Arkansas high school football playoffs: Class 2A outlook

Class 2A favorites, dark horses and all you need to know for the start of the postseason

Editor's note: This is the first in a series of stories previewing the Arkansas high school football playoffs from Class 2A-7A. 

If Week 10 was any sign, Class 2A is about as wide open as any classification statewide. 

Four of the contenders that are mentioned below squared off against each other to finish out the regular season and the matchups did not disappoint as both ended in overtime, with Murfreesboro stuffing Mineral Springs on fourth and one in a defensive battle, while East Poinsett County won in double OT over arch rival Marked Tree.

While all four of those squads begin their runs to War Memorial Stadium, you can not forget about last year's finalists, Carlisle and Hazen, who are right back in the mix, along with Bigelow, which just completed its third undefeated regular season in the past four years. 

Click here to follow the Class 2A brackets throughout the postseason. 

FAVORITES

CARLISLE

Some expected the Bison to take a step back following one of the best seasons in school history, but the defending 2A runners-up essentially picked right back up where they left off. Under first-year head coach and Bison alum Gary Wilson, Carlisle (9-1) has dropped only one contest - to 3A competition - and finished the regular season undefeated against 2A opponents after earning a close victory over rival Hazen for the Region 4 championship.

Despite losing J.J. Sullivan, one of the state's all-time decorated running backs, the Bison have averaged 37.4 points per game powered by the legs of senior Kayleb Elliott who eclipsed 600 yards and 10 touchdowns by the season's halfway point, along with quarterback Holden Jones, while the defense has surrendered just 12.1 points per game.

EAST POINSETT COUNTY

Anytime you have Dennis Gaines in your backfield, as well as in your linebacking corps, you have a chance to win every game and the walk-off victory over Marked Tree in double overtime last Friday was another example of that in his 230-yard, three score performance. The Warriors made it unscathed through a brutal 2A-2 conference, with only one loss in the regular season to Class 3A Walnut Ridge by just four points.

Gaines (1,362 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns on the year) may be the workhorse, but the talent for East Poinsett County (9-1) does not stop there. Seniors Cooper Argo and Omar McCuiston have each been great two-way players, along with classmate Michael Collins, a key piece on both sides of the trenches. 

MINERAL SPRINGS 

It can not be said enough, but major props to Jason Hathcock and his staff for the complete 180 turn with the program in a short span. This time two years ago, the Hornets had just finished a winless season and now they are one of the heavy favorites as the 2A-3's No. 2 seed.

The only blemish for Mineral Springs (9-1) is last week's 12-6 overtime loss to Murfreesboro (10-0) in a contest that was for the conference title. Now that the page has been tuned, the Hornets look to get back to being themselves led by a host of studs including KT Thomas and Malik Matthews, who have combined for over 1,500 rushing yards and 36 total touchdowns, while the vaunted defense is headlined by junior Rahmaij Ware (121 total tackles, 25 TFL, 5 FR, 2 INT) and senior DK Piggee (65 tackles, 5 TFL).  

MURFRESSBORO 

While the Rattlers (10-0) are their own team writing their own story, they bring back many memories of Carlisle's turnaround from zero wins in 2021, to making a run to the state finals last season.

Murfreesboro won just three games during head coach Brad Chesshir's first season a year ago, but have completely flipped the script as one of two Class 2A teams to finish the regular season undefeated. Headlined by a defensive unit that is surrendering just 7.7 points per game, Murfressboro's run-first offense is averaging 37.4 points per game. Seniors Brandt Stevens (912 rushing yards, 4 touchdowns) and Malachi Sanders (648 rushing yards, 8 touchdowns) lead the rushing attack, while junior Lathan Compton has added 573 yards and nine scores on the ground.

DARK HORSES

BIGELOW

Yes, the Panthers are fresh off of the aforementioned third unblemished regular season in the past four years, however there is still plenty left to prove. Since advancing to the third round in 2020, Bigelow (10-0) has not been past the second round (the 2021 controversial ending in the second round against Hazen is worth a note), but all of that is history and the goal is now putting last year's first round exit behind them.

Offensively the Panthers are averaging 36 points per game, led by Rhett Neumeier (1,600 passing yards, 22 touchdowns), Carter Alexander (860 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns), Ryan Hobbs (900 all-purpose yards, 11 touchdowns) and Brandt Tipton (600 receiving yards, 8 touchdowns) while the defense has been impressive yet again, allowing just 13.8 points per contest every time out as Hobbs and Bennett Wilson rank as two of the top defenders in the state each with six interceptions.

HAZEN

Hazen (8-2), the defending state champion, has some things to fix, but how they have fared overall this year certainly puts them back in the title race as the 2A-4's No. 2 seed despite falling to arch rival Carlisle last week. 

Though some key injuries, as well as inexperience, have shown at times, the Hornets have plenty of weapons in the arsenal to win back-to-back titles. Quarterback Josh Romero-Dawson has passed for 1,300 and 16 touchdowns, a lot of that production to Justin Schlenker (700 yards receiving), while defending 2A state championship MVP Braylan Anderson has rushed for 800 yards despite being slowed by an injury. Kolton Tosh leads the Hornets defensively with over 100 tackles.

MOUNT IDA

Some may have forgotten Mike White has won 137 games as head coach of the Lions in a 16-year span, which includes seven conferences titles and two state championships. 

Mount Ida (3-6) began the season as one of the youngest teams in the state which made the 0-4 start less shocking, however the Lions won three of their final five contests to clinch the final seed out of the 2A-3. They may be a season away from really competing with the best of the best, but are still one to watch who could spoil the party for higher seeds. The Lions' lone senior, Payton Dorrell, leads the team in tackles with 68, sophomore Dakota Beechy is right behind him with 65, while junior Ben Woodfield has been the offensive workhorse with 933 yards rushing. 

BEST FIRST-ROUND MATCHUP

MARKED TREE AT HAZEN

The majority of first round matchups are not always worth writing home about, but this one expects to be a treat. While both offenses are essentially identical in terms of points per game - Hazen averages 43.8, to Marked Tree's 43.7 - defense has been the most obvious difference. 

Marked Tree (8-2), the 2A-2's No. 3 seed, has relied on its potent offense to outscore opponents as the defensive unit is surrendering 28.3 points per game, while the Hornets have been much better in that category, allowing 13.6 points each time out. Hazen does have the advantage of being at home, where it has lost only once this season. 

BEST POTENTIAL MATCHUP

MINERAL SPRINGS AT EAST POINSETT COUNTY

If it happens, the contest would be in the semifinals for a right to play at War Memorial Stadium. Mineral Springs did suffer its first loss of the season in a defensive battle to Murfreesboro, but in the big picture has been possibly the most complete team in Class 2A both offensively and defensively, while EPC has not lost against 2A competition. 

The Hornets are averaging just under 43 points per contest while utilizing a deep corps of size and athleticism, while allowing just 7.5 points defensively. EPC has been one of the classification's top offenses for the past two seasons and currently putting up 44 points per game, while they have been mostly reliable on defense, allowing 21.3 points per contest. 

--Kyle Sutherland | @k_sutherlandAR

Photo of Carlisle's Holden Jones by Mark Buffalo/Grand Prairie Herald