Hootens.com Rankings

Class 6A, Week 14, 2024

Copyright Seventy Seven's Football Publishing, LLC.

1. Greenwood (12-0)

2. Shiloh Christian (9-3)

3. Benton (10-2)

4. Mountain Home (10-3)

5. LR Catholic (9-2)

6. Lake Hamilton (8-4)

7. El Dorado (7-5)

8. Van Buren (4-8)

9. Marion (7-4)

10. Russellville (5-6)

NOT RANKED

6A East: Jonesboro (3-8), West Memphis (1-9), Sheridan (3-8) and Sylvan Hills (0-10).

6A West: Fort Smith Southside (4-6) and Siloam Springs (2-8).

WEEK 14 PREDICTIONS (favored team in ALL CAPS and highlighted)

LAST WEEK

Hootens.com correctly selected 1 of 2 games (50 percent) involving 6A teams a week ago and has picked 94 of 113 games (84 percent) for the season.

CLASS 6A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

No. 2 Shiloh Christian (9-3) vs. NO. 1 GREENWOOD (12-0): Top-ranked Greenwood has won 8 of the past 11 meetings with Shiloh Christian dating back to 2004, including a 28-17 victory Week 4 this season when Greenwood junior QB Kane Archer was knocked out with an injury. The Bulldogs outscored the Saints 14-0 in the fourth quarter as backup QB Cooper Goodwin completed 7 of 10 passes for 81 yards and a touchdown, while tailback Wesley Raggio ran for 66 yards and a score. Grant Karnes caught 7 passes for 110 yards and 2 TDs. Archer is expected to be available for this game.

Shiloh Christian advanced to its sixth consecutive state championship game, first in 6A, a week ago by dominating the second half in a 45-32 victory at Benton. It was 20-20 at halftime, but the Saints forced 5 Benton turnovers and scored TDs on 4 of their 5 possessions in the third and fourth quarters. Jake Bodenstein relieved sophomore Cole Creighton at QB, and Bodenstein hit 12 of his 14 pass attempts for 230 yards and 2 scores. Griffin Mason racked up 240 total yards and 4 scores. Chandler Kemp caught 10 passes for 132 yards and Zane Sluyter caught 4 passes for 141 yards and another TD. Creighton likely starts at QB if he's healthy, and has completed 84 of 114 passes (74 percent) this fall for 1,167 yards and 10 TDs with zero interceptions. Bodenstein has completed 89 of 150 passes (60 percent) for 962 yards and 8 TDs. Mason (1,562 rushing, 16 TDs), Max Eldridge (433 rushing, 7 TDs), Sluyter (43-690 receiving, 6 TDs), Kemp (50-671 receiving, 6 TDs) and Dalton Carnes (32-304 receiving, TD) led the offense. The stingy Shiloh Christian defense is led by junior A.J. Ylanan (75 tackles), Carter Henley (60 stops), Hudson Ball (58 tackles) and Eldridge (58 stops including 10 TFL). Ylanan added 4 interceptions while Zander Salter intercepted 3 passes. 

Defending Class 6A state champion Greenwood advanced to the state final for the fifth season in a row last week after beating Mountain Home 42-0 after leading 42-0 at halftime. The Bulldogs outgained the Bombers 390-46 before halftime, allowing 3 first downs. Bulldogs QB Kane Archer completed 17 of 20 passes in the semifinals for 300 yards and 5 TDs, and he added a 20-yard TD run. All 3 of Karnes' receptions went for TDs and he totaled 114 yards, while Champ Davis (7-145 receiving) had 2 TD scores. Archer has completed 225 of his 274 passes (82 percent) for 3,559 yards and 54 TDs with 1 interception for the season. Archer leads Greenwood in rushing with 664 yards with 6 TDs, while Raggio has added 438 yards and 13 TDs. Davis (75-1,163 receiving, 21 TDs) and Karnes (73-1,168 receiving, 16 TDs) lead the receivers.

Paul Brixey (team-high 119 tackles, including 13 TFL), Zach Zitzmann (92 stops), Kayden Jasna (81 tackles), Gage Hanna (81 stops), and Zach Edwards (79 tackles) lead the Bulldogs defense, along with one of the state's top defensive playmakers, Cash Archer (70 tackles, including a team-high 33 TFL and 12 sacks).

It’s only right that 2 of the state’s top programs settle this year's state championship on the turf of War Memorial Stadium. Look for Greenwood to earn its 26th consecutive victory and a second Class 6A state crown in a row with a balanced effort against tradition-rich Shiloh Christian.