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Euless Trinity coach Steve Lineweaver wasn't exactly heartbroken two weeks ago when his team fell from No. 1 to No. 3 in the National Prep Football Poll.

"You know me," Lineweaver said. "I was going, 'Yes!' "

Trinity gets plenty of attention already without national rankings. Just this week, The New York Times and National Public Radio did lengthy pieces on the successful blend of Euless' Tongan community and Texas high school football.

Trinity fell from No. 1 in the National Prep Poll, the rankings used by this paper and distributed by The Associated Press, after beating Keller by just a touchdown, 17-10. Three other national rankings still have Trinity at the top.

"Heck, if we're the No. 1 team in the nation, it's a down year," Lineweaver said. "We're OK, but golly, we're not that dominant."

Dominance can come in different forms. A team can win a low-scoring game and its opponent never had a chance. Which is precisely why Trinity could go undefeated and continue to drop in the rankings.

With Trinity facing a formidable Colleyville Heritage team tonight, another slip in the rankings could occur if Trinity merely wins by a touchdown. This in spite of the fact Heritage is 5-0. An upset would not be a complete surprise.

All rankings are simply beauty contests. Because its throwback power running game doesn't always produce pretty, 40-point wins, Trinity has to earn judges' points with talent and poise.

"Winning isn't good enough; you've got to win by enough. That's not us," Lineweaver said. "We just probably wouldn't be the team to be a No. 1 team."

Trinity finished No. 9 in the National Prep Poll last season after wining a state title. Of course, that Trinity team had a loss on its record, albeit one it avenged in the playoffs.

This year's Trinity team is off to a 5-0 start. Because of a rigorous nondistrict schedule, Trinity's average margin of victory is down to 19.6 this season from 23.9 in 2007.

But Trinity's average points per game is nearly identical: 30.5 in 2007 compared with 30.2 this year.

The last area team to finish atop the National Prep Poll, Southlake Carroll in 2005, averaged 47.75 points per game. Its average margin of victory was 31.75.

Jamie DeMoney, who compiles the National Prep Poll, said there are other factors besides high-scoring offenses that make for a No. 1 team.

He pointed out that other power running teams have finished No. 1, even in this era of spread offenses.

With so little national coverage of high school football, it sure doesn't hurt to post big numbers every week.

Even though high school rankings don't have anywhere near the importance of the major college football polls, it probably does sting a little to win a game and drop in the rankings.

"It can be pretty tough to live up to people's expectations, particularly for youngsters," said Lineweaver, who, if you can't tell, doesn't pay much attention to rankings.

"The parents and the Trinity fans, they're the ones that get so excited about that. Our kids just want to play ball."

And win games, not beauty contests.