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Lake Travis is second to defending 5A Division I champion Southlake Carroll in The Associated Press preseason Texas high school football poll released Thursday.

The Cavaliers are moving up to the state's highest classification after winning five straight championships in Class 4A. Lake Travis had one more first-place vote than Carroll but finished 12 points behind in balloting by sports writers and broadcasters who cover Texas high school football.

Stephenville and La Marque, a pair of longtime 4A powers, have the top two spots in 3A after dropping a classification.

Denton Guyer tops the 4A poll two years after losing in a 5A championship game.

Here is the list of the top ten preseason teams in all 5 classifications (teams of local interest in bold).

Others receiving votes: 11, Arlington Martin 41. 12, Manvel 18. 13, Pearland 15. 14, SA Madison 11. 15, The Woodlands 10. 16, Spring DeKaney 9. 17, La Porte 5. 18, Austin Westlake 3. 19, Hewitt Midway 2. 20, Lufkin 1. 20, Smithson Valley 1.

Others receiving votes: 11, Brenham 16. 12, Nederland 15. 13, Wichita Falls 11. 14, Kerrville Tivy 9. 15, Dallas Kimball 8. 16, Amarillo 3. 16, Wolfforth Frenship 3. 18, Sulphur Springs 2. 19, Sherman 1. 19, Corsicana 1.

Others receiving votes: 11, Henderson 36. 12, Tyler Chapel Hill 32. 12, Gilmer 32. 14, Monahans 14. 15, West Columbia 13. 16, Sealy 9. 17, Bellville 6. 18, Abilene Wylie 5. 19, Kennedale 2. 19, Kilgore 2. 21, Melissa 1.

Others receiving votes: 11, Arp 38. 12, Corsicana Mildred 30. 13, East Bernard 23. 14, Crockett 17. 15, Littlefield 11. 15, Rogers 11. 17, Franklin 8. 18, Garrison 6. 19, Clarksville 2. 19, Commerce 2. 21, Elysian Fields 1. 21, Idalou 1. 21, New Boston 1.

Others receiving votes: 11, Wellington 37. 12, Shiner 23. 13, Hubbard 16. 14, Ganado 14. 15, Albany 10. 15, Lindsay 10. 17, Alto 7. 17, Italy 7. 19, Muenster 6. 20, Joaquin 4. 21, Sunray 3. 22, Mount Enterprise 2. 22, Panhandle 2. 24, Stratford 1.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.

HOUSTON (AP) — An ex-Army pay agent from Texas has been accused of theft and fraud related to military invoices he processed in Iraq.

Prosecutors in Houston on Thursday announced the indictment of Abuzuike O. Ukabam of Humble. Investigators allege the former Army captain, who was arrested Wednesday in Los Angeles, stole about $110,000.

A nine-count indictment returned July 30 and unsealed Wednesday charges Ukabam with wire fraud, theft of government property, money laundering and making false statements.

Ukabam in 2006 deployed to Iraq and processed invoices from Iraqi contractors working for the U.S. military.

Prosecutors accuse Ukabam of changing some totals, paying the contractor the original amount and keeping the difference.

Ukabam is expected to be returned to Houston.

HOUSTON (AP) — Retail gasoline prices have risen an average 4 cents this week across Texas.

AAA Texas on Thursday reported the average price at the pump has reached $3.53 per gallon. The nationwide retail price for gas increased by a nickel to hit $3.71 per gallon.

The association survey found that Dallas, Austin and Houston have the most expensive gasoline, at $3.54 per gallon. The least expensive gasoline in Texas is in El Paso, at $3.28 per gallon.

AAA says higher oil prices amid tensions with Iran and increased demand during the summer continue to push U.S. gasoline prices higher.

RANCHITA, Calif. (AP) — Firefighters are making good progress against Southern California wildfires threatening more than 100 rural homes but a chance of afternoon thunderstorms is making them nervous.

Thursday afternoon storms in the mountains and deserts could bring lightning and erratic winds.

In San Diego County, a cluster of lightning fires is about 60 percent contained early Thursday after destroying more than 24 square miles of brush. However, evacuation orders remain in effect for more than 100 homes in Ranchita and San Felipe.

In neighboring Riverside County, evacuation orders were lifted Wednesday for nearly 50 homes in the foothills of the San Jacinto Mountains. A blaze that's burned 4 square miles of land east of Temecula is 60 percent contained.

That fire destroyed four structures, including a home, and injured five people.

JOLIET, Ill. (AP) — A pathologist who performed a second autopsy on Drew Peterson's third wife years after she was found dead in her bathtub says the only plausible explanation for her death is that she was murdered.

Larry Blum described to jurors Thursday how Kathleen Savio had a gash on the back of her head and fresh bruises on her front. He says an accidental fall couldn't have caused injuries on both sides of her body.

Peterson has pleaded not guilty to killing Savio in 2004. Authorities initially ruled her death accidental. Blum performed his autopsy after Peterson's fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, disappeared in 2007. That eventually led to Peterson's arrest.

Blum has also said there were no edges pronounced enough along Savio's circular tub to cause a straight-line wound to her head.