TOP OF THE CROP

Football

1: (1) Avon 6-0

2: (2) Avon Lake 5-1

3: (3) Olmsted Falls 6-0

4: (4) Amherst 4-2

5: (5) Bay 4-2

6: (6) Keystone 5-1

7: (9) North Olmsted 4-2

8: (10) Elyria Catholic 3-3

9: (NR) Lorain 2-4

10: (NR) Wellington 4-2

Watch list: Clearview,

Midview

Crop comments: This is by far the most difficult week of the season compiling the Top of the Crop, and it’s because nearly half of the teams that were ranked in the top 10 lost last week. That didn’t happen among the first three teams, though, as Avon, Avon Lake and Olmsted Falls continued to roll. That trend is expected to continue this week as well. … The next three teams all retain their ranking from last week despite the fact that Amherst and Bay lost, and Keystone won. We have always felt that the most important aspect of ranking teams is head-to-head competition, which means we will have a difficult time moving Keystone past Bay since the Rockets defeated them in the season-opener. Also, we have a difficult time dropping teams after they lost to a team that was ranked ahead of them — isn’t that what was supposed to happen? So, Amherst and Bay are on watch, but for now they remain fourth and fifth, followed closely by Keystone. … North Olmsted and Elyria Catholic were the big movers this week. The Eagles took a convincing 34-20victory over Midview, which dropped the Middies out of the rankings. EC dominated a good team from Valley Forge to end a three-game losing streak and get right back into the playoff hunt. … It’s not often that we will move up a team after a loss, but there were spots available and Lorain really showed us something in its 35-28loss to Cleveland Heights. The Titans fell behind early and could have thrown in the towel, but they fought back and took the lead before falling short in the end. It’s been a rough go for Lorain, but some winnable games remain on the schedule. … Wellington pulled the surprise of the week, coming back from 18 points down to shock Clearview on the road, 26-24. Pretty amazing for a team that went 1-19 in the previous two seasons.