GAMES
RANKINGS
THE POWER RANKINGS: Westlake win in “Battle of the Lakes” cements top spot
We’ve been saying all season that Westlake is the best high school football team in the Greater Austin area; this despite their one early loss (to state-ranked Atascocita) while Lake Travis was undefeated. The Chaparrals proved it – for now – with a 28-16 road win over the Cavaliers to further ensconce themselves atop this week’s Power Rankings. (Due to the enrollment number ramifications of what’s essentially an elimination game Friday between #12 Bowie vs. #17 Austin High, the frontrunners may meet again in the playoffs.)
Meanwhile Vandegrift kept pace, Round Rock had a Bye, and Liberty Hill’s fast break Slot-T offense kept the Panthers in the Top 5.
LBJ might be the most intriguing team in Austin. Like Liberty Hill, the Jaguars continue to post gaudy scores, but against lower-tiered 4A teams. We’d love to see what the Jags could do against better competition.
Other comers this week are Georgetown, Anderson, Bastrop and Wimberley while the Vista Ridge Rangers have popped back into the rankings.
Here are this week’s rankings heading into Week 10.
VYPE Austin Top 20 Combined Class 4A-6A
*Last parentheses indicates most recent game result
1. (1) Westlake Chaparrals (6A) -- 7-1 (28-16 W v. Lake Travis)
2. (2) Lake Travis Cavaliers (6A) -- 7-1 (28-16 L v. Westlake)
3. (3) Vandegrift Vipers (6A) -- 7-1 (38-13 W v. Hutto)
4. (4) Round Rock Dragons (6A) – 7-1 (BYE)
5. (5) Liberty Hill (5A-2) – 7-1 (78-57 W v. McCallum)
6. (6) Dripping Springs Tigers (6A) -- 7-2 (49-17 W v. Del Valle)
7. (8) Georgetown Eagles (5A-1) – 7-1 (66-37 W v. Glenn)
8. (9) LBJ Austin Jaguars (4A-1) -- 8-0 (85-0 v. Northeast)
9. (7) Buda Johnson Jaguars (6A) – 5-3 (34-21 L v. East Central)
10. (10) Weiss Wolves (5A-1) – 7-1 (BYE)
11. (11) Pflugerville Panthers (5A-1) – 6-2 (69-0 W v. Crockett)
12. (12) Bowie Bulldogs (6A) – 6-3 (48-0 W v. Akins)
13. (15) Anderson Trojans (5A-1) – 6-2 (42-26 W v. Hays)
14. (16) Bastrop Bears (5A-2) – 6-2 (47-24 W v. Elgin)
15. (13) Cedar Park (5A-1) – 5-3 (28-21 L v. Lake Belton)
16. (14) Hutto Hippos (6A) -- 4-4 (38-13 L v. Vandegrift)
17. (17) Austin High Maroons (6A) – 4-4 (BYE)
18. (20) Wimberley Texans (4A-2) – 6-2 (59-10 W v. Gonzales)
19. (18) Lago Vista Vikings (4A-2) – 6-2 (BYE)
20. (NR) Vista Ridge Rangers (6A) – 5-3 (31-14 v. Manor)
VYPE Austin Top 5 Private Schools
*Last parentheses indicates most recent game result
1. (1) Regents Knights (TAPPS) – 8-1 (51-7 W v. Grace Prep)
2. (2) St. Michael’s Warriors (TAPPS) – 7-1 (44-20 W v. Savio)
3. (3) Brentwood Christian Bears (TAPPS) – 5-3 (47-13 W v. Bishop Dunne)
4. (4) Hyde Park Panthers (TAPPS) – 5-3 (46-28 W vs. Grace Community)
5. (5) St. Andrew’s Highlanders (SPC) – 3-6 (63-27 W v. Austin LASA)
THE POWER RANKINGS: District games create comers and goers throughout the rankings
Demolition derbies. Circular firing squads. Musical chairs. Whatever you want to call the district playoff races, we’ve reached that time of the season where every game seems to matter more.
So far, the favorites keep winning. Westlake and Lake Travis continued their district domination with convincing wins over Bowie and Dripping Springs respectively to solidify their spots atop the rankings (and District 26-6A). Meanwhile on the other side of the bi-district divide, Vandegrift and Round Rock both cruised to keep on track for their regular season finale which might determine the winner of 25-6A.
It’s just as intense in the 5A races, with Liberty Hill holding off Pflugerville to crack the Top 5 and Georgetown crushing East View to join Weiss inside the Top 10.
Most of the other teams experienced marginal movement in this week’s rankings. One development of note is Wimberley’s first appearance in the Power Rankings, debuting at #20 to become the fourth 4A team listed. (LBJ and Lago Vista are the others).
Here are this week’s rankings heading into Week 9.
VYPE Austin Top 20 Combined Class 4A-6A
*Last parentheses indicates most recent game result
1. (1) Westlake Chaparrals (6A) -- 6-1 (48-7 W vs. Bowie)
2. (2) Lake Travis Cavaliers (6A) -- 7-0 (49-21 W v. Dripping Springs)
3. (3) Vandegrift Vipers (6A) -- 6-1 (56-6 W v. Manor)
4. (5) Round Rock Dragons (6A) – 7-1 (37-7 W v. Westwood)
5. (6) Liberty Hill (5A-2) – 6-1 (35-28 W v. Pflugerville)
6. (4) Dripping Springs Tigers (6A) -- 6-2 (49-21 L v. Lake Travis)
7. (7) Buda Johnson Jaguars (6A) – 5-2 (42-21 W v. Clemens)
8. (11) Georgetown Eagles (5A-1) – 6-1 (58-14 W v. East View)
9. (10) LBJ Austin Jaguars (4A-1) -- 7-0 (72-0 v. Austin Achieve)
10. (13) Weiss Wolves (5A-1) – 7-1 (42-0 W v. Lockhart)
11. (9) Pflugerville Panthers (5A-1) – 5-2 (35-28 L v. Liberty Hill)
12. (9) Bowie Bulldogs (6A) – 5-3 (48-7 L v. Westlake)
13. (12) Cedar Park (5A-1) – 5-2 (34-28 W v. Glenn)
14. (15) Hutto Hippos (6A) -- 4-3 (35-21 W v. Stony Point)
15. (16) Anderson Trojans (5A-1) – 5-2 (59-14 W v. Cedar Creek)
16. (19) Bastrop Bears (5A-2) – 5-2 (70-0 W v. Navarro)
17. (18) Austin High Maroons (6A) – 4-4 (49-7 W v. Akins)
18. (20) Lago Vista Vikings (4A-2) – 6-2 (44-0 W v. Smithville)
19. (17) Leander Lions (5A-1) – 4-3 (29-15 L v. Lake Belton)
20. (NR) Wimberley Texans (4A-2) – 5-2 (41-8 W v. Jarrell)
VYPE Austin Top 5 Private Schools
*Last parentheses indicates most recent game result
1. (1) Regents Knights (TAPPS) – 7-1 (41-14 W v. Brentwood Christian)
2. (2) St. Michael’s Warriors (TAPPS) – 6-1 (41-36 W v. Central Catholic)
3. (3) Brentwood Christian Bears (TAPPS) – 4-3 (41-14 L v. Regents)
4. (4) Hyde Park Panthers (TAPPS) – 4-3 (31-6 W vs. Bishop Dunne)
5. (5) St. Andrew’s Highlanders (SPC) – 2-6 (35-29 L v. Cistercian)