Class 6A Week 9 Rankings and Selections

Published On: October 26, 2026Categories: Featured, High School, News, Rankings and Picks

HOOTENS.COM

WEEK 9, 2026

RK.— PV. TEAM (RECORD; WEEK 8 RESULT)

↔ 1. Sheridan (8-0; beat Marion 66-38)
↑ 4. Mountain Home (7-1; beat Lake Hamilton 45-14)
↑ 5. Benton (5-3; beat Searcy 55-34)
↓ 2. Searcy (6-2; lost to Benton 55-34)
↑ 6. Van Buren (7-1; beat LR Southwest 38-0)
↓ 3. Sylvan Hills (5-3; lost at Jonesboro 31-28)
↔ 7. Lake Hamilton (5-3; lost at Mountain Home 45-14)
↔ 8. El Dorado (5-3; beat West Memphis 35-21)
↔ 9. Jonesboro (4-4; beat Sylvan Hills 31-28)
↔ 10. FS Southside (3-5; beat Russellville 50-29)

NOT RANKED

6A EAST: Marion (1-6), W. Memphis (1-7).

6A WEST: LR Catholic (2-6), Siloam Springs (1-7), LR Southwest (0-8), Russellville (1-7).

LAST WEEK

Hootens.com correctly picked 6 of 8 games (75 percent) last week involving Class 6A teams and has picked 64 of 86 games (75 percent) for the season.

WEEK 9 PREDICTIONS (Favored team in ALL CAPS and HIGHLIGHTED IN ORANGE)

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK

No. 2 MOUNTAIN HOME (7-1, 5-0) at No. 5 Van Buren (7-1, 5-0)

Mountain Home leads the all-time series 8-1-1, including a 44-20 victory in 2025. The winner of this game takes a major step toward the 6A West conference title, as it would be in first place all by itself and would hold the tiebreaker. Van Buren recorded a shutout a week ago, winning 38-0 on the road at Little Rock Southwest. Sophomore QB Joshua Patterson completed 10 of 14 passes for 139 yards and 2 TDs, and junior Kannen Russell completed both of his passes for 90 yards and another score. Patricio Caudle (6-30-1 rushing; 31-yard TD reception), Darian Fauntauzzi (7-25-1 rushing) and Abe Cone (6-168-2 receiving) accounted for the team’s touchdowns. T.J. Woodruff, Austin Stiles, Aaron Hall and Jaxson Silvers led the Pointers defense. Mountain Home earned a key tiebreaker last week, beating Lake Hamilton 45-14. Bombers sophomore quarterback Conner Gentry (10-13-199 passing, 2 TDs), Gus Wilber (5-163-2 receiving), and tailback Nazsier Johnson (2 rushing TDs) led the offense. The Bombers defense, allowing 8.8 points per game, forced 5 Lake Hamilton turnovers: Will Rauls, Seth Lara, and Jake Thomas all intercepted passes for Mountain Home; defensive end Ford Coleman recorded 2 sacks. This game pits Van Buren’s No. 1 offense in the 6A West against Mountain Home’s top-scoring defense in Class 6A. We think the Bombers’ elite defense will make the difference and help Mountain Home win its first conference title since 2006.

6A EAST

Marion (1-7, 1-4) at No. 4 SEARCY (6-2, 3-2): Marion leads the all-time series with Searcy 10-8. The Patriots have won the past 3 meetings with the Lions, but the schools haven’t met since a 56-35 Marion win on Oct. 6, 2023. Marion hung with top-ranked Sheridan last week, tying it 21-21 after Drace McGee returned an onside kickoff for a touchdown late in the second period. The Yellowjackets pulled away for a 66-38 victory, but Marion rolled up 421 offensive yards and was 5 of 12 on third downs. McGee threw 2 touchdowns; Jayden Douglas and Jadon Coleman also scored, and quarterback Ben Bateman connected with Jaylon Ford for another score. Marion senior defensive tackle Gary Wilson earned a safety with a sack, and Joe Allen intercepted a pass. Searcy fell 54-35 to Benton, its second consecutive loss. Lions QB Jacob Miles (13-26-232 passing, 2 TDs; 7-94-1 rushing), sophomore Hunter Thompson (55 rushing yards, TD), Bryson Thompson (4-93-1 receiving), and Jackson Smith (5 catches for 92 yards) led the Lions’ offense. Carson Campbell, Bryson Allen and Will Gaines led Searcy’s defensive effort with 7 tackles apiece. Marion has competed well in the first half of October, but we expect a hungry Lions outfit to take care of business in this one.

W. Memphis (1-7, 0-5) at No. 3 BENTON (5-3, 4-1): Benton leads the all-time series 6-3, including the past 6 in a row. West Memphis battled El Dorado for 4 quarters last Friday night before falling 35-21. Blue Devils junior Andrew Clay got his first start at QB in 3 weeks, rushing for 110 yards and 2 TDs and passing for 73 more yards and another score. Clay’s TD toss went to Braylon Davis in the fourth period. West Memphis linebacker Ashton Clark intercepted a pass from El Dorado. Benton put together its best effort since its Week 0 victory over Class 7A Bryant with a 55-34 victory over previous No. 2 Searcy. Benton led 35-0 in the second period and 42-7 in the third. Panthers QB Chase Cobb led the offense (19-28-374 passing, 5 TDs; 18 rushing, TD), along with Lamarion Bradley (19-184-1 rushing; 5-120 receiving, 2 TDs) and Jake Cloud (11-222-2 receiving). Drake Woodard recorded a sack, and Ayden Bateman logged an interception for Benton’s defense. West Memphis likely needs to win out and get some help to make the playoffs, but Benton appears to be peaking at the right time.

No. 8 El Dorado (5-3, 2-3) at No. 9 JONESBORO (4-4, 2-3): El Dorado leads the all-time series 5-2, including wins in the 2 most recent meetings. El Dorado took a 35-7 fourth-period lead last week against West Memphis before winning 35- 21. The Wildcats outgained the Blue Devils 214-211, and got 2 interception returns for scores — from Jaquavion Hampton and Jakayden Kemp. El Dorado tailback Trayden Cook-King ran for 102 yards on 9 carries last week; QBs Ryan Polk and Gavin Jacobs combined to complete 10 of 21 passes for 66 yards. Jonesboro earned a crucial victory last Friday night, beating Sylvan Hills 31-28 on a game-winning 26-yard field goal by Alex Glomski. Jonesboro never trailed in the game; the Hurricane got touchdowns from Tevin Oliver and C.J. Lovelace; Jaylen Heard ran for a TD and caught a TD pass from Lovelace. This is a massive game for playoff positioning with a first-round home playoff game on the line, and Jonesboro’s offense has made major strides the past few weeks.

No. 6 Sylvan Hills (5-3, 3-2) at No. 1 SHERIDAN (8-0, 5-0): Sylvan Hills is 4-2 all time against Sheridan, including an 84-48 win a season ago. Sylvan Hills lost 31-28 at Jonesboro a week ago in a game with 4 ties and 5 lead changes. Caden Burnett threw touchdown passes to Jeremiah Carey and Kadon Williamson and Burnett ran for a score, as did Isaaiah Howell. Sheridan outgained Marion 659-428 to win 66-38 on the road. Yellowjackets QB Easton Barksdale completed 22 of 38 passes for 336 yards and 4 TDs, and tailback Zay Stephens (21-223-5 rushing; 5-60-1 receiving). Nine Yellowjackets caught passes at Marion, led by Wylie Depreist (7-115-1 receiving); Walker Shields and Hunter Socia also caught TD passes. Rashod Litzey, Shields, Socia, and Mason Morris intercepted passes for Sheridan, which won the turnover battle 6-1. Sheridan edges closer to its first conference championship since 1987 with a win over last year’s 6A East co-champs.

6A WEST

LR Southwest (0-8, 0-5) at No. 10 FS SOUTHSIDE (3-5, 3-2): Fort Smith Southside has won the previous 2 meetings between these schools. Little Rock Southwest absorbed its second shutout loss last week in a 38-point defeat to Van Buren. The Gryphons trailed 15-0 after a quarter and 38-0 at halftime. LR Southwest surrendered 8 tackles for loss against Van Buren and allowed a blocked punt. FS Southside outlasted Russellville 50-29 a week ago, led by junior QB Michael Nolewajka (18-19-226 passing, 3 TDs), with sophomore tailbacks Tyler Warren (172 rushing, 2 TDs) and Drale Morris (74 rushing yards, TD) sparking the Mavericks’ running game. Six Southside receivers caught passes at Russellville, led by Paul Frant (7-77-2) and Hudson Morehead (4-63-1). Alexander Garcia and Treylen Goodman led the Mavericks defense with 10 tackles apiece. Injuries and defections have derailed Southwest’s season; Southside can clinch a playoff spot this week with a home win.

Russellville (1-7, 1-4) at LR CATHOLIC (2-6, 1-4): Little Rock Catholic is 7-4 all-time against a Russellville team that likely needs to find a win in its final 2 conference games after last week’s 50-29 loss to Fort Smith Southside. The Cyclones average more than 250 rushing yards, led by tailback Sam Callahan and all-around playmaker Marcellus Olson-Patton. Little Rock Catholic recorded its first shutout win since 2023, beating Siloam Springs 42-0. The Rockets racked up 360 offensive yards, including 299 on the ground. Two-way standout Luke Burdine (20-134-1 rushing), QB Phillips Blair (9-94 rushing, 4 TDs) and Hunter Markham (8-47 rushing; 2-45 receiving, TD) led the way. Miles Valentin, Will Robertson, Charlie Smith, and Pate Capps paced the Rockets defense. Catholic, Siloam Springs, and Russellville are all tied with 1 conference win, but the Rockets will hold the tiebreaker over both Siloam Springs and Russellville with a win here..

No. 7 LAKE HAMILTON (5-3, 4-1) at Siloam Springs (1-7, 1-4): Lake Hamilton has won 9 of the 10 previous meetings with Siloam Springs. Siloam Springs absorbed its first shutout loss of 2026 last week, 42-0 to Catholic. The Panthers have 9 seniors on their roster and expect to return their leading passer and rusher, QB Cooper Hahn, along with junior running back Landon Golding and big-play receiver Emerett Patterson. Lake Hamilton absorbed its first 6A West loss last week, falling 45-14 to Mountain Home. Wolves QB Jace Bohannan completed 19 of 36 passes for 302 yards and a TD, but Lake Hamilton managed only 7 rushing yards on 29 carries. J.J. Johnson and D.J. Wilson scored for Lake Hamilton. Lake Hamilton is still alive for at least a share of the 6A West title and a first-round bye, and we think the Wolves have enough to win this week on the road and set up a showdown next week with Van Buren.