Hootens.com Rankings
Class 4A, Week 13, 2020
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc. 

1. Shiloh Christian (10-1)
2. Joe T. Robinson (8-3)
3. Stuttgart (10-0)
4. Nashville (8-2)
5. Rivercrest (10-0)
6. Prairie Grove (10-1)
7. Ozark (8-3)
8. Elkins (8-2)
9. Arkadelphia (8-1)
10. Pocahontas (10-2)
11. Warren (6-4)
12. Dumas (8-3)
13. Malvern (6-5)
14. Crossett (5-1)
15. Monticello (7-4)
16. Gosnell (4-4)
17. Mena (6-4)
18. Ashdown (7-4)
19. CAC (8-3)
20. Dardanelle (4-4)
21. Lonoke (7-4)
22. Hamburg (5-6)
23. Lamar (5-5)
24. Bald Knob (7-5)
25. Trumann (6-6)
26. Blytheville (5-5)
27. Mills (5-7)
28. Bauxite (4-7)
29. Pottsville (4-6)
30. Fountain Lake (4-5)
31. Star City (4-5)
32. Waldron (4-6)
33. Huntsville (4-6)
34. Jonesboro Westside (3-6)
35. Gentry (4-6)
36. Gravette (3-7)
37. Heber Springs (2-9)
38. Clinton (2-9)
39. DeWitt (2-7)
40. Highland (2-6)
41. Southside Batesville (3-6)
42. Cave City (2-7)
43. Green Forest (1-10)
44. H. Grove Haskell (0-10)
45. Helena (0-9)
46. Berryville (0-9)
47. Dover (0-6)

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 2 Joe T. Robinson at No. 3 Stuttgart
Stuttgart won only once last season (received a forfeit) but hasn't lost in 2020, thanks to a speedy defense. The Ricebirds surrender 8.2 points per game. They've applied the 35-point sportsmanship rule in nine of 10 games this fall, but it took until the fourth quarter last week in a 51-21 win over Hamburg.  Stuttgart has rushed for more than 300 yards in each of the past three games. Sophomore Cedric Hawkins ran 17 times for 133 yards against Hamburg. Senior linemen Tyrek Avery (6-2, 320) and Collier Bush (6-3, 265) have played well up front, Coach Josh Price says. Junior Tymir Coppins returned a kickoff 60 yards for a touchdown vs. Hamburg, and intercepted a pass on defense. Senior cornerback Rhett Bohanan also intercepted a pass.
Defending state champion Joe T. Robinson has won five straight games this fall, and its three losses are to teams with a combined record of 25-5. The Senators intercepted three passes in last week's 63-18 victory over Mills. Senior quarterback Buddy Gaston has passed for more than 2,400 yards and 29 TDs this fall, while senior Hunter Smith has rushed for 723 yards and 10 TDs in nine games and averages 14 yards per reception. Smith ran 14 times for 125 yards and two TDs against Mills. Senior James Jordan averages 17 yards per carry and 14 yards per reception this fall, scoring 11 TDs. Jordan caught a pair of TD passes against Mills. Defensively, Jordan has 59 tackles, six sacks, three interceptions and a fumble recovery as a safety. “By far the best team we've seen this year,” Stuttgart coach Josh Price says. “They are so long and fast everywhere.”

LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly predicted 15 of 16 games (94 percent) last week. For the season, hootens.com has correctly predicted 242 of 292 games (83 percent).

WEEK 13 PREDICTIONS (favored team in ALL CAPS)
Top of the Bracket
Malvern at SHILOH CHRISTIAN (10): A battle featuring two of the top sophomore QBs in the state. Malvern's Cedric Simmons completed 13 of 15 passes for 196 yards and three TDs and ran for a 118 yards in last week's 54-0 win over Trumann. Shiloh Christian's Eli Wisdom threw four TD passes, to four different receivers, and ran for another TD in the first half of last week's 48-12 win over DeWitt. Malvern also gets big plays from senior RB Jacobe Hart (14 carries for 83 yards and three TDs vs. Trumann), while Shiloh Christian's Ben Baker scored a pair of TDs against DeWitt, while senior LB Braden Tutt recovered two fumbles, returning one 68 yards for a TD.
Gosnell at DUMAS (6): Dumas senior RB Kylin James went off for 253 yards and five TDs in last week's 45-17 win over Bauxite. James has 1,994 yards and 21 TDs this fall. Bobcat senior receiver Tamarja Parker averages almost 14 yards per catch, while senior two-way lineman Jon Stanley Hill has 53 tackles and seven sacks. Gosnell seeks its second straight playoff road victory after last week's 22-point decision at Dardanelle. Junior Travelle Anderson ran for 260 yards and for tallied 126 yards receiving at Dardanelle, while senior Brayden Burcham caught six passes for 104 yards and two TDs. Junior LB Tru Walker racked up nine tackles, including three TFL and a pair of sacks, while senior White McDonald made nine tackles, one sack and forced one fumble. 
JOE T. ROBINSON (4) at Stuttgart: Hootens.com Class 4A Game of the Week.
Pocahontas at OZARK (7): Pocahontas advances to the second round of the playoffs for the third time in four years. Senior QB Dawson Chester threw three TD passes to senior Michael Martens and ran for another TD in last week's 30-point win over Lamar. Sophomore Connor Baker ran 25 yards for a TD. Ozark owns a four-game win streak after beating Ashdown last week 20-7 a week ago. Senior QB Harper Faulkenberry completed five of six passes, and ran 32 times for 198 yards and three TDs. Sophomore Eli Masingale had nine carries for 97 yards. Senior LB Keystan Durning tallied six tackles and an interception, while junior Ryker Martin made seven stops. Durning has 108 tackles this fall, while Martin has 90.

Bottom of the Bracket
Elkins at NASHVILLE (13): These teams last met in the first round in 2018, with Nashville winning 36-0. But the Scrappers this fall haven't played since beating Bauxite 58-23 Week 10 (Waldron forfeited last week). This is Nashville's second 21-day break during the 2020 season (also didn't play Week 3 or 4). Senior QB Ty Gordon completes 65 percent of his passes this year for 1,309 yards and 15 TDs with only three interceptions. Gordon has rushed for 611 yards and 10 TDs. Senior Dontrelle Robinson logs the most snaps of any Scrapper, starting at receiver (22 carries, 423 yards and 6 TDs; 19 catches, 312 yards and 4 TDs) and safety (36 tackles, one interception). Coach Mike Volarvich expects sophomore RB Eric Grigsby and junior offensive guard Turner Futrell to return this week from injury. Grigsby hasn't played since Week 2 vs. De Queen, while Futrell was hurt on the opening series Week 7 at Ashdown. Elkins blasted Bald Knob 44-7 a week ago. Senior Trevor Shumate ran for a TD, caught a 44-yard TD pass and kicked a 47-yard field goal, but hurt his leg defending a pass in the second half and didn't return. Sophomore Gunner Casebolt ran for a pair of TDs and recorded 11 tackles a linebacker, while senior QB Kain Johnson passed for 140 yards and two TDs. “Johnson is great at scrambling around until he makes something happen,” Volarvich says.
Arkadelphia at WARREN (1): This is a rematch from the 2017 state title game Arkadelphia won 28-27. Warren beat Arkadelphia 31-24 in the 2013 quarterfinals. Arkadelphia, relegated to the No. 5 seed this fall due to three Covid-19 cancellations, won its opening two playoff games over Star City and Mena  by a combined 76-27. Senior QB Braden “Buster” Thomas passed for 151 yards and two TDs and ran for another TD in last week's 34-7 triumph over 4-4A champion Mena. Junior Jaishon Davis bulled 23 times for 116 yards and a pair of TDs. Warren senior Trelon Marshall ran 16 times for 182 yards and three TDs, while senior Payton Byrd ran five times for 57 yards and three TDs in last week's 54-19 win over Lonoke. Sophomore QB Maddox Lassiter threw a 33-yard TD pass to Jacari Lee on the opening possession. Junior Cedric Calbert ran for a TD and paced the D in tackles at linebacker, while senior all-purpose player Weston Hembree recovered a fumble to set up a TD. The Lumberjacks held Lonoke to 311 total yards.
Prairie Grove at RIVERCREST (6): Prairie Grove beat Blytheville 59-34 last week, while Rivercrest blasted Blytheville 45-21 Week 10. Prairie Grove scored 28 points in fourth quarter against Blytheville, after trailing 34-31. Senior Foster Layman ran 14 times for 121 yards, while Cade Grant logged 19 carries for 150 yards. Rivercrest senior QB Kam Turner passed for 214 yards and three TDs, ran for 101 yards and a TD and returned a punt 74 yards for a TD in last week's 38-6 victory over Pottsville. Jaylen West caught four passes for 113 yards and a pair of TDs. These teams last met in the 2003 semifinals, which Rivercrest won 46-14.
CROSSETT (11) at Monticello: These 8-4A teams were scheduled to play Week 7 this year, but canceled due to Covid-19. Crossett, which canceled five games this fall, expects to play in consecutive weeks (haven't played three straight weeks) for just the third time in 2020. Crossett clobbered CAC 68-36 a week ago by scoring on all but one possession. Junior QB Tyrique Jones ran in four TDs and threw two TD passes, including a 53-yarder to junior Dewayne Ashford. Jones has passed for 887 yards and seven TDs this year, and rushed for 654 yards and 11 TDs. Monticello's 10-point win last week over Gentry was its first in the playoffs since 2011. Junior QB Stran Smith completed eight of 10 passes for 162 yards and a TD against Gentry (60-yarder to Nick Smith), while Doerian Allen ran three times for 65 yards and a TD and hauled in six passes for 94 yards.