Whitmer, Central Catholic, Eastwood top state computer rankings

Liberty-Benton also holds No. 1 ranking as season nears end

10/11/2017

Undefeated Whitmer and Eastwood and fellow area power Central Catholic hold the top spots not just in the weekly Blade poll but in their regional computer rankings with three weeks to go in the high school football season.

The computer rankings determine the 32 teams in each division — eight in each region — that will make the state’s playoff field at the end of the season. All three schools control their own destiny when it comes to making the field at the end of the season. 

A breakdown of each division’s computer rankings and how they impact local teams follows.

■ For the second week in a row, Whitmer holds a sizable advantage at the top of the Division I, Region 2 rankings. Fellow TRAC school Findlay holds the last playoff spot, No. 8, after seven games. 

■ In Division II, Region 6, unbeaten Northview moved up one spot to No. 4 ahead of this weekend’s NLL showdown with Anthony Wayne, which holds the eighth and final playoff spot in the Week 7 rankings. Fremont Ross sits in the No. 7 spot and is in the current postseason field, while St. Johns (ninth) and Springfield (10th) are on the outside looking in.

■ Central Catholic jumped up to No. 1 in the Division III, Region 10 field with its win over Fremont Ross, with the Fighting Irish holding a slim advantage over No. 2 Clyde. At 3-4, Bowling Green is just out of the playoff field at No. 9, while Maumee is 15th.

■ In Division IV, Region 14, Wauseon fell two spots to seventh after an overtime loss to Swanton, while Port Clinton is ranked 10th.

■ A strong northwest Ohio contingent remains in Division V, Region 18, led by Eastwood, which moved to No. 1 after its shutout of Otsego. Archbold sits third in the region with Otsego fourth, Swanton fifth, Genoa sixth, Lake seventh, and Liberty Center eighth. 

■ Liberty-Benton continues to sit atop the Division VI, Region 22 rankings, with Gibsonburg in sixth. Ottawa Hills and Evergreen are 11th and 12th, respectively.

■ In Division VII, Region 26, Pandora-Gilboa first loss of the year to Liberty-Benton dropped the Rockets to second. McComb sits fourth and North Baltimore 11th.

In the weekly statewide AP rankings, Whitmer held steady in fifth in Division I with Northview holding the No. 12 spot in D-II. Central Catholic remains in fourth in Division III, two spots below Clyde. Eastwood continues to be ranked No. 1 in Division V with Archbold in ninth. 

In D-VI, Liberty-Benton moved up from 10th to seventh, while Pandora-Gilboa fell to 10th in D-VII, one spot ahead of McComb.