hootens.com Rankings
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Class 2A, Week 14, 2018
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.
1. Foreman (11-1)
2. Hazen (12-0)
3. Junction City (10-2)
4. Mount Ida (11-2)
5. Conway Christian (10-3)
6. Hampton (8-3)
7. Des Arc (9-4)
8. Earle (9-4)
9. Gurdon (9-3)
10. Fordyce (6-6)
11. Salem (9-2)
12. Mineral Springs (9-3)
13. Mountain Pine (8-4)
14. Hector (7-4)
15. Mountainburg (8-3)
16. E. Poinsett County (6-5)
17. England (4-7)
18. Magnet Cove (5-6)
19. Magazine (6-5)
20. Quitman (6-5)
21. Poyen (6-4)
22. Hackett (4-5)
23. McCrory (5-5)
24. Rector (5-5)
25. Lavaca (4-6)
26. Bearden (3-7)
27. Bigelow (4-6)
28. Carlisle (4-6-1)
29. Parkers Chapel (2-8)
30. Clarendon (3-7)
31. Dierks (3-8)
32. Murfreesboro (3-7)
33. Marianna (2-7)
34. Brinkley (2-8)
35. Strong (1-9)
36. Midland (2-7)
37. Marked Tree (1-8)
38. J.C. Westside (2-8)
39. W. Yell County (2-7)
40. Cross County (3-8)
41. Lafayette County (1-9)
42. Spring Hill (1-8)
43. Cutter M. Star (1-9)
44. Marvell (0-10)

THE DQ GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 3 Junction City at No. 1 Foreman
Foreman turned Earle's lone turnover last week into a game-tying touchdown drive in the fourth quarter, and the Gators won in overtime 28-26. Foreman has not tackled well the past two weeks, allowing Magazine to rush for a surprising 136 yards and Earle QB Donerius Crowder to scramble and find open receivers for two TDs. Foremen tightened in the second half, holding Earle to 61 yards, but the Gators misfired on three redzone trips in the third quarter with two penalties and a dropped snap. Foreman senior QB Kyren Batey carried 30 times for 195 yards and two TDs but also overthrew two potential TD balls. Foreman junior Robbie Smith (5-6, 150) has emerged in the playoffs, rushing for 200 yards in two wins. Foreman's salty defensive front of sophomore DE Chris Haywood, senior DT Davin Cross and senior utility man Jeremy Jones faces a bigger challenge this week. Junction City's offensive line, spearheaded by senior guard Cody Adkins, has cleared the way for senior RB Dhante Gibson (1,330 yards, 20 TDs) and junior RB Jakiron Cook (1,025 yards, 14 TDs). Junior QB Brady Hutcheson has bolstered Junction City's passing numbers the past two weeks by completing a combined 13 of 16 attempts for 317 yards and a TD in almost identical blowouts of Mountainburg (50-14) and Des Arc (55-13). JC's 5-2 defense has tightened behind senior DL Semaj Livingston (39 tackles, 6.5 TFL), senior LB Jvacye Cook (62 stops) and sophomore Tanner Barnett (team-high 80 stops). Junction City allowed 103 points in its first three games. It has allowed 74 points (8.2 ppg) in the nine games since.

LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly picked all four quarterfinal games (100 percent) last week. Hootens.com has picked 227 of 282 (80 percent) for the season.

WEEK 14 SEMIFINAL PREDICTIONS (favored team in CAPS followed by point spread)
Junction City at FOREMAN (4): See Game of the Week.
No. 4 Mount Ida at No. 2 HAZEN (8): Mount Ida's Veer averages 35 points and 352 rushing yards per game, led by senior quarterback Cade Jackson (1,403 yards, 16 rushing TDs) and halfback Jonathan Lagrange (1,171 yards, 17 TDs). In MI's two losses this fall, No. 1 Foreman held the Lions to 171 rushing yards; No. 5 Gurdon held them to 152 rushing yards. Two weeks ago, 4-2A top seed Hector gave up 469 rushing yards to Mount Ida. Last week, Conway Christian allowed 462 rushing yards to MI with Jackson ripping off 234 yards and four TDs. Hazen has not faced a split-back Veer this year. It held Hampton's double-slot option attack to 174 yards last week with more than half of those yards coming on two plays. Hazen senior LB Cade Perry recorded 15 tackles (four TFL), while junior LB Tarrell Penn enjoyed his best game this fall with 10 stops. Hazen handled Hampton 30-7 despite a lack of offensive rhythm in a three-hour game with 30 personal foul and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties (majority on Hampton). Hazen still ran for 355 yards with junior Ay'Jon Green (151 yards, TD) and Penn (145 yards, two TDs) voluntarily splitting the carries as they do every week.