Hootens.com 8-Man Rankings

Week 14, 2024

Top 12 Sanctioned

1. Strong (7-0)

2. Midland (11-0)

3. Cedar Ridge (9-2)

4. Brinkley (8-3)

5. Rector (4-4)

6. Woodlawn (6-4)

7. South Side Bee Branch (4-4)

8. Marvell (4-6)

9. Augusta (1-6)

10. Dermott (2-6) 

11. Hermitage (0-8)

12. Guy-Perkins (1-7)

Top 4 Unsanctioned

1. Corning (8-1)

2. Subiaco Academy (5-4)

3. Marshall (3-6)

4. Rose Bud (2-7)

CHAMPIONSHIP PREDICTION (favored team highlighted in ALL CAPS)

STRONG (7-0) vs. Midland (11-0)

7 p.m. Thursday, War Memorial Stadium

The beginning of the end of the 2024 football season kicks off on Thursday evening in Little Rock when Strong and Midland square off in the first of 7 state championships over the next 2 weekends. 

The Midland Mustangs are having their best season since they began playing football 11 seasons ago. Each week has been a new experience.

“Last Wednesday was a little weird for them because they got on turf for the first time and that was a little different,” Midland Coach TJ Pugh says. “Everything is going well, I am just trying to get them to understand that we’ve done a lot but we are still continuing to try and do stuff.”

The Mustangs are led by a solid junior class that includes quarterback Chase Rascoe, plus running backs Jayce Adams and Brayden York, all of whom are averaging more than 100 yards rushing per game for an offense that averages 49.2 points per game. 

Senior Hunter May (10 tackles per game) leads a defense that is allowing 16.7 points per game, and has been a key cog in all 3 phases of the game. 

“Hunter has been ‘The Guy’ as the main leader of this team,” Pugh said. “He has played both sides of the ball and is a quiet leader. He will get on you if he needs to, but at the same time his heart is right and he is just trying to enjoy 1 more game.”

Linebacker Aaron Bozeman is another top tackler, along with Aiden McAdams, who has played well since returning from injury. “He has really helped us a lot at inside linebacker [since coming back],” Pugh says of McAdams. Pugh also pointed out that York and Chris Azlin have been playmakers in the secondary. 

The Mustangs will face top-ranked Strong, which has been the heavy favorite since football conversations began ramping up over the summer. The Bulldogs were forced to forfeit the 2023 season at the start of the playoffs due to use of an ineligible player. Then, they did not even play their first game until conference play started on Sept. 27.

“We did try to get some games but it just didn't work out,” Strong Coach Jason Porter says. “We finally just said that we were going to use this time to stay in good shape and work on things that will benefit us. The good thing was that with some of the weeks off we have not had a starter have to sit out because of injury.”

Strong has outscored its opponents 300-48, giving the Bulldogs another way to stay healthy by providing opportunities for more players to get on the field.

Speedy senior Kaiden McHenry-Jones leads the offense with 1,326 yards and 33 touchdowns. Germyren McHenry has rushed for 726 yards and 11 scores, while Danquez Crayton is a reliable blocker and leads the team in receiving with 217 yards and 5 touchdowns. 

The Bulldogs have not surrendered more than 14 points in a game. Jakeim Woods is the team’s leading tackler with 59 stops, including 11 sacks, followed by Jay Taylor (44 tackles, 3 sacks) and Jamarion Mitchell (22 tackles, 4 sacks).