Photo by Tammie Martin/ossports
High school football never arrives too soon in Texas
There is no such thing as too much football in the Lone Star state. Not even after the late-starting high school football season of 2020, which pushed its ending date into 2021 after the effects of Covid-19. For Texans, that meant the season would arrive a half month sooner than usual.
Last season ended after the Austin Westlake Chaparrals walked away with its second consecutive Class 6A title, defeating the Southlake Carroll Dragons, 52-34 for the title and surprised No. 2 nationally-ranked North Shore, 24-21 in the semifinals.
The Chaps have impressed, winning Texas largest classification (Division I) last season and the year before by shutting out Denton Guyer, 24-0, in Division II.
However, four days remain before the first game of the football season. August 26-28, to be exact. A few marquee matchups could have a bearing on the rankings when notables meet, including Class 5A power, Highland Park vs. Southlake Carroll, and Bridgeland travels to Spring, Texas to face Klein Cain in a rematch of last season which watched the Bears win a shootout, 49-42. Both games will be a part of the Geico ESPN High School Football Kickoff set to air across the ESPN Networks.
Still, the usual suspects could factor in the hunt for a title come December. But who starts the season atop the Class 6A polls? Both the Chaps and the Dragons are worthy.
With Southlake returning six starters on offense and nine on defense yet likely without the nation’s top-rated signal-caller, tips the scale toward Westlake. The Chaps pack a powerful punch in Clemson commit star quarterback Cade Klubnik, who won the Elite 11 title over the summer. The prestigious camp awards the country’s top quarterback among the top 11 participants.
Westlake’s schedule figures to be a tester when it hosts No 7 Euless Trinity on September 09th. The following week, it will travel to AT&T Stadium to face No. 9 Class 5 Mansfield Summit and finally close the regular season against archrival Austin Lake Travis.
The Dragons fall in at No. 2, followed by No. 3 Katy, No. 4 North Shore, and No. 5 Duncanville.
In Class 5A Division I, Denton Ryan gets the nod. However, College Station, Highland Park, Manvel, and Longview could challenge for the title.
Aledo tops Class 5A Division II, No. 2 Fort Bend Marshall, No. 3 Lucas Lovejoy, No. 4 Liberty Hill, and No. 5 Huntsville round out the top five.
View state rankings below.
Class 6A Polls
- Austin Westlake
- Southlake Carroll
- Katy
- North Shore
- Duncanville
- Atascocita
- Euless Trinity
- Lake Travis
- Arlington Martin
- Allen
Class 5A Polls Division I
- Denton Ryan
- Manvel
- College Park
- Longview
- Highland Park
- Cedar Park
- Colleyville Heritage
- Frisco Lone Star
- Mansfield Summit
- CC Veterans Memorial
Class 5A Division II
- Aledo
- Fort Bend Marshall
- Lucas Lovejoy
- Liberty Hill
- Huntsville
- Lubbock-Cooper
- Ennis
- Mansfield Timberview
- Leander Rouse
- Grapevine
Class 4A Division I
- Argyle
- Corpus Christi Calallen
- Melissa
- El Campo
- Waco La Vega
- Austin LBJ
- Paris
- Lindale
- Kilgore
- Midlothian Heritage
Class 4A Division II
- Carthage
- Gilmer
- Wimberley
- West Orange-Stark
- Tex. Pleasant Grove
- Celina
- China Spring
- Bellville
- Sweetwater
- Sinton
Class 3A Division I
- Tuscola Jim Ned
- Brock
- Gladewater
- Tatum
- Malaoff
- Vanderbilt Industrial
- Grandview
- Lorena
- Pilot Point
- Hallettsville
Class 3A Division II
- Franklin
- Gunter
- Canadian
- Waskom
- Newton
- Childress
- Holiday
- Elysian Fields
- East Bernard
- Lexington
Class 2A Division I
- Refugio
- Shiner
- Timpson
- Crawford
- Cisco
- Mason
- New Deal
- Garrison
- Hawley
- Lindsay
Class 2A Division II
- Mart
- Wellington
- Windthorst
- Muenster
- Albany
- Falls City
- Tenaha
- Stratford
- Wink
- Vega
Class 1A Division I
- Sterling City
- Borden County
- May
- Westbrook
- Rankin
- Jonesborro
- Blum
- Leakey
- Abbott
- Springlake-Earth
Class 1A Division II
- Motley County
- Richland Springs
- Strawn
- Balmorhea
- Groom
- Calvert
- Follett
- Lamesa Klondike
- Jayton
- Anton
