Westlake’s run to the Class 5A Division I title game did more than give the program a stirring start to the Darren Allman era.

It also renewed Westlake’s reputation as a statewide power, according to the annual preseason Class 5A poll of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine.

Despite not having a Chap player listed among its coveted Top 300 compilation, Texas Football ranked Westlake No. 4 in its top 25. The spot is the highest since the 2002 Chaps entered the year No. 2, and it’s the first preseason top 10 ranking for Westlake since the 2006 squad started No. 6.

According to Westlake coach Darren Allman, such a high spot in the ranking comes as no surprise.

“It’s an honorable thing to be ranked that high,” he said. “I think our kids deserve the ranking, because they have the potential to be very good.”

Texas Football also picked the Chaps to win District 15-5A in their first foray into Region II since 2005. Based on the rankings, however, Westlake may have difficulty traversing their new region: five of the top 14 teams in the poll reside in Region II.

In fact, the magazine predicts Round Rock Stony Point to win Region II’s Division I bracket although the Tigers rank a spot behind likely Division I rep Westlake. Stony Point will beat Katy in the 2010 Class 5A Division I title game, according to the magazine’s preseason prediction.

But such playoff matchups are a long way off, said Allman.

“I think the [Texas Football] rankings are pretty accurate, but that’s just what they are: rankings,” he said. “They don’t mean much.”

Allman led Westlake to a 13-3 record in 2009 during his first season at the school. The Chaps fell in overtime to Euless Trinity 41-38 in the championship game.

Westlake, which welcomes back six starters on each side of the ball, opens the season Aug. 28 against Lake Travis at Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on the University of Texas campus.