The life of a Power Poll is one without much praise.
Everyone looks to poke holes in your reasoning and point out when you turn out to be wrong, rather than applaud you for being accurate.
There’s not much appreciation in the job of a Power Poll. He just goes out there weekly and grinds while telling you, the reader, how it is.
Here’s to another week of scorn and ungratefulness.
1. SNIDER (7-1)
WHY #1?
After New Haven’s loss, the Panthers are back at the top of Blitz’s rankings.
Yes, Snider lost to Homestead just a few weeks ago, but those two teams play 10 times and the Panthers win eight or nine of em. Wasn’t Snider’s night. Or maybe it was just Homestead’s night?
The Panthers get a good Wayne squad to close out the regular season before it preps for what should be a run to a second-straight sectional crown.
2. LEO (6-2)
WHY #2?
Without a missed extra point in OT, the Lions would be tops in this poll.
The usual suspects have been good during Leo’s four-game winning streak, but how about a defense that has allowed just 14 points over four weeks? That’s the best stretch for the Lions since 2020.
After eight weeks, Blitz is confient in saying that Leo is the most complete team in the Northeast Eight.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
The loss to New Haven.
3. CARROLL (6-2)
WHY #3?
After some sketchy weeks in the middle of the season, the Chargers appear back on track after routing its rival in Week 7 and coasting to a dub over Northrop.
But injuries are a concern as the playoffs loom – with guys like linebacker Justin Anderson and running back Nate Starks sidelined in recent weeks.
This doesn’t feel like a Chargers squad that’s as deep as it was a year ago, so we will see what impact in Class 6A injuries have if they continue to hit the starting lineup.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
That pesky Week 5 loss to Snider.
4. EAST NOBLE (6-2)
WHY #4?
Coach Luke Amstutz’s team has stepped up the last four weeks – yes including that seven-point loss to Leo in Week 5.
Scrappy. Fiesty. Physical. Whatever word you decide to use to describe East Noble, point of the matter is they have been the most consistent team in the league outside of Leo. They even played Snider tough in Week 2, despite folks glossing over that final.
East Noble’s play in the trenches will dictate how far it goes in the postseason, with a road trip to New Haven set to kick off sectional play in Week 10.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Losses to to of the three teams above them in this poll.
5. NEW HAVEN (7-1)
WHY #5?
Some are pointing to not having Mylan Graham as reason why the Bulldogs lost last Friday to East Noble, but that was a collective effort dictated by more than just the absence of one player.
New Haven now needs to decide whether it is going to falter or bounce back. They get Huntington North in Week 9, which will surely help get back in the win column, but is this team ready for an East Noble rematch? It needs to make strides this week in getting into that mindset.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
The Week 7 loss to East Noble by double digits.
6. HOMESTEAD (4-4)
WHY #6?
A four-loss team in the top six? What’s Blitz thinking?
Hear him out. When Sparty is on its game, it is a top five team in the area. When it isn’t, it’s barely top 10.
Coach Chad Zolman can make a point with his team if they can hand Bishop Luers its first SAC defeat this Friday. But in looking at that game, which Homestead will we get?
For now, Blitz is giving Homestead the benefit of the doubt. Why? That overtime win over Snider.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Four losses in eight games.
7. ADAMS CENTRAL (7-0)
WHY #7?
Is Adams Central underrated? Overrated? Where they should be?
To anyone who answers, Blitz says – “It doesn’t matter.”
Why? Because Adams Central is, once again, this area’s best bet at a team reaching the state finals. It’s not that another team can’t, it’s just that if you’re looking at odds, the Flying Jets are the best bet.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Class 1A team.
8. BISHOP LUERS (6-2)
WHY #8?
There are two incontrovertible (look it up) truths regarding Luers.
It is 6-0 in the SAC.
It has not played the two best teams in the SAC.
Fair? Unfair? Depends on who you ask.
But that’s what makes it so hard to rank the Knights. They could jump up a few spots with a dub on Friday against Homestead, or they could fall out of the top 10 entirely.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Half of their wins are against teams with one or zero wins this season.
9. WAYNE (5-3)
WHY #9?
Make no mistake, no one wanted to draw Wayne to open sectional play. It will be Bishop Dwenger that gets the assignment for a team that has won three of four and battled Carroll for four quarters in a Week 6 loss by seven.
Last year, Wayne’s defense couldn’t stop anyone. This season, the unit is giving the Generals a chance in almost every game.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Well, they lost to three SAC teams, including No. 8 Bishop Luers. What do you want from Blitz? To overlook such a thing?
10. WEST NOBLE (8-0)
WHY #10?
Welcome to the party, Chargers!
It’s been a slow climb to the top 10 for undefeated West Noble, but it’s time Blitz gives them some respect.
The Chargers are the only undefeated team in the area outside of Adams Central and they are winning games by an average of 23 points.
The run game is exceptional, and the last few weeks has seen evidence that the passing game can get it done when it needs to as well.
The sectional won’t be easy, but Coach Monte Mawhorter’s team has had a stellar regular season.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Only two wins over teams that currently have winning records.
NEXT FIVE
11. Warsaw
12. Heritage
13. Columbia City
14. Bishop Dwenger
15. Bluffton
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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