Hootens.com Class 3A Rankings

Week 11, 2024

1. Fordyce (11-0)

2. Bismarck (10-0)

3. Mansfield (9-2)

4. Prescott (10-1)

5. Booneville (10-1)

6. Osceola (9-1)

7. Rivercrest (10-1)

8. Charleston (7-4)

9. Rison (10-1)

10. Newport (9-2)

11. Salem (8-3) 

12. Glen Rose (8-3)

13. Atkins (8-3)

14. Mayflower (9-2)

15. Jessieville (9-2)

16. Dumas(5-6)

17. Walnut Ridge (7-4)

18. McGehee (6-5) 

19. Fouke (7-4)

20. Harmony Grove OC (6-5)

Not Ranked:

1-3A: Cedarville (2-8), Greenland (4-6), Hackett (2-8), Lavaca (5-6), West Fork (3-8).

2-3A: Episcopal (0-10), Melbourne (8-3), Mountain View (4-6), Quitman (5-6), Yellville-Summit (4-6).

3-3A: Harrisburg (1-9), Hoxie (4-7) Manila (1-9), Piggott (0-10)

4-3A: Cutter Morning Star (1-9), Danville (3-7), Magnet Cove (6-5), Paris (3-8), Perryville (7-4),  Two Rivers (0-10)

7-3A: Centerpoint (6-5), Horatio (2-8), Parkers Chapel (1-9), Smackover (4-6)

8-3A: Barton (4-6), Drew Central (2-8), Lake Village (1-9), Palestine-Wheatley (4-6)

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK

8-3A (2) Rison (10-1) at 3-3A (2) RIVERCREST (10-1): Rison beat Walnut Ridge 49-21 last week behind Christian Reeves (122 yards rushing, 5 TDs) and Kyson Walker (68 yards rushing, 1 TD). Ethan Saeler (11 tackles) and Walker (interception returned for TD) were the defensive anchors. Rivercrest beat Fouke 35-7 last week, led by QB Cavonta Washington (20-26 passing, 301 yards, 5 TDs; 15 carries, 108 yards, 1 TD), Jayden Young (7 carries, 61 yards; 10 catches, 106 yards, 4 TDs) and WR Buddah Harris (5 catches, 83 yards, 1 TD) led the Colts to the win. Mike Facson (6 tackles), Young (5 tackles) and Tekylun Sanders (5 tackles) stood out. Rison will travel 223 miles and almost 4 hours for the game. Both teams are steeped in tradition, but this will be the first time these teams have played each other.

LAST WEEK

Hootens.com correctly predicted 13 of 14 games from Week 11 (93 percent).

WEEK 12 PREDICTIONS (Favored team highlighted and CAPS)

TOP OF THE BRACKET

2-3A (4) Atkins (8-3) at 7-3A (1) BISMARCK (10-0): Atkins scored a 10-7 first-round win over Perryville last week to earn its first playoff win since 2019. QB Cole Crawford (19-23 passing, 172 yards; 10-72 rushing), RB Jaden Martin (16-58 rushing, 1 TD) and RB Mason Martin (9-52 rushing; 5-62 receiving) led the Red Devils offense. Bismarck returns from a first-round bye after beating Horatio 58-8 in the regular-season finale. QB Preston Hughes (5-10 passing, 112 yards; 2 rushing TDs), RB Caedmon Keithley (11-72 rushing, 2 TDs) and Ben Keithley (3-110 receiving, 1 TD) led a Bismarck offense that has scored 50 points or more in 5 games. Bismarck is also battle-tested with solid wins over second-round playoff teams Mansfield, Prescott and Glen Rose. This will be the first matchup ever for these schools.

1-3A (3) Charleston (7-4) at 3-3A (1) OSCEOLA (9-1): Charleston won its first-round matchup 66-35 over Melbourne, with QB Carter Little (25-35 passing, 320 yards, 5 TDs; 1 rushing TD), RB Garred Smithson (26-240 rushing, 3 TDs), WR Emiliano Gaona (10-160 receiving, 2 TDs) and WR Ayden Kilpatrick (5-59 receiving, 2 TDs) led the Tigers on offense. LB Maddix Terry keyed the defense with 2 interceptions. Charleston recorded a season-high in points against Melbourne, and it was the second time the Tigers offensive have scored 55 points or more. Osceola comes off a 41-22 win over Centerpoint, led by QB Tyler Bell (7-8 passing, 90 yards, 3 TDs; 1 rushing TD), RB Jeremiah Jacobs (5-42 rushing; 1 receiving TD) and MJ Washington (43 yards rushing, 1 TD) led the offense. Harris Manning (6 tackles, 2 TFLs, 1 sack) anchored the Seminoles' defense. It’s notable that Charleston makes the 296-mile, 5-hour bus ride up to Seminoles nation for the first time.

4-3A (2) Jessieville (9-2) at 8-3A (1) FORDYCE (11-0): Jessieville advanced to the second playoffs round for the second consecutive year, beating Palestine-Wheatley 38-15 last week behind QB Dalton Ellison (186 yards rushing, 2 TDs) and RB Jacob Graves (209 yards rushing, 3 TDs). Tony Soileau (15 tackles) was the defensive anchor. Fordyce beat Hoxie 52-14 last week in its first-round playoff matchup behind QB Cadillac Ellison (12-16 passing, 154 yards, 2 TDs; 5-48 rushing, 1 TD), RB Micah Gamble (5-94 rushing, 1 TD), Jamarcus Cranford (1 rushing TD; 4-58 receiving, 1 TD) and Jamartez Stroud (4-50 receiving, 1 TD). Brenden Simmons (12 tackles, 1 TFL), Tyrell Harris (8 tackles), Vincent Stroud (6 tackles, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovery) and Gamble (1 interception) anchored the defense.

2-3A (2) Mayflower at 1-3A (2) BOONEVILLE (10-1): Mayflower beat Lavaca 48-6 last week in its first-round matchup behind QB Carter Smith (8-10 passing, 186 yards, 3 TDs), RB Devon Davis (9-100 rushing, 2 TDs) and WRs Trebreh Credit (3-103 receiving, 1 TD) and Kam Willis (2-61 receiving, 1 TD). Blade Dykes (9 tackles) and Alex Warren (5 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack) anchored on defense. Booneville scored a 48-7 first-round win over Magnet Cove 48-7 behind RB Rhett Nietert (4-148 rushing, 1 TD), RB Conner Lentz (4-109 rushing, 2 TDs) and RB Hunter Warren (6-90 rushing, 2 TDs). Warren (5 tackles) led the defense. Booneville beat Mayflower 49-14 when the team last played in the 2021 regular season.

BOTTOM OF THE BRACKET

8-3A (4) DUMAS (5-6) at 4-3A (1) Glen Rose (8-3): Dumas won its first-round matchup 28-14 over Harmony Grove Ouachita County 28-14. QB Darnail Walker (179 yards passing, 2 TDs) and WR Raylen Spratt (7-162 receiving, 2 TDs) led the offense. Dashawn Norah, DaQuan Stovall, Marion Grant and Keon Chaffin Jr. led the defense with 9 tackles each. Glen Rose enters off a first-round bye and hasn't played since a 28-6 win over Danville in Week 10. sees action for the first time in the playoffs this season following its first-round bye this week. Glen Rose hasn't played since beating Danville 28-6 in Week 10 and faces a high-riding Dumas team.

3-3A (3) NEWPORT (9-2) at 1-3A (1) Mansfield (9-2): Newport beat McGehee 54-18 last week, the Greyhounds' first playoff win over the Owls. QB Luke Reynolds (14-18 passing, 215 yards, 2 TDs), RB Kiandrea Barker (20-235 rushing, 4 TDs) and WR Demetric Denton (4-106 receiving) led the offense. Dayrin Braxton (11 tackles, 1 TFL) and Antonio Ross (11 tackles, 2 TFLs) anchored on defense. Mansfield, which has relied on its running game and tough season, posted a 42-7 first-round win over Paris last week, but it will be put to the test this week against a Newport team that possesses skill-position talent. This will be the first time these teams have played.

7-3A (2) Prescott (10-1) at 2-2A (1) SALEM (8-3): Prescott scored a 35-3 first-round win over Quitman 35-3 last week behind QB Decari Prater (9-16 passing, 174 yards, 3 TDs; 12-49 rushing, 1 TD) and RB KJ Page (15-137 rushing, 1 TD). Prescott outgained Quitman 414-113. Salem beat West Fork 46-7 behind QB Jackson Taylor (81 yards passing, 1 TD; 6-80 rushing, 1 TD) and RB Kaden Brink (26-185 rushing, 4 TDs). Connor Muir (7 tackles), Gatlin Branscum (6 tackles), Aiden Province (6 tackles) and Cole Stemen (4 tackles, 2 sacks) anchored the defense. Salem led Prescott 22-10 at halftime in Week 1 at Hendrix College and maintained the lead until 1:52 left in the fourth quarter when Prescott scored late to win. This time, Prescott makes the 250-mile, 4-hour trip to Salem.

8-3A (2) Rison (10-1) at 3-3A (2) RIVERCREST (10-1): See Hootens.com Game of the Week, above.