WATER VALLEY, TX — While many high school football teams are recovering on their bye week, the No. 2-ranked Water Valley Wildcats are getting prepared for their matchup with the No. 10 Rankin Red Devils.
It’s a battle of Top 10 teams as the 5-0 Wildcats are taking on the 4-1 Red Devils tonight in Water Valley. The Wildcats have state aspirations this year and are ranking behind only the back-to-back state champion Gordon Longhorns.
Like the Longhorns last season, the Wildcats are forcing the mercy rule into effect every week, beating every opponent so far by 45 or more points and ending the game early. The Red Devils have only lost one game (74-44 to Borden County in Week 4, and edged out the Westbrook Wildcats, 48-44.
Other than those two, they’ve 45’ed three opponents this season.
Water Valley head coach Trey Sisco isn’t looking past Rankin.
“They’re well coached and have some good coaches on there and good kids,” Sisco said. “I expect it to be a good game. I’m thinking we will figure something out this week. They’re (Rankin) pretty physical, aggressive on defense, and they do a lot of good things on offense that could give us some problems. Hopefully we can make it a good game.”
Water Valley has a bunch of talent and returned four starters on both the offense and defense from last season, when the Wildcats reached the state semifinals.
“We’ve got eight seniors,” said Sisco. “Seven of them played a ton last year, so that experience gives us an edge on most teams we’ve played this year, just because they’ve been there.”
Three of those leaders on the team — quarterback Landon Lacy, linebacker Boston Wiese and defensive lineman Brylan Naylor — were first-team all-state last year.
They also have a head coach in Sisco who has a ton of experience in six-man football, including a state championship at Sterling City in 2020.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to have some really good players but, at the same time, I’ve been under some really good coaches,” Sisco said. “Coach Keith was my offensive coordinator at Sterling City, and now he’s the OC at Rankin. He and (head coach Garrett Avalos) are really good at what they do.”
Water Valley ran away with a 45-point win over Rankin last year. It may not come as easy this year in what should be the Wildcats' toughest test so far.
“I just want to win,” Sisco laughed. “I don’t know by how much, but by one point will be good enough for me.”
The Water Valley Wildcats host the Rankin Red Devils at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3, 2025.
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