Hootens.com Rankings

Class 3A, Week 12, 2023

Copyright Seventy Seven's Football Publishing, Llc

1. Booneville (9-2)

2. Prescott (10-1)

3. Harmony Grove Ouachita County (8-2)

4. Charleston (7-4)

5. Salem (10-0)

6. Hoxie (11-0)

7. Mansfield (9-2)

8. Glen Rose (9-2)

9. Walnut Ridge (8-3)

10. Bismarck (9-2)

11. Junction City (8-3)

12. Fordyce  (6-5)

13. Perryville (8-3)

14. Newport  (6-5)

15. Osceola (4-7)

16. Jessieville (7-4)

17. Lavaca (6-5)

18. Centerpoint (5-6)

19. Fouke (6-5)

20. Smackover (5-6)

21. Hackett (6-5)

22. Gurdon (3-7)

23. Quitman (4-7)

24. Melbourne (3-8)

25. Magnet Cove (6-5)

26. Atkins (2-8)

27. Rison (3-8)

28. Barton (5-6)

29. Drew Central (2-8)

30. Yellville-Summit (3-6)

31. Paris (4-6)

32. West Fork (3-7)

33. Manila (3-8)

34. Cedarville (1-9)

35. Lake Village (1-7)

36. Greenland (1-9)

37. Horatio (1-9)

38. Palestine-Wheatley (3-7)

39. Danville (1-9)

40. Piggott (0-9)

41. Two Rivers (0-10)

PREDICTIONS (Favored team highlighted and CAPS)

LAST WEEK

Hootens.com correctly predicted 12 of 14 games (86 percent). Hootens.com has correctly predicted 226 of 269 games (84 percent) this year.

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK

4-3A (2) Bismarck (9-2) at 1-3A (2) CHARLESTON (7-4): This will be the first matchup in the playoffs between these teams. Bismarck hosted its first home playoff game since 1996 last week and made a statement with a 42-13 win over Hackett. QB Ben Keithley passed for 102 yards and rushed for 202 yards and 2 TDs. Caedmon Keithley (32 receiving yards) and Preston Hughes (2 INTs, 1 returned for TD) complemented Ben Keithley.. The defending 3A state champion Charleston Tigers advanced with a 49-28 win over Barton. Reese Merechka (24-172 rushing, 6 TDs; 6-36 receiving) was the offensive star. QB Eli Huck (14-20 passing, 142 yards, TD; 17-90 rushing) also played a pivotal role.

TOP OF THE BRACKET

2-3A (3) Newport (6-5) at 6-3A (1) HARMONY GROVE OUACHITA COUNTY (8-2) Friday's matchup marks  the first meeting between these teams in the playoffs. Newport handled Smackover 36-8 last Friday to earn its way to the second round. Luke Reynolds threw 3 TD passes to Aamonii Wren, and Tonio Phillips (24-222 rushing, 1 TD) had a breakout game. Jack Sampson led the Greyhounds with 6 tackles. Harmony Grove Ouachita County, the 6-3A champion with a 5-0 record, earned a first-round bye after ending the regular season with a 38-30 win over Barton and heads into this matchup on a 7-game win streak. Dual-threat QB Caleb Johnson will prove a tough challenge for Newport to figure out.

3-3A (2) Osceola (4-7) at 1-3A (1) BOONEVILLE (9-2) This is a rematch from last season, when Booneville beat Osceola 35-20. To get here this year, Osceola beat Fouke 64-0, with the Seminoles outgaining the Panthers 496-50. Booneville beat Drew Central 56-14 behind Dax Goff (16-195 rushing, 5 TDs; 65-yard punt return TD). Goff has rushed for more than 5,000 yards and scored 78 TDs in his career.

2-3A (2) Perryville (8-3) at 4-3A (1) GLEN ROSE (9-2): Perryville advanced with a 34-7 win over Magnet Cove. Connor Frith (9-16 passing, 147 yards, TD) and Wyatt Brown (17-127-3 rushing) led the offense. Frith also excels on defense (12 interceptions). The Mustangs have won 7 of their last 8 games, holding 5 opponents to 7 points or less. The Mustangs' loss during that stretch came by a 16-6 score to undefeated Salem. Glen Rose dominated Lavaca 51-0 last Friday to advance. The Beavers have won 9 in a row and have scored at least 50 points in 5 consecutive games.

5-3A (2) Junction City (8-3) at 3-3A (2) WALNUT RIDGE (8-3): The most recent playoff matchup between these teams came in 2014 when the Dragons won 62-8. Junction City took down Manila 52-6 on Friday in its first-round matchup. The Dragons have won 6 of their last 7 games and have scored 50 or more points in 3 consecutive games. Junction City outscored its opponents 156-18 during that 3-game stretch. Walnut Ridge beat Quitman 54-35 to advance to the second round. Enrique Perez (29-261 rushing), Robbie Tate (27-147 rushing) and Jace Blake (13-77) carried the load as the Bobcats rushed 69 times for 485 yards..

BOTTOM OF THE BRACKET

4-3A (4) Jessieville (7-4) at 2-3A (1) SALEM (10-0): These teams have never faced each other in the playoffs. Jessieville beat Rison 40-27 to reach this round. Freshman QB Jacob Graves (18-122 rushing, TD), RB Sawyer Castleberry (119 rushing), RB Dawson Lawhon (4 rushing TDs) and WR Karston Criswell (87 receiving, TD) led the Lions, who have won 4 in a row while scoring 40 or more points in the last 3. Salem enters the matchup off a first-round bye after winning the 2-3A conference. Salem finished the regular season with a 50-0 win over Quitman. The Greyhounds held their last 3 opponents to 8 points or less.

1-3A (3) Mansfield (9-2) at 3-3A (1) HOXIE (11-0): This is the first time these teams have faced each other in the playoffs. Mansfield won its first playoff game since 2018, beating Centerpoint 55-22. Tyler Turnipseed and Daniel Burton each gained more than 100 yards in the game. Mansfield set a school record with 442 points score, surpassing the previous mark of 399. Hoxie defeated Melbourne 41-6 in its first-round matchup. Kayden Glenn (7-7 passing, 265 yards, 4 TDs; rushing TD) led Hoxie, along with Camden Brooks (6-157 rushing, TD) and Jake Jones (2-84 receiving, TD). The Mustangs have scored 40 or more points 8 times.

6-3A (2) Fordyce (6-5) at 5-3A (1) PRESCOTT (10-1): These teams last faced each other in the 1983 playoffs, with the Curley Wolves beating the Redbugs 23-9. Fordyce beat Gurdon 37-0 in the first round this year. Keilin Ellison (8-54 rushing, 2 TDs; 60-yard KO return TD) led the offense. The Redbugs also completed 9-of-14 passes for 133 yards. Twin brothers Carmilo Allen and Akeem Allen sparked the defense. Carmilo posted 7 tackles, 3 TFL and 2 sacks; Akeem had 5 tackles, 2 TFL and 2 sacks. Prescott breezed to a 42-0 shutout win over Palestine-Wheatley last week. QB Pierce Yates (7-9 passing, 105 yards, 2 TDs) and RB Jah’Noah Harris (7-110 rushing, 3 TDs) led the Curley Wolves. Five different Prescott players scored at least 1 touchdown against the Patriots. Lavonte Gleason recorded an interception.

4-3A (2) Bismarck (9-2) at 1-3A (2) CHARLESTON (7-4): See Hootens.com game of the week.