Hootens.com Class 4A Rankings

Week 14, 2024

1. Elkins (14-0)

2. Arkadelphia (12-2)

3. Mills (12-1)

4. Southside (13-1)

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)

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

No. 2 Arkadelphia (12-2) vs. NO. 1 ELKINS (14-0): These teams have been ranked Nos. 1 and 2 by Hootens.com since Week 3.

Elkins makes its first state-title game and continues the program's upward trajectory after beating Mills 33-22 last week, its closest game of the season. The Elks lost in the quarterfinals 2 years ago and in the semifinals last season. Senior running back Ja'Quae Walden, a finalist for the Farm Bureau Insurance Awards’ Class 4A Offensive Player of the Year, ran for 123 yards and 1 touchdown at Mills, and returned a kickoff 73 yards for a TD. Senior end Owen Baublits led the Elks with 6 tackles and 2 sacks, while Conner Hamm and James Townsend each intercepted passes.

Arkadelphia advances to its first title game since 2018 with last week's 35-6 win over Southside. The Badgers won their second consecutive state championship in 2018. Sophomore quarterback Bryceton McCoy (21-25-265 passing, 4 TDs) blistered Southside's secondary. Senior Brayden Wagner caught 6 passes for 100 yards. Senior receiver Jay Purifoy, a finalist for the Farm Bureau Insurance Awards' Class 4A Offensive Player of the Year, caught 2 first-half TDs. Austin Born impacted the game with 2 blocked punts (1 recovered for a TD, the other resulting in a safety). Linebacker Quentavion Morris paces the Badgers this fall with 107 tackles and 7 sacks, while Xzavion Williams has 81 tackles, including 6.5 sacks.

LAST WEEK

Hootens.com predicted both semifinal games, and for the season has predicted 275 of 321 games (86 percent).

WEEK 15 PREDICTIONS (favored team in ALL CAPS)

Arkadelphia (12-2) vs. ELKINS (14-0)