CS8
1. SHG (5-0) The Cyclones put up 35 in the first quarter in week five. Seven touchdowns is impressive in 12 minutes, we don’t care who you are playing. SHG appears to be on track to break last year’s scoring record and are poised to be in Champaign on Thanksgiving weekend.
2. Rochester (5-0) Dan Ziegler leads the conference in passing yards, Collin Stallworth is tied for the lead in touchdown receptions after catching 4 last week against Southeast and Kenny Hedges has 15 rushing touchdowns. The Rocket offense still has three weeks to prepare for SHG, their only test until yet another run at the 4A state title.
3. Eisenhower (3-2) Cayleb Dehority demanded our respect on Twitter and a running clock on Jacksonville certainly earned it. The Panthers and their QB jump from the seven spot all the way to “the best of the rest” in our Power Rankings. A meeting with a hobbled Lanphier team this week could mean the Panthers get their fourth win in week six, despite starting the year with losses to SHG and Rochester.
4. Glenwood (3-2) Kameron Corner may have saved the Titans season with a last minute interception against Lanphier. The Titans sit at number four in the rankings but could go either way in the next couple weeks. Coach Rourke said Glenwood needs to go three for four in the final weeks, but a date with SHG in week six won’t make that easy.
5. Lanphier (2-3) You can’t let an opportunity to clip a Glenwood team slip away and the Lions did just that last Saturday. With SHG still looming on their schedule, Lanphier needs a good showing against Eisenhower this week to improve their playoff chances with Springfield and Lincoln to close out their season.
6. Southeast (2-3) Scoring 33 points typically means you win a high school football game, well, not in the Central State Eight. The Spartans put up 33 in week five and still lost by 30 points. They got Rochester out of the way and now sit below .500. Coach Lauber’s squad is facing a virtual must win this week against the Senators if they want to keep any hopes of the playoffs alive.
7. Jacksonville (3-2) The dreaded seven spot in our power rankings goes to the Crimsons this week. Which may be a good thing considering the past few teams who’ve been here have won in dominating fashion that week. Jacksonville needs a rebound game after getting clocked in Decatur. They will get that this week when they take on MacArthur and likely get one step closer to that fifth win.
8. Springfield High (2-3) It’s officially time to see what the Senators are. They have SHG and Rochester out of the way and now face the rest of the Central State Eight teams that no one really knows who can separate themselves. With Eisenhower in week nine, Coach Gully’s team cannot afford a loss to another city school.
9. MacArthur (0-5) The rebuilding year continues for the Generals who got beat up by the Senators last week. A trip to Jacksonville this week won’t help but they can look forward to week seven against Lincoln.
10. Lincoln (0-5) Back to back weeks against SHG and Rochester isn’t going to help the Railsplitters' confidence but they travel to MacArthur next week in a battle of the two likely winless teams.
Sangamo
1. North Mac (5-0) The only unbeaten in the Sangamo conference, North Mac stays on top with a gritty win over Pleasant Plains. The Panthers admitted they didn’t play their best to close out the win, but that zero is still in the loss column. A trip to Athens this week could be their last chance to be tripped up in the regular season.
2. Plains (3-2) The Cardinals couldn’t pull off the upset over the Panthers but did fight back from down three scores to make it a game. Brody Walworth will look to get everyone healthy again as Plains finally gets to play a home conference game this week, but it’s a Pretzel team that’s out to prove a point. Plains will likely get to five wins with Pittsfield and Porta in weeks seven and eight but playoffs pairings will depend a lot on games like this one and their week nine matchup with Athens.
3. New Berlin (4-1) The Pretzels are climbing our power rankings ladder quickly and with a trip to Plains they could easily secure that number two spot after Friday night. Cam Cummings and Barry Creviston have this team believing in their "Burn the Boats" philosophy and the Pretzels are hot right now.
4. Williamsville (2-3) Three straight losses for the Williamsville Bullets? Coach Kunz warned that his young team could struggle through the thick of the Sangamo and they have. The Bullets get a trip to Pittsfield and then home for Porta to regroup the next two weeks and that’s just what the doctor ordered.
5. Auburn (2-3) The Trojans trudged through the tough part of their schedule early and are now rewarded with a chance to make the playoffs. A trip to Porta and Hebron before hosting New Berlin gives them a chance to be playing for their fifth win in week eight against the Pretzels and if they can’t find it there, Pittsfield in week nine should get the job done.
6. Athens (3-2) A tough non-conference loss has us worried about the Warriors. With the top of the Sangamo still on their schedule, Athens is going to have to show us something big. Getting to the playoffs requires Nick Hanner and company to go .500 against North Mac, New Berlin, Plains and Williamsville…that’s the top four teams in our rankings.
7. Riverton (1-4) The next two opponents for the Hawks don’t have a loss through five weeks. That spells trouble for Riverton who will get Pittsfield for their senior night in week eight.
8. Pittsfield (1-4) Getting that first win of the season is always important, regardless of when it comes. The rest of the Saukee schedule doesn’t present many chances for another one this season.
9. Porta (0-5) The Bluejays put up some points against Pittsfield in week five. That’s a good start for Sam Wenda and company who now play Auburn and Williamsville back to back..two teams with just two wins.
