Poll Ballots 2018 - Week 8

(McKinley's Chris LeCounte & Kavon Rogers try to trap the ball under the basket)

 

Large Schools

1. Canisius (MMA) - I'd say last week was pretty productive for the Crusaders.  Their 24-point win over Park was the most lopsided loss the Pioneers have taken since joining the MMA in 2014.  After a stop in Rochester to beat Aquinas, they followed the Park win with a 21-point win at Timon in a game they led by 29 points in the fourth quarter.

2. Park (MMA) - Bounced back from the Canisius loss in the second half against Health Sciences, when they started really defending and getting contributions from the big guys inside.

3. Timon (MMA) - After picking up a win at St. Joe's on Wednesday, the Tigers unraveled for a second time in the second half of a big game in the loss to Canisius.  They need a strong finish to the regular season before the Manhattan Cup playoffs start, and have a rematch with St. Joe's, along with a Friday night trip to St. Francis coming up.

4. West Seneca West (A1) - The Indians are WNY's only unbeaten team heading into the postseason at 20-0.  Now the two-week layoff begins as the #1 seed in Class A1 awaits their opponent in the quarterfinals.

5. Williamsville South (A1) - Wins over Hamburg and Starpoint pushed the Billies' win streak to nine games with two left before the postseason.  

6. Niagara Falls (AA) - Wins over Lockport & Kenmore West last week have the Wolverines in the new NFL crossover championship game.  Falls, the Niagara champ, will face the Frontier champ from Lew-Port.  A win in Thursday night's game at Niagara Wheatfield would give NFHS an undefeated league title in NFL play.

7. Lockport (AA) - The Lions were right there with Niagara Falls on Saturday, before the Wolverines pulled away late in the game.  Lockport's new focus will become finishing this week with a pair of wins and then trying to earn a rematch with Falls in the upcoming Class AA sectionals.

8. St. Francis (MMA) - The Red Raiders' schedule was back-loaded to say the least...before the win-or-go-home postseason gets underway, they have dates this week with Park, Canisius, & Timon.  

9. North Tonawanda (A1) - Last season, the Jacks were unranked heading into Buff State Week and won the whole thing in Class A.  This year they've been a mainstay in the top 10.  For whatever that's worth.

10. McKinley (A1) - I went through a whole host of teams that could make an argument for this spot.  Any team you vote here has losses you can point to in an attempt to argue it away.  I went with the Macks, who could finish the season 16-4 with a win over Hutch-Tech this week.

 

Small Schools

1. Health Sciences (B2) - Picked up wins over a pair of top 10 small schools in Tapestry & East last week, with a loss to Park in between.  But they hung around with the Pioneers for most of three quarters.  They just got Josiah Haygood back and Ja'Vaughn Jones should be back for the playoffs.

2. Olean (B1) - Two more 20+ point wins for the Huskies last week.  At 18-1, their only loss on the season came at Timon in December.  It was the only game I saw Olean play this season.  Last year, the only two times I saw the Huskies play were losses to Chautauqua Lake and Amherst.  Rumor has it they are petitioning to have me banned from Buff State!  I will remind them that I was along for much of the ride in 2016 when they went 27-0.

3. Middle College (B2) - The Yale Cup trophy is back with the Kats after a win over Emerson this week.  All the talk centers around Health Sciences & Olean in Class B, but watch out for these guys in the playoffs, they are fearless.

4. East (D) - The Panthers went 1-2 last week, with the two losses coming by three points each to Health Sciences & Middle College.  They finish the regular season with a trip to South Park, the team & place they lost the Yale Cup last season.  That, along with not wanting to head into sectionals with three losses in four games should have them pretty fired up.  They'll need to be with the way South Park has played as of late.

5. Franklinville (D) - The Panthers will be in Lackawanna on Monday night to play Global Concepts in their regular season finale.  Then they'll wait to find out where they'll be seeded for sectionals in Class D.

6. Cardinal O'Hara (MMA) - The Hawks are coming off a great week that produced wins over St. Joe's and Niagara Catholic.  They have a shot at the #1 seed in the Class B Manhattan Cup playoffs if they can win two of their final three games.

7. Niagara Catholic (MMA) - The new kids on the block will take another shot at the defending champs from St. Mary's on Tuesday night, after coming so close in a great battle the first time they played.

8. St. Mary's (MMA) - The return of Eric Brown to the lineup should give the Lancers a huge boost heading into the stretch run.  They'll need it and a win over Niagara Catholic on Tuesday night, a team they will likely see for a third time in the playoffs.

9. Tapestry (C) - Like East, the Thunderhawks also dropped a pair to Health Sciences & Middle College last week.  East lost the two games by a combined six points.  Tapestry's losses were by a combined seven points.

10. Ellicottville (D) - Last week when I kept the Eagles here despite a loss to Newfane, I said we'd meet back here this week to re-examine things.  Since then, Newfane dropped a second game to Medina, who Franklinville rolled through.  And Ellicottville just beat Franklinville two weeks ago.  The next wait-and-see for the Eagles holding on to this spot comes with results this week from their game against Gowanda, along with an eye on ECIC IV unbeaten Lackawanna, who could turn some heads in nonleague games against Clarence and Orchard Park.

 

-centercourt

Comments

[Greg Burgundy]

Just did a tour of park school. Why are theyes considered a big school? Smaller than most small schools. They have large school talent though so makes sense. Thought HS was gonna win that one Thursday

[Kyle Wife]

I think they are a big school because they import basketball players. Three 6 foot 7 plus kids show up with unusual names. For a better education and a chance to play soccer of course. And I don't mean that to sound shady because every non Park person I know loves those guys. Great place to watch a big game too and offers ample parking