Hooten’s Arkansas Football Rankings

Class 2A, Week 10, 2023

Copyright Seventy Seven’s Publishing

1. Mineral Springs (9-0)

2. Bigelow (10-0)

3. Carlisle (8-1)

4. Hazen (8-1)

5. EPC (8-1)

6. Conway Christian (7-2)

7. Murfreesboro (9-0)

8. Marked Tree (7-1)

9. England (5-4)

10. Cross County (4-4)

11. Des Arc (6-3)

12. Poyen (5-5)

13. Bearden (4-5)

14. Hector (5-4)

15. McCrory (5-4)

16. Earle (4-5)

17. Dierks (3-6)

18. Mount Ida (2-6)

19. Mountainburg (3-5)

20. Lafayette County (2-7) 

21. JC Westside (2-6)

22. Baptist Prep (2-7)

23. Clarendon (1-8)

24. Marianna (1-8)

25. Magazine (1-7)

26. LR Episcopal (1-7)

27. Hampton (0-8)

28. Foreman (0-8)

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK

Carlisle (8-1) at HAZEN (8-1)

The schools are separated by 11 miles. Carlisle dominated the series for years, but Hazen has won the last few times, including twice last year — once for the conference title and once for the state title. 

This year, Carlisle’s lone loss came to Class 3A Junction City. Hazen’s loss came to Des Arc, which Carlisle beat two weeks later. 

Both teams played last week like they were looking forward to this game. The Bison rallied from a halftime deficit to beat England 35-26. Hazen beat Bearden 30-12. 

Carlisle has gone to a passing game this year under first-year coach Gary Wilson, who was defensive coordinator a year ago. QB Holden Jones passed for 108 yards against England. Kayleb Elliott rushed for 123 yards and 3 TDs.

Hazen relied on Braylan Anderson (10-110 rushing, 2 TDs) last week.

Hazen has home-field advantage, and that should carry it to the conference title. But this game has the makings of another memorable game in this series.

LAST WEEK 

Hootens.com correctly predicted 11 of 12 games involving Class 2A teams and is 111-23 (83 percent) for the season.

Thursday’s games

2-2A

CLARENDON (1-8, 0-6) at Marianna (1-8, 0-6): Clarendon has not won since beating West Helena in the season opener. The Lions, a traditional playoff team, will miss the postseason. Daniel Brown rushed for 182 yards and a TD in last week’s 26-20 loss to Earle. Kylee Boose had 117 yards and 2 TDs. Marianna has played well at times this season, but only has 1 win to show for it. Clarendon should be able to take out some frustrations this week. 

Earle (4-5, 2-4) at CROSS COUNTY (4-4, 3-3): Earle, which has been eliminated from the playoffs, beat Clarendon 26-20 last week. QB Taron Hurst threw for 3 TDs. Cross County needs a win and a loss by Des Arc to make the playoffs. The Thunderbirds held Marked Tree to its fewest points of the season in a 22-16 loss. Marquis Mays returned an interception for a TD. 

Marked Tree (7-1, 5-1) at EPC (8-1, 6-0): The winner gets a top seed in the Class 2A state playoffs. Marked Tree QB Kenyon Carter passed for 240 yards and 2 TDs in the Indians’ 22-16 win over Cross County. TJ Hodges rushed for 103 yards and a TD. EPC, which won this game a year ago by 12 points, has won 7 in a row, including 30-16 over Des Arc last week. Dennis Gaines (24-198 rushing, 2 TDs) and Cooper Argo (94 rushing) led the offense. Bari Shephard and Mike Collins had 12 tackles each. 

McCrory (5-4, 4-2) at DES ARC (6-3, 4-2): McCrory has already qualified for the playoffs, but Des Arc is in a more tenuous spot. Des Arc can earn a 2 seed with a win, but it also could miss the playoffs with a loss and a Cross County win. McCrory routed Marianna 56-20 last week. Leevi Tucker (230 rushing, 4 TDs) and Reece Rushing (190 rushing, 3 TDs) accounted for 7 of the Jaguars’ touchdowns. Des Arc lost to EPC 30-16 last week. Gabe Berry rushed for 84 yards and a TD. A year ago, the Eagles won 46-26. 

3-2A

Dierks (3-6, 1-4) at MOUNT IDA (2-6, 2-3): Dierks, which has been eliminated from playoff contention, was idle last week. Mount Ida, which has struggled most of the season, beat Foreman 55-6 and clinched the 4 seed in the playoffs. Payton Dorrell (85 rushing, 2 TDs) and Beau Weston (2 TDs). 

Foreman (0-8, 0-5) at LAFAYETTE COUNTY (2-6, 1-4): Foreman has struggled on both sides of the ball this year. Lafayette County should end its season with a win. A week ago, the Cougars played Murfreesboro tough but lost 28-14. AJ Mack had a rushing TD, a 2-point conversion and a passing TD. Freshman Zakarian Lawson had 17 tackles. 

MINERAL SPRINGS (9-0, 5-0) at Murfreesboro (9-0, 5-0): Two unbeatens battle for the 3-2A title, but Mineral Springs should take care of business. The Hornets have been ranked No. 1 most of the season after Hazen lost to Des Arc in Week 1. Katrevion Thomas rushed for 163 yards in the Hornets’ win over Poyen.

OPEN Poyen

Friday’s games

1-2A

CONWAY CHRISTIAN (7-2, 3-1) at Magazine (1-7, 0-4): Conway Christian lost to undefeated Bigelow 22-15 in a game that could have gone either way. loss. Brady Domokos (19-92 rushing, TD) led Conway Christian. QB Jeryn Thomas passed for 119 yards and rushed for 65 yards. Magazine, which lost to Hector 47-14 two weeks ago, will miss the playoffs second consecutive season. 

MOUNTAINBURG (3-4, 1-3) at Johnson Co. Westside (2-6, 1-3): The winner of this game will make the playoffs as a No. 4 seed. Mountainburg lost to Hector 42-14 last week. Ryan Allen (128 rushing, TD, 12 tackles) and Shay Pixley (TD pass), Garrett Jones (13 tackles) and Bobby Dean (12 tackles) were the top performers. Johnson County Westside was off last week after losing to Bigelow 2 weeks ago. 

OPEN Bigelow, Hector

4-2A

Episcopal (1-7, 1-4) at BAPTIST PREP (2-7, 1-4): Episcopal beat Hampton 39-8 last week for its first win. Turner Harbour (10-17 passing, 140 yards; 64 rushing, 2 TDs) led the offense. Erick Joyner scored on a 68-yard run. Jaxon Coleman had 56 yards receiving and a TD and well as an interception. Baptist Prep was off last week, coming off a 55-21 loss to Carlisle 2 weeks ago. 

Hampton (0-9, 0-5) at ENGLAND (5-4, 3-2): Hampton’s best chance to win this season came early in the season when it led Foreman by a TD, but the game was stopped and not resumed because of weather. England gave Carlisle fits, leading 26-14 at halftime before the Bison rallied for a 35-26 win. Justin Barber (145 rushing, 2 TDs; returned INT. for TD), Nick Brown (147 passing, TD) and Ben Gardner (7 tackles, forced fumble) led England.