The Mineola Yellowjackets are ranked No. 2 to highlight East Texas teams in the Texas Associated Press preseason high school football poll that was released Wednesday.

The votes are by 24 sports writers and broadcasters around Texas.

The Yellowjackets, fresh off back-to-back deep journeys into the postseason, received 10 first-place votes and 184 points in the Class 3A poll. Defending Class 3A Division I state champion Brock tops the list with nine first-place votes and 210 points.

Despite losing twins Austin and Riley Anderson to graduation and Texas A&M, Mineola coach Joe Drennon has wealth of returning players including quarterback Jeremiah Crawford and running back Chantz Perkins who have started since both were freshmen.

Brock defeated the Yellowjackets, 38-22, in the state semifinals to deny Mineola a second straight trip to the state finals.

Waskom, the defending Class 3A Division II state champion, is ranked No. 5, while Malakoff is No. 7.

Other East Texas teams receiving votes in 3A are No. 13 Crockett, No. 16 Arp and No. 22 White Oak.

In Class 6A, Katy, the 2015 Class 6A Division II winner, is on top, followed by 6A Division I runner-up Lake Travis.

Although no East Texas squad is in the top 10 of 6A, three teams received votes – No. 15 Longview, No. 18 Lufkin and No. 20 John Tyler.

In 5A, 23 of the 24 first-place votes were split among perennial powers Aledo (7 votes), Cedar Park (9) and Denton Ryan (7). Aledo was on top, followed by Cedar Park, Denton Ryan, Manvel and Temple. Mansfield Lake Ridge, ranked No. 11, received the other first-place vote.

Texas High of Texarkana is No. 14 with Marshall No. 19.

As usual a number of East Texas squads are ranked in Class 4A, led by Carthage at No. 5 and Gilmer at No. 6. Also, in the top 10 is No. 9 Texarkana Liberty-Eylau.

Fans will get a chance to see how good Gilmer and L-E are as the two squads open play on Thursday, Aug. 25 in the Christus Trinity Mother Frances Football Classic at CTMF Rose Stadium.

Argyle is ranked No. 1, followed by defending state champions West Orange-Stark (4A Division II) and Waco La Vega (4A Division I).

La Vega defeated Argyle, 33-31, in the 4A D-I title game.

Other East Texas teams receiving votes in Class 4A were: No. 17 Kilgore and No. 19 Henderson.

In Class 2A, Refugio is No. 1, followed by Bremond, Shiner, Iraan and Stratford. Both Refugio (fell to Canadian 61-20 in the 2015 2A Division I title game) and Bremond (fell to Albany 20-14 in the 2015 2A Division II title game) were state runners-up a year ago.

Tenaha is ranked No. 10, while Alto, which received a first-place vote, is No. 13.

TWITTER:@PhilHicksETFS

 

Texas AP preseason high school football poll

Here is The Associated Press preseason high school poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records, points based on 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1, and the team’s ranking in last week’s poll:

Class 6A

School                                   TotalPoints                         Prv

1. Katy (14)                         220                 —

2. Lake Travis (5)                                       195                 —

3. Cedar Hill (3)                                         182                 —

4. Allen (2)                          152                 —

5. Austin Westlake                                   128                 —

6. De Soto                            96                   —

7. Cibolo Steele                                          95                   —

8. Galena Park North Shore                                            80                   —

9. Euless Trinity                                        37                   —

10. Converse Judson                                34                   —

Others receiving votes: 11, Richmond George Ranch 33. 12, Southlake Carroll 23. 13, The Woodlands 12. 14, Denton Guyer 10. 15, Longview 6. 15, Mansfield 6. 17, Smithson Valley 3. 18, Lufkin 2. 18, Friendswood 2. 20, Pearland 1. 20, Rockwall 1. 20, John Tyler 1. 20, Hewitt Midway 1.

How Phil Hicks voted: 1, Katy; 2, Lake Travis; 3, Cedar Hill; 4, Allen; 5, Richmond George Ranch; 6, Austin Westlake; 7, Longview; 8, Euless Trinity; 9, Lufkin; 10, John Tyler.

 

Class 5A

School                                   TotalPoints                         Prv

1. Aledo (7)                         218                 —

2. Cedar Park (9)                                         209                 —

3. Denton Ryan (7)                                    197                 —

4. Manvel                             130                 —

5. Temple                              116                 —

6. Frisco Lone Star                                    97                   —

7. Highland Park                                        92                   —

8. CC Calallen                                             60                   —

9. Richmond Foster                                   58                   —

10. Lancaster                                               30                   —

Others receiving votes: 11, Crosby 27. 11, Mansfield Lake Ridge (1) 27. 13, Angleton 16. 14, Ennis 6. 14, Lake Dallas 6. 14, Texarkana Texas 6. 17, College Station 5. 18, Boerne Champion 4. 19, Marshall 3. 19, Bryan 3. 21, Colleyville Heritage 2. 21, Mesquite Poteet 2. 21, Frisco Liberty 2. 21, El Paso Chapin 2. 25, Mansfield Summit 1. 25, Abilene Cooper 1.

How Phil Hicks voted: 1, Denton Ryan; 2, Lake Temple; 3, Aledo; 4, Cedar Park; 5, Highland Park; 6, Lancaster; 7, Texas High; 8, Marshall; 9, Frisco Lone Star; 10, Crosby.

 

Class 4A

School                                   TotalPoints                         Prv

1. Argyle (9)                                                210                 —

2. West Orange-Stark (12)                                               195                 —

3. Waco La Vega (2)                                  138                 —

4. Navasota (1)                                           135                 —

5. Carthage                                                 119                 —

6. Gilmer                             116                 —

7. Celina                               88                   —

8. Abilene Wylie                                       75                   —

9. Liberty-Eylau                                       60                   —

10. Kennedale                                             54                   —

Others receiving votes: 11, Cuero 52. 12, Liberty Hill 21. 13, China Spring 18. 14, La Grange 13. 15, Bellville 8. 16, Stafford 5. 17, Kilgore 3. 17, Brownwood 3. 19, Henderson 2. 19, Terrell 2. 21, Sweetwater 1. 21, Silsbee 1. 21, Sinton 1.

How Phil Hicks voted: 1, West Orange-Stark; 2, Gilmer; 3, Argyle; 4, Carthage; 5, Liberty-Eylau; 6, Waco La Vega; 7, Navasota; 8, Kilgore; 9, Henderson; 10, Abilene Wylie.

 

Class 3A

School                                   TotalPoints                         Prv

1. Brock (9)                          210                 —

2. Mineola (10)                                          184                 —

3. Cameron Yoe (1)                                   178                 —

4. Canadian (1)                                           132                 —

5. Waskom (1)                                           129                 —

6. Newton (2)                                              115                 —

7. Malakoff                                                 80                   —

8. Franklin                           77                   —

9. Wall                                  46                   —

10. East Bernard                                         26                   —

Others receiving votes: 11, Sunnyvale 23. 12, La Marque 17. 13, Crockett 15. 14, Boling 14. 15, Cisco 13. 16, Arp 11. 16, Pottsboro 11. 18, Teague 8. 19, Grandview 7. 20, Blanco 6. 21, Mathis 5. 22, White Oak 4. 23, Rockdale 3. 23, Idalou 3. 25, Hallettsville 1. 25, Odem 1. 25, Eastland 1.

How Phil Hicks voted: 1, Mineola; 2, Brock; 3, Cameron Yoe; 4, Malakoff; 5, Waskom; 6, Newton; 7, Arp; 8, White Oak; 9, Canadian; 10, Crockett.

 

Class 2A

School                                   TotalPoints                         Prv

1. Refugio (13)                                            222                 —

2. Bremond (9)                                            214                 —

3. Shiner (1)                                                 158                 —

4. Iraan                                  125                 —

5. Stratford                           112                 —

6. Albany                             111                 —

7. Mason                               102                 —

8. Crawford                          61                   —

9. Mart                                   48                   —

10. Tenaha                          39                   —

Others receiving votes: 11, Muenster 32. 11, Lovelady 32. 13, Alto (1) 21. 14, Post 17. 15, Seagraves 7. 16, Falls City 5. 17, Shelbyville 4. 17, Wellington 4. 19, Weimar 3. 19, Hico 3.

How Phil Hicks voted: 1, Bremond; 2, Refugio; 3, Crawford; 4, Tenaha; 5, Alto; 6, Mart; 7, Iraan; 8, Shiner; 9, Lovelady; 10, Wellington.