Hootens.com Class 4A Rankings

Week 14, 2024

1. Elkins (13-0)

2. Arkadelphia (11-2)

3. Mills (12-0)

4. Southside (13-0)

5. Warren (10-3)

6. Malvern (11-2)

7. Dardanelle (10-2)

8. Monticello (9-4)

9. Mena (10-2)

10. Highland (9-2)

11. Clinton (9-3)

12. Hamburg (8-4)

13. Gentry (9-3)

14. Prairie Grove (7-5)

15. Heber Springs (8-4)

16. Pocahontas (7-5)

17. Gravette (9-2)

18. DeWitt (7-4)

19. Pottsville (7-4)

20. Nashville (6-5)

Not Ranked

1-4A: Berryville (1-9), Green Forest (4-7), Huntsville (1-9), Lincoln (5-5)

2-4A: Bald Knob (0-10), CAC (3-7), Forrest City (4-7), Hall Steam (3-7), Lonoke (5-6), Riverview (1-8)

 3-4A: Blytheville (3-7), Cave City (3-7), Gosnell (6-5), Jonesboro Westside (1-9), Trumann (3-7)

 4-4A: Dover (2-8), Lamar (4-6), Ozark (4-7), Waldron (2-8)

 7-4A: Ashdown (5-6), Bauxite (3-7), Fountain Lake (2-8), HG Haskell (2-9)

 8-4A: Crossett (0-10), Helena (6-5), Star City (4-6), Stuttgart (5-5)

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK

1-4A (1) ELKINS (13-0) at 2-4A (1) Mills (12-0): Elkins returns to the semifinals for the second consecutive season, and travels in the playoffs for the first time since losing at Stuttgart in the second round in 2021 (7-1 home playoff record in that span). The Elks beat Malvern last week 45-31 as senior running back Ja'Quae Walden (31-211 rushing, 4 TDs) dominated on the ground and added a 24-yard TD catch. Junior quarterback Ben Napier (14-24 passing, 184 yards, 2 TD passing; 8-40 rushing) and junior receiver Isaiah Haywood (3-81-1 TD) kept Malvern's defense from focusing on Walden. Junior safety Connor Hamm led the defense with 2 interceptions and 6 tackles. Junior defensive lineman Oliver Huaracha (8 tackles), junior LB Brooks Williams (7 tackles) and senior defensive back Pucci Townsend (4 tackles, 1 interception) played well.

Mills reaches the semifinals for the first time after rallying from a 20-point deficit last week to down Warren 47-40. Freshman QB Elijah Moody ran 7 yards for the winning TD with 19 seconds left. Sophomore RB Zamarion McDonald ran for 201 yards and 2 TDs. Senior Chauncey Haynes returned a kickoff 72 yards for a TD, and Moody's subsequent 2-point conversion run, tied the game at 40 in the final minutes. Mills has scored at least 40 points in 11 of their 12 games this fall. The 12 wins are the most in school history.

LAST WEEK

Hootens.com predicted 2 of 4 games, and for the season has predicted 273 of 319 games (86 percent).

WEEK 14 PREDICTIONS (favored team in ALL CAPS)

THE OTHER SEMIFINAL

3-4A (1) Southside (13-0) at 7-4A (1) ARKADELPHIA (11-2): Southside advances to the semifinals for the first time after beating Monticello 24-7. Senior Cameron Foree caught an 85-yard TD in the third quarter and iced the game with a 29-yard TD pass on a fake field goal to Landon McSpadden later in the quarter. Junior Owen McLaughlin ran for 85 yards and a TD, while sophomore QB Trey Allen passed for 125 yards and 1 TD. Senior DL Jackson Wammack (3 TFL, including 2 sacks) and junior NG Brady Wood (3 TFL, including 1 sack) formed a formidable defensive front that held Monticello to its lowest-scoring game of the year.

Arkadelphia is in the semifinals after a 1-year absence and for the sixth time in the past 8 years after holding off Dardanelle 35-27. Sophomore QB Bryston McCoy (15-21-217-3 TD) and RB Kyle Reed (21-93-1 TD rushing) led the Badgers attack. Junior Orion Roberts caught 2 passes for 94 yards and 2 TDs, while Maddox Fendley hauled in 4 passes for 38 yards and 1 TD. Junior LB Quentavion Morris (12 tackles), senior safety Brayden Wagner (10 tackles, 1 pass breakup) and junior MLB Malachi Hamilton (7 tackles) led the defense. Junior safety Amari Ford had 7 tackles and 2 interceptions, while senior LB Jacobey Campbell added 6 tackles and 1 fumble recovery.