Unbeaten Hitchcock, Wimberley join SBLive’s Texas Small School Top 25 football rankings (Oct. 20)

We’re taking a closer look at the best Class 2A-4A and Private School teams across the Lone Star State and how they performed during Week 8 the 2022 Texas high school football season

Andrew McCulloch | Oct 20, 2022

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.

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.

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.

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:

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).

Published Oct 20, 2022

ANDREW MCCULLOCH