Prep Ticket Top 25 (5-1)

#5 - Ft. Bend Hightower. The Hurricanes return 11 players from last year's state finalist team. Replacing quarterback A.J. Highsmith will be the biggest challenge but a stingy defense that allowed just 11 points a game last season returns 6 of those players. Combine that with a scheduled that features teams with a combined winning percentage under .500 and you have a team that will have the opportunity to gel in time from the playoffs. Middle linebacker Shaun Lewis is considered one of the top prospects in the state.

#4 - Allen. The Eagles finally broke through winning that elusive state championship last season and figure to be in the hunt once again this year. The strength is in the offensive line where all five starters return. The biggest challenge will be rebuilding a defense that historically was the achilles heel, but last season was a strength. Senior quarterbacks Matt Brown and Tucker Carter give Allen the best set of signal-callers in the state and that proved invaluable last season.

#3 - Round Rock Stony Point. Last season the Tigers advanced further than any other school in the history of Round Rock ISD. Their 21-14 loss to eventual state champion Allen was a heartbreaker but it also showed them they belong with the best. Many key players from last year's team return and many of them are legitimate D-1 prospects.

#2 - Katy. The Tigers are coming off their 3rd state title of the decade and have the makings of a team that is one of just a handful of teams worthy of the title "favorite". Will Jeffrey (1st team all-district) and Donovonn Young (transfer from Humble) will fuel a ground game that is traditionally one of the best in the state. On the defensive side of the ball, the Tigers' secondary returns three starters from last season, led by senior safety Sam Holl.

#1 - Cedar Hill. Since the arrival of head coach Joey McGuire the Longhorns have consistently become one of the state's best teams. This year may be the best team he's had yet. Seven returning all-district players led by senior tailback Ben Malena form the nucleus of a team that is focused on winning it all. Cedar Hill has the talent, experience and coaching to do just that.

Date of Article: Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:34 am