Hootens.com Rankings
Class 2A, Week 16, 2017
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.
1. Mount Ida (14-0)
2. Conway Christian (11-2)
3. C. Harmony Grove (9-4)
4. Foreman (12-1)
5. Earle (0-11)
6. Danville (9-2)
7. Hazen (9-3)
8. Rison (10-2)
9. Bearden (7-5)
10. Mountainburg (9-2)
11. McCrory (7-2)
12. Mineral Springs (5-7)
13. Hampton (7-4)
14. Parkers Chapel (6-5)
15. Magnet Cove (7-5)
16. Hector (8-3)
17. Marked Tree (8-3)
18. E. Poinsett County (8-4)
19. Salem (6-7)
20. Palestine-Wheatley (8-3)
21. Mountain Pine (7-4)
22. Strong (5-5)
23. Hackett (6-4)
24. Cross County (4-7)
25. Clarendon (4-6)
26. England (5-6)
27. Poyen (3-8)
28. Des Arc (4-6)
29. Lavaca (4-7)
30. Magazine (5-6)
31. Spring Hill (4-7)
32. Lafayette County (2-8)
33. Quitman (2-8)
34. Cutter M. Star (3-7)
35. Carlisle (2-7)
36. W. Yell County (3-6)
37. J.C. Westside (3-6)
38. Dierks (1-9)
39. Murfreesboro (0-10)
40. Marvell (1-7)
41. Bigelow (1-9)
42. Rector (1-7)
43. Midland (1-8)
44. Woodlawn (1-9)
45. Brinkley (1-7)
46. Decatur (0-9)
47. Hermitage (0-9)

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 1 Mount Ida at No. 4 Foreman
Welcome to the 7-2A Shootout II. This is a rematch of a Week 7 conference clash that host Mount Ida won 36-7. In that game, Mount Ida's line cleared the way for 394 rushing yards, and the Lions held Foreman to 130 rushing yards below its average. Mount Ida chases its third state championship. The Lions are 2-0 at War Memorial Stadium, winning in 2007 and a year ago by shocking Hampton 27-26. A week ago, Mount Ida did not commit a turnover in dropping Camden Harmony Grove 27-14, eliminating the Hornets in the state semifinals for the second year in a row. In the third round and state quarterfinals, Marked Tree scored 22 points and Conway Christian 28 points on Mount Ida. CC passed for 368 yards in the quarterfinals, but Mount Ida intercepted two passes that led to TDs and a 34-28 victory. The MI defense, its best since the 2007 title team, sacked CC QB Jacob Wood four times and pressured Wood into a pair of second-half interceptions. Farm Bureau Insurance Awards 2A Defensive Player of the Year finalist and senior HB/LB Cade Helms proved fully recovered last week from two high ankle sprains that hampered him all fall. Helms ran 19 times for 104 yards at Camden Harmony Grove.

This game marks Foreman's first appearance in the finals. The Gators have earned 13 postseason berths in the modern era (since 1969), getting past the first round just five times and reaching the quarterfinals in 1987, 2006 and 2017. Bearden eliminated Foreman from the playoffs in 2006 and 2012, but Foreman knocked Bearden from the playoffs two weeks ago in a confidence-boosting 35-18 victory, holding the Bears to 12 rushing yards. Two weeks ago, Foreman limited No. 6 Danville to 196 yards in a 51-6 blowout. In the semis last week, Foreman's first team defense held Salem to 179 yards in a 41-14 win.  The Gator defense lacks stars but not teeth with plenty of speed and playmakers, including senior LB Brandon Thomas (6-3, 220) and freshman DE Chris Haywood (6-4, 225). Haywood and senior LB Corey Lovell pace Foreman with more than 90 tackles apiece. Farm Bureau Insurance Awards 2A Defensive Player of the Year finalist Logan Lindsey has recorded 47 TFL, including eight last week against Salem. Junior QB Kyren Batey triggers Foreman's Flexbone, rushing for 720 yards and 12 TDs the past three weeks in wins over Bearden, Danville and Salem. Batey has rushed for 1,847 yards (14 ypc) and 32 TDs this season.

LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly picked one of two games involving Class 2A teams. For the year, hootens.com is 238-46 (84 percent).

WEEK 15 STATE FINAL PREDICTIONS (favored team in CAPS followed by point spread)
No. 1 MOUNT IDA (12) vs No. 4 Foreman: See State Championship preview.