NORTHMONT TAKES TOP SPOT IN D-I, REGION 3

Northmont vaulted to No. 1 in the Division I, Region 3 high school football computer rankings, and Chaminade Julienne (D-III, Region 12), Coldwater (D-VI, Region 24) and Fort Loramie (D-VII, Region 28) all retained their No. 1 positions in Tuesday’s weekly release by the Ohio High School Athletic Association.

Northmont (6-1) made the greatest jump of area teams, rocketing from fifth following a 25-7 defeat of previously unbeaten Springfield. Joining Northmont in Region 3 were Fairmont (No. 2), Springfield (No. 5) Miamisburg (No. 6) and Wayne (No. 10).

The top eight teams in each region following the end of the regular season qualify for the playoffs.

■ Southwestern Buckeye League leaders Bellbrook (Division III) and Madison (D-V) rose to No. 2 in their respective divisions of the Associated Press state polls that were released Monday.

Bellbrook (7-0) has steadily risen in the weekly poll and is at its highest ranking. The Golden Eagles’ rankings surge coincides with CJ’s first loss in Week 7 to Fenwick 34-19. CJ (6-1) slid to No. 7. Also bunched in D-III were Alter (No. 5) and Trotwood-Madison (No. 6).

Madison (7-0) returns to No. 2 after dropping to third the previous two weeks.

Midwest Athletic Conference rivals Coldwater (7-0) and Marion Local (7-0) remained 1-2 in D-VI, but just one point separates the state powers. They’re headed for a Week 10 showdown that likely will decide the MAC title. Like last year, that also could be a preview of a D-VI, Region 24 playoff final.

■ There are four area games scheduled for Thursday, including Miamisburg (6-1) at Lebanon (4-3) that was necessitated by President Trump’s rally in support of Republican candidates at the Warren County Fairgrounds in Lebanon on Friday.

Other Thursday games are Belmont (2-5) at Cincinnati Dohn Community (0-4), Meadowdale (2-4) vs. Thurgood Marshall (2-5) at Welcome Stadium and Springfield Shawnee (4-3) at Kenton Ridge (4-3). All are at 7 p.m.

■ The boys Divisions II and III and girls D-II state golf championships will be held Friday and Saturday at Columbus.

Area D-II boys qualifying as a team are Alter (Nick Kreusch, A.J. Pothast, Jack Norman, Ethan Ditzel and Tommy Grawe) and Oakwood (Sam Lahmon, Alex Grant, Tom McCarthy, Rylan Quigley and R.C. Cosler). Also advancing is Graham’s Chasen Poole.

Alter was third as a team and Oakwood fifth in D-II last season.

Area boys teams that made the D-III team cut were Minster, Newton and Fort Loramie and individuals Jack Romer (St. Henry) and Jack Shoemaker (Mechanicsburg).

Area D-III girls will be represented among the teams by St. Henry and National Trail and individual qualifiers Mackenzie Donaldson (Carroll) and Meghan Utterdyke (Fenwick). Utterdyke tied for 20th in D-III last season.

The boys D-II state tourney is at Ohio State University’s Scarlet Course and the D-III is at NorthStar in nearby Sunbury. The D-II girls are at OSU’s Gray Course.

The boys and girls D-I state-qualifying district are this week. The girls D-I district was Tuesday at Glenview in Cincinnati and the boys D-I district is Thursday at Beavercreek.

■ The Beavercreek and Alter boys and girls soccer teams retained their lofty positions in this week’s Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association state polls. Beavercreek (12-1-0) is No. 4 among D-I boys and No. 3 in D-I girls (14-0-0). Alter (10-0-4) is No. 3 among D-II boys and No. 5 in D-II girls (9-2-2).

Boys and girls soccer seeding and pairings for the upcoming sectional tournaments were finalized Sunday.

Area girls No. 1 seeds were Beavercreek (D-I), Alter and Tippecanoe (D-II) and Anna (D-III). Top-seeded area boys were Beavercreek (D-I), Alter and Northwestern (D-II) and Dayton Christian (D-III).

The boys tournament begins Monday and the girls Tuesday. The higher seed will host the first two rounds.

■ The girls district tennis tournaments will be held at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason on Thursday and Saturday. The top four in all three singles categories and doubles qualify for next week’s season-ending D-I and D-II state tournament also at Mason.

■ On Saturday the GWOC cross-country championships will be held at Northmont, the SWBL at Milton-Union and the Cross County Conference at Bethel.

■ The girls sectional volleyball seedings and brackets were finalized on Sunday. Earning No. 1 seeds were Springboro (D-I), Tippecanoe and Bellbrook (D-II), Versailles (D-III) and Jackson Center (D-IV).

First-round play begins Tuesday of next week. Versailles (D-III) and New Bremen (D-IV) of the MAC are defending state champions.

Contact this reporter at 937225-2381 or email Marc. Pendleton@coxinc.com. Twitter: @MarcPendleton