Hootens.com Rankings
Class 2A, Week 12, 2012
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.

1. Junction City (10-1)
2. Bearden (9-2)
3. Salem (10-0)
4. Gurdon (9-1)
5. E. Poinsett County (10-1)
6. Carlisle (9-1)
7. Magnet Cove (10-1)
8. Walnut Ridge (8-2)
9. Rison (7-4)
10. Strong (6-5)
11. Bigelow (9-1)
12. Norphlet (6-5)
13. Conway Christian (8-3)
14. Murfreesboro (8-3)
15. Mineral Springs (8-3)
16. Dierks (8-3)
17. Hazen (9-2)
18. Hackett (9-2)
19. England (7-4)
20. McCrory (6-4)
21. Des Arc (6-4)
22. Mountainburg (8-3)
23. Parkers Chapel (4-5)
24. Foreman (5-6)
25. Mount Ida (6-5)
26. Marked Tree (3-7)
27. Pal.Wheatley (4-6)
28. Augusta (3-7)
29. Cross County (3-6-1)
30. Cutter M Star (4-6)
31. Poyen (3-8)
32. Hector (6-5)
33. J.C. Westside (4-6)
34. Decatur (6-5)
35. Hampton (2-6)
36. Magazine (3-6)
37. Quitman (4-6)
38. Brinkley (3-9)
39. Clarendon (1-9)
40. Spring Hill (1-10)
41. Woodlawn (0-9)
42. Union Christian (2-8)
43. Mountain Pine (0-10)
44. Cedar Ridge (0-10)
45. Hermitage (2-8)
46. Western Yell County (1-9)
47. Marvell (0-10)
48. Hartford (0-10)
49. Lafayette County (0-10)

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 21 Des Arc at No. 14 Murfreesboro
Des Arc has overcome much adversity to reach the second round of the playoffs. Coach Dustin Prescott's brother, Rison senior Logan Prescott, was killed in a car wreck in August. Three of Des Arc's more athletic players, including Sonic Super Team OL Hunter Hambrick, were injured in the preseason. Multiple injuries during the season slowed Des Arc, and then the coach was hospitalized Week 9 with viral meningitis. But the confident Eagles are thriving now with senior Travis Gentry (5-11, 220) playing great in Hambrick's guard slot while leading the team with more than 100 tackles at linebacker. Jalen Holloway has shed the cast on his arm to run the triple-option Flexbone. The junior quarterback has rushed for 220 yards and six TDs over the past two games. Senior Trey Warren has been a better fit at fullback than wingback.
Murfreesboro has steadily improved since its 21-10 loss Week 6 at Gurdon. Senior LB Blake Hinds leads the Rattlers with 103 tackles. Murfreesboro forced eight turnovers two weeks ago at Dierks and did not commit a turnover last week against Decatur. Senior QB Peter Saygnaphay (SAY-uh-pie) has completed 55 percent of his passes for 1,510 yards and 18 TDs with just four interceptions. He has also rushed 203 times for 1,671 yards and 18 TDs. Junior RB Marcus Jackson (6-3, 190) has emerged in the past month, rushing 13 times for 129 yards last week in a 54-23 win over Decatur.

LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly picked 10 of 14 games (71 percent) involving Class 2A teams. Hootens.com has picked 251 of 295 Class 2A games (85 percent) this season.

WEEK 12 PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS (Favored team in ALL CAPS followed by point spread)
TOP HALF OF THE BRACKET
BEARDEN (1) at Gurdon: This is a rematch of a Week 9 non-conference clash that Bearden won 28-26 despite being out-statted. Gurdon statistically dominated Bearden, 320 yards and 16 first downs to 186 yards and six first downs, but three turnovers doomed the Go-Devils: an interception in the Bearden end zone, an interception at Gurdon 9-yard line and a fumble at the Bearden 6-yard line. Bearden, coming off an emotional win over Rison, did not lose a turnover against Gurdon. Gurdon junior QB Austin Kirkpatrick (1,754 total yards, 21 TDs) ran 28 times at Bearden for 141 yards and passed for two TDs. Bearden junior NG Darwin Parham has more than 70 tackles this fall, while senior LB B.J. Ross has more than 80 tackles. Gurdon's defense (14 ppg) features senior tackling-machine LB Aaron Taylor (94 tackles), junior DT Devante Charles (6-3, 310; 25 tackles), senior DT Cody Weems (26 tackles) and senior DE Ed Hood (52 tackles).
Conway Christian at MAGNET COVE (5): This is a 5-2A rematch of Week 9 when Magnet Cove outscored Conway Christian 42-39. Magnet Cove sacked Conway Christian QB Tanner Stevenson six times and returned an interception for a score early. However, Conway Christian amassed 407 yards, the most Magnet Cove has allowed this season. Magnet Cove senior WR/CB Austin Stringfellow caught five passes for 122 yards and two TDs and returned the interception 40 yards for a TD. Both teams are more balanced than three weeks ago. Last week, Stevenson ran for 202 yards and passed for 247 yards in a 40-32 win over McCrory. Stringfellow caught two TD passes last week and returned an interception 74 yards for a TD in a 41-6 blowout of J.C. Westside.
Poyen at MINERAL SPRINGS (35): Poyen flying high after notching its first playoff victory in three years of varsity football, an 18-13 win at 4-2A champion Hackett. Mineral Springs is healthy again and at the right time. Senior tailback and 5,000-yard career rusher Rashad Williams ran for 147 yards last week in a 54-6 spanking of England. Senior WR Evante Evans caught a 54-yard TD pass, ran 9 yards for a TD and returned an interception 70 yards for a score. Senior DT Derrick Muldrow (113 tackles, 29 TFL in 2012) and the Mineral Springs defense have allowed six points over the past three weeks. The Hornets held England to 186 yards last week. They beat Poyen 62-0 in the first round of the 2011 playoffs.
Carlisle at E. POINSETT COUNTY (6): Carlisle has eliminated EPC from the playoffs the past two years, 34-28 in overtime in 2011 (second round) and 34-7 last year in the state semifinals. Last week, EPC intercepted four passes and recovered two fumbles in 52-14 win over Norphlet. In his first start on defense, freshman safety Malik Monk (five tackles) recovered a fumble and returned an interception 80 yards for a TD. Sophomore Aaron Scales returned an interception 29 yards for a TD. The EPC offense rolled up 367 yards offense, 265 on the ground. Carlisle counters with a physical line, led by all-league tackle Clayton Fields (6-2, 285). Junior RB Deron Ricks has rushed for 1,000 yards this season. Senior QB Chris Hart completes 65 percent of his passes and has thrown just two interceptions this year. Only four seniors start on defense, but junior Christian Cotton (6-1, 250) has emerged at DT this fall.

BOTTOM HALF OF THE BRACKET
Bigelow at SALEM (12): The third-ranked Greyhounds (10-0) had a first-round bye after sweeping the 3-2A. The Salem defensive front is the team's strength, led by junior DT Augustus Freeman (6-2, 200). Junior dual-threat QB Dillon Turner and RB J.J. Gray own breakaway speed. Bigelow counters with a solid defense, led by senior linebackers Jake Hoy (113 tackles) and Jake Starks (103 tackles). Senior all-league RB Terrell Dunlap (1,353 yards) has broken the school's single-season rushing record of 1,280 yards set in 2000 by Robby Hudspeth.
Dierks at JUNCTION CITY (18): Dierks senior QB Adam Bradshaw passed for 283 yards and three TDs as the Outlaws blistered Hector 40-7 last week. Top-ranked Junction City jumped Marked Tree 42-0 a week ago. Senior QB/CB Shaq Hunter completed eight of 14 passes for 145 yards and three TDs and ran for a team-high 96 yards and two TDs on just six carries. Junction City has shut out six of its past seven opponents. Senior LB Hayden Smith paces the Dragons with more than 80 tackles.
Strong at WALNUT RIDGE (2): Strong should match up better athletically (team speed) with Walnut Ridge's explosive misdirection offense than Rison did last week. Walnut Ridge beat Rison 62-40. Walnut Ridge amassed 668 yards at Rison, the most a Rison team has allowed in modern history. The 62 points were the most allowed by Rison in the post-World War II era, according to historian Stan Sadler. The Bobcats' 24 first-quarter points were the most allowed in a playoff game quarter by Rison. Walnut Ridge senior QB Zach Crisler completed 10 passes for 272 yards. He ran for another 77 yards. Senior RB Eric Wilcoxson ran 11 times for 179 yards, and senior FB Tyler Clement carried 15 times for 142 yards and three TDs. Strong mercy-ruled 6-2A champion Hazen 35-0 with big plays by blocking a punt, recovering a fumble and an onside kick in the first half. The Bulldogs scored on their first possession of the third quarter to take a commanding 28-0 lead.
Des Arc at MURFREESBORO (8): See Game of the Week above. Watch highlights of Murfreesboro's first-round win on hootens.com hompeage http://www.hootens.com/