Carthage (Texas) is off to a strong start to the 2023 high school football season and has a commanding lead in the first regular season Small Town Top 25. That's not good news for teams hoping to knock off the Bulldogs in the near future.
The defending Class 4A Division 2 state champions, Carthage lost 11 all-district seniors to graduation from last year's 16-0 team. That included MaxPreps All-American Connor Cuff at quarterback. However the Bulldogs haven't lost a step in reloading this year. Among the skill position players, five sophomores have gained yardage led by sophomore quarterback
Jett Surratt, the son of head coach Scott Surratt.
Carthage has rarely had a misstep in 16 years under coach Surratt, finishing undefeated five times, winning 11 or more games 13 times and posting an overall record of 206-28-0 with nine state championships.
Texas leads the way in the Small Town Top 25 with 13 teams making the cut, including the top three and five of the top six.
The Small Town Top 25 consists of teams from schools with an enrollment of less than 1,000 students in towns with a population of less than 10,000 people.
Walker Overman and Gunter are one of 13 teams from Texas in this week's Small Town Top 25. (Photo: Freddie Beckwith)
Record/rating: 3-0, 55.7
Notes:
The Bulldogs have won 19 straight games, including three this year,
behind a lineup consisting of a number of sophomores. Among them are
quarterback
Jett Surratt, son of coach Scott Surratt, who has thrown for 415 yards in the first two outings.
2. (7) Timpson (Texas)
Record/rating: 3-0, 42.4
Notes: Even without All-American candidate
Terry Bussey for the first two weeks, Timpson still won handily with
J.J. Garner throwing for 319 yards and rushing for 556 yards in three wins.
3. (NR) Malakoff (Texas)
Record/rating: 3-0, 42.4
Notes: Unrated in the preseason, Malakoff has averaged just under 50 points in three wins behind the passing of
Mike Jones (366 yards) and the rushing of
Jerrion Hall (357 yards).
4. (17) Central Lyon/George-Little Rock (Rock Rapids, Iowa)
Record/rating: 3-0, 41.9
Notes: The Lions have outscored opponents 160-22 in three wins.
Reece Vander Zee has rushed for 354 yards and four touchdowns in three games.
5. (2) China Spring (Texas)
Record/rating: 2-1, 41.6
Notes: Suffered a lopsided loss to a Class 5A Melissa 63-33 but whipped Mexia 69-27 and topped Lorena 35-13.
6. (6) Gunter (Texas)
Record/rating: 3-0, 40.8
Notes: The Tigers have outscored opponents 155-31. They face Class Class 3A Division 1 runner-up Brock this week.
7. (NR) Williamsburg (Iowa)
Record/rating: 3-0, 40.5
Notes: Kellen Cockrell has already thrown for 598 yards and 12 touchdowns in three games.
8. (23) Van Meter (Iowa)
Record/rating: 3-0, 39.5
Notes: Austin Baumhover has thrown for 410 yards and nine touchdowns and has rushed for 216 yards and three touchdowns.
9. (NR) Louisville (Miss.)
Record/rating: 3-0, 38.7
Notes: Kendon Sanders has carried just 11 times for 29 yards but has scored five touchdowns for the Wildcats.
10. (3) Marion Local (Maria Stein, Ohio)
Record/rating: 4-0, 37.9
Notes: With four wins to start the season, the Flyers are up to 36 wins in a row, which is the third-longest active win streak.
11. (NR) Wimberley (Texas)
Record/rating: 3-0, 37.5
Notes: The Texans knocked off Class 3A-1 runner-up Brock, 35-27 last week. Quarterback
Cody Stoever has run for 202 yards and seven touchdowns and has passed for 625 yards and nine scores.
12. (NR) Cuero (Texas)
Record/rating: 3-0, 37.4
Notes: Mason Notaro has thrown for 657 yards and nine touchdowns and has also rushed for 180 yards and two scores in three wins.
13. (NR) Versailles (Ohio)
Record/rating: 4-0, 37.0
Notes: The Tigers opened the season with three straight shutouts before beating New Bremen 34-7 last week.
14. (15) Boone Central (Albion, Neb.)
Record/rating: 3-0, 36.4
Notes: James Fogleman has thrown for 522 yards and five touchdowns and has run for 109 yards and three touchdowns in three wins.
15. (NR) Perry (Ohio)
Record/rating: 4-0, 35.4
Notes: A big win over perennial small town powerhouse Kirtland in Week 3 has boosted Perry into the rankings.
16. (NR) Winona (Miss.)
Record/rating: 3-0, 34.1
Notes: Chase Richardson
has been a force for the Tigers, throwing for 436 yards and four
touchdowns and rushing for 335 yards and four touchdowns in the first
two games.
17. (NR) Hitchcock (Texas)
Record/rating: 3-0, 34.0
Notes: Convincing wins over small town powers Refugio and East Bernard have the Bulldogs in the rankings.
18. (20) Andale (Kan.)
Record/rating: 2-0, 33.9
Notes: Andale's national-best 53-game win streak doesn't look like it's
going to end anytime soon after scoring 75 and 64 points in its first
two games.
19. (NR) Jim Ned (Tuscola, Texas)
Record/rating: 3-0, 33.7
Notes: Brayden Shipman has run for 422 yards and five touchdowns in three wins. The Indians ended Hawley's 16-game win streak in the season opener.
20. (8) Franklin (Texas)
Record/rating: 3-0, 33.6
Notes:
The Lions had a close call in their season opener, a 36-33 win over
Woodville, but they have run their win streak to 35 games in a row.
21. (NR) Bellville (Texas)
Record/rating: 3-0, 33.6
Notes: Corrian Hood has rushed for eight touchdowns on the season for the Brahmas.
22. (24) Belle Vernon (Pa.)
Record/rating: 2-0, 33.6
Notes: All-American candidate
Quinton Martin has two touchdowns rushing and two receiving in two wins.
23. (NR) Canadian (Texas)
Record/rating: 3-0, 33.5
Notes: The Wildcats are averaging nearly 52 points per game in three wins.
24. (25) Columbus (Texas)
Record/rating: 3-0, 33.3
Notes: The Cardinals have posted 47, 63 and 56 points in three wins.
25. (NR) Creston (Iowa)Record/rating: 3-0, 33.2
Notes: Brennan Hayes has rushed for 493 yards and five touchdowns while also compiling 256 receiving yards and two scores.
