Hootens.com Rankings

Class 3A, Week 11, 2023

Copyright Seventy Seven's Football Publishing, Llc

1. Booneville (8-2)
2. Prescott (9-1)
3. Harmony Grove Ouachita County (8-2)
4. Charleston (6-4)
5. Salem (10-0)
6. Hoxie (10-0)
7. Mansfield (8-2)
8. Glen Rose (8-2)
9. Walnut Ridge (7-3)
10. Bismarck (8-2)
11. Junction City (7-3)
12. Fordyce  (5-5)
13. Perryville (7-3)
14. Lavaca (6-4)
15. Newport  (5-5)
16. Hackett (6-4)
17. Centerpoint (5-5)
18. Fouke (6-4)
19. Smackover (5-5)
20. Osceola (3-7)
21. Gurdon (3-6)
22. Jessieville (6-4)
23. Quitman (4-6)
24. Melbourne (3-7)
25. Magnet Cove (6-4)
26. Atkins (2-8)
27. Rison (3-7)
28. Barton (5-5)

29. Drew Central (2-7)
30. Yellville-Summit (3-6)
31. Paris (4-6)
32. West Fork (3-7)
33. Manila (3-7)
34. Cedarville (1-9)
35. Lake Village (1-7)
36. Greenland (1-9)
37. Horatio (1-9)
38. Palestine-Wheatley (3-5)
39. Danville (1-9)
40. Piggott (0-9)
41. Two Rivers (0-10)

LAST WEEK

Hootens.com correctly predicted 16 of 19 games (84 percent) involving 3A teams and has correctly predicted 214 of 255 games (84 percent) this year.

HOOTENS.COM 3A GAME OF THE WEEK

4-3A (4) Jessieville (6-4) at 6-3A (3) RISON (3-7)

Jessieville closed out the regular season last week with a 45-0 win over Two Rivers. The Lions have won 3 in row, guaranteeing a winning record while doubling last season's win total. Jessieville will be appearing in the playoffs for the fifth consecutive year, but it has lost in the first round 3 times and lost in the second round once. Rison won its third straight game last week 27-24 over Drew Central. Owen Moore (81 yards rushing, 1 TD) and Braylin Bennett (80 -yard KO return TD) led the team. The defense made multiple stops on fourth-and-short situations to kill Drew Central's momentum late in the game. Rison earned a spot in the playoffs and homefield advantage in the first round. The Wildcats have not missed the playoffs since 1998 and hold an all-time 79-38 state playoff record. Jessieville and Rison most recently played each other in the first round of the 2021 playoffs, with the Wildcats winning 48-7. Jessieville has 1 state championship, while Rison has won 8.

WEEK 11 PREDICTIONS (Favored team highlighted and CAPS)

TOP OF THE BRACKET

6-3A (1) Harmony Grove Ouachita County (8-2) has a first-round bye

5-3A (4) Smackover (5-5) at 2-3A (3) NEWPORT (5-5): These teams have never faced each other in the playoffs, but both come in with 5-5 records. Smackover lost its final regular-season game 21-18 to Fouke last Friday to finish with a .500 record and will be making its fourth playoff appearance in 5 seasons. Newport also comes in at .500 after losing its regular-season finale, 24-12 against Perryville. Luke Reynolds (11-23 passing, 169 yards, 2 TDs) led the offense. The Greyhounds are making their eighth consecutive playoff appearance.

6-3A (5) Drew Central (2-7) at 1-3A (1) BOONEVILLE (8-2): Drew Central lost 27-24 to Rison last week and finished with a 2-7 regular-season record. The Pirates have made the playoffs 3 of the past 5 seasons. Booneville, the top-ranked team in Class 3A, beat Cedarville 49-6 to complete an undefeated season in 1-3A. The Bearcats, last year's state runners-up, have not missed the playoffs since 1997, making this the 27th consecutive playoff appearance. 

5-3A (3) FOUKE (6-4) at 3-3A (3) Osceola (3-7): Fouke guaranteed itself a winning season by beating Smackover 21-18 last Friday. This is the second playoff appearance in a row for Fouke, which has made postseason 3 times since 2018. Osceola completed its regular season last Friday with a 40-18 win over Manila. Keenan Jackson threw 2 TD passes and rushed for 2. This is the Seminoles' seventh consecutive playoff appearance. Osceola beat Fouke 62-7 when the teams last met, in the first round of the 2018 playoffs. 

1-3A (5) Lavaca (6-4) at 4-3A (1) GLEN ROSE (8-2): Lavaca, which has made the playoffs 4 of the past 6 seasons, lost to fourth-ranked Charleston 55-21 last Friday. Glen Rose, making its ninth consecutive playoff appearance, beat Magnet Cove 57-7 last week to finish with an undefeated conference record and a string of 4 consecutive games scoring 50 or more points. Glen Rose beat Lavaca 48-0 in the 2013 playoffs.

4-3A (5) Magnet Cove (6-4) at 2-3A (2) PERRYVILLE (7-3)

Magnet Cove finished the regular season with a 57-7 loss to Glen Rose last Friday, but the Panthers are making their 16th consecutive playoff appearance. Perryville won its final regular-season game 26-12 over Newport, earning the No. 2 seed out of the 2-3A conference. Wyatt Brown (20-71 rushing, 3 TDs) led the offense. Luke Underwood returned an interception 53 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to help give Perryville the edge. These teams have never matched up in the playoffs.

2-3A (4) Quitman (4-6) at 3-3A (2) WALNUT RIDGE (7-3): Quitman enters the playoffs for the fifth time in 6 seasons despite getting beat 50-0 by Salem last Friday. Walnut Ridge fell to Hoxie 41-20 last Friday in a game that decided the 3-3A conference championship. Enrique Perez (13-100 rushing, 2 TDs) led Walnut Ridge, which is making its sixth consecutive playoff appearance. These teams have never faced each other in the playoffs.

 4-3A (4) Manila (3-7) at 5-3A (2) JUNCTION CITY (7-3): Manila makes it third consecutive playoff appearance, entering after a 40-18 loss to Osceola last week. Junction City ended its regular season with a 55-6 win over Gurdon to finish 4-1 in conference play while earning the No. 2 seed. Lamontra Hankton (13-17 passing, 207 yards, 3 TDs; 12-85 rushing, 2 TDs) and Brady Penister (3-51 rushing, 1 TD) led the Dragons, who have only missed the playoffs once since 1998. These teams played in the first round of the 2016 playoffs, with Junction City winning 38-20.

BOTTOM OF THE BRACKET

2-3A (1) Salem (10-0) has a first-round bye

4-3A (4) Jessieville (6-4) at 6-4A (3) RISON (3-7), See Hootens.com Game of the Week

2-3A (5) Melbourne (3-7) at 3-3A (1) HOXIE (10-0): These teams have not faced each other in the playoffs, but Hoxie won a nonconference matchup 42-13 in Week 3. Melbourne, making its 11^th consecutive playoff appearance, nipped Atkins 18-17 last Friday to knock out Atkins and gain the final 2-3A spot in the 2-3A. Robert Langston (15-80 rushing, 2 TDs; 6.5 tackles) and Tanner Williams (5-52 receiving) led Melbourne to victory. Hoxie claimed the 3-3A championship last week with a 41-20 win over Walnut Ridge. Kayden Glenn (10-11 passing, 152 yards, 2 TDs; 20-182 rushing, 4 TDs) and Camden Brooks (14-111 rushing; 4-75 receiving, 2 TDs) led the Mustangs, who are making their seventh consecutive playoff appearance.

4-3A (3) Centerpoint (5-5) at 1-3A (3) MANSFIELD (8-2): Centerpoint dropped its final regular-season game 42-14 against Bismarck. The Knights have not missed the playoffs since the 2011 season. Mansfield, making the playoffs for the second year in a row, beat Hackett 32-13 last Friday in its tuneup. Tyler Turnipseed (169 yards, 2 TDs) led the way against Hackett ,while Zander Walters (7 tackles) and Andrew Burton (2 INT) held down the defense.

3-3A (5) Palestine-Wheatley (3-5) at 5-3A (1) PRESCOTT (9-1): These teams have never faced off in the playoffs. Palestine-Wheatley enters the matchup after closing the regular-season with a 41-0 loss to Class 2A Hector, and the Patriots face a difficult assignment on the road against the state's second-ranked 3A team. This is the first playoff appearance for the Patriots since 2017, when it was in 2A. Prescott is making its 18th consecutive playoff appearance. The Curley Wolves rolled over Horatio 62-7 last Friday to go undefeated in conference play. Prescott's only loss came to out-of-state opponent McAlister, Okla. in Week 1. Quarterback Pierce Yates (10-11 passing, 246 yards, 5 TDs), Jah’Noah Harris (3-117 rushing, 1 TD), KJ Page (2-38 rushing, 1 TD) and D’Wayne White (2-98 receiving, 2 TDs) led Prescott against Horatio. DeCari Prater (58-yard INT return for TD), Jayquan Dickerson (1 INT), Owen Glass ( 1 INT) and Rhett Cornish (1 INT) helped lock down the Horatio offense.

5-3A (5) Gurdon (3-6) at 6-3A (2) FORDYCE (5-5): Gurdon, making a sixth consecutive playoff appearance, enters off a 55-6 loss to Junction City on Friday. Fordyce beat Lake Village 42-6 to even its overall record. The Red Bugs have moved between 2A and 3A the past 16 years, but not have not missed the playoffs since 2008. Fordyce defeated Gurdon 27-24 in the 2020 2A semifinals and will look to get another win over the Go-Devils on Friday. 

6-3A (4) Barton (5-5) at 1-3A (2) CHARLESTON (6-4): Barton played Harmony Grove Ouachita County close in its 38-30 loss last Friday. Ne’Taveus Johnson (17-116 rushing, 2 TDs) led the offense while Tarsa Scaife (5 tackles, 3 TFL’s, 1 sack) anchored the defense. This marks Barton's Barton's fifth playoff appearance since 2016. Defending 3A state champion Charleston picked up a 55-21 win over Lavaca last Friday. Reese Merechka (20-233 rushing, 5 TDs; 3-33 receiving, 2 TDs) and Hunter Little (5 tackles, 3 TFLs, 1 INT) stood tall on defense. The Tigers have made 35 consecutive playoff appearances, a streak that started in 1988. The last playoff matchup between these teams came in 2017's second round when Charleston beat Barton 39-34

1-3A (4) Hackett (6-4) at 4-3A (2) BISMARCK (8-2): The last playoff matchup between these teams was in 2021's first round, with Bismarck beating Hackett 18-8. Hackett, which missed the playoffs last season, closed the regular season with a 32-13 loss to Mansfield last Friday. Bismarck beat Centerpoint 42-14 last week and brings a 4-game winning streak into its first home playoff game since 1996. Ben Keithley (195 passing, 2 TDs; 120 rushing, 3 TDs) and Dalton Daniels (68 receiving, 2 TDs; defensive TD on pick 6) led the way for the Lions.