Class 7A Week 2 Rankings and Selections

HOOTENS.COM 

CLASS 7A, WEEK 2

 RANKINGS

RK. —  PV.  TEAM (RECORD; WEEK 1 RESULT)

1. ↔  2. BENTONVILLE (2-0; beat Conway 20-14)
2.  ↑  5. SHILOH CHRISTIAN (2-0; beat Little Rock Christian 42-13)
3.  ↑  4. BENTONVILLE WEST (2-0; beat Cabot 45-7)
4.  ↓  3. BRYANT (0-2; lost to Alexandria, La., 44-20)
5.  ↑  2. CONWAY (0-1; lost to Bentonville 20-14)
6.  ↑  9. FAYETTEVILLE (1-1; beat West Memphis 45-0)
7.  ↓  6. NORTH LITTLE ROCK (2-0; beat Little Rock Parkview 41-27)
8.  ↑   NR. PULASKI ACADEMY (1-1; beat Greenwood 35-33)
9.  ↑   NR. HAR-BER (1-1; beat Fort Smith Northside 45-14)
10.  ↓  8.  ROGERS (0-2; lost to Jenks, Okla., 50-13)

NOT RANKED

7A-CENTRAL Little Rock Christian (1-1), Cabot (0-2), Fort Smith Northside (1-1)
Little Rock Central (0-2)

7A-WEST Springdale (0-2), Rogers Heritage (0-2)

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK

Class 6A No. 3 Sylvan Hills (2-0) at No. 6 FAYETTEVILLE (1-1): Fayetteville’s offense broke through in a 45-0 victory over Class 6A West Memphis after going 5 quarters without a touchdown before scoring 24 points during the second quarter. The victory was Fayetteville’s first under Coach Anthony Lucas, who replaced Casey Dick in the offseason. Quarterback Aron Orgil opened the scoring with a 46-yard touchdown pass to Sage Anderson after the 2 converted a third-and-17 with a 20-yard gain earlier in the possession. Terrence Garden then scored on a 66-yard run, Ethan Farthing made a 25-yard field goal, and Garden added a 10-yard touchdown to make the halftime score 24-0. Garden ended the night with 3 scores. Will Caston blocked a punt as Fayetteville demonstrated explosive ability on the ground, through the air, and on special teams. Defensive Coordinator John Panter’s unit completed the effort by recording a shutout. Sylvan Hills beat Maumelle 46-10 last week. Trey Schucker has picked up where Mark Kelley left off. The Bears’ early offensive production proves a seamless transition. Schucker was the offensive coordinator at Searcy High under Kelley during the school’s state-title run, and the 2 share comparable terminology and scheme. The game could turn into a track meet, but the Purple Dogs have the advantage in depth, speed, and big-play options. Garden’s consistent running could force Sylvan Hills to compress its defense, creating passing opportunities for Orgil to take shots over the top. Fayetteville pulls away after halftime and knocks off the undefeated Bears.

WEEK 2 PREDICTIONS (favored teams in CAPS, and highlighted in orange).

7A-CENTRAL

ST. FRANCES ACADEMY, Md. (1-0) at No. 4 Bryant (0-2): Bryant’s punishing nonconference schedule continues Friday in the first “Patriot Bowl” at War Memorial Stadium. The defending Class 7A champion enters the showcase after losing to rival Benton 43-42 in its opener and last Friday to Alexandria, La., 44-20. Alexandria took immediate control last week, scoring on its first 4 possessions and led 34-0 at halftime. The Trojans piled up more than 500 yards of offense. Bryant quarterback Kyler Shelby accounted for 219 of Bryant’s 322 yards. The Hornets have scored 62 points through 2 games but have allowed 87. Bryant’s offense remains dangerous, but the Hornets have surrendered at least 43 points in both losses. St. Frances Academy brings one of the nation’s most talented programs to Little Rock. MaxPreps currently ranks it No. 2  in the nation after beating Vero Beach (Fla.) 38-6 last week. The Panthers’ speed and depth will test the areas that Alexandria exploited, particularly Bryant’s open-field tackling and pass protection. Bryant must start faster, protect Shelby, and force turnovers to stay in the game.

No. 5 CONWAY (0-1) at Class 6A Marion (0-2): Conway came within inches of extending its final possession against top-ranked Bentonville last week. The Wampus Cats faced fourth-and-2 with under 2 minutes to play and handed the ball to Stephen Schaefer, but Bentonville stopped him short of the marker and preserved a 20-14 victory. The final stand completed a strong defensive performance by Bentonville, which held Conway to 268 yards and forced 3 turnovers. Conway quarterback Ryder Cook completed 9 of 18 passes for 144 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. Cook connected with Kambrien Blackmon for a 21-yard score late in the first half. Conway converted 6 of 8 third downs, averaged 4.4 yards per rushing attempt, but missed opportunities and turnovers prevented the Wampus Cats from finishing enough possessions. The loss does not push Conway far down the rankings. The Wampus Cats held Bentonville to 20 points and had the ball with a chance to tie or win in the final minutes. Marion is 0-2 after losing to Lake Hamilton 38-27. The Patriots have shown enough offensive production to challenge Conway, but the Wampus Cats roll in a big way this week.

No. 7 NORTH LITTLE ROCK (2-0) at Springdale (0-2): North Little Rock scored 27 third-quarter points in a 41-27 victory over Little Rock Parkview. Running back Christian Reeves (19.3 yards per carry) rushed for more than 200 yards and 4 touchdowns, including TD runs of 76 and 44 during North Little Rock’s second-half surge. North Little Rock also scored when Davian Johnson intercepted a pass and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown. Springdale also has an explosive running back in Wilder Lherisse, rushed 30 times for more than 200 yards and 2 touchdowns, but the Bulldogs lost 31-24 at Class 6A Van Buren. Lherisse scored on runs of 43 and 80 yards, but Van Buren limited Lherisse to 20 yards on 7 fourth-quarter attempts. Springdale had a final opportunity after Van Buren lost a fumble at its 38. This game matches — Reeves and Lherisse — 2 dangerous runners, but North Little Rock possesses more scoring options in addition to Reeves, and that depth leads them to a road victory in Northwest Arkansas.

No. 9 HAR-BER (1-1) at Little Rock Christian (1-1): Har-Ber quarterback Brice Owens accounted for 6 touchdowns in a 45-14 victory over Fort Smith Northside. Owens (14-26-183 passing, 3 TDs; 5-42 rushing, 3 TDs) contributed to every Har-Ber offensive touchdown. Little Rock Christian struggled early in its 42-13 loss at Shiloh Christian when Shiloh blocked a punt on the Warriors’ opening possession and recovered at the 7. Three plays later, Max Eldridge scored to begin a 35-point first half. Warriors quarterback Haden Hall completed 18 of 28 passes for nearly 250 yards; Breck Roach and Grayre Graham combined for more than 150 receiving yards. Little Rock Christian has enough skill-position talent to challenge Har-Ber’s secondary, and Hall’s passing showed that the Warriors can move the football even while playing from behind. The difference will be Little Rock Christian’s response on defense and special teams. Little Rock Christian’s passing depth and home-field advantage give the Warriors a slight edge in a high-scoring game, but Har-Ber wins it late with a big play from Owens.

Class 6A Russellville (0-2)  at FORT SMITH NORTHSIDE (1-1): Northside trailed 24-7 at halftime in its loss to Har-Ber last week. Quarterback Jaseir Posey produced both Northside touchdowns, scoring on a 1-yard run and throwing the 62-yard touchdown to Jayden Charles. The Grizzlies accumulated passing yardage but didn’t become consistent offensively until Har-Ber established control. Northside’s larger problem was its inability to sustain first-half drives. Six punts prevented the Grizzlies from protecting the defense or controlling field position. Russellville lost to Alma 56-35 last week. The Cyclones have allowed 91 points through 2 games, creating an opportunity for Posey and Charles to continue developing Northside’s passing game. Northside must protect Posey more effectively and establish a running game that prevents Russellville from selling out to stop Charles. The Grizzlies also need a better start after allowing Har-Ber to score 38 of the game’s first 45 points. Russellville’s defensive struggles give Northside a chance to rebound, and the Grizzlies win behind Posey’s dual-threat production.

Class 6A Little Rock Southwest (0-2) at LITTLE ROCK CENTRAL (0-2): Little Rock Central showed second-half life in a 39-15 loss to Class 5A No. 1 Joe T. Robinson. Robinson led 21-0 before Central quarterback Montrell Thompson threw touchdown passes to Trey Stewart and Jon Ford, and the Tigers drew within 23-15 at one point before Robinson regained control. Little Rock Southwest has been shut out in consecutive games and has struggled to prevent explosive plays. The Gryphons have beaten Central 4 of 6 times since they started playing in 2020, but they must protect the football and establish longer possessions to reduce the burden on the defense. Central was penalized 10 times last week, but Thompson, Stewart and Ford give the Tigers more proven offensive production. Central secures its first victory by creating short fields and finishing drives.

7A-WEST

No. 2 SHILOH CHRISTIAN (2-0) at Lincoln Christian, Okla. (2-0): Shiloh Christian raced to a 35-6 halftime lead and defeated Little Rock Christian 42-13. The Saints scored less than 90 seconds into the game after Beckham Floyd blocked a punt. Max Eldridge scored on a 2-yard run, his first of 3 TDs. Quarterback Cole Creighton (13-16-254 passing, 2 TDs) and WR Cohen Beach (5-151-2 receiving) led the offense. Lincoln Christian is also 2-0 and is capable of matching Shiloh’s pace and will force Creighton to remain efficient under greater defensive pressure. Shiloh’s special teams and ability to finish possessions will lead it to a road win. 

No. 10 Rogers (0-2) at Class 5A No. 2 GREENWOOD (0-2): The Mountaineers exit a 50-13 loss to Jenks, one of Oklahoma’s most accomplished programs. Rogers allowed too many explosive plays and could not maintain enough offensive possessions to keep the game close. Greenwood enters 0-2 after a painful 35-33 loss at Pulaski Academy. The Bulldogs drove for a touchdown during the final seconds but failed on the tying 2-point conversion. Greenwood quarterback Evan McClain threw touchdown passes to Brennen Brewer and Braxton Canada. Canada’s 15-yard reception with 19 seconds remaining brought Greenwood within 2. The Bulldogs had another opportunity to score during the fourth quarter but fumbled before crossing the goal line, and Pulaski Academy’s Will Wilson recovered in the end zone. Greenwood has faced strong opponents and came within a conversion of forcing overtime against Pulaski Academy. Rogers’ schedule has also been difficult, but the Mountaineers have been outscored 84-41 through 2 games. Rogers needs to control the line of scrimmage and prevent Greenwood’s offense from establishing rhythm. Greenwood must eliminate the turnovers and red-zone errors that decided last week’s game. The Bulldogs’ home-field advantage and experience in close games should matter. Greenwood’s defensive front limits Rogers’ rushing success, and McClain produces enough explosive passes to give the Bulldogs their first victory.

Sallisaw, Okla. (2-0) at ROGERS HERITAGE (0-2): Heritage’s defense produced several encouraging possessions in a 28-0 loss to Class 5A Farmington. The War Eagles stopped Farmington on fourth down twice and held the Cardinals scoreless during the third quarter. The offense, however, could not turn those stops into points. Sallisaw is coming off a 39-28 win over Fort Smith Southside last Friday, but Heritage’s defense should keep the game within 1 possession. The War Eagles have shown they can produce fourth-down stops and survive difficult stretches. Heritage finally converts favorable defensive field position into touchdowns and ends its scoreless start.

OPEN No. 1 Bentonville (2-0), No. 3 Bentonville West (2-0), No. 8 Pulaski Academy (1-1), Cabot (0-2)