High school football rankings: Perennial Texas powerhouse Carthage finishes No. 1 in Small Town Top 25

Bulldogs on top for the second time in three years after going 15-1 and capturing Class 4A Division 2 state championship.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Kevin Askeland
By
Dec 27, 2024, 10:30am
After losing its first game of the season, Carthage (Texas) roared back to win its final 15 games of the season en route to the Class 4A Division 2 state championship. The 15-1 record and state crown pushed the Bulldogs to No. 1 in the final Small Town Top 25 high school football rankings.

With convincing wins over Brock in the semifinals and La Vega (Waco) in the championship game, Carthage edged past Ohio Division VII champion Marion Local (Maria Stein) for the top spot.

Carthage also finished No. 1 in the 2022 Small Town Top 25 when it went 16-0. The Bulldogs won their 10th state championship under head coach Scott Surratt, who has now won more titles than any coach in state history. He was previously tied with Gordon Wood at nine.

Texas and Ohio both had three teams in the top 10. In addition to Carthage, Class 3A Division 1 champion Columbus finished No. 4 while Gunter, the Class 3A Division 2 champion, finished No. 9. A total of 10 Texas teams made the top 50.

For Ohio, Division V runner-up Liberty Center finished No. 7 and Division VI champion Coldwater finished No. 8. The Midwest Conference had a particularly good season with Marion Local, Coldwater and Minster (No. 17) all making the list. Eight Buckeye State teams made the Top 50.

The Small Town Top 25 consists of schools with an enrollment under 1,000 students in towns with a population under 10,000. Teams are listed with their final overall record and their MaxPreps computer rating. Rankings are based solely on team's computer rating and are not subjective.
Scott Surratt celebrates in the waning moments of Carthages's 28-10 over La Vega, giving him a state-record 10th state championship. (Photo: Robbie Rakestraw)
Scott Surratt celebrates in the waning moments of Carthages's 28-10 over La Vega, giving him a state-record 10th state championship. (Photo: Robbie Rakestraw)
Final 2024 Small Town Top 25

1. Carthage (Texas), 15-1, 55.8
2. Marion Local (Maria Stein, Ohio), 16-0, 55.1
3. Wahoo (Neb.), 13-0, 54.1
4. Columbus (Texas), 15-1, 50.1
5. West Lyon (Inwood, Iowa), 13-0, 49.6
6. Toombs County (Lyons, Ga.), 13-1, 47.0
7. Liberty Center (Ohio), 15-1, 46.7
8. Coldwater (Ohio), 15-1, 46.6
9. Gunter (Texas), 14-2, 46.5
10. Elgin (Okla.), 14-0, 46.2
11. Grundy Center (Iowa), 13-0, 44.9
12. Jackson (Ala.), 14-1, 44.7
13. North Polk (Alleman, Iowa), 13-0, 44.1
14. Louisville (Miss.), 13-2, 43.4
15. Indian Valley (Gnadenhutten, Ohio), 16-0, 41.8a
16. Brock (Texas), 13-2, 41.2
17. Minster (Ohio), 11-3, 39.6
18. Bennington (Neb.), 11-2, 39.5
19. Malakoff (Texas), 15-1, 39.1
20. Choctaw County (Ackerman, Miss.), 14-1, 38.4
21. Andale (Kan.), 13-0, 38.4
22. Noxubee County (Macon, Miss.), 11-3, 38.3
23. Madison County (Madison, Fla.), 10-3, 38.0
24. Hitchcock (Texas), 10-2, 37.8
25. Tuttle (Okla.), 13-1, 37.4

NEXT 25

26. Bowdon (Ga.), 13-2, 37.1
27. Kirtland (Ohio), 15-1, 36.6
28. Aubrey (Texas), 8-5, 36.5
29. Graham (Texas), 12-2, 36.2
30. Perry (Ohio), 12-2, 35.9
31. Spirit Lake (Iowa), 11-2, 35.8
32. Bellville (Texas), 8-4, 35.7
33. Somers (Lincolndale, N.Y.), 14-0, 35.5
34. Seneca (Mo.), 13-1, 35.4
35. Sergeant Bluff-Luton (Sergeant Bluff, Iowa), 11-1, 35.1
36. Washington (Okla.), 14-0, 34.9
37. Columbus Grove (Ohio), 14-1, 34.7
38. Humboldt (Iowa), 11-2, 34.6
39. South Range (Canfield, Ohio), 14-1, 34.5
40. Hawthorne (Fla.), 10-2, 34.5
41. Newberry (Fla.), 10-3, 34.5
42. Sealy (Texas), 10-4, 34.4
43. Sulphur (Okla.), 12-2, 34.3
44. Poplarville (Miss.), 13-2, 34.3
45. Stratford (Wis.), 14-0, 34.1
46. Corbin (Ky.), 12-2, 33.8
47. Royal (Royal City, Wash.), 13-0, 33.5
48. Central City (Neb.), 11-2, 33.1
49. Heidelberg (Miss.), 14-1, 32.8
50. Wagoner (Okla.), 12-1, 32.8

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