Hootens.com Class 5A Rankings

Week 14, 2024

1. LR Parkview (12-1)

2. Farmington (12-1)

3. Valley View (12-1)

4. HS Lakeside (10-3)

5. Joe T. Robinson (10-2)

6. Camden Fairview (8-4)

7. Morrilton (9-3)

8. Maumelle (8-4)

9. Harding Academy (7-4)

10. Greenbrier (7-4)

11. Vilonia (7-4)

12. Nettleton (7-4)

13. Searcy (7-4)

14. Wynne (6-5)

15. Beebe (6-5)

16. Arkansas High (3-8)

17. Alma (5-5)

18. Brookland (6-4)

19. Hot Springs (4-6)

20. Magnolia (5-5)

Not Ranked

5A Central: Jacksonville (1-9), Pine Bluff (3-7), Watson Chapel (2-8), White Hall (3-7)

5A East: Batesville (2-7), Greene Co. Tech (0-9), Paragould (3-6)

5A South: Arkansas High (2-7), De Queen (3-6), Hope (0-9)

5A West: Clarksville (1-8), Harrison (1-7), Pea Ridge (1-8)

LAST WEEK

Hootens.com predicted 1 of 2 semifinal games, and for the season has predicted 173 of 206 games (84 percent).

WEEK 14 PREDICTIONS (favored team in ALL CAPS)

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

5A South (1) LR PARKVIEW (12-1) vs. 5A West (1) Farmington (12-1): Two-time defending state champion LR Parkview returns to the championship game for the third consecutive season. The Patriots defeated Shiloh Christian the past 2 years in the title game (31-21 in 2022 and 55-12 last fall).

The Patriots' only loss the past 2 seasons was 30-10 to Class 7A finalist Bryant in Week 2.  Parkview outscored 5A South opponents by an average of 52-10 and outscored 3 playoff opponents (Wynne, Maumelle and Valley View) by a combined 134-31. Senior defensive back Jermaine Penny returned an interception 50 yards for a TD in the opening minute of last week's 44-14 win at Valley View. Senior LB Jace White returned another first-half interception 60 yards for a TD, and Quentin Murphy sprinted 53 yards for a TD on a quarterback keeper. Senior Monterrio Elston scored 2 TDs, and senior Cameron Settles ran for a TD.

Farmington is in the championship game for the first time since 1973 under first-year coach Tommy Tice, who led Harrison to the 1999 Class AAAA state championship. The Cardinals, who outscored HS Lakeside 29-7 in the fourth quarter, trailed 55-45 with less than 2 minutes left. But junior quarterback Ayden Lester threw an 11-yard TD pass to Dawson Keaton with 1:13 left, then the winning 25-yard TD pass to senior Russell Hodge 27 seconds later. Lester passed for 422 yards and 5 TDs and ran for 63 yards. Keaton (12-147 receiving, 3 TDs) and Akin Johnson (165 yards, 1 TD) were the top Cardinals receivers, while Hodge ran for 74 yards.