(East Aurora is 6-1 and tied for 1st in ECIC III /Photo: Harry Scull)
Large Schools
1. St. Joe's (A) - Rolling along with a 10-0 mark, the Marauders have an unbelievably challenging week ahead - road games at Canisius, Timon, & St. Francis, along with hosting Park.
2. Canisius (A) - Passed a big test on Saturday with a road win at Timon in a game I heard many picking the Crusaders to lose. They'll get a chance to avenge their lone loss of the season on Sunday when St. Joe's visits, two days after running with Health Sciences.
3. Jamestown (AA) - I've been told I'm too high on the Red Raiders. Well let's see - they're 5-0 in Class AA, winning every game by double figures, beat Olean double digits, and hung 103 on West Seneca West in a 36-point rout.
4. Niagara Falls (AA) - Don't look now, but the Wolverines improved to 6-0 after piling up three wins this week over Lew-Port, Ken East, & Grand Island, winning by an average margin of 34 points. Four games coming up this week include CSAT, NT, and the first ever program meeting between Falls & Health Sciences.
5. Park (A) - Took down Health Sciences by 10 points on Thursday night, before falling to Rochester's East High on Saturday in a rematch of a thriller they won to start the season. On Monday, the Pioneers have a rematch with Aquinas, another team they won the first tilt with, and then it's off to St. Joe's where they'll look to even the score with the Marauders.
6. St. Francis (A) - These guys were thoroughly impressive on Saturday in a 19-point win over Health Sciences - a game they led throughout. The Red Raiders have a solid rotation led by the scoring of Peyton Consigli & Amiel Collins and the team's defensive play held the Falcons to just 41 points. The rematch with league-leading St. Joe's comes on their home court Monday night.
7. McKinley (A1) - The Macks are on top in the Yale Cup with a 5-0 mark, winning four of those games by double figures.
8. Health Sciences (AA) - Took a couple lumps this week - double figure losses at Frannies & Park, after winning their first four handily. A huge litmus test awaits a team looking to fight their way out of a skid, when they face Niagara Falls on Monday in a possible Class AA postseason preview. Then it's Tapestry & Canisius after that. Tough week.
9. Clarence (AA) - Three straight wins for the Red Devils include one over the defending Class AA champs from Lancaster. Frontier & OP await this week, ahead of a road trip rematch with first place Jamestown on Saturday.
10. Lancaster (AA) - The Legends rebounded from a home loss to Clarence with a narrow win over West Seneca West. They'll need to be road warriors this week with games at Lew-Port, Frontier, & Orchard Park.
Small Schools
1. Timon (B) - The Tigers are 4-2, with the losses coming to Joe's & Canisius, and a recent 26-point win at O'Hara. They're an easy #1 and I don't see that changing. With only two games this week, Timon will have some time to practice ahead of a Friday night rematch with St. Joe's on their home floor.
2. Cardinal O'Hara (B) - If it drives you crazy that I rank a 3-4 team this high, consider this - the four losses were to Top 10 large schools, they own wins over Tapestry & Nichols (also much better than their record would indicate), and they I just watched them compete for four quarters at St. Joe's.
3. East (B1) - After beginning the year with a five-point loss to McKinley, the Panthers are winners of four straight games and have already swept Middle College with a pair of big wins.
4. East Aurora (B1) - Coming off a win over Depew and tied for first place in ECIC III, the Blue Devils have allowed an average of 39.3 points in their six wins. They have rematches with Depew & Maryvale this week.
5. Tapestry (C1) - The Thunderhawks are 3-2 with losses to Health Sciences & O'Hara and have a rematch this week with Health, along with a fun Friday run with The Park School.
6. Newfane (B2) - Rolling along in the N-O, including a 20-point win over Medina. They'll face a tough test at Akron on Tuesday night, but I think this Panther squad has pieces in all the right places and will only get stronger.
7. Allegany-Limestone (B3) - Now in first place atop the tough CCAA I West, a league that includes Olean, Fredonia, Salamanca, and a strong Southwestern team that they just knocked off on Friday night. The defending Class B2 champs have a standout in Tyler Curran and they play great team ball.
8. Clymer (D) - Time to reward the unbeatens, beginning with the Pirates who are 7-0 on the season and in first place in CCAA II West.
9. Springville (B2) - The Griffins are 5-0 with a difficult week ahead, beginning their first game vs. JFK on Monday, followed by tilts with Cleveland Hill, Lackawanna, & Holland, who they own wins over already.
10. Riverside (C1) - I haven't cast a Top 10 vote for the Frontiers since Ron Killinger was large & in charge at Riverside (they were once a dominant large school around these parts!). But in rewarding the unbeatens, these guys have earned that distinction after taking sole possession of Yale Cup II with a win over City Honors, led by Bryant Rosa who is averaging 25.6 points per game.
-centercourt
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