Behind The Rankings - Pre-Season

By: Randy Savage Jr

I have been posting rankings online and with different news media outlets since the late 90's, and every year, the hardest set of rankings to come up with is the pre-season rankings. I once tried to use algorithms solely as the base for my rankings, but always ended up having to tweak something each week. This is called the eyeball test, which anyone who knows anything about sports will tell you is the true test. I work overseas part of the year these days, and it takes  hours upon hours to sort through information provided from every source imaginable, stories, video, discussions with others that follow the game, to even begin to act like I know what I am talking about. In the end, I sit alone with all this information, like many others, and put it out there with my name on it.

We do this for the love of the game, and the love of watching kids turn into men on the field. Those of us in the media can never think that we play any role in the course of a season, the coaches and parents are the only ones that have any role in that. As a former athlete and a parent of athletes, I know all too well the separation between talk, and action. Work that is put in for weeks and months and years prior to competition is where champions are born. No one shows up and is instantly a champion.

These rankings wont mean much until the final whistle blows and the State Champions are crowned. Even at that point, there will be champions across the state in many aspects. Teams that show up with 6 kids to practice on the first day see a grueling year ahead of them, but often make it through, with all the blood and bruises that comes along with that. The fact is, these kids make it, and they are better for it in the end. Encourage your kids to work, and support them. I love documenting success, and will continue to, because I love the game.

1A Sixman Rankings - Pre-Season DII

By: Randy Savage Jr

Division II
Rank	Team
1	Richland Springs
2	Crowell
3	Calvert
4	Milford
5	Valley
6	Follett
7	Balmorhea
8	Mount Calm
9	Guthrie
10	Oakwood
11	Groom
12	Motley County
13	Aspermont
14	Whitharral
15	Strawn
16	Grandfalls-Royalty
17	Amherst
18	Southland
19	Chillicothe
20	Welch Dawson
21	Lefors
22	Sands
23	Loraine
24	Petersburg
25	Grady
26	Lueders-Avoca
27	Mullin
28	Walnut Springs
29	Rising Star
30	Higgins
31	Highland
32	Iredell
33	Oglesby
34	Jayton
35	Rochelle
36	Rule
37	Wellman-Union
38	Silverton
39	Blackwell
40	Cherokee
41	Cotton Center
42	Kress
43	Fort Elliott
44	Northside
45	Throckmorton
46	Trent
47	Trinidad
48	Sanderson
49	Sidney
50	Sierra Blanca
51	Hedley
52	Lazbuddie
53	Woodson
54	Morgan
55	Panther Creek
56	Benjamin
57	Loop
58	Brookesmith
59	Wilson
60	Harrold
61	Dell City
62	Cranfills Gap
63	Patton Springs
64	Moran
65	Paint Creek
66	Gustine
67	Lohn
68	Buckholts
69	Prairie Lea

1A Sixman Rankings - Pre-Season DI

By: Randy Savage Jr

Division I
Rank	Team
1	Borden County
2	Happy
3	Jonesboro
4	Abbott
5	Garden City
6	Zephyr
7	Sterling City
8	May
9	Knox City
10	Ira
11	Newcastle
12	Blum
13	Gordon
14	Coolidge
15	Buena Vista
16	Gorman
17	Spur
18	Meadow
19	Paducah
20	Water Valley
21	Anton
22	Bryson
23	Chester
24	Klondike
25	New Home
26	Aquilla
27	Robert Lee
28	Nazareth
29	Hermleigh
29	Ropes
30	Santa Anna
31	Gilmer Union Hill
32	Rankin
33	Evant
35	Eden
36	Forestburg
37	O'Donnell
38	Tioga
39	Blanket
40	Westbrook
41	White Deer
42	Marfa
43	McLean
44	Rotan
45	Miami
46	Lingleville
47	Savoy
48	Avalon
49	High Island
50	Lometa
51	Gholson
52	Nueces Canyon
53	Hart
54	Paint Rock
55	Lorenzo
56	Saint Jo
57	Apple Springs
58	Fort Davis
59	Medina
60	Bynum
61	Whiteface
62	Covington
63	Fannindel
64	Veribest
65	Leverett's Chapel
66	Fruitvale
67	Penelope
68	Gold-Burg
69	Kopperl
70	Irving Universal Academy