Class 5A Week 7 Rankings and Selections

RK.—PV. TEAM (OVERALL, CONF.; WEEK 6 RESULT)

1. ↔ 1. JOE T. ROBINSON (6-0, 3-0; beat Vilonia 47-13)
2. ↔ 2. GREENWOOD (4-2, 3-0; beat Dardanelle 49-7)
3. ↔ 3. FARMINGTON (6-0, 3-0; beat Morrilton 51-28)
4. ↔ 4. JACKSONVILLE (5-1, 2-1; beat Greenbrier 60-25)
5. ↔ 5. CAMDEN FAIRVIEW (4-2, 3-0; beat Magnolia 51-47)
6. ↔ 6. HS LAKESIDE (4-2, 2-1; beat Arkansas High 35-14)
7. ↔ 7. LR PARKVIEW (4-2, 2-1; beat Maumelle 62-18)
8. ↑ 13. MILLS (5-1, 2-1; beat Beebe 49-21)
9. ↑ 14. WYNNE (4-2, 3-0; beat Valley View 28-14)
10. ↓ 9. MORRILTON (4-2, 1-2; lost to Farmington 51-28)
11. ↓ 8. GREENBRIER (3-3, 1-2; lost to Jacksonville 60-25)
12. ↑ 18. NETTLETON (4-2, 3-0; beat Paragould 43-33)
13. ↑ 20. PINE BLUFF (4-2, 3-0; beat White Hall 41-14)
14. ↑ 15. HARRISON (3-3, 1-2; beat Clarksville 56-8)
15. ↑ NR. BATESVILLE (4-2, 2-1; beat Harding Academy 31-28)
16. ↓ 11. HARDING ACADEMY (2-4, 2-1; lost to Batesville 31-28)
17. ↓ 12. VALLEY VIEW (3-3, 1-2; lost to Wynne 28-14)
18. ↑ NR. PEA RIDGE (3-3, 2-1; beat Alma 35-21)
19. ↓ 10. ALMA (3-3, 1-2; lost to Pea Ridge 35-21)
20. ↓ 16. ARKANSAS HIGH (2-4, 1-2; lost to HS Lakeside 35-14)

Dropped out: Vilonia (previously No. 17), Dardanelle (No. 19).

NOT RANKED

5A EAST: Brookland (2-4, 0-3); Greene County Tech (3-3, 1-2); Paragould (2-4, 0-3)

5A CENTRAL: Beebe (1-5, 1-2); Maumelle (1-5, 0-3); Vilonia (2-4, 1-2)

5A SOUTH: De Queen (1-5, 0-3); Hot Springs (1-5, 1-2); Magnolia (0-6, 0-3); White Hall (2-4, 2-1)

5A WEST: Clarksville (0-6, 0-3); Dardanelle (2-4, 1-2)

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK

No. 3 Farmington (6-0, 3-0) at No. 2 GREENWOOD (4-2, 3-0)

The 5A West’s unbeaten conference leaders meet after another week of high-scoring victories. Farmington beat Morrilton 51-28, led by Slade Norwood, who ran for 4 touchdowns and threw a 40-yard scoring pass to Tucker Wood before halftime. Brayden Conran added field goals of 32, 36 and 38 yards. Greenwood routed Dardanelle 49-7 as Cruz Coatney (23-29-327 passing, 3 TDs) added a 26-yard TD run.

Farmington must disrupt Coatney without letting Rhett Holloway punish a light defensive front. Holloway rushed for 66 yards and 2 scores on 8 carries at Dardanelle; while Braxton Canada caught 6 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown. Greenwood must keep Norwood contained and tackle Jett Pierce in space.

Greenwood has outscored its 3 conference opponents 150-30. Farmington has allowed 74 points over its past 2 games. Hootens.com is going with Greenwood to stay unbeaten in conference. 

WEEK 7 SELECTIONS

Selected winners are in ALL CAPS and highlighted in orange. Records are overall and conference.

5A EAST

No. 15 Batesville (4-2, 2-1) at No. 9 WYNNE (4-2, 3-0): Wynne has won its 3 conference games by a combined 107-40, with Caden Crawford scoring all 4 touchdowns in last week’s 28-14 victory at Valley View. Ashton McDaniel supplied key runs on the clinching drive. Batesville’s 31-28 overtime win over Harding Academy featured a touchdown and an interception from A’Ryan Dale and another interception by Xavier Pierce. Tristan Prado had the 26-yard game-winning field goal in OT. The Pioneers can disrupt drives, but Wynne’s ground game and home field give the Yellowjackets the edge.

No. 17 VALLEY VIEW (3-3, 1-2) at Brookland (2-4, 0-3): Valley View attempts to halt a 2-game slide after losing 28-14 to Wynne. Rowan Sanders scored twice in his first varsity start, and Ketcher Pattillo intercepted a fourth-quarter pass. Brookland’s Layton Byler ran for all 3 Bearcats touchdowns in a 38-20 loss at Greene County Tech, but special-teams mistakes repeatedly handed Tech short fields. Brookland needs clean exchanges and punts to keep Byler and the offense within striking distance. Valley View’s defense gets the nod against a Bearcats team still seeking its first conference win.

No. 12 NETTLETON (4-2, 3-0) at Greene County Tech (3-3, 1-2): Nettleton has won 4 in a row after beating Paragould 43-33. Calmarre Harrell (236 rushing, 4 TDs) leads a potent rushing attack. Tech ended a 3-game skid with a 38-20 win over Brookland. Davontae Williams ran for 2 touchdowns, while Zayne Cates caught a scoring pass and intercepted a pass. Tech can threaten at home, but Nettleton’s recent ability to finish tight games earns the selection.

Paragould (2-4, 0-3) at No. 16 HARDING ACADEMY (2-4, 2-1): Harding Academy needs to rebound after a 31-28 overtime loss at Batesville, and its passing combination remains a concern for Paragould: Krews Wray threw 3 touchdowns against Valley View on Oct. 2, with Bax Howell catching scoring passes of 42 and 13 yards and a late first-down throw that sealed the win. Paragould scored 36 and 33 points in its past 2 games but lost both, surrendering 83 combined. Zach Flowers ran for 3 TDs last week. Harding’s passing attack and home field should exploit Paragould’s defensive problems. 

5A CENTRAL

Maumelle (1-5, 0-3) at BEEBE (1-5, 1-2): Both teams are 1-5, but Beebe leads in the rushing matchup. Cameron Harness scored twice on the ground in last week’s 49-21 loss to Mills, including a 40-yard score, and Donald Willett added a fourth-quarter touchdown. Maumelle allowed 62 points at Parkview, but Levi Warrior threw 3 touchdown passes to 3 receivers. Beebe must prevent those quick strikes and protect the ball after turnovers helped Mills break the game open. Beebe’s rushing attack and home field give it the nod.

No. 11 Greenbrier (3-3, 1-2) at No. 8 MILLS (5-1, 2-1): Mills quarterback Kenneth “KJ” Gilcreast accounted for all 7 touchdowns (4 passing, 3 rushing) in a 49-21 win over Beebe. Maddox Parker and Daking Warren each caught 2 scoring passes. Greenbrier must tighten up after surrendering 60 points to Jacksonville. The Panthers can lean on Greyson Linville, who ran for 2 touchdowns against Beebe on Oct. 2, but cannot afford another early deficit. Mills’ multiple scoring threats should make the difference.

No. 4 JACKSONVILLE (5-1, 2-1) at Vilonia (2-4, 1-2): Jacksonville followed its upset of Parkview with a 60-25 win at Greenbrier and now faces a Vilonia team that trailed Robinson 47-0 at the half. Mason Ball (19-211 rushing, 5 TDs) led the Jacksonville offense. Vilonia needs Cooper Hanson and Robert Meyers to sustain possessions; Hanson threw a touchdown pass to Kyler Francis, and Meyers scored on the ground after halftime last week. Jacksonville’s recent offensive surge makes the Titans the clear choice.

No. 7 LR Parkview (4-2, 2-1) at No. 1 JOE T. ROBINSON (6-0, 3-0): Robinson’s Reece Simpson completed 9 of 11 passes for 165 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 47-13 win at Vilonia, with Braylyn Brown catching 5 passes for 125 yards and 2 scores. Parkview bounced back after the loss to Jacksonville by beating Maumelle 62-18. Sadiq Goji rushed for 81 yards and 3 touchdowns on 4 first-half carries, while Elijah Moody added 2 first-half rushing scores. Parkview must keep Robinson from taking an early lead, which could force the Patriots out of the run game. The unbeaten Senators’ balance gives them the edge.

5A SOUTH

White Hall (2-4, 2-1) at No. 20 ARKANSAS HIGH (2-4, 1-2): Arkansas High returns home after a 35-14 loss at Lakeside, where CJ Cleveland rushed for both Razorbacks touchdowns. White Hall lost 41-14 to Pine Bluff, managing 19 net rushing yards on 23 attempts. Kel McEntire caught 5 passes for 94 yards and intercepted a pass, giving the Bulldogs a playmaker on both sides of the ball. White Hall needs better production on first and second down to keep Dylan Mitchell out of obvious passing situations. Cleveland’s mobility gives Arkansas High the edge, but the Razorbacks must get off the field after allowing Lakeside repeated third-down conversions.

De Queen (1-5, 0-3) at No. 5 CAMDEN FAIRVIEW (4-2, 3-0): Fairview escaped Magnolia 51-47 to remain unbeaten in conference play, but the Cardinals have allowed 42 and 47 points in 2 of their 3 league wins. De Queen lost 34-31 in overtime to Hot Springs and needs to turn another competitive effort into a complete game. Fairview’s Demarion Robinson rushed for 202 yards and a touchdown against Arkansas High on Oct. 2, while Dayton Browning added 100 receiving yards and 2 scores. De Queen must contain those complementary threats without giving up long possessions. The Cardinals’ more productive attack gets the nod at home.

No. 6 HS LAKESIDE (4-2, 2-1) at No. 13 Pine Bluff (4-2, 3-0): Lakeside can pull even with the Zebras in the conference race. Lakeside beat Arkansas High 35-14 behind Rahshaamon Moore’s 3 rushing touchdowns. Logan Polczynski added a rushing score, and James Hall threw a touchdown pass to Quardarius Jackson. Pine Bluff rushed for 273 yards in its 41-14 victory at White Hall. Deontae Griffin rushed for 77 yards and a touchdown and threw a 56-yard scoring pass to Kyeran Culclager. Both defenses must handle a ground attack without losing track of the receivers. Lakeside’s ability to sustain drives and finish on third down gives it a narrow edge.

MAGNOLIA (0-6, 0-3) at Hot Springs (1-5, 1-2): Magnolia’s 47 points against Camden Fairview offered encouragement, but the Panthers still lost 51-47 and remain winless. Hot Springs finally broke through with a 34-31 overtime win at De Queen. The Trojans’ passing game showed promise on Oct. 2, when Brody Quast completed 23 of 33 passes for 313 yards and 2 touchdowns against Pine Bluff, and Ethan Echols caught 9 passes for 101 yards. Magnolia must close those underneath windows while preserving its renewed scoring output. Hootens.com is going with Magnolia in a close one.

5A WEST

No. 3 Farmington (6-0, 3-0) at No. 2 GREENWOOD (4-2, 3-0): See Hootens.com Game of the Week. 

No. 19 ALMA (3-3, 1-2) at Dardanelle (2-4, 1-2): Alma lost 5 fumbles in its 35-21 loss at Pea Ridge, and it must fix that. Quinton Broadway still caught 60- and 71-yard touchdowns, and Jay Lemieux finished with 283 passing yards. Dardanelle lost 49-7 to Greenwood, but Jayvon Chaten scored on a 5-yard run and intercepted a pass. The Sand Lizards need Chaten’s ground game to keep Alma QB Lemieux off the field; Alma needs secure exchanges before its passing advantage matters. The Airedales get a narrow nod if they stop giving away possessions.

No. 10 MORRILTON (4-2, 1-2) at Clarksville (0-6, 0-3): Morrilton gets a chance to recover from its 51-28 loss at Farmington against a Clarksville team that was beaten 56-8 at Harrison. Caleb Hays scored from 3 yards out at Farmington, briefly pulling the Devil Dogs within 21-14 before the Cardinals took control. Morrilton can also turn to Champ McNabb, who had 9 catches for 96 yards and 3 touchdowns in an Oct. 2 win at Dardanelle. Clarksville has scored 16 points in 3 conference games and must sustain possessions to protect its defense. Morrilton’s greater variety of scoring threats makes it the clear choice.

No. 18 Pea Ridge (3-3, 2-1) at No. 14 HARRISON (3-3, 1-2): Pea Ridge’s 35-21 win over Alma sets up a meaningful test against Harrison, which rebounded from losses to Farmington and Greenwood by beating Clarksville 56-8. Isaiah Cruz caught 2 touchdown passes and scored on a 45-yard reverse against Alma; Rhett Hargiss added 35- and 55-yard touchdown runs. Harrison must defend the perimeter and keep inside lanes closed for Hargiss. The Goblins face a much tougher challenge than last week, but home-field advantage and experience against the conference’s 2 unbeaten leaders give Harrison a slight edge. Pea Ridge can overturn that call if Cruz and Hargiss keep producing explosive plays.