Final small town high school football Top 25 rankings

By Kevin Askeland Dec 23, 2021, 10:30am

Texas dominates rankings as China Spring takes home No. 1 honors after 16-0 season, 4A-II title.

China Spring (Texas) completed the greatest season in school history with a 31-7 Class 4A Division II state championship win over Gilmer and a 16-0 record.

The win also puts the Cougars in the top spot of the final small town high school football Top 25 rankings . The rankings consist of schools that have an enrollment of under 1,000 students and are located in a city with a population less than 10,000 people.

China Spring is a census-designated part of McLennan County near Waco. The Cougars had won one previous state championship in football in 1978 and had reached the state finals only one other time in 2007.

China Spring topped Harlan (Iowa), which came in at No. 2 after going undefeated and winning its state record 13th state championship. Carthage (Texas), a team China Spring defeated in the quarterfinals, came in at No. 3.



Teams are listed with their season record, computer rating, school enrollment and the city population.
China Gulch takes home No. 1 honors in the final small town high school football Top 25 rankings after 16-0 season, 4A-II Texas state title.
China Gulch takes home No. 1 honors in the final small town high school football Top 25 rankings after 16-0 season, 4A-II Texas state title.
Photo by Robbie Rakestraw
Final small town high school football Top 25 rankings

1.   China Spring (Texas)
Record:
16-0
Rating: 64.5
Enrollment: 904
Population: 1,455
Finish: Class 4A-II champion

2.   Harlan (Iowa)
Record:
13-0
Rating: 55.0
Enrollment: 507
Population: 4,845
Finish: Class 3A champion

3.   Carthage (Texas)
Record:
11-1
Rating: 54.8
Enrollment: 823
Population: 6,535
Finish: Class 4A-II Regional Semifinalist

4.   Franklin (Texas)
Record:
16-0
Rating: 54.2
Enrollment: 340
Population: 1,989
Finish: Class 3A-II champion

5.   Lorena (Texas)
Record:
14-2
Rating: 52.5
Enrollment: 544
Population: 1,761
Finish: Class 3A-I champion

6.   Shiner (Texas)
Record:
16-0
Rating: 50.9
Enrollment: 305
Population: 2,192
Finish: Class 2A-I champion



7. Brooks County (Quitman, Ga.)
Record:
12-2
Rating: 50.2
Enrollment: 486
Population: 3,744
Finish: Class A Public champion

8. Bennington (Neb.)
Record:
13-0
Rating: 50.2
Enrollment: 673
Population: 1,931
Finish: Class B champion

9. Brock (Texas)
Record:
15-1
Rating: 50.1
Enrollment: 435
Population: 100
Finish: Class 3A-I runnerup

10. Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley (Rock Valley, Iowa)
Record:
12-1
Rating: 48.2
Enrollment: 319
Population: 3,812
Finish: Class 3A runnerup

11. Clinton (Okla.)
Record:
13-1
Rating: 47.7
Enrollment: 639
Population: 9,007
Finish: Class 4A champion

12. Central Valley (Monaca, Pa.)
Record:
15-0
Rating: 47.5
Enrollment: 718
Population: 5,737
Finish: Class AAA champion



13. Marion Local (Maria Stein, Ohio)
Record:
16-0
Rating: 47.3
Enrollment: 286
Population: 2,186
Finish: Class VII champion

14. Gunter (Texas)
Record:
15-1
Rating: 46.8
Enrollment: 305
Population: 1,247
Finish: Class 3A-II champion

15. Clinton-Massie (Clarksville, Ohio)
Record:
14-1
Rating: 46.7
Enrollment: 540
Population: 548
Finish: Class IV champion

16. Fitzgerald (Ga.)
Record:
13-2
Rating: 46.4
Enrollment: 824
Population: 8,812
Finish: Class AA champion

17. Aliquippa (Pa.)
Record:
13-1
Rating: 45.9
Enrollment: 405
Population: 9,238
Finish: Class AAAA champion

18. Pike Road (Ala.)
Record:
15-0
Rating: 45.5
Enrollment: 720
Population: 9,439
Finish: Class 5A champion



18. Gibson Southern (Fort Branch, Ind.)
Record:
14-1
Rating: 45.5
Enrollment: 705
Population: 2,771
Finish: Class 3A champion

20. Southern Columbia Area (Catawissa, Pa.)
Record:
15-1
Rating: 45.4
Enrollment: 417
Population: 1,556
Finish: Class AA champion

20. Andale (Kan.)
Record:
13-0
Rating: 45.4
Enrollment: 406
Population: 934
Finish: Class 3A champion

22. Snowflake (Ariz.)
Record:
13-1
Rating: 45.3
Enrollment: 727
Population: 6,104
Finish: Class 3A champion

23. Waskom (Texas)
Record:
13-2
Rating: 44.3
Enrollment: 727
Population: 6,104
Finish: Class 3A-II semifinalist

24. Bellville (Texas)
Record:
12-1
Rating: 42.9
Enrollment: 716
Population: 4,232
Finish: Class 4A-II Regional semifinalist



25. Madison County (Madison, Fla.)
Record:
11-3
Rating: 42.8
Enrollment: 510
Population: 2,793
Finish: Class 1A champion