Unbeaten Hitchcock, Wimberley join SBLive’s Texas Small School Top 25 football rankings (Oct. 20)
With the bulk of the 2022 Texas high school football regular season officially in the books, it’s time to review and assess how the state’s best squads have performed through Week 8.
We’re taking a closer look at the state’s top private school and Class 2A-4A teams and evaluating their season-opening performances in the newest edition of SBLive’s Texas Small School Top 25, which seeks to recognize the best sub-5A high school football teams across the state.
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This week, two undefeated teams in Class 3A and 4A burst into our Texas Small School Top 25 rankings for the first time this season: Hitchcock and Wimberley.
The Hitchcock Bulldogs (8-0, 2-0) pulled out a gutsy Week 8 win on the road against Columbus in a battle of unbeatens with first place in District 12-3A DI.
Hitchcock rallied during the second half of a back-and-forth game to beat the Cardinals 33-28 and remain undefeated with three weeks remaining in the regular season.
The victory vaulted the Bulldogs into the Small School Top 25 power rankings for the first time this season, landing at No. 20.
Hitchcock boasts quality wins against Columbus, Refugio and The Woodlands Christian with the team also averaging 44.0 points per game offensively.
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The Wimberley Texans (7-0, 2-0) also cracked the Small School Top 25 this week for the first time during the 2022 season.
The Texans, which make their first Small School Top 25 power rankings appearance at No. 25, have plowed through their first two district opponents to continue a red-hot start to the year.
Wimberley began October with back-to-back District 13-4A DI victories against Jarrell and Manor New Tech, when the Texans outscored their district foes 136-14.
The Texans collected a 63-0 shutout win on the road against Manor New Tech during Week 8, their second shutout victory of the year.
Wimberley also rumbled to a 5-0 start during non-district play with quality wins in close games against Brock (32-23), Canyon Lake (21-14), Fredericksburg (17-14) and Lampasas (38-28).
The Texans have caught fire in recent weeks, but their defensive consistency has been one of their biggest keys to success in 2022. They have averaged 2.0 combined interceptions and fumble recoveries per game defensively.
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SBLive’s Texas Small School Top 25 football rankings are compiled by Andrew McCulloch and Buck Ringgold, and will be updated weekly throughout the regular season.
Where does your squad stand in the latest edition of our statewide Texas high school football rankings?
Check out the latest, updated version of SBLive’s Texas Small School Top 25 in its entirety below:
Texas Small School Top 25 rankings: WEEK 1 | WEEK 2 | WEEK 3 | WEEK 4 | WEEK 5 | WEEK 6 | WEEK 7 | WEEK 8
Texas Top 50 rankings: WEEK 1 | WEEK 2 | WEEK 3 | WEEK 4 | WEEK 5 | WEEK 6 | WEEK 7 | WEEK 8 | WEEK 9
Editor’s Note: * represents teams who also hold spots in the SBLive Texas Top 50 statewide high school football rankings.
SBLIVE’S TEXAS SMALL SCHOOL TOP 25 FOOTBALL RANKINGS — WEEK 9 (OCT. 20)
1. Stephenville Yellow Jackets (7-0, 1-0)*
Previously ranked: 1st
Last week: W 63-20 vs. Life Waxahachie
Next game: Oct. 21 at China Spring (7-1, 2-0)
2. Dallas Parish Episcopal Panthers (6-1, 1-0)*
Previously ranked: 2nd
Last week: W 42-6 at San Antonio Cornerstone
Next game: Oct. 21 vs. Fort Worth Nolan (1-6, 0-2)
3. Carthage Bulldogs (8-0, 4-0)*
Previously ranked: 3rd
Last week: W 49-0 at Rusk
Next game: Oct. 21 vs. Center (5-2, 2-1)
4. China Spring Cougars (7-1, 1-0)
Previously ranked: 4th
Last week: W 42-7 at Waco La Vega
Next game: Oct. 21 vs. Stephenville (7-0, 1-0)
5. Gilmer Buckeyes (6-0, 2-0)
Previously ranked: 5th
Last week: W 59-20 vs. Texarkana Liberty-Eylau
Next game: Oct. 21 at North Lamar (3-4, 1-1)
6. Franklin Lions (7-0, 3-0)
Previously ranked: 6th
Last week: W 49-14 vs. Troy
Next game: Oct. 21 at Lorena (6-2, 3-1)
7. Gunter Tigers (7-0, 2-0)
Previously ranked: 8th
Last week: W 54-21 vs. Howe
Next game: Oct. 21 at Lone Oak (0-7, 0-2)
8. Corpus Christi Calallen Wildcats (8-0, 4-0)
Previously ranked: 7th
Last week: W 37-30 vs. Alice
Next game: Oct. 21 at Corpus Christi Tuloso-Midway (5-2, 2-1)
9. Timpson Bears (7-0, 3-0)
Previously ranked: 9th
Last week: W 70-8 vs. West Sabine
Next game: Oct. 21 at Joaquin (6-1, 4-0)
10. Shiner Comanches (7-1, 4-0)
Previously ranked: 10th
Last week: W 49-0 vs. Skidmore-Tynan
Next game: Oct. 21 at Refugio (6-1, 3-0)
11. Anna Coyotes (7-0, 2-0)
Previously ranked: 12th
Last week: W 42-21 vs. Kaufman
Next game: Oct. 21 at Nevada Community (4-3, 1-1)
12. Bellville Brahmas (8-0, 4-0)
Previously ranked: 11th
Last week: W 28-7 at Sealy
Next game: Oct. 28 vs. Wharton (3-5, 1-3)
13. Holliday Eagles (7-0, 2-0)
Previously ranked: 13th
Last week: W 41-14 vs. Henrietta
Next game: Oct. 21 at S&S Consolidated (1-6, 0-2)
14. Bushland Falcons (8-0, 2-0)
Previously ranked: 16th
Last week: W 68-0 at Amarillo River Road
Next game: Oct. 21 vs. Shallowater (6-1, 1-0)
15. Silsbee Tigers (7-0, 3-0)
Previously ranked: 17th
Last week: W 61-6 vs. Liberty
Next game: Oct. 21 at Hamshire-Fannett (6-2, 3-1)
16. Boerne Greyhounds (7-0, 2-0)
Previously ranked: 15th
Last week: W 35-0 at San Antonio Memorial
Next game: Oct. 21 at San Antonio Kennedy (2-5, 0-2)
17. Celina Bobcats (6-1, 3-0)
Previously ranked: 18th
Last week: W 37-17 at Dallas Wilmer-Hutchins
Next game: Oct. 21 vs. Dallas Carter (6-1, 3-0)
18. Newton Eagles (7-1, 4-0)
Previously ranked: 19th
Last week: W 72-6 vs. Trinity
Next game: Oct. 21 at Kountze (0-7, 0-3)
19. Mt. Vernon Tigers (7-1, 3-1)
Previously ranked: 21st
Last week: W 77-27 vs. Emory Rains
Next game: Oct. 21 at Commerce (4-3, 2-1)
20. Hitchcock Bulldogs (8-0, 2-0)
Previously ranked: NR
Last week: W 33-28 at Columbus
Next game: Oct. 21 vs. Hempstead (1-6, 0-1)
21. Cuero Gobblers (6-1, 2-0)
Previously ranked: 22nd
Last week: W 56-13 vs. Gonzales
Next game: Oct. 21 at Caldwell (0-7, 0-2)
22. Houston St. Thomas Eagles (7-0, 2-0)
Previously ranked: 23rd
Last week: W 35-7 at Tomball Concordia Lutheran
Next game: Oct. 21 vs. Houston The Village School (1-6, 0-2)
23. Columbus Cardinals (7-1, 1-1)
Previously ranked: 14th
Last week: L 33-28 vs. Hitchcock
Next game: Oct. 21 at Yoakum (2-5, 0-1)
24. Canyon Eagles (7-0, 1-0)
Previously ranked: 25th
Last week: W 32-0 vs. Hereford
Next game: Oct. 21 at Canyon Randall (6-2, 2-0)
25. Wimberley Texans (7-0, 2-0)
Previously ranked: NR
Last week: W 63-0 at Manor New Tech
Next game: Oct. 21 vs. Geronimo Navarro (4-3, 2-0)
Dropped out: Winnsboro (#20), Wichita Falls Hirschi (#24).
