Arkansas high school football Top 25 rankings (10/24/2023)
There is always at least one week in every season when multiple surprises occur, and for Arkansas prep football in 2023, that was Week 8.
The most notable came in a 5A-West showdown that resulted in some movement within the Top 10 as Shiloh Christian went down, while another highly-competitive 5A-Central Top 20 contest between Joe T. Robinson and Mills was a close enough finish for each to keep hold on their spot.
Buckle up, there are only two weeks remaining until the postseason and multiple Top 25 teams are still on schedule to square off.
Here are the SBLive Arkansas Top 25 high school football rankings for Week 9.
1. Parkview (8-0)
The Parkview defense had not allowed more than seven points in any of the past four games coming into this week, but finally pitched the first shutout of the season in Thursday’s 42-0 5A-South win over Magnolia. Arkansas target Omarion Robinson returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown, his third of the season, while Cam Settles scored twice on as many carries.
2. Bryant (7-1)
Powered by a balanced offensive attack in which the Hornets eclipsed 200 yards both on the ground and through the air, Bryant got past a feisty Cabot squad on the road. Feature back James Martin returned with authority after missing last week, finishing with 189 yards and two scores on 14 carries. Quarterback Jordan Walker found the end zone three times and Air Force commit Drake Fowler nipped two interceptions.
3. Conway (8-0)
The Wampus Cats hardly broke a sweat against struggling Little Rock Central as a 35-point first quarter quickly all but finished this contest out that resulted in a Conway shutout. In limited time, Donovyn Omolo completed 11-of-17 passes for 184 yards and found the end zone four times. Omolo's favorite target, Cris O'Neal, hauled in four passes for 79 yards and two scores.
4. Greenwood (8-0)
Despite receiving the biggest push against in-state completion thus far, the talent and depth of the Bulldogs were too much for Russellville as Greenwood won its 61st consecutive at Smith Robinson Stadium. Standout sophomore quarterback Kane Archer put on a show, finishing with 355 total yards and seven touchdowns. Isiah Arrington, Grant Karnes and L.J. Robins each caught a touchdown, while Brayeden Davis eclipsed 100 yards on the ground and 1,000 on the season. Two huge matchups are on the horizon for the final two weeks of the regular season, starting with No. 10 Pulaski Academy on Friday and No. 8 Little Rock Christian back at home in Week 10.
5. Fayetteville (8-0)
Just another Friday for the Purple Dogs as they handled rival Springdale without any issues while amassing 50 points for the fourth time in 2023. Minnesota commit Drake Lindsey passed for five touchdowns, two to Arkansas baseball commit Jaison DeLamar while an additional two were hauled in by Landon Lucke. Two games away from an undefeated regular season, Fayetteville heads to Rogers Heritage on Friday.
6. Benton (7-1)
For the fifth consecutive week, the high-flying Panther first-team offense needed only one half to get the job done. They reached 50 points before the break to take down Searcy and win their seventh straight contest. Standout sophomore quarterback Drew Davis completed 12-of-14 passes for 265 yards and three scores, while his top two targets, Elias Payne (4 receptions, 181 yards, 2 touchdowns) and Maddox Davis (124 total yards, 4 touchdowns) each also conducted business as usual.
7. Bentonville (5-3)
It was not easy, but the Tigers dug deep and bounced back from a tough loss to arch rival Fayetteville. Sophomore Cole Slepecki stepped in at quarterback for the injured Carter Nye and completed 6-of-11 passes for 120 yards with two scores, including a 78-yard strike. Arkansas commit C.J. Brown hauled in three passes for 89 yards and both of Slepecki's touchdowns, while Christian Battles ran for 128 yards two scores.
8. Little Rock Christian (7-1)
The Warriors have been a completely different team since the humbling Sep. 1 loss to Shiloh Christian as winners of six straight. However, the past four of those have been at a different level as LRCA has outscored opponents 220-16, including only three points allowed in the past three games. Auburn commit Walker White was sharp in Friday's 58-3 win over Van Buren, completing 20-of-26 passes for 325 yards and four touchdowns. Each touchdown was hauled in by a different receiver, but White's cousin, Jake Field, led with 125 yards.
9. Bentonville West (6-2)
The win streak is now at four for the Wolverines following a 53-0 rout of Rogers Heritage as they now head into a tough final two-game stretch to close the regular season. West travels to No. 12 Fort Smith Southside on Friday to take on that devastating Maverick rushing attack before hosting rival No. 7 Bentonville in Week 10.
10. Pulaski Academy (7-1)
The new-look Bruins passing attack has been on-point recently as junior quarterback Brandon Cobb has played well despite having a cast on his non-throwing hand all season and he has also found three consistent receivers. In PA's 42-31 win over Greenbrier, Cobb completed 32 passes for 366 yards and four touchdowns, while Andrew Fiser (6 catches, 106 yards, touchdown) led in receiving, followed by Walden Culpepper (11 catches, 97 yards, 2 touchdowns) and Will Svoboda (7 catches, 90 yards, 2 touchdowns).
11. Rogers (5-3)
Jansen Garner connected with Mabry Verser for a 39-yard score with 16 seconds left, but the Mounties ran out of time and could not complete the comeback against No. 7 Bentonville. Garner finished 17-of-29 for 225 yards, but tossed two interceptions, with the aforementioned touchdown, while Verser hauled in 9 catches for 129 yards. The Mounties have dropped three of their past four contests, all to Top 25 teams by a touchdown or less.
12. Fort Smith Southside (5-3)
Basketball season does not start at football schools until next month, but you would not know it if you took a peak at the combined 129 points between the Mavericks and Har-Ber as Southside's 74 ended up being plenty and then some. They rushed for over 500 yards, led by Amari Tucker's 302 and three scores, while Carter Zimmerman added 160 yards and two scores and Isaac Gregory added four touchdowns.
13. Catholic (6-2)
The Rockets entered October having lost two of their previous three contests and are now on a three-game win streak, including a second straight shutout, in Friday's rout of Jacksonville. Quarterback Jackson England was 12-of-15 for 149 yards for three touchdowns against the Red Devils, along with a score on the ground, while Paul Plafcan hauled in 3 catches for 75 yards and a touchdown.
14. Hot Springs (7-1)
Senior quarterback Matt Contreras was down two of his top receivers, but still managed to lead the offense without skipping a beat, and the Trojan defense also thrived forcing six turnovers in the 50-14 win over Arkansas High. Contreras passed for 400 yards and 6 touchdowns, while receivers Tyrell Honey (6 receptions, 209 yards, touchdown) and Justin Washington (4 receptions, 137 yards, 4 touchdowns) highlighted an impressive collective performance by the receiving corps.
15. Shiloh Christian (6-2)
Up 28-10 at halftime the Saints were feeling confident, but a beat up Farmington squad refused to quit on senior night and pitched a second half shutout as the offense reeled off 21 unanswered to snap the Saints' 40-game conference win streak. The 5A-West is now in a three-way tie for first place that includes the Saints and Farmington, along with Alma.
16. Cabot (4-4)
Many expected Cabot to give No. 2 Bryant all they wanted, and they did at times, but were not able to match offense with the Hornets as the Panthers dropped their second of the past three contests. The final two games of the regular season do look favorable with a road trip to Fort Smith Northside on Friday before wrapping up the regular season at home against North Little Rock.
17. Marion (7-1)
If they stay healthy, this Patriots squad could be dangerous in the postseason similar to what we saw two years ago. They had the makings of a squad that could heat up late in the year prior to the season and quarterback Ashton Gray's recent performances are just one example of that. Gray compiled another outstanding game in Marion's 55-21 win over Sheridan, the Patriots' third consecutive victory, totaling 485 yards and five touchdowns.
18. West Memphis (6-2)
Playing for their quarterback Keland Mills, who left last week's contest against Marion with an injury, the Blue Devils put together another complete game in a 49-13 rout of Greene County Tech as they rebounded from a six-point loss to the Patriots. While the offense matched its highest point total of the season, the West Memphis defense that has allowed just 16 points per contest thrived and will need to continue that as No. 6 Benton rolls into town this weekend with an offense that has put up no less than 50 points by halftime in the previous four games.
19. Mills (7-1)
A gutsy performance from a Mills squad that was missing multiple key starters helped them prevail over Robinson 31-21 to stay in the 5A-Central race. Akyell Madison, who has been one of the most productive wide receivers in Arkansas this year, filled in for Achillies Ringo at quarterback and completed 10 of his 15 passes for 135 yards, none bigger than the go-ahead 55-yard score to Chauncey Haynes with 10 minutes left. Ryan White all but closed the game out with a 50-yard fumble return for a score moments later.
20. Joe T. Robinson (6-2)
The Senators played three freshmen with five starters out for the highly-anticipated 5A-Central matchup with No. 19 Mills, including at quarterback as Arkansas target Quentin Murphy did not play. Robinson did have another night of solid production in the run game, eclipsing 200 yards as both Nick Abrams and Jaylen Knowlton hit 100 and scored all Senator touchdowns with Knowlton getting two of them. Back-to-back road trips are on the horizon to end the regular season.
21. Pine Bluff (7-2)
Normalcy returned for a Z's squad that has had to battle both on the field as well as off of it and they handled Morrilton 26-7 on the road, their second consecutive victory. Quarterback Landon Holcomb returned and completed 17-of-26 passes for 263 yards and three touchdowns, while his top target, Arkansas commit Courtney Crutchfield, was feeling it as he finished with 163 yards and two scores on just five catches. Marquez Brentley added 136 yards and a score on the ground while averaging 7.2 yards per carry. Pine Bluff is off this week before welcoming No. Joe T. Robinson to town in Week 10.
22. Malvern (5-2)
The Leopards were on a bye. They host Nashville on Friday.
23. Harding Academy (8-0)
No quarterback in Arkansas has had a better completion percentage over the past two seasons than Owen Miller and he was perfect in the rout of Riverview after coming close multiple times this year. Miller completed all nine of his pass attempts, four of them for touchdowns, two hauled in by Isaac Baker who also had another on the ground, while Endy McGalliard added a score.
24. Valley View (7-1)
The Blazers all but won their second consecutive 5A-East championship with a statement victory over previously undefeated Southside (Batesville). Quarterback Carson Turley, a senior who has continued to be under the radar, compiled 265 yards of offense and passed for two touchdowns. Valley View looks to keep its undefeated streak against 5A competition going on the road against Nettleton on Friday.
25. Warren (8-0)
Once again pushed hard, but as they typically do the Lumberjacks finished the job and retained the Saline River Shootout trophy. They broke a 21-21 tie and ran away with it, scoring 21 unanswered as the Billies could not match them. After a huge game last week, Trey Jackson went down with an injury in the third quarter, but usual defensive lineman Jordyn Ingram rushed for over 100 yards and two scores in relief. Freshman quarterback Jackson Denton overcame two interceptions, completing 16-of-26 passes for 200 yards and three touchdowns, two of them to Arkansas target Antonio Jordan.
–Kyle Sutherland | @k_sutherlandAR
