Class 2A Rankings, Picks and Notes, Week 2, 2023
Hootens Arkansas Football Ranking
Class 2A, Week 2, 2023
Copyright Seventy-Seven's Football Publishing, LLC
1. Mineral Springs (2-0)
2. Des Arc (1-0)
3. Hazen (1-1)
4. EPC (1-0)
5. Cross County (1-0)
6. Bigelow (2-0)
7. Conway Christian (2-0)
8. Marked Tree (1-0)
9. McCrory (1-0)
10. Mount Ida (0-1)
11. England (1-1)
12. Carlisle (1-1)
13. Earle (1-1)
14. Dierks (1-1)
15. Clarendon (1-1)
16. LR Episcopal (0-1)
17. Poyen (1-1)
18. Murfreesboro (1-0)
19. Mountainburg (1-1)
20. Hector (0-2)
21. Hampton (0-1)
22. Marianna (1-1)
23. Magazine (0-2)
24. Bearden (0-2)
25. Baptist Prep (0-2)
26. JC Westside (0-2)
27. Lafayette County (0-2)
28. Foreman (0-2)
GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 12 Carlisle (1-1) at NO. 5 CROSS COUNTRY (1-0)
The Bison are still trying to find their identity after the graduation of all-state running back Jason Sullivan, who set a state record with rushing TDs a year ago. Carlisle tried to keep up with tradition-rich Junction City on Friday, falling 33-26. Bison QB Holden Jones completed 8 of 19 passes for 174 yards and 2 TDs. Kayleb Elliott rushed for 164 yards and a TD on 24 carries.
Cross County, which is expected to have its best team in years, was off last week after beating Class 3A Harrisburg 42-12 in Week 0. RB Cardarian Washington rushed for 203 yards and 3 TDs on 17 carries. QB Konnor Wilson also added 2 rushing TDs in the victory.
The Thunderbirds will need to control the clock like they did against Harrisburg. If Carlisle finds a way to score quickly, it could be a shootout. But Cross County definitely has the advantage with its running game.
LAST WEEK
Hootens.com correctly predicted 14 of 18 games involving Class 2A teams. For the season, Hootens.com is 30-5 (86 percent)
2A NONCONFERENCE
Carlisle (1-1) at CROSS COUNTY (1-0): See Hootens.com Game of the Week
HAZEN (1-1) at Clarendon (1-1): Hazen is coming off a 36-34 OT loss to Des Arc, its first loss since the semifinals of the Class 2A playoffs in 2021. Coach Joe Besancon said his team wasn’t focused coming into the game. Braylan Anderson scored 2 TDs in the loss. Clarendon totaled 156 yards in a 35-6 loss to Barton. Greyson Miller scored the Lions’ only TD.
MCCRORY (1-0) at Hector (0-2): McCrory, 2-8 last season, bounced back under new coach Cade Campbell to beat Mount Ida 28-0 in its season opener. Reece Rising rushed for 170 yards and 2 TDs. Leevi Tucker returned an INT for a TD. Hector comes off a 42-28 loss to Class 3A Quitman. PJ Henderson caught 8 passes for 116 yards and 2 TDs. He also had an INT on defense. Brent Casto rushed for 2 TDs. Jackson Tyler threw for 225 yards.
Murfreesboro (1-0) at LR EPISCOPAL (0-1): Mufreesboro opened the season beating Bearden 48-8. Lathan Compton rushed for 94 yards and 2 TDs. Noah Cox also scored twice. Episcopal lost to Smackover 20-17. Quin Clark had 11 tackles and a blocked punt for the Wildcats.
BEARDEN (0-2) at Lafayette County (0-2): Bearden struggled in a 48-8 loss to Murfreesboro. Marky Jimerson rushed for 105 yards and a TD in the loss. Ad’Lee Allen led the Bears with 8 tackles. Lafayette County lost to Marianna 38-6. Andrew Mack had 237 yards of offense, scoring the only TD. He also had an INT on defense.
HAMPTON(0-1) at Foreman (0-2): Hampton opened the season with a 45-08 loss to Poyen. Aden Williams rushed for 68 yards and a TD on 15 carries. Zeck Bush led the Bulldogs with 6 1/2 tackles. Foreman was forced to forfeit its game with Gurdon last week because of illness. Coach Nate Lynch said his team had only 10 players at school last Wednesday. “We should be fine this week,” Lynch said. “We had a wave of sickness hit the school.”
CLASS 2A-3A NONCONFERENCE
No. 6 Bigelow (2-0) at 3A PERRYVILLE (1-1): Bigelow routed England 49-24 last week, sacking the QB 5 times. Five players scored TDs for the Panthers. Jayden Dunlap scored twice. Perryville comes off a 40-6 loss to Central Arkansas Christian. Mustangs RB/LB Luke Underwood averages 7 tackles and 65 rushing yards per game; DE/RB Wyatt Brown averages 5 tackles and 68 rushing yards. T/DT Wyatt Machenleads the team with 16 tackles. Mustangs Coach Allan Fairbanks, says he looks for his team to come out laser focused in practice this week and be ready to get back on track going forward.
NO. 7 CONWAY CHRISTIAN (2-0) at 3A Atkins: Conway Christian improved to 2-0 by whipping Baptist Prep 48-7. Aaron Lovelace rushed for 78 yards and 3 TDs. Brady Domokos had 2 rushing TDs and a fumble return for a score. Atkins fell to 0-2 with a 26-16 loss at 4A Dover. Senior Jackson Furh (14 tackles, 2 INTs., 1 Pick 6) led the Red Devils. Coach Matt Porter says he anticipating a tough matchup with Conway Christian.
Mountainburg (1-1) at 3A CEDARVILLE (0-1): Mountainburg rushed for 249 yards in a 26-20 win over Danville. Ryan Allen rushed for 130 yards and 3 TDs while also passing for 87 yards. Garrett Jones had 9 tackles and 2 sacks. Cedarville returns from an open date in Week 1 and travels to 2A Mountainburg. Cedarville suffered a 41-0 home loss to Perryville in the season-opener. Cedarville has taken the past 3 matchups against Mountainburg by a combined 116-12 score.
3A DANVILLE (0-1) at Magazine (0-2): Magazine’s Ethan Vasquez scored the Rattlers’ first TD of the season. Keej Vang forced 2 fumbles. Danville lost its opener 26-20 at Mountainburg. Little Johns Coach Koby Hamlin said his team played hard against a tough team.
3A Two Rivers at JC WESTSIDE (0-2): Westside finally got on the field last week, losing 36-0 to Yellville-Summitt. It forfeited its first game because of illnesses to players. Hayden Edwards led the Rebels with tackles and forced 2 fumbles. Two Rivers comes in off a 43-0 shutout loss at home against Palestine-Wheatley. Gators Coach Jonathon Ellis said liked what he saw from defensive players Tacomah Hunt and Zane Grey.
No. 4 EPC (1-0) at 3A WALNUT RIDGE (2-0): East Poinsett County’s Dennis Gaines rushed 24 times for 172 yards and 5 TDs. Walnut Ridge comes off a 39-0 win over 4A Cave City, with the Bobcats holding the Cavemen to 10 yards rushing. Walnut Ridge was led by Jayden Saulsbury (8-125 rushing) and Jersie Cunningham (12-11 rushing). Coach Jeff Blake had praise for Mark Hatfield on defense. Blake says the matchup with EPC will require the Bobcats to slow down EPC's run game.
Marianna (1-1) at 3A BARTON (1-1): The Marianna Trojans ended their long losing streak with a 38-6 win over Lafayette County. Barton evened its record when it picked up a 35-6 home win over 2A Clarendon last Friday. Dequincy Wilson led the Bears defense with 6 tackles and a 94-yard interception that led to a TD. Wilson (4-70 rushing, 1 TD) and Ne'Taveus Johnson (4-43 rushing; 4-60 receiving, TD; 2 tackles, 1 TFL).
NO. 1 MINERAL SPRINGS (2-0) at 3A Smackover (1-1): New No. 1 Mineral Springs routed Fouke 42-2 last week. Katrevion Thomas, 1 of 3 Hornets to score rushing TDs, led Mineral Springs with 75 yards rushing. Rahmaij Ware led the defense with 12 tackles. Smackover comes off a 20-17 home win against 2A Episcopal Collegiate. Smackover is out to avenge last season's 64-26 loss at Mineral Springs.
Mount Ida (0-1) at 3A JESSIEVILLE (0-1): Mount Ida’s Ben Woodfield led the Lions with 105 yards rushing and 9 tackles in their 28-0 loss to McCrory last week.
Dierks (1-1) at 3A GURDON (2-0): Dierks routed Horatio 36-6 last week. Jordan Hill rushed for 202 yards and 4 TDs in the win. Kason Dougan had 8 tackles to lead the defense. Gurdon heads into Week 2 with a 2-0 record after Foreman forfeited last week's game. Go-Devils Coach Kyle Jackson says his team has to stop the Dierks run game for Gurdon to come out with a victory.
3A BISMARCK (1-1) at Poyen (1-1): Poyen scored early and often in beating Hampton. QB Colt Barrett passed for 177 yards and a TD. He also scored 2 rushing TDs. Logan Lewis rushed for 113 yards on 5 carries. Bismarck evened its record with as 49-12 home rout against Rison. Ben Keithley (11-105 yards), Dalton Daniels (5-69 rushing) and Johnny Diaz (6-66) led the Lions' rushing attack. Caedmon Keithley caught 2 passes for 22 yards. Caleb Schultz anchored the Lions with a team-leading 7 tackles.
Baptist Prep (0-2) at 3A MAGNET COVE (2-0): Baptist Prep QB Malachi Jones completed 9 of 18 passes for 170 yards and a TD in a loss to Conway Christian. Nick Cummings had 141 yards rushing and also intercepted 2 passes. Magnet Cove defeated 2A Poyen 42-8 to open the season and followed that with a 40-36 victory at Fordyce. Magnet Cove keeps the ball on the ground and works the clock down to the final 3 seconds before snapping on each possession.
CLASS 2A-4A NONCONFERENCE
No. 2 Des Arc (1-0) at 4A BALD KNOB (1-1): The Des Arc Eagles ended Hazen’s 14-game winning streak in OT last week. QB Cache Flanagan rushed for 170 yards and 3 TDs on 22 carries against the Hornets
IDLE England (1-1), Marked Tree (1-0), Earle (1-1)
Have your say
Feel free to take part in the discussion! Please be nice and do not include any abusive comments or spam. All comments are moderated and Hootens.com reserves the right to delete any comment.