Here we are past the halfway point of the regular season and the Power Poll is getting interesting.
Why? Well, is anyone capable of beating Bishop Luers in the SAC? Until that happens, the Knights will be unchallenged at the top in Blitz’s mind.
How does the rest of the top 10 shake out? Let’s take a look.
1. BISHOP LUERS (5-0)
WHY #1?
The Knights keep humming along, and the remaining schedule does not look too daunting.
Northrop and South Side both look like easy wins, while the Battle of the Bishops looks decidedly in favor of the Knights, who haven’t won in the series since 2015. Yes, rivalry games mean you can throw the records out, but the Saints have a lot of work to do to be ready for Bishop Luers.
At this point, the SAC could come down to Week 9’s game between the Knights and Snider.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Impossible.
2. LEO (5-0)
WHY #2?
Behold, the highest ranking for a non-SAC school this season. It is deserved, as the Lions took care of business last Friday against East Noble, despite allowing the Knights to come back and tie the game after leading by 20 points.
Blitz was skeptical that the run-heavy offense of Leo would be able to carve up East Noble the way it had its first four opponents, but the Lions proved themselves in the hard-fought win.
And before you bellyache about an NE8 team ranked higher than some SAC squads, Leo is No. 30 in this week’s Sagarin Ratings, a full 20 spots better than anyone in the SAC (Luers tops at No. 50).
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Should Leo be? You could make a case, but Blitz isn’t buying it…yet.
3. CARROLL (4-1)
WHY #3?
The Chargers’ destruction of Bishop Dwenger opened a lot of eyes last Friday, mostly in terms of the Saints. But since Carroll’s Week 1 loss to Bishop Luers, the Chargers have been steadily more and more impressive with each passing week.
While the loss to the Knights puts Carroll effectively two games behind Bishop Luers in the SAC race at this point, the Chargers are definitely a player as we head into the final four weeks of the regular season.
The defense continues to impress, with much of the points allowed the last two weeks coming well after the game was decided.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
The loss to Bishop Luers, while a close game, continues to loom large when it comes to these rankings.
4. SNIDER (3-1)
WHY #4?
What a difference a week makes.
Coming out of Week 3, Snider’s defense looked the part of a confused and overmatched defense, having surrendered 74 points in three games But an open week due to Covid at South Side gave the Panthers a full two weeks to prepare for Homestead and address some deficiencies.
The result? Shutting out Homestead in the first half on the way to a 17-14 road victory.
Snider is the lone team in the SAC outside of Bishop Luers that controls its own destiny. If the Panthers win out, including a defeat of Luers in Week 9, Snider will win the league title.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
The one-point loss to Carroll in Week 2 is preventing the Panthers from being higher at this point. However, they did jump three spots from last week.
5. HOMESTEAD (3-2)
WHY #5?
Blitz was surprised to hear a halftime score last Friday in which Homestead was being shut out by a team that had looked shaky defensively early in the season. That was the case as Snider mostly shut down Nate Anderson, Gage Sparrow and the Homestead passing attack in what ended up being a 17-14 win for the Panthers.
It is now two three-point losses for Homestead this season and find themselves effectively out of the SAC title chase. But this is still a powerful team capable of winning a sectional.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
The three-point loss to Bishop Luers didn’t hurt too much in these rankings, but scoring just 14 points against Snider? That hurts.
6. EAST NOBLE (3-1)
WHY #6?
Tough for Blitz to figure out where East Noble should slot in here. It did look woefully overmatched in the first half against Leo, but showcased its potential in the second half before falling late.
Despite the loss, Blitz feels that the Knights are still a top 6 team in the area, one that should win out and enter the postseason 8-1.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Uh, the loss to Leo perhaps?
7. WARSAW (4-1)
WHY #7?
Overshadowed by more local action was the 36-3 demolition handed out by Warsaw to previously-undefeated Northridge last Friday that put the Tigers in command of the Northern Lakes entering Week 6.
We talk so much about the offense, but Warsaw held an opponent without a touchdown for the first time since 2018 in the victory. That’s a big deal when looking at potential postseason matchups against Carroll and Homestead.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Should we begin to consider Warsaw for a top five spot? Blitz is considering it, but the Tigers aren’t there yet.
8. BISHOP DWENGER (3-2)
WHY #8?
Is it time to panic at Dwenger? Well, some fans are, as Blitz has been inundated with talk of how this team is underachieving and coaching is the problem.
Blitz isn’t going to entertain that, but will say this team lacks the size and physicality that previous Saints squads have had. Couple that with inexperience at quarterback and hanging with the top squads in the SAC has been tough.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
It is the first losing streak of the Jason Garrett era, but it is still a losing streak.
9. EASTSIDE (5-0)
WHY #9?
Laban Davis is just 300 yards away from surpassing his 1,200-yard rushing mark from a year ago. Add that to his completion percentage jumping 15 percent from 2020 and you have two prime examples of just how much the senior has improved even from a spectacular junior campaign.
Eastside has no equal in the NECC, period.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Lack of games against those above them. That changes in the sectional with…Bishop Luers.
10. ADAMS CENTRAL (4-1)
WHY #10?
The Flying Jets get a chance to repay their rival South Adams this Friday when the pair meet up in Monroe. Last year, AC lost by 20 to the Starfires.
Much like Eastside, no one in the ACAC matches up to AC on paper. The conference is theirs outside of a brutal collapse of focus.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
AC is the highest-ranked 1A team in Blitz’s poll, so CALM DOWN.
NEXT FIVE
11. Norwell
12. Columbia City
13. Central Noble
14. Northrop
15. South Adams
These opinions represent those of Blitz and Outside the Huddle. No opinions expressed on Outside the Huddle represent those of any of our advertisers. Follow Blitz on Twitter at Blitz_OTH
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