Top 10: The Standard-Times high school football 2024 preseason power rankings

There's nothing quite like power-ranking teams ahead of the season. What could go wrong?

Some quick ground rules before embarking on this journey. The Standard-Times ' Top 10 is a subjective list. Obviously, the chances of a 2A team beating a 6A team are unlikely. And 1A plays an entirely different game.

This list represents the expectations of these teams, reflecting how they rank in district, region and state. Last year’s record is in parentheses.

Anyway, here are the top teams in West Texas ahead of the 2024 Texas high school football season.

1. Richland Springs (13-1)

Coach Shawn Rogers quickly turned this program around and back to its winning ways. The Coyotes come in at No. 2 in the Class 1A Division II rankings and will likely stay there throughout the season.

2. Mason (11-1)

The Punchers have been mentioned as one of the best teams in Class 2A for over a decade. With 15 starters returning, they have a real shot at winning it all again.

3. Wall (11-3)

Other than a few questions on offense, the Hawks still have plenty of returning talent to grab the No. 2 spot in our preseason rankings. Even if the offense lags at the start of the season, their defense will more than makeup for it.

4. Westbrook (13-2)

The Wildcats are not going anywhere from the top of six-man’s best until proven otherwise. They made back-to-back trips to the state championship and still hold No. 3 in the preseason rankings despite replacing most of their starters.

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5. Irion County (8-3)

I know the focus is up in Tom Green County with Water Valley, but I think the Hornets are still the team to beat in this district. Hiring coach Tell Rutledge was smart and he should keep this train moving in the right direction.

6. Miles (8-4)

The Bulldogs have been knocking on the door to a district championship and deep playoff run for two years. The only problem has been back-to-back state champions Albany. The Lions took a big hit in graduation, and I think Miles has enough talent and leadership to overtake the Lions.

7. Junction (6-5)

The only team in West Texas to return all 11 starters on offense and defense is Junction. They have the talent and youth to go far after moving to D-II. The only question is how they handle the pressure.

8. Water Valley (2-7)

The Wildcats make their much-anticipated trip back down to Class 1A in 2024. However, they find themselves in one of the toughest six-man districts in the state. How quickly do they adjust to the new game?

9. Forsan (8-3)

This is the part of the list where we start splitting hairs. The Buffaloes have plenty of proven talent at multiple key positions this year. Huston Stockton is a brutal and punishing running back who can carry this team to a district championship.

10. Sonora (11-2)

Sonora took probably the biggest hit to its roster from graduation than any team this year. Regardless, this team still has the talent and coaching to compete for a district title.

Paul Witwer covers high school sports and Angelo State University sports for The San Angelo Standard-Times. Reach him at sports@gosanangelo.com . Follow him on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, @Paul_Witwer .

This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: Top 10: The Standard-Times high school football 2024 preseason power rankings