Large Schools
1. Orchard Park (AA) - Still unblemished at 9-0 after picking up wins over Frontier & Williamsville North last week and a three-game grind over five days is ahead, including two games against Top 10 large schools. The Quakers start with Lancaster on Monday, then make the trip to Jamestown on Wednesday, and finish up the week against Niagara Wheatfield on Friday night.
2. Canisius (A) - The Crusaders slipped to 8-5 on the season, dropping their only contest of the week and second game of the season to Aquinas on Saturday afternoon. St. Francis comes in on Tuesday night, and then a pair of road games finish the week with trips to Cardinal O'Hara & McQuaid.
3. St. Joe's (A) - A pair of impressive road wins last week at St. Francis and at Nichols , along with a previous road win over Health Sciences has the Marauders movin on up. At Frannies, they won by maintaining a lead and at Nichols, overcame a 20-point deficit. On Tuesday they return home to host St. Mary's and then it's back to the road for an important rematch at Timon.
4. St. Francis (A) - A tough start to the week for Frannies, losing in overtime to host Bishop Grimes in Syracuse. It only got tougher from there with home losses to St. Joe's & Timon, which dropped the Red Raiders out of second place in the MMA. A big win at Canisius on Tuesday night would turn their fortunes around faster than speeding 95 mph down the highway.
5. Health Sciences (A2) - Big Health scored a big win at Nichols last week and did so in dominating fashion. They did the same to Tapestry the week prior, and look like a team that's finding its chemistry.
6. Jamestown (AA) - It feels like the Red Raiders improving to 9-1 on the season after three more wins last week against Williamsville North, Clarence, & Park is happening very quietly. Well I sure hear the noise they're making and I'm well aware that the only loss of the season came by a point to Health Sciences. Tied for first place in ECIC I, Jamestown can ditch the tie like it's time to dance at a reception with wins over Hamburg and undefeated Orchard Park this week. They also head to Elmira on Friday evening.
7. Amherst (A2) - A pair of lopsided wins over Starpoint & West Seneca East pushed the Tigers' mark to 10-2. This week, they face Sweet Home who they beat by 11 points in round one, a rematch with West Seneca East, and then a Saturday afternoon tilt with Lockport.
8. Williamsville East (A1) - The Flames made it five straight wins after earning a tough victory at Sweet Home last week. They'll need to win at Williamsville South and beat Starpoint this week to make it seven-in-a-row in their push for a league title.
9. Niagara Wheatfield (A1) - Completed the season sweep of CSAT and now have a two-game lead in the NFL, where they are 8-0. Home games with North Tonawanda & Lew-Port precede a duel with #1 Orchard Park on Friday night.
10. McKinley (A1) - The Macks stayed in first place in Yale Cup I with wins over I-Prep & Hutch-Tech and are now 8-2 this season. This week they host Riverside in a nonleague game and then it's back to division play, first visiting Middle College who pushed them in a three-point decision at McKinley back in December, and then hosting Bennett.
Small Schools
1. Timon (B) - I generally stick to the results, which would normally mean Nichols' win over Timon in OT gets honored until the rematch. However, since that game, the last two wins by the Tigers were too impressive to look past. A 35-point walloping of St. Mary's and a catch fire & incinerate St. Francis during the final frame of a 22-point win was what convinced me.
2. Olean (B1) - Moved their record to 10-0 on the season with a 21-point road win at Dunkirk - the ninth game out of ten played they've won by double figures. Sole possession of first place in CCAA I West is on the line against Salamanca on Thursday night. On Saturday, the Huskies host Class AA Hilton of Section V.
3. Nichols (B) - Since knocking off Timon in overtime, the Vikings needed an extra session to win at O'Hara, before Health Sciences & St. Joe's came in and knocked them off last week. They've missed the contributions of Parker Rey in the last three games and hope to get back on the winning track this week with two more home games, welcoming in Hutch-Tech and St. Mary's.
4. Randolph (C) - Now 11-1 after a rout of Cassadaga Valley and a big win at Silver Creek. The Cardinals head to Southwestern for a second battle with the Trojans and then host Gowanda this week.
5. Salamanca (C) - Bounced back from the loss to Randolph by handing Allegany-Limestone a 22-point loss and then cruising past Depew by 28. Thursday at Olean is a huge night for the Warriors, looking to earn the best win of the season and take control of CCAA I West.
6. St. Mary's (B) - The Lancers took the sting of a bad loss at Timon out on Cardinal O'Hara, defeating the Hawks by 23 points. A tough week on paper looms with road games at St. Joe's and Nichols ahead.
7. Lackawanna (B1) - The highest scoring team in Section VI is now 7-4 after hanging 89 on Tonawanda & 103 on JFK. The Steelers have scored over 100 points three times this season and they are very good. If you are a pollster who is late to the party on this one, start driving fast and take chances!
8. Tapestry (B2) - Win-loss-win for the Thunderhawks last week, rolling BASCS and then losing to Global Concepts, before a solid bounce back win over Sweet Home. They visit Cheektowaga on Friday hoping to up their record to 8-6 on the year.
9. Riverside (B1) - The Frontiers are 10-1 on the season, including wins over South Park and Lew-Port. They have a big one coming at McKinley, a night after playing Emerson on Monday. Then they'll go for the sweep against Olmsted on Friday night.
10. Lew-Port (B1) - Took a tough home loss to Ken West on Friday, the only NFL team to beat them so far, which has happened twice. The Lancers are staring down a brutal stretch with five straight games on the road coming up. This week they visit Lockport and first place Niagara Wheatfield, then head to North Tonawanda where they'll face Williamsville South on Friday night.
-centercourt
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