Boys super 7 poll | week 7

Newark is back at No. 3

Monday,  January 19, 2009 2:36 PM

By From staff reports

Much could change over the coming weeks as the area's top teams battle one another for conference championships, but we believe we're getting closer to sorting this thing out.

While Northland and Dublin Scioto remain strong at the top of the Super 7 as both have all season, Newark is back at No. 3 -- the same spot it began the season. Grove City continues to impress, with its only loss to the Wildcats, and those two teams will meet again Feb. 3 likely with much on the line.

DeSales slips to No. 5 after its loss to Cleveland Benedictine on Saturday, but it is fair to ask why the Stallions are still ahead of the OCC-Central duo of Dublin Coffman and Upper Arlington. The answer is strength of schedule. The Stallions have played seven teams from outside central Ohio and have had to travel to far-away places such as Orlando and Lima as well as Cleveland to do so. They've continued to win when they've been against central Ohio teams, and the CCL certainly is a strong league.

Coffman and UA, meanwhile, should beat up on the rest of a mediocre OCC-Central for the remainder of the season before meeting Feb. 20 at UA. That's one to look forward to.

1. NORTHLAND (9-0 overall, 5-0 City-North) -- Last week: Def. Linden-McKinley 88-47 (Jan. 13); def. San Diego, Calif. 56-39 (Jan. 17). This week: At Mifflin (Tuesday); home vs. Beechcroft (Wednesday); at Brookhaven (Friday). Previous ranking: No. 1

2. DUBLIN SCIOTO (10-1, 7-0 OCC-Cardinal) -- Last week: Def. Marysville 69-31 (Jan. 16). This week: At St. Charles (Tuesday); home vs. Olentangy (Friday). Previous ranking: No. 2

3. NEWARK (10-2, 5-1 OCC-Ohio) -- Last week: Def. Mount Vernon 49-43 (Jan. 17). This week: Home vs. Gahanna (Friday). Previous ranking: No. 5

4. GROVE CITY (10-1, 6-1 OCC-Ohio) -- Last week: Def. Pickerington North 89-76 (Jan. 16); def. Hilliard Darby 74-53 (Jan. 17). Previous ranking: No. 6

5. DeSALES (10-2, 4-0 CCL) -- Last week: Def. St. Charles 81-66 (Jan. 16); lost to Cleveland Benedictine 64-61 (Jan. 17). This week: At Watterson (Friday). Previous ranking: No. 3

6. DUBLIN COFFMAN (10-1, 7-0 OCC-Central) -- Last week: Def. Upper Arlington 49-44 (Jan.16); def. Columbus East 60-55 (Jan. 17). This week: At Central Crossing (Friday); home vs. Linden (Saturday). Previous ranking: Not ranked

7. UPPER ARLINGTON (8-1, 4-0 OCC-Central) -- Last week: Lost to Dublin Coffman 49-44 (Jan. 16). This week: Home vs. New Albany (Tuesday); at Thomas Worthington (Friday); home vs. Bexley (Saturday). Previous ranking: No. 4

Others to watch: Beechcroft, Reynoldsburg, Worthington Christian