Hootens.com Rankings
Class 3A, Week 10, 2017
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.

1. Junction City (9-0)
2. Charleston (9-0)
3. Prescott (8-1)
4. Glen Rose (8-1)
5. Mayflower (9-0)
6. Clinton (9-0)
7. Osceola (8-1)
8. Rivercrest (7-2)
9. Barton (8-1)
10. McGehee (7-2)
11. Elkins (7-2)
12. Melbourne (7-2)
13. Atkins (7-2)
14. H. Grove Haskell (6-3)
15. Perryville (7-2)
16. Hoxie (5-4)
17. Fordyce (5-4)
18. Smackover (5-4)
19. Piggott (6-3)
20. Newport (6-3)
21. Bald Knob (5-4)
22. Horatio (5-4)
23. Harding Academy (5-4)
24. Fouke (5-4)
25. Centerpoint (5-4)
26. Greenland (5-4)
27. Lamar (4-5)
28. Jessieville (4-5)
29. Cedar Ridge (4-5)
30. Paris (4-5)
31. Yellville-Summit (3-6)
32. Gurdon (4-5)
33. Walnut Ridge (3-6)
34. Rose Bud (4-5)
35. Mountain View (3-6)
36. Cedarville (3-6)
37. Mansfield (2-7)
38. Manila (2-7)
39. Lake Village (1-7)
40. Episcopal (1-8)
41. Genoa Central (3-6)
42. Drew Central (2-7)
43. Bismarck (2-7)
44. Green Forest (2-7)
45. Marshall (0-9)
46. Marianna (1-8)
47. Corning (0-9)
48. Two Rivers (0-9)

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 7 Osceola at No. 8 Rivercrest
This Mississippi County clash gets bigger Friday night when the Seminoles invade the “Cotton Patch” to play Rivercrest for the No. 1 playoff seed and home games in the first two rounds of playoffs. Rivercrest has won seven straight meetings against Osceola. Rivercrest seeks its 30th conference championship and third straight in the 3-3A. The Colts won at Manila 48-6 last week when junior running back Kentavious Robinson ran for 213 yards and five touchdowns. Rivercrest linemen own a noted advantage in size and athleticism over Osceola. Rivercrest's seniors have played in eight playoff games the past two years and “tradition is impossible to prepare for,” first-year Osceola coach Robert Hooks says. Osceola clinched a share of its first conference title since 2014 last week when it rallied from a 14-0 deficit to win 41-14 at Newport. The Seminoles have won eight straight games by a combined 309-117. This is a homecoming for Hooks, a 2001 Rivercrest graduate. Osceola was 2-8 last year, but Hooks has established discipline and conditioning in 2017. “I wouldn't ask for it any other way,” Hooks says of the de facto conference championship game. “We've been telling our kids since we got here that if we want something, let's go earn it.”

LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly picked 22 of 24 games (92 percent) involving Class 3A teams. For the season, hootens.com has correctly predicted 221 of 274 games (81 percent).

WEEK 10 PREDICTIONS (favored team in CAPS followed by point spread)
1-3A
Mountain View at CLINTON (21): A win clinches a playoff berth for Mountain View, which could finish as the No. 4 or No. 5 seed. Clinton has clinched the No. 1 playoff seed and can secure an outright league title with a win. Clinton will play host to Fouke or Genoa Central in the first round of the playoffs. Clinton slipped Mountain View last year 34-32 to force a three-way tie for the 1-3A title. The Yellow Jackets have forced 27 turnovers this year and surrender nine points per week. That defense will stymie a young Mountain View offense.
Green Forest at ELKINS (24): Green Forest has been eliminated from playoff contention and has not advanced to the postseason since 2014. Braden Smith collected eight tackles and Jordan Zepeda-Mahaffey stacked seven in last week's 47-14 loss to Melbourne. Elkins will be the No. 2 playoff seed regardless of this outcome and play host to Smackover or Fordyce in the first round of the playoffs.
MELBOURNE (14) at Greenland: Greenland needs to win and get help to qualify for the playoffs for the sixth straight year. Two of Greenland's three leading rushers (juniors Hayden Stout and Levi Vaughn) and its top two receivers (juniors Jonas Mackey and Ethan Holte) should return in 2018. Melbourne owns the No. 3 playoff seed and plays host to the loser of the Atkins-Perryville game.
Marshall at YELLVILLE-SUMMIT (7): Marshall will miss the playoffs for the seventh straight year. The Bobcats own one playoff win in school history (1990 over Fouke). Yellville-Summit has won three straight in this series. The Panthers earn the No. 4 playoff seed with a win and open the playoffs at the Atkins-Perryville winner.

2-3A
Marianna at MAYFLOWER (42) (Thurs.): Marianna misses the playoffs for the second straight year. Junior Daylon King paces Marianna in rushing, passing and tackles. Mayflower earned its first conference title since 2008 last week and will be the No. 1 playoff seed. The Eagles, winners in 11 of their past 12 games, will have a first-round playoff bye.
Episcopal at HARDING ACADEMY (24): Episcopal will miss the playoffs for the second straight year. Episcopal dressed 15 players for last week's 50-0 loss to Mayflower. Harding Academy is the No. 4 playoff seed with a win and would open on the road against the loser of the Osceola-Rivercrest game. If Harding loses and Cedar Ridge wins, Harding finishes No. 5 and plays at the winner of Osceola-Rivercrest.
BARTON (21) at Rose Bud (Thurs.): Rose Bud will miss the playoffs, but it tied the school record for wins (four) in a season. The Ramblers' leading passer (Levi Balentine), rusher and receiver (Dalton Hall), three starters on the offensive line (James Dieckmann, Chance Reeves and Rhett Hartwick) and impressive freshman Jakob Parks should return in 2018. Barton will be the No. 2 playoff seed and will play host to the loser of the Lamar-Paris game in the first round followed by a potential second-round game at 4-3A champion Charleston.
BALD KNOB (10) at Cedar Ridge (Thurs.): Both are in the playoffs. Cedar Ridge finishes as high as No. 4 with a win and a Harding Academy loss. Should it finish as the No. 5 playoff seed, Cedar Ridge plays at the 3-3A champion (winner of Osceola-Rivercrest). Bald Knob will be the No. 3 playoff seed and will host the loser of the Horatio-H. Grove Haskell game.

3-3A
OSCEOLA (3) at Rivercrest: See Game of the Week.
NEWPORT (20) at Manila (Thurs.): Loser misses playoffs. Manila makes its third straight playoff appearance with a win, but the Lions have lost three straight by a combined 128-6. Newport likely finishes as the No. 5 playoff seed and would open the playoffs at 5-3A champ Glen Rose. A Newport win and a Piggott loss allow Newport to finish No. 4 with a first-round playoff trip to Prescott.
PIGGOTT (24) at Corning (Thurs.): Corning will miss the playoffs for the third straight year. The Bobcats have lost 31 straight games. Piggott likely finishes as the No. 4 playoff seed for a first-round date with Prescott. Piggott lost last week at Hoxie 50-36, the most points it has allowed since 2014.
HOXIE (17) at Walnut Ridge (Thurs.): Walnut Ridge will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2008. The Bobcats welcome back leading rusher Cade Burris (576 yards and eight TDs) and leading receiver Slade Dalton (21 catches for 232 yards and three TDs) in 2018. Hoxie will be the No. 3 playoff seed, regardless of this outcome and will play host to the winner of the Horatio-H. Grove Haskell game. Hoxie has won five of its past seven outings.

4-3A
Mansfield at CHARLESTON (24): Mansfield misses the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year. Mansfield expects to return leading passer Ethan Stovall (923 yards and 11 TDs) and top receivers Jaicy Griffin (37 catches for 353 yards and two TDs), Tyler Holmes (18 catches for 303 yards and five TDs) and Layton Howard (33 catches for 276 yards and two TDs) in 2018. Charleston won its seventh conference title in nine years last week with a 35-6 win at Perryville. As the league's top playoff seed, the Tigers likely host Mountain View. Charleston junior QB Brayden Caudle was injured at Perryville, but should be able to play this week.
Lamar at PARIS (3): Winner is the No. 4 playoff seed, and loser finishes fifth. Teams have matching 4-5 overall records and 3-3 in the league. Lamar has won two straight by a combined 79-7. Paris has won two straight by a combined 97-20. Paris' team speed proves the difference.
Perryville at ATKINS (10) (Thurs.): Winner is the No. 2 playoff seed and loser settles for third. Comparing scores: Charleston beat Atkins Week 8 42-20, and Charleston won at Perryville Week 9 35-6. Perryville limited Charleston to 69 rushing yards last week. Atkins won at Mansfield 46-15 last week, its second-best scoring game this year. Atkins has won seven straight home games and makes it eight behind its explosive offense.
CEDARVILLE (17) at Two Rivers: Neither team qualifies for the playoffs. Cedarville should return leading rusher Tate LaRue and playmaking receiver Dylan Murray in 2018. Two Rivers has not made the playoffs since 2013.

5-3A
PRESCOTT (21) at Jessieville (Thurs.): Jessieville is tied with Gurdon and Centerpoint for the final playoff spot. The Lions own the head-to-head tiebreaker over Gurdon but not over Centerpoint. Jessieville and Gurdon own 26 tiebreaker points, while Centerpoint has just 16. Jessieville has lost two straight by a combined 10 points. Prescott will be the No. 2 playoff seed regardless of outcome. Prescott beat Bismarck 62-7 last week, the most points it has scored since 2015.
Gurdon at GLEN ROSE (20): Gurdon is tied with Jessieville and Centerpoint for the final playoff spot. The Go-Devils own the head-to-head tiebreaker over Centerpoint but not Jessieville. Jessieville and Gurdon own 26 tiebreaker points while Centerpoint has just 16. Glen Rose is the No. 1 playoff seed and wins the conference outright with a win. Glen Rose recorded its second shutout of the year last week in a 35-0 win at Horatio.
Horatio at H. GROVE HASKELL (6) (Thurs.): Winner clinches the No. 3 playoff seed and first-round home playoff game. Horatio has not been to the postseason since 2012. Horatio limited Glen Rose to 69 passing yards last week. H. Grove Haskell rushed for a season-high 291 yards in a 34-10 conquest at Gurdon. Haskell's offense has improved every week and continues that trend here.
CENTERPOINT (14) at Bismarck (Thurs.): Bismarck misses the playoffs for the third straight year and has lost seven straight games. Bismarck should return its top two passers (James Kegley and Dylan Clayton) and its top pass-catcher (Jordan Webb) in 2018. Centerpoint needs a win to remain in playoff contention.

6-3A
Fordyce at MCGEHEE (14): Fordyce is tied with Smackover for the No. 3 seed from the league, but Smackover owns the tiebreaker. Fordyce did not complete a pass (on six attempts) last week in its 50-14 loss to Junction City. McGehee returns to the playoffs after missing last year. The Owls clinch the No. 2 playoff seed with a win. McGehee has won five straight games by a combined 186-59.
SMACKOVER (10) at Genoa Central (Thurs.): Genoa Central needs a win and a Fouke loss to make its first playoff appearance. A GC win would also tie the school record for wins (four). GC rushed for 409 yards and five TDs in last week's 37-8 win at Lake Village. Smackover clinches the No. 3 playoff seed with a victory. Smackover hosts the winner of the Lamar-Paris game in the first round of the playoffs.
Drew Central at JUNCTION CITY (35) (Thurs.): Drew Central is eliminated from playoff contention and owns a six-game losing streak. Fouke's 16-0 win last week was Drew Central's first shutout loss this year. Junction City is the No. 1 playoff seed and wins the conference outright with a win. A win also clinches Junction City's first 10-0 regular season since 2014. The Dragons will have a first-round playoff bye.
Lake Village at FOUKE (14) (Thurs.): Lake Village is eliminated from playoff contention and has made the playoffs just once since 2006. A win clinches Fouke's fifth consecutive playoff appearance and a first-round road date with 1-3A champion Clinton. Fouke's only playoff victory came in 2014 over H. Grove Haskell (26-7).