For the second straight week, all seven top-ranked teams held onto their No. 1 divisional rankings in the Ohio Associated Press high school football poll released on Tuesday.

The only change at the top was that, in Division VI, previous No. 2 Coldwater (9-0) is now tied at No. 1 with Kirtland (9-0). Each team received 141 voting points, with Coldwater getting eight first-place votes to seven for defending D-VI state champion Kirtland.

Retaining their No. 1 rankings — all with 9-0 records — are Mentor in Division I, Avon in D-II, Columbus Watterson in D-III, Mentor Lake Catholic in D-IV, Canfield South Range in D-V, and Marion Local in D-VII.

Three teams from the Northern Lakes League's Buckeye Division, all of which remain in title contention entering Week 10, are among the top 10 in their respective divisions this week.

Coach Dirk Conner's Perrysburg Yellow Jackets (8-1, 3-1) moved up a spot to No. 5 in Division I this week after a 42-6 win over Springfield.

The Panthers (7-2, 3-1) of Whitmer coach Ken Winters rose to the No. 10 slot in D-I after beating Findlay 37-6.

And, coach Andy Brungard's Anthony Wayne Generals (9-0, 4-0) remained at No. 5 in Division II after blanking Northview 56-0.

AW hosts Perrysburg on Friday, seeking an outright NLL Buckeye championship. Earlier this season, AW topped Whitmer, 27-3, in Week 6, and Whitmer beat Perrysburg, 27-13, in Week 7.

If the Generals fall, Perrysburg would gain a title share, as will Whitmer, if the Panthers beat Springfield (2-7, 1-3).

In Division III, Central Catholic (8-1, 4-1), runner-up in the Michigan-based Catholic High School League's Central Division, dropped a spot to No. 3 in this week's rankings after a 28-7 win over St. Francis de Sales.

Coach Greg Dempsey's Fighting Irish, who won a D-II state championship in 2022 (15-1 record), and a D-III title last year (16-0), close the regular season at Michigan Division-2 power Muskegon Mona Shores (8-0) on Friday.

In Division V, Liberty Center (9-0), which clinched at least a share of its third straight Northwest Ohio Athletic League title with a 49-7 win at Delta last Friday, remains at No. 2, but is now tied for that spot with Milan Edison (9-0).

Coach Casey Mohler's Tigers have now won 34 straight regular-season games, and take their streak of 25 straight NWOAL wins into their league finale Friday at Wauseon (3-6, 3-3).

Also clinching a third straight league title last week was Oak Harbor (9-0, 6-0), which retained its No. 5 spot in the D-V rankings. Coach Mike May's Rockets held on in the closing seconds to edge visiting Eastwood, 31-27, in a Northern Buckeye Conference title showdown.

Oak Harbor had won the Sandusky Bay Conference's Bay Division title in 2022, and has now won back-to-back NBC crowns. The Rockets close regular-season play Friday at Lake (3-6, 1-5).

In Division VI, Patrick Henry (7-2, 5-1), currently in second place in the NWOAL, held onto its No. 9 state ranking after a 26-7 win over Archbold. Coach Bill Inselman's Patriots play at Swanton (0-9, 0-6) on Friday.

Edon (9-0, 3-0), which will play for a Toledo Area Athletic Conference championship Friday at Ottawa Hills (7-1, 3-0), dropped one spot to No. 7 in Division VII despite a 47-6 nonleague win over Richmond Heights last Friday.

Here are the complete rankings for this week, as well has how The Blade voted.

DIVISION I

1. Mentor (9 first-place votes), 9-0 record, 139 points, 1 last week

2. Cincinnati Moeller (5), 8-1, 127, 2

3. West Chester Lakota West (1), 8-1, 108, 4

4. Lewis Center Olentangy Orange, 8-1, 78, 5

5. Perrysburg, 8-1, 67, 6

6. Powell Olentangy Liberty, 7-2, 66, not ranked

7. Cincinnati Winton Woods, 8-1, 51, 3

8. Pickerington North, 8-1, 29, 10

9. Galloway Westland, 8-1, 28, 8

10. Whitmer, 7-2, 19, not ranked.

■ Others receiving votes: 11, Pickerington Central 18. 12, Hamilton 17. 13, Kettering Fairmont 13. 14, Lakewood St. Edward 13. 15, Cincinnati Princeton 10. 16, Centerville 9. 17, Canton McKinley 9. 18, Columbus Upper Arlington 7. 19, Gahanna Lincoln 5. 20, Cincinnati St. Xavier 5. 21, Lorain 4. 22, Massillon Jackson 3.

■ How The Blade voted: 1, Mentor; 2, Cincinnati Moeller; 3, West Chester Lakota West; 4, Lewis Center Olentangy Orange; 5, Perrysburg; 6, Galloway Westland; 7, Powell Olentangy Liberty; 8, Pickerington North; 9, Whitmer; 10, Pickerington Central.

DIVISION II

1. Avon (8 first-place votes), 9-0 record, 133 points, 1 last week

2. Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit (3), 9-0, 126, 2

3. Cincinnati Anderson (3), 9-0, 112, 3

4. Medina Highland, 9-0, 77, 4

5. Anthony Wayne, 9-0, 58, 5

T6. Xenia (1), 9-0, 57

T6. Akron Hoban, 7-2, 57, 9

8. Columbus Walnut Ridge, 9-0, 39, not ranked

9. Wadsworth, 9-0, 38, T6

10. Massillon Washington, 6-2, 36, 8

■ Others receiving votes: 11, Sunbury Big Walnut 22. 12, Lima Senior 21. 13, Cincinnati La Salle 15. 14, Ashland 14. 15, Columbus St. Francis DeSales 11. 16, North Ridgeville 4. 17, Macedonia Nordonia 2. 18, Green 1. 19, Kings Mills Kings 1. 20, Harrison 1.

■ How The Blade voted: 1, Avon; 2, Anthony Wayne; 3, Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit; 4, Cincinnati Anderson; 5, Medina Highland; 6, Lima Senior; 7, Xenia; 8, Wadsworth; 9, Akron Hoban; 10, Columbus Walnut Ridge.

DIVISION III

1. Columbus Bishop Watterson (7 first-place votes), 9-0 record, 137 points, 1 last week

2. Steubenville (1), 9-0, 107, 3

3. Central Catholic (4), 8-1, 97, 2

4. Tipp City Tippecanoe (1), 9-0, 95, 6

5. Youngstown Ursuline (1), 8-1, 79, 4

6. Wapakoneta, 9-0, 59, 7

7. Dresden Tri-Valley, 9-0, 58, 8

8. Gates Mills Gilmour Academy, 9-0, 47, 9

8. Aurora, 9-0, 47, 5

10. London, 9-0, 25, not ranked

■ Others receiving votes: 11, Bellbrook 17. 12, Medina Buckeye 15. 13, Athens 14. 14, Newark Licking Valley 8. 15, Granville 6. 16, Gates Mills Hawken 4. 17, Cleveland Benedictine 4. 18, Chardon 3. 19, Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph 2. 20, St. Marys Memorial 1.

■ How The Blade voted: 1, Central Catholic; 2, Columbus Watterson; 3, Steubenville; 4, Tipp City Tippecanoe; 5, Wapakoneta; 6, Aurora; 7, Gates Mills Gilmour; 8, Dresden Tri-Valley; 9, Youngstown Ursuline; 10, Athens.

DIVISION IV

1. Mentor Lake Catholic (11 first-place), 9-0 record, 138 points, 1 last week

2. Sandusky Perkins, 9-0, 101, 2

3. Cincinnati Wyoming (2), 9-0, 92, 5

4. Shelby, 9-0, 78, 6

5. Gnadenhutten Indian Valley, 9-0, 69, 4

6. St. Clairsville, 9-0, 67, 7

7. Perry, 8-1, 62, 3

8. Streetsboro, 9-0, 56, not ranked

9. Beloit West Branch, 9-0, 40, not ranked

10. Cleveland Glenville (1), 6-3, 36, 9

■ Others receiving votes: 11, Clarksville Clinton-Massie 31. 12, Germantown Valley View 21. 13, Ontario 20. 14, Cincinnati Taft 5. 15, Chillicothe Unioto 3. 16, Lorain Clearview 2. 17, New Lexington 2. 18, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy 1. 19, Columbus East 1.

■ How The Blade voted: 1, Mentor Lake Catholic; 2, Sandusky Perkins; 3, Cincinnati Wyoming; 4, Perry; 5, Gnadenhutten Indian Valley; 6, Shelby; 7, Beloit West Branch; 8, St. Clairsville; 9, Cleveland Glenville; 10, Streetsboro.

DIVISION V

1. Canfield S. Range (4 first-place votes), 9-0, 128 points, 1 last week

T2. Liberty Center (3), 9-0, 113

T2 Milan Edison (3), 9-0, 113, 4

4. Ironton (3), 8-1, 95, 3

5. Oak Harbor, 9-0, 86, 5

6. Jamestown Greeneview (1), 9-0, 61, 7

T7. Akron Manchester, 9-0, 37, 9

T7. Barnesville (1), 9-0, 37, 8

9. Gahanna Columbus Academy, 9-0, 26, not ranked

10. Proctorville Fairland, 8-1, 24, not ranked

■ Others receiving votes: 11, Canal Winchester Harvest Prep 21. 12, Sugarcreek Garaway 20. 13, Camden Preble Shawnee 17. 14, Liberty-Benton 17. 15, Eastwood 12. 16, Waynesville 6. 17, West Liberty-Salem 5. 18, Creston Norwayne 4. 19, LaGrange Keystone 2. 20, Belmont Union Local 1.

■ How The Blade voted: 1, Liberty Center; 2, Oak Harbor; 3, Canfield South Range; 4, Milan Edison; 5, Barnesville; 6, Gahanna Columbus Academy; 7 Ironton; 8, Eastwood; 9, Jamestown Greeneview; 10, Akron Manchester.

DIVISION VI

T1. Coldwater (8 first-place votes), 9-0 record, 141 points, 2 last week

T1. Kirtland (7), 9-0, 141, 1

3. Bascom Hopewell-Loudon, 8-0, 115, 3

4. Bluffton, 9-0, 100, 4

5. Galion Northmor, 9-0, 89, 6

6. Columbus Grandview Heights, 9-0, 80, 5

7. West Lafayette Ridgewood, 8-1, 31, 7

8. Andover Pymatuning Valley, 8-1, 26, 10

9. Patrick Henry, 7-2, 20, 9

10. Anna, 6-3, 18, 8

■ Others receiving votes: 11, Cincinnati Country Day 16. 12, New Middletown Springfield 12. 13, Waterford 11. 14, Ottawa Hills 9. 15, Newcomerstown 3. 16, Defiance Tinora 3. 17, Dalton 2. 18, St. Bernard 2. 19, Cincinnati Summit Country Day 2. 20, Sherwood Fairview 2. 21, Columbia Station Columbia 1. 22, Grove City Christian 1.

■ How The Blade voted: 1, Kirtland; 2, Coldwater; 3, Bascom Hopewell-Loudon; 4, Bluffton; 5, Columbus Grandview Heights; 6, Galion Northmor; 7, Patrick Henry; 8, West Lafayette Ridgewood; 9, Ottawa Hills; 10, Andover Pymatuning Valley.

DIVISION VII

1. Maria Stein Marion Local (15 first-place votes), 9-0 record, 150 points, 1 last week

2. Columbus Grove, 9-0, 129, 2 

3. Jeromesville Hillsdale, 9-0, 93, 4

4. Minster, 7-2, 90, 3

5. Monroeville, 9-0, 82, 5

6. Berlin Center Western Reserve, 8-1, 63, 7

7. Edon, 9-0, 55, 6

8. Beaver Eastern, 9-0, 39, 8

9. Warren John F. Kennedy, 8-1, 23, not ranked

10. Ansonia, 8-1, 22, not ranked

■ Others receiving votes: 11, McGuffey Upper Scioto Valley 21. 12, Malvern 15. 13, Gibsonburg 14. 14, Sidney Lehman 10. 15, Lima Central Catholic 7. 16, St. Henry 3. 17, Ada 3. 18, Cin. College Prep. 3. 19, Danville 2. 20, Windham 1.

■ How The Blade voted: 1, Maria Stein Marion Local; 2, Columbus Grove; 3, Edon; 4, Jeromesville Hillsdale; 5, Monroeville; 6, Minster; 7, Gibsonburg; 8, Beaver Eastern; 9, Malvern; 10, Berlin Center Western Reserve.

First Published October 22, 2024, 7:00 p.m.