MaxPreps Texas Top 25 high school football rankings

This season's jump from Class 4A to 5A is proving no problem for two Texas Top 25 football teams.

No. 19 Midway (Waco) is the promotion poster boy, currently at 7-0 and alone in first place in District 8-5A after three league games.

No. 23 Lake Travis (Austin) is 6-1 and shares the District 15-5A lead with Westlake (Austin) at 4-0. Standing between Lake Travis and a perfect record is a 30-28 loss to A&M Consolidated (College Station) in a Week 3 non-district game.

Midway and Lake Travis were promoted to the Class 5A ranks during the University Interscholastic League's biennial reclassification in January. Schools are classified by enrollment.

By coincidence, the Class 4A swan song for Midway and Lake Travis turned out to be the 2011 Division I state championship game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. Lake Travis defeated Midway, 22-7, to win its fifth straight state title.

A newcomer to this week's Top 25 is Lamar (Houston). The 7-0 Redskins replace L.D. Bell (Hurst). Bell lost to its rival, No. 14 Trinity (Euless) 27-9.

Here's the MaxPreps Texas Top 25 going into Week 8.

MaxPreps Texas Top 25 Football Rankings

1. Katy 7-0 (Last Week 1)

The Tigers' defense did not allow a touchdown in a 38-13 triumph over 4-3 Seven Lakes (Katy). Katy spread the touchdowns around. Adam Taylor rushed for 124 yards and a score. Quarterback Kiley Huddleston passed for 174 yards and a touchdown and ran for a score. On Saturday, the District 19-5A-leading Tigers meet 1-6 Strake Jesuit (Houston).

2. DeSoto 7-0 (2)
Senior running back Dontre Wilson, an Oregon commit, scored five of his six touchdowns in the second half of a 52-24 victory over 5-2 Midlothian. Wilson's scoring rampage came in less than less than 12 minutes of the second half, helping the Eagles break open a 24-24 deadlock late in the third period. Next for the Eagles is a District 7-5A road trip to 2-5 Duncanville on Friday.

3. Steele (Cibolo) 7-0 (3)
The Knights limited 2-5 South San Antonio to three first downs and 39 yards in a 63-0 rout. Justin Stockton led Steele with 100 yards on three carries, including touchdown runs of 57 and 37 yards in the first quarter. On Thursday Steele will host 5-2 East Central (San Antonio).

4. North Shore (Houston) 7-0 (4)
Kevian DeLeon caught a 56-yard scoring pass and returned a kickoff 65 yards for another score in a 56-0 blanking of 1-7 Sterling (Baytown). Justin Green added a pair of 23-yard scoring runs. On Friday, North Shore will host 3-4 West Brook (Beaumont).

5. Coppell 7-0 (5)
Playing with heavy hearts after the death of teammate Jacob Logan, inspired Coppell shook off its sorrow long enough to defeat 3-4 Flower Mound, 27-18. Junior Gavin McDaniel rushed for 163 yards and a pair of touchdowns. A 19-yard scoring pass from Henry Busch to Luke Jenner in the final minutes sealed the win. Up next is a Friday home game against 2-5 Marcus (Flower Mound).

6. Allen 6-1 (6)
Sophomore Kyler Murray, who has earned full-time quarterback duty, threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for two more in a 47-25 thumping of 3-4 Plano West. The Eagles improved to 2-0 in District 10-5A despite being out-gained, 448-399. The Eagles travel to 5-2 Boyd (McKinney) on Friday.

7. Abilene 8-0 (7)
The tradition-rich Eagles clinched their 14th consecutive playoff berth with a 49-0 rout of 2-5 Coronado (Lubbock). Abilene turned a pair of Coronado turnovers into touchdowns. Marcell Porter rushed for 151 yards and two scores. On Friday, Abilene travels to 0-7 Odessa.

8. Carroll (Southlake) 6-1 (8)
Quarterback Kenny Hill, a Texas A&M commit, threw for 294 yards and three touchdowns and added 74 rushing yards and two scores in a 45-0 shutout of Northwest (Justin). The Dragons defense came up with three turnovers and limited 5-2 Northwest to 179 yards. On Thursday, Carroll takes the short road trip to face 2-5 Keller.

9. Bowie (Arlington) 6-1 (9)
The Volunteers reached 63 points for the second time in three weeks with a 63-35 District 3-4A victory over 3-4 Lamar (Arlington) Sophomore quarterback Tony James threw three touchdown passes and rushed for one. On Thursday, Bowie squares off against 2-5 Sam Houston (Arlington).

10. Westfield (Houston) 7-0 (10)
Two of William Dedon's three pass completions went for first-quarter touchdowns in a 35-7 takedown of 1-6 Klein Oak (Spring). Emmitt Raleigh rushed for 103 yards and two touchdowns. On Saturday, the Mustangs will host 1-6 Klein Forest (Houston).

11. Skyline (Dallas) 6-1 (11)
All four of Devante Kincade's passes went for touchdowns in a 56-0 rout of 0-7 Sunset (Dallas) in a District 9-5A contest. The Raiders took it easy after racing to leads of 29-0 after the first period and 43-0 at halftime. On Friday, Skyline will host 3-4 Richardson.

12. Dawson (Pearland) 7-0 (12)
Junior Tony Upchurch had touchdown receptions of 24, 31 and 56 yards to lead the Eagles to a 33-7 triumph over 4-3 Lee (Baytown). James White, a Texas A&M commit, rushed for 201 yards and two touchdowns. On Friday, Dawson hosts 6-1 Friendswood in a District 24-4A showdown.

13. Mesquite (13)
In the Mesquite school district's oldest rivalry, the Skeeters dominated 2-5 North Mesquite, 56-10, for their eighth series win in the last nine seasons. Mesquite leads the series, 23-19-1. Alex Cooper threw for 263 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for two scores. On Friday, the Skeeters continue their drive for the District 12-5A crown with a home game against 1-6 Lee (Tyler).



14. Trinity (Euless) 5-2 (14)
The Trojans overcame a six-point halftime deficit to defeat rival L.D. Bell (Hurst) 27-9 before a packed house at Pennington Field. Quarterback Matt Hawkins led the Trinity second-half rally with three touchdown runs. Trinity extended its streak of wins over Bell to 15 in a row. On Friday, the Trojans will travel to 2-5 Grapevine.

15. Smithson Valley (Spring Branch) 7-0 (15)
Quarterback Garrett Smith accounted for four touchdowns (two rushing, two passing) and running back Lawrence Mattison rushed for 136 yards and a score as the Rangers crushed 4-3 Judson (Converse) in what was supposed to be a District 25-5A showdown. Up next for Larry Hill's team is a Friday home game against 2-5 Canyon (New Braunfels).

16. Port Arthur Memorial (Port Arthur) 6-1 (16)
The Titans absorbed their first defeat last week on the road against No. 3 North Shore (Houston), but Kenny Harrison's team has been solid overall. Coming off an open date, the Titans face 1-7 Sterling (Baytown) on Friday.

17. Clear Creek (League City) 7-0 (17)
The Wildcats have ridden the 1-2 punch of quarterback Jarrett Hildreth and running back Kaliq Kokuma to a perfect mark. Hildreth has thrown for 2,084 yards and 15 touchdowns while Kokuma has rushed for 787 yards and 16 scores. Coming off an open date, the Wildcats will face 4-4 Clear Brook (Friendswood) on Friday.

18. Manvel 6-1 (18)
Shane McCarley threw for 354 yards and seven touchdowns, giving him 19 scoring throws in the last three weeks, in a 70-3 blowout of 0-7 Pasadena. Carlos Thompson hauled in three of McCarley's scoring throws and had 180 receiving yards. On Friday, the Mavs host 3-4 Rayburn (Pasadena).

19. Midway (Waco) 7-0 (19)
Sophomore B.J. Kelly rushed for 348 yards and three touchdowns to help the Panthers celebrate homecoming with a 44-17 victory over 5-2 Killeen. Linebackers Lenoy Jones and Charishard Buhl combined to complete a goal-line stand in the second half when Killeen had a chance to make it a one-score game. On Friday, Midway travels to 1-6 Shoemaker (Killeen).

20. Lancaster 7-0 (20)
Demarcus Ayers threw for three touchdowns and rushed for two as the Tigers mauled first-year school Lake Ridge (Mansfield) 70-6. Ayers went 59 yards for a touchdown on Lancaster's first play and the Tigers scored on their first six possessions. Up next is a road trip to 4-3 Red Oak on Friday.



21. Tyler 6-1 (21)
Since adding running back to his linebacker duties two games ago, DeQuante Wood has 19 carries and five touchdowns. In a 35-0 blanking of 1-6 Lindale, Woods ran for 85 yards on nine carries. On Friday, the Lions host 3-4 Jacksonville.

22. Klein Collins (Spring) 6-1 (22)
A fierce pass rush and two fumble recoveries in the fourth quarter helped the Tigers subdue 4-2 Dekaney (Houston) 31-21. Tre White rushed for 112 yards and a pair of touchdowns to pace the Klein Collins attack. After an open day, the Tigers will face Klein on Nov. 2.

23. Lake Travis (Austin) 7-1 (23)
After an early injury sidelined running back Shaun Nixon, Dominic Packer (124 yards) and Zach Joiner (114 yards) helped fill the void in a 40-10 thumping of 0-7 Anderson. Kevin Marcotte kicked four field goals for the Cavaliers with a long of 50 yards. Up next for Lake Travis is a home game against 3-4 Del Valle.

24. Martin (Arlington) 5-2 (25)
Ben Grogan kicked six field goals, three in excess of 50 yards, in a 47-7 throttling of 1-6 North Crowley (Fort Worth). The Warriors on Friday will face 3-4 Lamar (Arlington).

25. Lamar (Houston) 7-0 (NR)
The touchdown parade for the Redskins consisted of 10 players in a 76-7 rout of Math Science & Tech (Houston). Two scores came on fumble recoveries and another on a kickoff return. Kicker Alan Melgar was 10-of-11 on extra points. On Friday, Lamar will host 3-4 Madison (Houston).

Dropped out: No. 24 L.D. Bell (Hurst).



On the bubble Arlington 6-1, Brandeis (San Antonio) 6-1, Cypress Falls (Houston) 6-1, Franklin (El Paso) 7-0, Heritage (Colleyville) 7-1, La Porte 6-1, Madison (San Antonio) 6-2, Fort Bend Marshall (Missouri City) 7-0, Pearland 6-1, Sharyland (Mission) 8-0