RGVSports.com
Entering the year off a 3-6 campaign in 2017, the Weslaco High Panthers were slow to gain traction in the RGVSports.com top 10.
After not receiving a vote in the preseason, the Panthers started to make a blip on the radar with a 28-7 win against McAllen Rowe in Week 1. Then, Weslaco broke into the rankings at No. 10 after a 58-7 victory against Edcouch-Elsa in Week 2. And now, the Panthers are up to No. 7 as the biggest risers this week after beating PSJA North 45-27 on Thursday.
The nine voters are the writers and editors who cover RGV high school football for AIM Media’s three newspapers: The Monitor, Valley Morning Star, and Brownsville Herald.
Mission Veterans was the other significant riser in the poll this week, moving up from No. 5 to No. 3 after defeating Brownsville Veterans 45-24 on Saturday. Brownsville Vets made the biggest drop in the poll as a result, sliding from No. 7 to No. 10.
Edinburg Vela retained its stranglehold on the No. 1 spot in the poll, earning all nine first-place votes by toppling McAllen Memorial 40-21 on Friday. Memorial fell one spot in the poll from No. 8 to No. 9.
No. 2 San Benito also bested a ranked foe, holding steady in the rankings after taking down then-No. 9 PSJA High 46-20. The Bears fell out of the rankings this week.
No. 4 Brownsville Hanna and No. 5 Harlingen High both sit one spot lower than last week after their Week 3 matchups were canceled due to inclement weather.
Los Fresnos dominated Edcouch-Elsa 42-13 on Thursday but slipped from No. 5 in the rankings to No. 6.
Mission High made its debut in the poll this week, checking in at No. 8 after downing Sharyland Pioneer 21-17. The Eagles are 3-0 this year, beating Mission Veterans 24-12 in Week 1 and Donna North 56-12 in Week 2.
Edinburg Vela continues a tough non-district slate this week, traveling to face No. 6 Los Fresnos in the only Week 4 game pitting two ranked teams.
The following are the teams in the RGVSports.com top 10 poll, with first-place votes in parentheses and total points based on 10 points for a first-place vote through 1 point for a 10th-place vote. The nine voters are the writers and editors who cover RGV high school football for AIM Media’s three newspapers: The Monitor, Valley Morning Star, and Brownsville Herald.
Team Record Points Previous
1. Edinburg Vela (9) 3-0 90 1
2. San Benito 2-1 75 2
3. Mission Veterans 2-1 54 5
4. Brownsville Hanna 1-1 52 3
5. Harlingen High 2-0 46 4
6. Los Fresnos 2-1 45 5
7. Weslaco High 3-0 41 10
8. Mission High 3-0 21 NR
9. McAllen Memorial 1-2 20 8
10. Brownsville Veterans 2-1 17 7
Other teams receiving votes: PSJA High (16); La Joya High (11); Edinburg High (4); Harlingen South (2); McAllen Rowe (1)