Hooten’s Arkansas Football Rankings

Class 2A, Week 11, 2023

Copyright Seventy Seven’s Publishing

1. Carlisle (9-1)

2. Bigelow (10-0) 

3. EPC (9-1)

4. Hazen (9-1)

5. Murfreesboro (10-0)

6. Mineral Springs (9-1)

7. Conway Christian (8-2)

8. Des Arc (7-3)

9. Marked Tree (7-2)

10. England (6-4)

11. Cross County (5-4)

12. Poyen (5-5)

13. Bearden (4-5)

14. Hector (6-4)

15. McCrory (5-5)

16. Mount Ida (3-6)

17. Earle (4-6)

18. Dierks (3-7)

19. JC Westside (3-6)

20. Mountainburg (3-6)

21. Lafayette County (3-7) 

22. Baptist Prep (3-7)

23. Clarendon (2-8)

24. Magazine (1-8)

25. LR Episcopal (1-8)

26. Marianna (1-10)

27. Hampton (0-9)

28. Foreman (0-9)

LAST WEEK 

Hootens.com correctly predicted all 9 of 11 games involving Class 2A teams and Hootens.com is 120-25 (83 percent) for the season.

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK

2-2A (3) MARKED TREE (7-2) at 2A-4 (2) Hazen (9-1)

This is definitely not your typical 2-3 matchup. Marked Tree finished third in the extremely tough 2-2A while Hazen finished second in the 4-2A. The Indians have lost 2 games — both in overtime — to first-place EPC and second-place Des Arc. Five teams in the 2-2A were playoff-worthy, with Cross County getting left out. Hazen and Carlisle were the class of the 4-2A all season, with the Bison edging the Hornets 20-14 in Week 10 to win the title. 

Marked Tree lost to third-ranked EPC 38-32 in OT in Week 10. KC Carter passed for 173 yards and 5 TDs against EPC. TJ Hodges rushed for 142 yards. JJ Risper caught 3 TD passes. In Hazen’s loss to Carlisle, Justin Schlenker (7-83 receiving, TD) and Josh Dawson (113 passing, 91 rushing) led the offense. Kolton Tosh led Hazen with 15 tackles. 

Marked Tree Coach Waylon Dunn on Hazen: “They are big, experienced and athletic. We will have to play well to compete with them.”

Hazen Coach Joe Besancon on Marked Tree: “Their quarterback and running back are probably the best combo I’ve seen this year. It’s going to be a very tough ballgame.”

Hazen beat Marked Tree 46-6 in the second round of the Class 2A playoffs a year ago en route to a state title.  Hazen has the home-field advantage, but Marked Tree played in the toughest 2A conference, and that could pay off in the end.

TOP HALF OF THE BRACKET

4-2A (4) Bearden (4-5) at 2-2A (1) EPC (9-1): Bearden, idle last week, got into the playoffs with a 3-3 conference record. The Bears gave Hazen fits before dropping a 30-12 decision to Hazen in Week 9. Bryce Whisenhunt passed for 108 yards and a TD. He also had 51 yards rushing. EPC edged Marked Tree in OT to win the 2-2A title at 7-0. Dennis Gaines (43-230 rushing, 4 TDs) led the way.

3-2A (3) Poyen (5-5) at 1-2A (2) CONWAY CHRISTIAN (8-2): Poyen finished third behind Murfreesboro and Mineral Springs in the 3-2A conference. The Indians finished their regular season in Week 9, falling to Mineral Springs 58-22. QB Colt Barrett passed for 238 yards and 2 TDs in the loss. Brayden Hull caught 6 passes for 103 yards and a TD. Conway Christian bounced back from its loss to Bigelow to rout Magazine 42-6. Backup QB Xander Stone passed for 170 yards and 2 TDs. Conway Christian is undefeated at home this season. 

2-2A (4) McCrory (5-5) at 4-2A (1) CARLISLE (9-1): McCrory won the state title 2 years ago, but missed the playoffs last year. It finished fourth in the 2-2A this year after a 38-30 loss to Des Arc last week.  Leevi Tucker had 147 yards rushing and a TD. Reece Rushing rushed for 2 TDs and returned a KO for another. McCrory’s superintendent is Scott Waymire, who coached Carlisle to the 2011 Class 2A state title game. Carlisle rallied to beat Hazen 20-14 to win the 4-2A title Friday night. Carlisle QB Holden Jones threw a 69-yard TD pass to Gavin Davis, which was the difference in the game. Gavin Richter intercepted 3 Hazen passes. Carlisle should win but it won’t be easy. 

1-2A (3) Hector (6-4) at 3-2A (2) MINERAL SPRINGS (9-1): Hector beat Class 3A Palestine-Wheatley in a nonconference game last week after routing Mountainburg 52-14 in their final conference game. Brent Casto (36-225 rushing; 6 TDs) and Jackson Taylor (10-104 rushing) led the ground attack. Mineral Springs, which was ranked No. 1 most of the season, lost to Murfreesboro 12-6 in OT last Thursday. Rahmaij Ware had 19 tackles, including 15 solo tackles and 2 sacks. KT Thomas rushed for 96 yards on 23 carries. Mineral Springs looks to bounce back and possibly head to Carlisle for the second round. 

BOTTOM HALF OF THE BRACKET

1-2A (4) JC Westside (3-6) at 3-2A (1) MURFREESBORO (10-0): JC Westside beat Mountainburg 46-43 to earn the fourth seed from the 1-2A in the playoffs. Cooper Hilton totaled more than 150 yards rushing and receiving. Murfreesboro, the surprise of Class 2A, finished the regular season 10-0, beating Mineral Springs 12-6 in OT to win the 3-2A title. Brandt Stevens rushed for more than  99 yards. Lathan Compton and Cash Lowery each scored a TD for the Rattlers. 

3-2A (4) Mount Ida (3-6) at 1-2A (1)BIGELOW (10-0): Traditional power Mount Ida won only 3 games, but the Lions beat Dierks 56-20 last Friday to get into the playoffs. Ben Woodfield (168 rushing, 3 TDs) and Beau Weston (12 tackles) led the way. Bigelow was off last Friday after finishing the regular season 10-0 with a 22-15 win over Conway Christian to win the 1-2A title. Bennett Wilson returned an INT for a TD, and Ryan Hobbs intercepted a pass to end Conway Christian’s final threat to tie the game. Hobbs also had 3 catches for 133 yards and a TD and a rushing TD.

4-2A (3) England (6-4) at 2-2A (2) DES ARC (7-3): England was a solid third in the 4-2A this season behind Carlisle and Hazen. The Lions did not allow a Hampton first down last week in a 55-0 win. Cooper Price returned an INT for a TD and Mick Brown passed for 2 TDs and rushed for another. Des Arc broke a 2-game skid by edging McCrory 38-30 to get the second seed from the 2-2A. Dayvion Bell (22-118 rushing, 2 TDs) led Des Arc’s offense.

2-2A (3) MARKED TREE at 2A-4 (2) Hazen (9-1), see 2A Game of the Week, above