust for a 38 yard TD pass on fourth-and 23 on the next possession. The Wolverines defense chipped in by holding on to a shutout in what had to be a complete game.

Fort Smith Southside comes in with the offense scoring at a crazy rate. The Mavericks put up 75 points and 675 yards, 558 of which was on the ground. Two of my favorite RBs to watch on film: Amari Tucker (302 rushing, 3 TDs) and Isaac Gregory (96 rushing, 4 TDs) respectively. QB Carter Zimmerman (117 passing, TD; 160 rushing, 2 TDs) distributed the ball.

Southside's running backs will provide a challenge to Bentonville West's defense. Tucker and Gregory provide a threat running and catching the football.

I look for a little less scoring from the Mavericks this week. Defense will help Bentonville West get the win in a high-scoring game with both teams in the 30s or 40s.

No. 2 FAYETTEVILLE (8-0, 5-0) at Heritage (1-7, 0-5): The Purple Dogs beat Springdale 52-15 last week and are challenging to be in the conversation with Conway as a team you will have to beat to win the 7A championship. Drake Lindsey threw TD passes to Landon Lucke and Charlie Graves to make it a 3-score game early, and it was basically over from there.

Rogers Heritage got beat 53-0 by Bentonville West and it is looking for something positive.

Fayetteville will use this as a game to work on things to get ready for the playoffs I am sure.

Springdale (2-6, 1-4) at No. 3 BENTONVILLE (5-3, 4-1): The Bentonville defense collected 3 turnovers in the second half, Johnny Knapp intercepting a ball in the end zone to hold off Rogers in a big 7A West game. Cole Slepecki stepped in for the injured Carter Nye at QB and Coach Jody Grant said everyone stepped up and he challenged the defense as well. Slepecki had a 75-yard TD pass to CJ Brown in the 28-21 win that keeps Bentonville in the hunt for the 7A West.  Springdale lost to undefeated Fayetteville 52-15 last week but made it 14-7 early with a 26-yard TD pass on a post route from QB Jack Pounders to WR Carson Hayter. Bentonville will try to get healthy this week while building momentum going into the playoffs.

No. 6 ROGERS (5-3, 3-2) at Springdale Har-Ber (2-6, 2-3): Rogers lost 28-21 at home to Bentonville last week and look to get back to the win column this week. Coach Chad Harbison moved Dane Williams, the normal starting QB, to defense and inserted Jansen Garner at QB. Garner immediately led Rogers to a TD on his first drive but 3 turnovers by Rogers were too much to overcome against a good Bentonville team that was playing a backup QB as well for the injured Carter Nye. Springdale Har-ber put up 54 points in the loss to Fort Smith Southside. Braden Sprague threw for 545 yards and 6 TDs. WR Hayden Wood had 10 receptions for 174 yards and 5 of those TDs. Titus Cramer had 192 yards rushing to help balance the attack along with a TD.  Rogers will need to play good defense and bounce back after that tough loss if it wants to beat a rapidly improving Wildcats team. I think it will do that and return Williams to QB for some stability. That will be enough to beat Har-ber in a game that will be closer than most think.

7A CENTRAL

No. 1 CONWAY (8-0, 5-0) at No. 9 Jonesboro (4-4, 3-2): Conway beat Little Rock Central last week 55-0, holding the Tigers to 53 total yards. QB Donovyn Omolo is still throwing TDs to Caden Henderson, Jackson Anderson, and Cris ONeal. They didn’t need anything else. Jonesboro, it seems, is playing better each week. QB Asa Myers (13-24 passing, 235 yards, 3 TDs) has given the offense more consistency. WR Chris Stacy (9-162 receiving, 2 TDS) and Myreion Taylor (2-37 receiving, TD) contributed in a 27-12 win.  Jonesboro has played well, but it hasn't met a team like the Wampus Cats who are equally good on offense and defense. The Wampus Cats will win this with a balanced attack and will put some pressure on QB Myers with their defense.

No. 10 North Little Rock (3-5, 3-2) at No. 4 BRYANT (7-1, 5-0): The Charging Wildcats beat Fort Smith Northside 47-21 last Friday. Skylar Easter set the tone early with an interception he ran back for a TD. Tyson Braden then threw a TD pass to Malachi Muhammad as the offense added to the total early on as North Little Rock played well. Bryant won 35-17 at Cabot, ending the Panthers' 10-game home streak. Jordan Walker threw a second-quarter TD pass to Shawn Rycraw and threw another to Karter Ratcliff on a nice corner route a little later.  Bryant can beat you through the air or on the ground, and they will do both to North Little Rock this week on the way to another win.

No. 8 CABOT (4-4, 3-2) at Fort Smith Northside (1-7, 1-4): The Panthers lost at home last week to Bryant and. David Lidell and the defense gave them life intercepting a pass from Jordan Walker as Bryant was driving early. Cabot drove down and kicked a FG to get a 3-0 lead before giving the lead back and losing 35-17. The Grizzlies will be glad to get back home after losing at North Little Rock 47-21. Northside will put up a fight early but Cabot will take over and should win this game.

LR SOUTHWEST (1-7, 0-5) at Little Rock Central (0-8, 0-5): Southwest lost to Jonesboro at home last week 27-12. The Gryphons are playing closer and closer as they are playing with a very young team. The Tigers lost 55-0 to Conway and will look for a chance to win their first game in a cross-town rivalry of sorts. The Gryphons should win this one in what should be a fun and emotional game.