Published: October 01, 2008 08:51 am      

Cards continue to rise in poll

TVCC No. 12 this week

The Trinity Valley Community College Cardinals are No. 12 in this week’s NJCAA rankings.

That’s the good news.

But to continue their climb in the poll, the Cardinals must next deal with the nation’s top-ranked team. TVCC travels Saturday to Corsicana to face the Navarro Bulldogs (4-0). Game time is 3 p.m. at Tiger Stadium.

The Cardinals, who debuted in the poll at No. 15 last week, are 4-0 after a 47-13 win at home Saturday over Cisco. It’s their best start to a season since 2002.

Navarro took over the top spot in the national rankings with a 44-34 win over Tyler and 20-17 loss by No. 1 Blinn to Kilgore in triple overtime Saturday night.

TVCC and Navarro are the lone unbeaten Southwest Junior College Football Conference teams at the season’s halfway point.

The Cardinals are the conference’s surprise team, having been picked by coaches to finish sixth in the eight-team league. TVCC is coming off back-to-back 2-7 seasons.

In other SWJCFC games Saturday, Tyler is at Blinn, NEO is at Cisco and Kilgore is Arkansas Baptist.