Class 5A Week 3 Rankings and Selections

Published On: September 14, 2026Categories: Featured, High School, News, Rankings and Picks

Class 5A Rankings

Week 3, 2026

RK.—PV. TEAM (Record, Week 2 result)

↔ 1. JOE T. ROBINSON (2-0; did not play)
↔ 2. GREENWOOD (1-2; beat 7A Rogers 28-14)
↔ 3. GREENBRIER (2-0; beat 6A Van Buren 50-42)
↔ 4. FARMINGTON (3-0; beat 4A Prairie Grove 49-7)
↔ 5. HS LAKESIDE (2-1; beat 6A Benton 42-41)
↔ 6. LR PARKVIEW (2-1; beat 4A Lonoke 42-14)
↑ 9. JACKSONVILLE (3-0; beat 6A Lake Hamilton 40-20)
↔ 8. MORRILTON (3-0; beat Harding Academy 14-6)
↑ 10. VALLEY VIEW (2-1; beat 6A Jonesboro 30-21)
↑ 12. HARRISON (1-1; did not play)
↑ 15. ALMA (2-1; beat Vilonia 28-17)
↑ NR. MILLS (2-0; beat 4A Monticillo 47-28)
↑ 18. BATESVILLE (2-1; beat Beebe 41-14)
↓ 7. CAMDEN FAIRVIEW (1-2; lost to 4A Hamburg 55-28)
↑ 16. VILONIA (1-2; lost to Alma 28-17)
↓ 14. ARKANSAS HIGH (0-2; lost to 4A Nashville 54-34)
↑ 19. MAGNOLIA (0-2; did not play)
↓ 11. WYNNE (1-2; lost to 6A West Memphis 39-36)
↓ 13. HARDING ACADEMY (0-3; lost to Morrilton 14-6)
↔ 20. GREENE CO TECH (2-1; lost to 4A Highland 23-3)

NOT RANKED:

5A CENTRAL: Beebe (0-3), Maumelle (1-2)

5A EAST: Brookland (1-1), Nettleton (1-2), Paragould (1-1)

5A SOUTH: De Queen (1-1), Pine Bluff (1-2), White Hall (0-3), Hot Springs (0-3) 5A WEST: Clarksville (0-3), Dardanelle (1-2), Pea Ridge (1-2)

LAST WEEK

Hootens.com correctly picked 17 out of 27 (63 percent) in Week 2 matchups involving 5A teams and is 53 of 76 overall (70 percent) in matchups involving 5A teams in nonconference.

HOOTENS.COM 5A GAME OF THE WEEK

No 1. Joe T. Robinson (2-0) vs 6A BENTON (1-1): Class 5A No. 1 vs. Class 6A No. 1 Benton. Robinson is 2-0 after beating Catholic 49-14 and Little Rock Central 39-15. Senior RB Dallas Bledsoe leads Robinson with 211 rushing yards per game. Junior WR Braylyn Brown averages 87.5 receiving yards. Benton beat Bryant 43-42 before falling to Hot Springs Lakeside 42-41. Both teams know how to score and will highlight 2 of the state’s top QBs, including Benton QB Chase Cobb (10 TDs). Hootens.com is going with the battle-tested Panthers in a close one.

CENTRAL

No 1. Joe T. Robinson (2-0) vs 6A BENTON (1-1): See Game of the Week, above.

No 3. Greenbrier (2-0) vs. 6A SEARCY (2-0): We could easily see 100 points being scored in this game. Greenbrier is averaging 48 points and 559 total yards per game. Junior QB Easton Jutze has 629 passing yards and 8 touchdown passes. Senior WR Trendon Moseley has been one of the state’s most productive receivers through the first 2 games, averaging 251.5 receiving yards. Searcy is averaging 55 points per game, led by their QB Jacob Miles. Searcy’s Jackson Smith averages 120 receiving yards and has 4 TD catches, and Will Manning averages 102.5 receiving yards with 2 touchdowns. Hootens.com is picking the Lions over the Panthers in a shootout.

OPEN No. 6 LR Parkview (2-1), NR Maumelle (1-2), No. 7 Jacksonville (3-0)

No. 12 MILLS (2-0) at 4A Blytheville (0-2): Junior QB Kenneth Gilcreast Jr. has thrown five touchdown passes. Junior WR Ja’Meion Reese is averaging 122 receiving yards per game with three receiving touchdowns. Senior RB Bryshun Cunningham averages 91.5 rushing yards. Last week Alan Hall had an interception in the first quarter that he returned to the 13 to set up the first score for Mills. Look for Cordae Ratliff to have a big game; last week he had 2 interceptions. Blytheville has been shut out in both games this year. Hootens.com is picking the Comets.

OPEN NR Beebe (0-3), No. 15 Vilonia (1-2), No. 9 Valley View (2-1), NR Nettleton (1-2), No. 19 Harding Academy (0-3), No. 13 Batesville (2-1), No 18 Wynne (1-2)

NR BROOKLAND (1-1) at 3A Melbourne (1-1): Hootens.com dubs this game the battle for the correct mascot spelling. Brookland (Bearcats) enters at 1-1 after a 35-23 loss against Southside followed by an impressive 40-22 road victory over Pocahontas. Melbourne (Bearcatz) is also 1-1, beating Hoxie 41-7 and losing to Rivercrest. Brookland showed offensive balance at Pocahontas. QB Layton Byler threw 3 first-half touchdown passes, including a 20-yard score to Knox Lamberson on the final play of the half. Brookland then turned to its ground game and rushed for 172 yards in the second half. Nick Bates broke a 49-yard touchdown run, and Jayden Parnell scored from 39 yards as the Bearcats extended the lead. Brookland has scored 63 points through two games, an average of 31.5 per game. Melbourne’s junior QB Abe Cooper has 488 passing yards and 5 touchdown passes. Junior WR Mason Wren averages 108.5 receiving yards. Senior RB Ty Gillihan averages 47.5 rushing yards and 9 tackles per game, while junior Benaiah Spray has 2 receiving touchdowns. Melbourne put up 41 points in its opener against Hoxie, with Cooper completing 78.9 percent of his passes and Wren producing 188 receiving yards. Hootens.com is picking the Bearcats.

NR PARAGOULD (1-1) at 4A Trumann (0-2): Paragould has scored 88 points in 2 games, beating Manila 45-21 before last week’s 54-43 loss to Rivercrest. Senior Zack Flowers rushed for 3 TDs against Manila, including scores of 45 and 11 yards. Senior Alex Luke was a major factor on special teams and defense with an 83-yard kickoff return TD and an 82-yard interception return TD. Trumann’s defense made a big step last week, limiting Harrisburg to 12 points after opening against a powerful Walnut Ridge rushing attack. Junior QB/LB Kylan Eskridge rushed for 51 yards and Trumann’s touchdown against Walnut Ridge and has also been one of the Wildcats’ leading defenders. Sophomore LB Carlos Morales and junior lineman Mason Jones have also played well early. Paragould has already shown the ability to score on offense, defense and special teams. Hootens.com is picking Paragould.

OPEN No. 20 Greene Co Tech (2-1), NR Hot Spring (0-3), No. 14 Camden Fairview (1-2), No. 5 HS Lakeside (2-1)

No. 17 Magnolia (0-2) at MANSFIELD, La. (2-0): Magnolia’s schedule has provided a strong early test. The Panthers opened with a 23-16 game against undefeated 6A El Dorado before scoring 28 points against Nashville. Magnolia scored in all 4 quarters against Nashville, including 16 points in the first half. Sophomore DB Baylor Barker leads the Panthers at 10 tackles per game, while senior LB Jack Waller has recorded a sack. Mansfield opened its season with a 48-0 win at Washington-Marion. Junior RB Jaydan Hamilton provides the Wolverines’ big-play threat, averaging 158.5 rushing yards with 5 TDs. Mansfield is producing 359 yards per game, including 289 rushing. Magnolia gets another opportunity to sharpen itself before opening 5A-South play next week.

No. 16 ARKANSAS HIGH (0-2) at 6A Siloam Springs (0-2): Arkansas High’s offense has increased its production each week, scoring 21 points at Atlanta before putting up 34 last week at Nashville. The Razorbacks enter their third consecutive road game averaging 27.5 points, 380 yards per game — 265 passing and 115 rushing. QB CJ Cleveland averages 265 passing yards, senior WR Bralon Thompson averages 143 receiving yards and senior RB/WR Tony Noble Jr. averages 72 rushing yards. Senior LB Javari Gulley has a sack, while junior CB Larrence Slayton has an interception. Siloam Springs made a big offensive jump last week, scoring 24 points at Pea Ridge after scoring 10 against Pryor. The Panthers have leaned heavily on the ground game, averaging 212 rushing yards in the available statistics, led by Izael Beleche at 148 yards per game. Arkansas High’s passing attack gives the Razorbacks an opportunity to create explosive plays and build momentum heading into conference play. Hootens.com is going with Arkansas High.

OPEN NR Pine Bluff (1-2)

NR DEQUEEN (1-1) vs 4A Ashdown (0-2): De Queen enters with momentum after beating Hope 35-13 last week. The Leopards are averaging 42.0 ppg, with their only loss coming in a 55-49 overtime shootout against Mena in the opener. Ashdown has faced a challenging nonconference schedule, losing 36-8 at Atlanta, Texas, and 42-6 against Prescott. Hootens.com is picking the Leopards at home.

OPEN NR White Hall (0-3), No. 2 Greenwood (1-2), No. 4 Farmington (3-0)

No. 10 HARRISON (1-1) at 4A Highland (2-0): Harrison gets another challenging road test against an unbeaten Highland team that has shown it can win in different ways. The Rebels opened with a 50-49 shootout win over Heber Springs, producing 531 yards of offense — 312 passing and 219 rushing — then followed with a 23-3 win at Greene County Tech. Highland totaled 356 yards last week while its defense did its job. Senior QB Austin Christy has thrown 5 TD passes, senior James Jensen averages 116 receiving yards per game and has scored 5 TDs, while junior Jaxon Tribble averages 154 rushing yards. Harrison opened with a 27-16 road win over Branson, Mo., before falling 28-7 to 6A Mountain Home. The Goblins have experience back under first-year coach Van Paschal, including senior QB Gavin Jones and senior RB Killian Eddings, who averages 74.5 rushing yards through the first 2 games. Wylie Hoppis leads Harrison with 12 tackles per game and has an interception, while senior DE Beckett Mulanax has recorded a sack. Highland’s fast start makes this one of the better 5A-vs.-4A matchups of the week, but Harrison’s physical style and early road experience should travel.