Class 5A Week 6 Rankings and Selections

CLASS 5A

WEEK 6 RANKINGS

RK.—PV. TEAM (OVERALL, CONF.; WEEK 5 RESULT)

1. ↔ 1. JOE T. ROBINSON (5-0, 2-0; beat Mills 34-7)
2. ↔ 2. GREENWOOD (3-2, 2-0; beat Harrison 52-16)
3. ↔ 3. FARMINGTON (5-0, 2-0; beat Alma 50-46)
4.  ↑   . JACKSONVILLE (4-1, 1-1; beat LR Parkview 30-28)
5. ↔ 5. CAMDEN FAIRVIEW (3-2, 2-0; beat Arkansas High 26-14)
6. ↔ 6. HS LAKESIDE (3-2, 1-1; beat Magnolia 42-10)
7. ↓  4. LR PARKVIEW (3-2, 1-1; lost to Jacksonville 30-28)
8. ↓ 7. GREENBRIER (3-2, 1-1; beat Beebe 41-7)
9. ↑  10. MORRILTON (4-1, 1-1; beat Dardanelle 49-35)
10. ↑ 12. ALMA (3-2, 1-1; lost to Farmington 50-46)
11. ↑ 16. HARDING ACADEMY (2-3, 2-0; beat Valley View 26-21)
12. ↓ 8. VALLEY VIEW (3-2, 1-1; lost to Harding Academy 26-21)
13. ↔ 13. MILLS (4-1, 1-1; lost to Joe T. Robinson 34-7)
14. ↑ 15. WYNNE (3-2, 2-0; beat Greene County Tech 35-14)
15. ↓ 11. HARRISON (2-3, 0-2; lost to Greenwood 52-16)
16. ↓ 14. ARKANSAS HIGH (2-3, 1-1; lost to Camden Fairview 26-14)
17. ↑ 19. VILONIA (2-3, 1-1; beat Maumelle 49-14)
18. ↑ 20. NETTLETON (3-2, 2-0; beat Brookland 20-16)
19. ↓ 18. DARDANELLE (2-3, 1-1; lost to Morrilton 49-35)
20. ↑ NR. PINE BLUFF (3-2, 2-0; beat Hot Springs 27-24)

NOT RANKED

5A EAST: Batesville (3-2); Brookland (2-3); Greene County Tech (2-3); Paragould (2-3)

5A CENTRAL: Beebe (1-4); Maumelle (1-4); 

5A SOUTH: Magnolia (0-5); Hot Springs (0-5); DeQueen (1-4); White Hall (2-3)

5A WEST: Pea Ridge (2-3); Clarksville (0-5)

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK

No. 4 JACKSONVILLE (4-1, 1-1) at No. 8 Greenbrier (3-2, 1-1)

Jacksonville heads into a road test against No. 8 Greenbrier, riding high after a 30-28 win over Parkview. Mason Ball rushed for 184 yards and 3 touchdowns in Jacksonville’s victory. The Titans also have a receiving threat in Jakobe Boone (6-97-1 receiving 2 weeks ago in a loss to Robinson). Greenbrier’s Ashyr Crow rushed 9 times for 176 yards against Parkview on Sept. 25, including 71- and 80-yard touchdowns. Jacksonville must keep Crow from turning routine carries into long scores. Greenbrier, coming off a 41-7 win over Beebe, faces a similar problem with Ball and cannot abandon Boone in coverage to solve it. Jacksonville beat a Parkview team that handled Greenbrier 56-21, but that common opponent alone will not decide this game. The Titans’ combination of Ball and downfield targets to Boone makes them the choice.

5A EAST

No. 11 HARDING ACADEMY (2-3, 2-0) at Batesville (3-2, 1-1): Harding Academy has followed an 0-3 start with consecutive conference victories, including Friday’s 26-21 win over Valley View. Batesville answered its conference-opening loss by beating Paragould 40-36, with Hayes Kibe connecting with Xavier Pierce for a 70-yard touchdown. Both secondaries face a demanding test. Harding quarterback Krews Wray threw 4 touchdown passes against Greene County Tech on Sept. 25, with Joseph Myles catching 30- and 93-yard scoring passes. Kibe passed for 251 yards and 3 touchdowns against Nettleton that same night; Kendall Johnson caught 6 passes for 104 yards and a score. Harding gets the nod after its 2-game recovery.

BROOKLAND (2-3, 0-2) at Greene County Tech (2-3, 0-2): Both teams are in need of a conference victory after Brookland lost 20-16 to Nettleton and Greene County Tech fell 35-14 at Wynne. Brookland’s ground game offers a starting point: Nick Bates rushed for 127 yards on 11 carries against Melbourne on Sept. 18, scoring on a 64-yard run and a 32-yard reception. Jackson Fleer added 3 catches for 77 yards and a touchdown that night, giving Tech another threat to cover when it crowds the line. Tech has its own quick-strike runner in Brett Boone, who scored from 71 yards against Harding Academy on Sept. 25; Ashton Addison added a 19-yard touchdown run. Brookland must tackle Boone before he reaches the open field. The Bearcats’ ability to use Bates as both a runner and a receiver gives them a slight edge in a matchup that could revive the winner’s playoff hopes.

Paragould (2-3, 0-2) at No. 18 NETTLETON (3-2, 2-0): Nettleton has won 3 in a row, following its 28-21 conference-opening victory over Batesville with a 20-16 win over Brookland. Paragould recovered offensively from its shutout at Valley View but lost 40-36 to Batesville. Rams quarterback Zack Flowers (4-5-156 passing, 3 TDs; 7-95 rushing, 3 TDs vs. Trumann on Sept. 18) has displayed dual-threat ability, so Nettleton cannot overcommit to either part of that attack. The Raiders can counter with Calmarre Harrell and Jordan Orr, who scored a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown against Batesville on Sept. 25. Harrell also converted a third-and-7 on a scoring drive. Nettleton’s recent close-game results and steadier conference defense give the Raiders the advantage, provided they contain Flowers’ explosive plays.

No. 14 Wynne (3-2, 2-0) at No. 12 VALLEY VIEW (3-2, 1-1): Wynne has opened conference play by outscoring Brookland and Greene County Tech 79-26; Valley View tries to rebound from a 26-21 loss at Harding Academy. Wynne threatens defenses several ways, with Caden Crawford rushing 13 times for 102 yards and 2 touchdowns against Brookland on Sept. 25 and Kaden Dixon catching a 52-yard touchdown pass and throwing a 25-yard scoring pass on a reverse. Valley View’s Levi Manning accounted for 4 touchdowns against Paragould that same night, throwing 2 and running for 2 in a 35-0 win. Wynne’s defense must stay disciplined against Manning’s dual-threat ability, and Valley View cannot let Dixon’s versatility distract them from Crawford’s rushing. Valley View gets a narrow nod at home, but slowing Wynne’s productive ground game is essential to avoiding a second conference loss.

5A CENTRAL

Beebe (1-4, 1-1) at No. 13 MILLS (4-1, 1-1): Both teams scored 7 points last week, with Beebe losing 41-7 to Greenbrier and Mills falling 34-7 against No. 1 Robinson. Beebe’s route to a rebound is the rushing attack that produced 417 yards against Vilonia on Sept. 25. Donald Willett gained 146 yards, and Cameron Harness added 144 yards and 3 rushing touchdowns, and a kickoff-return score in that game 2 weeks ago. Mills must defend the inside run without losing track of Harness on the perimeter. The Comets intercepted 4 passes against Maumelle on Sept. 25; Mills cashed in with 2 rushing TDs from Zamarion McDonald; Alan Hall returned a kickoff 80 yards for a TD. Beebe cannot give Mills extra possessions. Mills’ broader offensive options and ability to create scoring chances beyond the running game make the Comets the choice, though a clean, clock-consuming Beebe running game could shorten the contest.

No. 1 ROBINSON (5-0, 2-0) at No. 17 Vilonia (2-3, 1-1): Robinson remained unbeaten by defeating Mills 34-7; Vilonia snapped a 3-game losing streak with a 49-14 win at Maumelle. Robinson’s Reece Simpson passed for 191 yards and a touchdown against Mills. The Senators also can work through Dallas Bledsoe, who carried 13 times for 102 yards and 3 touchdowns against Jacksonville on Sept. 25 and added 4 catches for 88 yards and another score. Vilonia QB Cooper Hanson scored 3 rushing touchdowns against Beebe on Sept. 25, and Von Fronabarger returned an interception for a score. The Eagles need that kind of production, and it must keep Robinson’s offense off the field. Vilonia faces a difficult choice after allowing Beebe 417 rushing yards 2 weeks ago: commit extra defenders to Bledsoe or protect against Simpson’s passing. Robinson’s balanced offense, which averages 44.6 points per game, gives the Senators the advantage.

Maumelle (1-4, 0-2) at No. 7 PARKVIEW (3-2, 1-1): Parkview returns to War Memorial Stadium after a 30-28 loss at Jacksonville; Maumelle comes off a 49-14 loss to Vilonia. The Patriots’ rushing threats make this a demanding assignment for a Hornets defense allowing 36.8 points per game. Parkview’s Sadiq Goji rushed 22 times for 146 yards and 2 touchdowns, while Elijah Moody scored twice on the ground, including a 98-yard run, and threw a touchdown pass on Sept. 25 against Mills. Maumelle must keep Moody contained while still closing interior lanes for Goji. The Hornets can change field position through Derious Glover, who returned a kickoff for a touchdown against Mills on Sept. 25, but their offense needs sustained possessions to keep Parkview’s runners off the field. The Patriots’ ability to score from deep in their own territory gives them the clear edge in this Thursday matchup at War Memorial Stadium.

5A CENTRAL

No. 16 Arkansas High (2-3, 1-1) at No. 6 LAKESIDE (3-2, 1-1): Lakeside has scored 42 points in each of its past 3 games, including Friday’s 42-10 victory over Magnolia. Arkansas High’s loss to Camden Fairview leaves both teams looking for a second conference win. The Razorbacks showed their big-play ability against Magnolia on Sept. 25, when CJ Cleveland passed for 276 yards and 3 TDs, Bralon Thompson caught 3 passes for 153 yards and a TD, and Tony Noble rushed for 109 yards and 3 scores on 9 carries. Lakeside can answer through James Hall, who passed for 236 yards and 5 TDs against Fairview on Sept. 25, while Peter Ohman supplied 173 total yards and 2 scores. Arkansas High needs Noble to keep drives moving and keep Hall off the field. Lakeside’s secondary must prevent Thompson’s catches from turning into long gains.

No. 5 CAMDEN FAIRVIEW (3-2, 2-0) at Magnolia (0-5, 0-2): Camden Fairview has followed its big win over Lakeside with a road victory over Arkansas High, putting the Cardinals in position to open conference play 3-0. Magnolia returns home after losing 42-10 to Lakeside and has allowed 91 points in its first 2 conference games. Brodie Dow threw 3 TD passes and ran for another against Lakeside on Sept. 25, with Dayton Browning catching 2 TD passes. Magnolia can’t afford to load up against Dow because Camden-Fairview can run the ball. Demarion Robinson’s 250 rushing yards and 2 TDs against Arkadelphia in the Aug. 28 opener illustrate the other problem for Magnolia: loading up against Dow can leave room for the run. Magnolia’s Jamaijha Marshall scored twice on the ground and once on a kickoff return against Nashville on Sept. 4. 

HOT SPRINGS (0-5, 0-2) at De Queen (1-4, 0-2): Both teams let halftime leads slip away last Friday, making the second half a focal point in this matchup. Hot Springs led Pine Bluff 24-14 before losing 27-24; De Queen led White Hall 9-0 before falling 28-15. Hot Springs quarterback Brody Quast completed 23 of 33 passes for 313 yards and 2 TDs, with Ethan Echols catching 9 passes for 101 yards. The Trojans need that production to carry beyond halftime after getting shut out over the final 2 quarters. De Queen’s Hunter Dinkins threw a 13-yard TD pass to John Maturino and scored on an 18-yard run against White Hall. Landen Wise’s 223 rushing yards and 3 TDs against Ashdown on Sept. 18 show what DeQueen can do when its ground game stays on schedule. De Queen needs to finish possessions without turnovers.

No. 20 PINE BLUFF (3-2, 2-0) at White Hall (2-3, 2-0): Both teams are 2-0 in conference after second-half comebacks last week. Pine Bluff erased a 24-14 halftime deficit to beat Hot Springs 27-24;  White Hall scored 28 unanswered points after trailing De Queen 9-0 in a 28-15 victory. Pine Bluff quarterback Jamar Morrow completed 28 of 40 passes for 284 yards and 3 TDs, including a 51-yard touchdown to Darrick Dunn on a fourth-and-21, showing why White Hall cannot relax even after winning the early downs. Deontae Griffin added 4 catches for 51 yards, giving the Zebras another player the Bulldogs must track across formations. White Hall’s Caleb Bunch carried 14 times for 71 yards and 2 TDs, and James Jones added a rushing touchdown and an interception. Kaleb Meadors also intercepted a pass, while Dylan Mitchell’s 14-yard TD throw to Champ Spears helped finish the comeback. Takeaways matter against a Pine Bluff offense that can cover the field quickly. Bunch’s running gives White Hall a way to shorten the game, but the Bulldogs cannot count on turnovers to rescue every possession. 

5A WEST

No. 10 ALMA (3-2, 1-1) at Pea Ridge (2-3, 1-1): Alma scored 46 points against No. 3 Farmington but still suffered its first conference loss. Pea Ridge comes off a win over Clarksville, giving both teams a chance to move above .500 in league play. Alma quarterback Jay Lemieux completed 19 of 22 passes for 304 yards and 6 TDs against Clarksville on Sept. 25; Dylan Jackson caught 8 passes for 129 yards and 2 scores. Dallas Perkins gives the Airedales a rushing counter, gaining 177 yards and 2 TDs against Vilonia on Sept. 11. Pea Ridge’s Rhett Hargiss rushed for 139 yards and a TD against Dardanelle on Sept. 25, averaging 7.7 yards per carry. His ability to move the chains can limit Alma’s possessions. Pea Ridge must balance that ball-control approach with a defense that keeps Jackson in front of it and makes Lemieux work through longer drives.

Clarksville (0-5, 0-2) at No. 15 HARRISON (2-3, 0-2): Harrison returns home after consecutive conference losses to Farmington and Greenwood, including 52-16 to Greenwood last week. Clarksville scored 8 points against Pea Ridge after being shut out in its previous 2 games, but the Panthers still need longer, more productive possessions. Braxton Raburn completed 4 of 13 passes for 29 yards against Alma on Sept. 25, and Messiah Patterson gained 38 yards on 6 carries. Zack Dolson made 7 tackles, including 2 for loss and a sack, in that game. Harrison quarterback Gavin Jones completed 4 of 6 passes for 110 yards and a TD against Highland on Sept. 18. Killian Eddings showed his breakaway speed with 153 yards on 9 carries, including a 90-yard TD, against Branson, Mo., in the Aug. 28 opener. Clarksville needs Dolson and its front to contain Eddings before Jones can exploit favorable passing situations.

No. 2 GREENWOOD (3-2, 2-0) at No. 19 Dardanelle (2-3, 1-1): Greenwood has won 3 in a row and outscored its first 2 conference opponents 101-23, following a 49-7 win over Morrilton with Friday’s 52-16 victory over Harrison. Dardanelle lost 49-35 at Morrilton and now must slow an offense with several ways to score. Greenwood QB Cruz Coatney completed 19 of 24 passes for 296 yards and 3 TDs against Morrilton on Sept. 25; Braxton Canada caught 7 passes for 148 yards and 2 TDs, and Rhett Holloway rushed for 102 yards on 8 carries. Dardanelle’s best response could be its ground game. Jayvon Chaten ran for 294 yards and 3 TDs against Pea Ridge on Sept. 25; CJ Cursh added 143 rushing yards and 1 TD, and he also scored a receiving TD. The Sand Lizards need those backs to sustain possessions. Falling behind early would let Greenwood concentrate on the pass and take Dardanelle away from its strength.

No. 9 Morrilton (4-1, 1-1) at No. 3 FARMINGTON (5-0, 2-0): Farmington stayed unbeaten at Alma but surrendered 46 points after allowing only 28 combined in its first 4 games. Morrilton rebounded from a loss to Greenwood by beating Dardanelle 49-35, setting up a test of how quickly the Cardinals can recover defensively. Morrilton has several established options: Davion Johnson rushed for 148 yards and 3 TDs at Vilonia on Sept. 4, while Champ McNabb caught 11 passes for 83 yards and both touchdowns against Harding Academy on Sept. 11. Farmington quarterback Slade Norwood completed 12 of 14 passes for 136 yards and 4 TDs against Rogers Heritage on Sept. 4. His receivers include Cooper Stoltz and JJ Moore, who each caught a TD pass in the Aug. 28 opener against Mountain Home. Farmington needs to limit Johnson on early downs and force longer drives. Morrilton needs Johnson’s running to create manageable downs and opportunities for McNabb without turning the game into another fast-paced shootout.