4 Ellis County football teams ranked in final regular season top-10

By Travis M. Smith | KBEC Sports

Four Ellis County football teams will carry state rankings into their respective bi-district championships following the final week of the regular season.

All rankings are courtesy Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, which is the official statewide poll recognized by the Associated Press.

5A Division II

Though 5A Division II is led by perennial power (9-1) Aledo, the Red Oak Hawks have certainly earned their No. 7 ranking ahead of the bi-district round of the postseason.

Red Oak clinched its first outright state championship since 1982 on Friday with a 48-13 victory against Seagoville. The Hawks remained in the seventh spot in the DCTF 5A Division II rankings for a second consecutive week following the win.

Red Oak will face (4-6) Everman at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Billy Goodloe Stadium.

3A DIVISION II

The Palmer Bulldogs capped the first perfect regular season in program history with a 45-15 victory on the road against Blooming Grove. They will also enter the postseason ranked eighth in the final DCTF 3A Division II poll.

Palmer moved up one spot in the final regular-season poll after No. 10 (8-2) Daingerfield — previously ranked fourth — fell to unranked New Diana, 20-16 in week 11.

Palmer faces unranked (6-4) Hamilton in the 3A Region II bi-district championship at 7 p.m. Thursday in Whitney.

1A DIVISION I

Following their 55-54 victory Friday night, the (10-0) Avalon Eagles jumped the (7-3) Milford Bulldogs in the DCTF 1A Division I poll.

The Eagles end the regular season at No. 9, while the Bulldogs — who began the season ranked first — will head into the postseason ranked tenth.

Avalon faces unranked Leverett’s Chapel at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in a bi-district championship, while Milford is pitted against Union Hill for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff Thursday.

Avalon previously defeated Union Hill, 60-38, on Sept. 13, which bodes well for the Bulldogs in round one.

Outside the of the Avalon loss in week 11, Milford previously fell to No. 6 (8-2) White Deer and (6-4) Strawn, ranked fifth in the DCTF 1A Division II poll.

Undefeated Borden County enters the postseason as the top team in 1A DI poll, while 2018 state champion (9-1) McLean will carry the No. 4 ranking into its title defense. McLean defeated Milford in the 2018 1A Division I state championship game at AT&T Stadium, 100-70. It marked the first state title in program history for the Tigers.

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Travis M. Smith, @Travis5mith

tsmith@kbec.com