Class 7A
Bryant (11-0)
Bentonville High (11-0)
North Little Rock (8-3)
Bentonville West (7-4)
Conway (8-4)
Springdale Har-Ber (8-4)
LR Catholic (7-5)
Fayetteville (6-6)
Cabot (6-5)
LR Central (6-5)
Van Buren (6-5)
FS Northside (3-7)
Rogers High (2-9)
Springdale High (3-7)
FS Southside (2-8)
Rogers Heritage (0-10)
HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 3 North Little Rock at NO. 2 BENTONVILLE HIGH (7): Rematch of the 2017 state title game that NLR won 44-37 but ended with controversy as Bentonville attempted to spike the ball inside the 20-yard line with :03 remaining. Officials said time expired, but Bentonville says 1.9 should have been left on the clock. Instant replay, being used for the first time in this year’s finals, will resolve future disputes in championship games.
NLR, eyeing its fourth-straight appearance in the state finals, was tied with Har-Ber 21-21 in the fourth quarter last week before advancing 49-21. NLR gained 390 of its 445 yards on the ground, recovered a Har-Ber fumble and intercepted three passes. Beastly senior running back Brandon Thomas has returned from injuries to carry 117 times for 1,009 yards in just 16 quarters. He rushed for 209 yards and 3 touchdowns last week. NLR starting QB Kareame Cotton and backup Damon Bell have combined to complete just 90 of 188 passes for 931 yards with 2 TDs and 10 interceptions.
Bentonville limited LR Catholic to 133 yards and forced two turnovers in last week’s 41-10 mercy-rule win. Bentonville allows just 13.8 points weekly despite playing reserves in the second half of most games. Juniors Cole Joyce, who has scholarship offers from SMU, Central Florida, Tulsa and others, and Keegan Stinespring are standout inside linebackers.
“I’m not sure, but they might be as good as (No. 1) Bryant’s defense,” says Mitchell.
Comparing scores: NLR opened with a 19-0 victory over Tulsa (Okla.) Washington. Three weeks later, Bentonville won at Washington 17-6. Bentonville beat Conway 17-10 Week 1. NLR beat Conway 17-7 Week 5.
Bentonvllle West at BRYANT (21): This should be closer than the first time. Bryant blanked West 38-0 Week 2, scoring a 35-0 lead by halftime. Bryant totaled 540 yards (437 passing) in the first meeting while holding West to 104 yards (15 rushing). Last week West led 17-0 in the first quarter but had to rally, scoring 14 points in the final 7:30 to get by Conway 31-21. Bryant trailed Fayetteville early last week and it was tied 14-14 in the third quarter after Fayetteville returned an interception 47 yards to score, but the Hornets exploded in the fourth for a 42-14 win.
Class 6A
Benton (8-3)
Greenwood (10-1)
Searcy (10-1)
West Memphis (7-4)
Jonesboro (8-4)
Lake Hamilton (9-3)
Siloam Springs (5-7)
Pine Bluff (4-8)
Marion (6-5)
Sheridan (5-6)
Sylvan Hills (4-7)
El Dorado (4-7)
Russellville (2-8)
Jacksonville (2-8)
Mountain Home (0-10)
LR Hall (2-8)
HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
NO. 2 GREENWOOD (7) at No. 3 Searcy: Greenwood slammed Searcy 35-0 in the 2018 quarterfinals. Greenwood is in the semifinals for the fifth-straight season, and the Bulldogs have advanced to the state final each of the previous four years. Searcy is in the semifinals for the second time in three seasons, but before 2017 the Lions had not been to the semifinals since 1984. Searcy is the top scoring offense in Class 6A (45 points per game) and Greenwood allows the fewest points (15 PPG) in the state.
Searcy won its first league title this season since 1991 and the Lions have won 10 games for the second time in three years. The Lions won their third straight game last week against Pine Bluff in a 55-15 rout. Searcy stormed to a 35-7 lead at halftime against Pine Bluff and rolled up 351 total yards. Junior receiver Marlon Crockett caught four passes for 76 yards and three scores against Pine Bluff and senior QB Bryce Dixon passed for 217 yards and five scores. Senior noseguard Demacio Whittier (10 tackles against Pine Bluff) and linebackers Hayden Miles (team-high 114 stops this year) and Brandon Benson (113 tackles) anchor a Searcy defense that surrenders just 22.3 PPG and has limited five opponents to two TDs or less this fall.
Greenwood has won nine state titles in school history, eight under Coach Rick Jones. The eight championships are tied for second in the state all-time, behind Wilson Matthews’ 10 championships at Little Rock Central. Greenwood and Siloam Springs were tied at 7 last week at halftime, but the Bulldogs outscored the Panthers 17-0 in the second half. Greenwood junior running back Hunter Wilkinson ran for 220 yards against Siloam Springs, 157 after halftime. Senior QB Jace Presley completes 73 percent of his passes for 2,900 yards with 37 TDs and just six interceptions this season. Senior Treyton Dawson (54 catches for 718 yards and a team-high 12 TDs) averages better than 13 yards per reception. Six Greenwood receivers have caught 24 passes or more in 2019. Senior Eli Martin and junior Jordan Hanna pace Greenwood’s top scoring defense, each racking up more than 100 tackles this fall.
Class 5A
LR Christian (12-0)
Pulaski Academy (10-2)
Harrison (11-1)
Morrilton (8-4)
White Hall (8-4)
Wynne (7-5)
Texarkana (7-4)
Alma (5-7)
Valley View (10-1)
Maumelle (8-3)
HS Lakeside (8-3)
Vilonia (7-4)
Forrest City (8-3)
Magnolia (7-4)
Camden Fairview (6-4)
Batesville (5-6)
Hot Springs (5-5)
LR Parkview (4-6)
Nettleton (6-4)
Watson Chapel (5-5)
LR McClellan (4-6)
Greenbrier (5-5)
Farmington (6-4)
Blytheville (3-7)
Clarksville (4-6)
Greene County Tech (2-8)
Beebe (2-8)
Hope (1-9)
Paragould (0-10)
Huntsville (1-9)
De Queen (0-10)
LR Fair (0-10)
HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 4 Morrilton at NO. 2 PULASKI ACADEMY (10): Morrilton beat the Bruins 57-50 in the 2013 quarterfinals, on the way to the third and last state title in school history (won it all in 1971 and 1973). That’s also the last time PA lost at home and the last time the Bruins didn’t advance to at least the championship game. The Devil Dogs recovered all nine onside kick attempts and rallied from a 22-7 early deficit.
Class 4A
Arkadelphia (11-1)
Shiloh Christian (12-0)
Joe T. Robinson (11-1)
Nashville (11-1)
Ozark (11-1)
Crossett (8-3)
Pea Ridge (8-4)
Jonesboro Westside (9-2)
Warren (10-2)
Dardanelle (10-2)
Hamburg (7-5)
Star City (7-5)
Pocahontas (8-4)
DeWitt (7-5)
Gosnell (6-6)
CAC (8-4)
Mena (7-4)
Bauxite (6-5)
Rivercrest (7-4)
Pottsville (7-4)
Riverview (7-4)
Southside Batesville (7-4)
Lonoke (6-5)
Gentry (7-4)
Prairie Grove (4-7)
Malvern (4-7)
Heber Springs (4-7)
Trumann (4-7)
Elkins (5-6)
Gravette (4-7)
H. Grove Haskell (4-6)
Brookland (4-6)
Lincoln (5-5)
Helena (5-5)
Bald Knob (3-7)
Monticello (2-8)
Berryville (3-7)
Mills (0-10)
Waldron (2-8)
Fountain Lake (2-8)
Ashdown (2-8)
Stuttgart (1-9)
Highland (1-9)
Dumas (1-9)
Subiaco Academy (2-8)
Green Forest (2-8)
Cave City (0-10)
Dover (0-10)
HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 4 Nashville at NO. 2 SHILOH CHRISTIAN (8): Shiloh Christian has beaten Nashville three times in the playoffs over the past decade, including 40-21 in last year’s quarterfinals. The other two times (51-49 in 2009 quarterfinals and 48-10 in 2010 quarters), the Saints won the state title, while Nashville used a 48-23 second-round triumph in 2015 to spur its state title run.
The unbeaten Saints (12-0) average 433 yards weekly and outscore their opponents 53-13 this year, notching impressive wins over Florida Class 2A quarterfinalist Moore Haven and Beggs, Okla., which plays in the quarterfinals this week. They’ve scored more than 60 points in three of the past four games, including last week’s 63-14 triumph over Pocahontas. Senior quarterback Eli Reece split snaps last season but has shined this year as the primary signal-caller. Reece completes 74.4 percent of his passes this year (221 of 297) for 3,245 yards and 36 touchdowns with only two interceptions. Senior Truitt Tollett has a state-best 100 catches this fall for 1,635 yards and 26 TDs (a school record). Junior Cam Wiedemann and senior Logan Raben comprise most of Shiloh’s running attack, combining for almost 1,000 yards this fall. Wiedemann ran 19 times for 144 yards and four TDs against Pocahontas, while Raben ran nine times for 114 yards and a TD.
Nashville has won six-straight games since losing at Joe T. Robinson 34-7 in Week 6. But the Scrappers struggled last week with power running Dardanelle, winning 35-34 when Dardanelle failed on a late two-point try. Junior QB Ty Gordon threw a 22-yard TD pass to senior Ty Basiliere, and he ran 18 times for 197 yards and a pair of TDs. Junior Keyshawn Stewart paces Nashville this fall with 127 carries for 933 yards and 18 TDs, while Gordon has 129 carries for 920 yards and 11 TDs. Basiliere averages 23 yards per catch and has 10 TDs. Junior Dontrelle Robinson has sparked the Scrappers in the playoffs. Robinson averages 7.8 yards per carry this year and 16.8 yards per catch. At cornerback, he’s made 14 tackles in two playoff games. Senior linebackers Devant’e Witherspoon and Lance Easter feasted last week when Dardanelle went with a double tight end, two sniffer (H-back) look. Witherspoon collected 21 tackles, while Easter had 18. Witherspoon has a team-best 121 tackles this fall, while Easter has 107 stops.
Pea Ridge at OZARK (2): Ozark has won three of the four meetings between these former conference foes. The Hillbillies trailed Warren 17-14 at halftime a week ago, but scored 27 unanswered points in the third quarter of the 41-17 triumph. Sophomore QB Ryker Martin, making his first start in place of injured junior QB Harper Faulkenberry (broken leg), ran 25 times for a game-high 183 yards and three TDs. He also completed three of six passes for 80 yards, including a first quarter 62-yard TD strike. Senior Eli Munnerlyn ran for 149 yards and three TDs. Senior Bryant Burns caught the TD pass and at outside linebacker recorded eight tackles. Junior linebacker Keystan Durning had 11 stops against Warren, and has 122 this fall. Ozark’s Lawsyn Jackson (6-2, 225) has turned into one of Class 4A’s top defensive linemen with 71 tackles this fall, including four against Warren. Eight Ozark players who started the opener are out with season-ending injuries. Pea Ridge has beaten Lonoke and Star City in the playoffs by a combined 70-27. Senior QB Tate Busey passed for 134 yards and a pair of TDs and ran for Pea Ridge’s other TD in last week’s 21-14 win over Star City. Busey has passed for 1,431 yards and 21 TDs this fall, while rushing for 631 yards and 12 TDs. Pea Ridge’s linemen match up well with Ozark’s linemen. Juniors Michael Ericson (6-3, 235) and Cooper Tillman (6-0, 205) man the tackle spots, while senior Hagen Schader (6-3, 235) plays center. Junior Thad Timmons (6-2, 290) and senior Phillip Brown (6-1, 265) offer size and power at the guard slots.
Class 3A
Rison (11-1)
Prescott (10-2)
Osceola (10-1)
Harding Academy (12-0)
C. Harmony Grove (10-2)
McGehee (11-1)
Hoxie (10-2)
Melbourne (10-2)
Booneville (8-3)
Newport (9-3)
Lamar (9-3)
Glen Rose (9-3)
Clinton (10-2)
Atkins (9-3)
Dollarway (6-6)
Greenland (7-5)
Centerpoint (8-3)
Harrisburg (7-4)
Jessieville (8-3)
Mansfield (7-4)
Perryville (6-5)
Smackover (5-6)
Walnut Ridge (6-5)
Drew Central (6-5)
Charleston (4-7)
Lake Village (4-6)
Cedarville (6-4)
Baptist Prep (3-8)
Mountain View (5-6)
Danville (4-6)
Genoa Central (5-6)
Fouke (4-6)
Barton (3-7)
Bismarck (3-7)
Mayflower (2-8)
Piggott (2-8)
Corning (2-8)
Yellville-Summit (2-8)
Paris (3-7)
Marshall (2-7)
Rose Bud (2-8)
Two Rivers (1-9)
Manila (2-8)
West Fork (0-10)
Palestine-Wheatley (0-9)
Cedar Ridge (1-9)
Horatio (0-10)
HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 5 Camden Harmony Grove at NO. 1 RISON (2): Rison has won eight of the past nine meetings with Harmony Grove, but the Hornets ripped Rison 42-30 in 2017 when the two were members of the 8-2A. The schools will be league rivals again in 2020 and 2021. Harmony Grove is in the quarterfinals for the fourth-straight season. Rison’s 34 wins the past three seasons are its most since earning 38 wins between 2003-2005. Rison rides the top scoring defense in Class 3A (9.2 points per game) into this game. Rison fashioned a 30-7 lead last week against Lamar in a 36-20 victory, but the 20 points was the second-highest point total allowed by the Wildcats in 2019. Lamar rolled up 353 yards at Rison, 160 of which came after the Wildcats pushed ahead 30-7. Rison junior running back Jamarien Frye ran for 155 yards on 20 carries and two TDs against Lamar, with senior Jerrion Marshall taking off for a 57-yard TD. Senior Fred Marsh and junior Eli Herrington anchor the Rison defense.
Class 2A
Junction City (9-1)
Fordyce (10-2)
Gurdon (10-2)
Des Arc (10-2)
Magnet Cove (11-1)
Hazen (10-1)
Salem (10-1)
Carlisle (9-3)
Foreman (11-1)
Magazine (8-2)
McCrory (8-3)
Parkers Chapel (7-5)
Mountainburg (6-5)
Earle (6-5)
Mountain Pine (6-5)
England (5-6)
Poyen (7-4)
Murfreesboro (6-5)
Dierks (7-5)
Hackett (8-2)
Cutter M Star (6-5)
Hector (4-5)
E. Poinsett County (6-4)
Rector (6-5)
Clarendon (3-8)
Hampton (4-7)
Mineral Springs (4-6)
Conway Christian (3-7)
Quitman (4-6)
Mount Ida (2-8)
Marked Tree (2-8)
Bearden (2-9)
Marvell (2-7)
Lavaca (1-9)
Strong (1-9)
Bigelow (0-10)
Cross County (1-8)
JC Westside (1-9)
Lafayette County (1-9)
Marianna (0-10)
Midland (0-9)
Spring Hill (0-10)
HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
NO. 8 CARLISLE (4) vs. No. 7 Salem: This game has been moved to Mountain Hime. Carlisle pulled off the biggest upset last week in Class 2A by eliminating 2017 state champion and 2018 semifinalist Foreman (36-14). Carlisle ran for 227 yards (only three second-half possessions) and converted three of five fourth-down attempts.