Vermilion debuts in Division IV football poll

Vermilion's football team checked another box Tuesday. The Sailors debuted in the Associated Press sportswriters football poll, debuting at No. 15 in Division IV after a rugged 13-10 win against Huron last week. "That's awesome," Vermilion coach Bill DiFucci said. "We talk about the process with the boys and that (ranking) goes a long way. The goal is to be 1-0 each week, but we can't ignore the accolades." Vermilion's win against Huron was the program's first since 1966. The Win Oar trophy was paraded around by the Sailors afterward and now hangs in the locker room above the team's goal board. "That thing's a lot bigger than I thought it was," DiFucci said. "I thought it was just a myth, but it looks pretty good up there." Vermilion travels to Edison this Friday with a chance to clinch at least a tie for the SBC Bay Division title. The Sailors, who finish the regular season next week at home against Bellevue, haven't won a league title since 1992. The Sailors won the Erie Shore Conference that year when DiFucci was a senior. "It's definitely exciting to be contending in the Bay," he said. The run-heavy Sailors will line up against another ground-oriented team in Edison, which is 8-0 and dropped one slot to No. 4 this week in Division V after defeating Port Clinton 41-7. Ironton, which defeated previously unbeaten Fairland 41-0, jumped from No. 5 to No. 3 in Division V. Oak Harbor dropped from No. 4 to No. 5. The Rockets host undefeated Eastwood (No. 11 in D-V) on Friday. Edison finishes the regular season at rival Huron in Week 10. The Tigers (6-2) fell from No. 10 to No. 12 this week in the Division VI poll. While Edison dropped one slot in the AP poll, the Chargers remained at No. 1 in the Region 18 computer ratings. Liberty Center is second. Hopewell-Loudon, the leader in the SBC River Division, stayed at No. 3 in the Division VI poll. Perkins (7-1) remained at No. 2 in Division IV. Mentor Lake Catholic is No. 1 in D-IV for the second straight week. The Pirates host Sandusky on Friday in a game that could decide the SBC Lake Division title. Perkins is 2-0 in league play; Sandusky is 3-0. The Pirates, who finish the regular season at home against Tiffin Columbian, shut out Norwalk 49-0 last week. "Every game is big this time of year," Perkins coach Jalen Santoro said. "Hopefully we get four of them (at home), including two in the playoffs." Perkins is the No. 1 team in playoff computer points in Region 14. Vermilion is No. 5 and Clyde is No. 8. The top eight teams in each region open the playoffs at home. Monroeville remained at No. 5 in the Division VII poll after a 49-0 win against Mapleton. The Eagles have won their last four games by a cumulative score of 209-0. Monroeville visits Plymouth this week before finishing the regular season at home against St. Paul in a game that could determine the Firelands Conference champion. Monroeville is 5-0 in the Firelands while St. Paul and Western Reserve are 4-1. Gibsonburg, which hosts Margaretta on Friday, is No. 11 in D-VII. DIVISION I Rank&emsp;School&emsp;Points&emsp;Previous1.&emsp;Mentor (8) (8-0)&emsp;139&emsp;12.&emsp;Cincinnati Moeller (5) (7-1)&emsp;125&emsp;33.&emsp;Cincinnati Winton Woods (1) (8-0)&emsp;114&emsp;24.&emsp;West Chester Lakota West (1) (7-1)&emsp;78&emsp;45.&emsp;Lewis Center Olentangy Orange (7-1)&emsp;68&emsp;76.&emsp;Perrysburg (7-1)&emsp;65&emsp;67.&emsp;Lakewood St. Edward (5-3)&emsp;49&emsp;108.&emsp;Galloway Westland (7-1)&emsp;31&emsp;89.&emsp;Canton McKinley (6-2)&emsp;29&emsp;NR10.&emsp;Pickerington North (7-1)&emsp;25&emsp;NROthers receiving votes: 11, Powell Olentangy Liberty 21. 12, Hamilton 17. 13, Cincinnati St. Xavier 13. 14, Cincinnati Princeton 12. 15, Columbus Upper Arlington 8. 16, Toledo Whitmer 7. 17, Centerville 6. 18, Liberty Twp. Lakota East 5. 19, Pickerington Central 5. 20, Lorain 4. 21, Lewis Center Olentangy 3. 22, Kettering Fairmont 1. DIVISION II Rank&emsp;School&emsp;Points&emsp;Previous1.&emsp;Avon (7) (8-0)&emsp;128&emsp;12.&emsp;Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit (5) (8-0)&emsp;117&emsp;23.&emsp;Cincinnati Anderson (1) (8-0)&emsp;113&emsp;34.&emsp;Medina Highland (8-0)&emsp;76&emsp;45.&emsp;Whitehouse Anthony Wayne (8-0)&emsp;68&emsp;56.&emsp;Wadsworth (8-0)&emsp;56&emsp;6(tie)&emsp;Xenia (1) (8-0)&emsp;56&emsp;78.&emsp;Massillon Washington (1) (5-2)&emsp;41&emsp;99.&emsp;Akron Hoban (6-2)&emsp;38&emsp;NR10.&emsp;Sunbury Big Walnut (7-1)&emsp;25&emsp;8Others receiving votes: 11, Ashland 22. 12, Columbus Walnut Ridge 21. 13, Lima Senior 16. 14, North Ridgeville 15. 15, Harrison 15. 16, Green 6. 17, Cincinnati La Salle 6. 18, Columbus St. Francis DeSales 5. 19, Macedonia Nordonia 1. DIVISION III Rank&emsp;School&emsp;Points&emsp;Previous1.&emsp;Columbus Bishop Watterson (7) (8-0)&emsp;133&emsp;12.&emsp;Toledo Central Catholic (4) (7-1)&emsp;109&emsp;33.&emsp;Steubenville (1) (8-0)&emsp;107&emsp;24.&emsp;Youngstown Ursuline (1) (7-1)&emsp;84&emsp;T85.&emsp;Aurora (8-0)&emsp;74&emsp;56.&emsp;Tipp City Tippecanoe (2) (8-0)&emsp;72&emsp;47.&emsp;Wapakoneta (8-0)&emsp;55&emsp;68.&emsp;Dresden Tri-Valley (8-0)&emsp;40&emsp;T89.&emsp;Gates Mills Gilmour Academy (8-0)&emsp;35&emsp;710.&emsp;Athens (8-0)&emsp;25&emsp;10Others receiving votes: 11, Cleveland Benedictine 19. 12, London 19. 13, Newark Licking Valley 14. 14, Bellbrook 14. 15, Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph 8. 16, Granville 7. 17, Gates Mills Hawken 4. 18, Chagrin Falls Kenston 3. 19, Rocky River 2. 20, Chardon 1. DIVISION IV Rank&emsp;School&emsp;Points&emsp;Previous1.&emsp;Mentor Lake Catholic (10) (8-0)&emsp;137&emsp;12.&emsp;Perkins (7-1)&emsp;105&emsp;23.&emsp;Perry (1) (7-1)&emsp;95&emsp;44.&emsp;Gnadenhutten Indian Valley (8-0)&emsp;81&emsp;55.&emsp;Cincinnati Wyoming (3) (8-0)&emsp;78&emsp;36.&emsp;Shelby (8-0)&emsp;62&emsp;67.&emsp;St. Clairsville (8-0)&emsp;51&emsp;98.&emsp;Ontario (8-0)&emsp;49&emsp;79.&emsp;Cleveland Glenville (1) (5-3)&emsp;45&emsp;810.&emsp;Clarksville Clinton-Massie (6-2)&emsp;32&emsp;NROthers receiving votes: 11, Beloit West Branch 22. 12, Germantown Valley View 20. 13, Struthers 17. 14, Streetsboro 10. 15, Vermilion 7. 16, Cincinnati Indian Hill 7. 17, New Lexington 3. 18, Chillicothe Unioto 2. 19, Lorain Clearview 1. 20, Cincinnati Taft 1. DIVISION V Rank&emsp;School&emsp;Points&emsp;Previous1.&emsp;Canfield S. Range (4) (8-0)&emsp;123&emsp;12.&emsp;Liberty Center (3) (8-0)&emsp;116&emsp;23.&emsp;Ironton (3) (7-1)&emsp;98&emsp;54.&emsp;Edison (4) (8-0)&emsp;94&emsp;35.&emsp;Oak Harbor (8-1)&emsp;83&emsp;46.&emsp;Canal Winchester Harvest Prep (6-1)&emsp;58&emsp;87.&emsp;Jamestown Greeneview (1) (8-0)&emsp;53&emsp;68.&emsp;Barnesville (8-0)&emsp;43&emsp;NR9.&emsp;Akron Manchester (8-0)&emsp;36&emsp;NR10.&emsp;Camden Preble Shawnee (8-0)&emsp;33&emsp;10Others receiving votes: 11, Pemberville Eastwood 18. 12, Sugarcreek Garaway 16. 13, Findlay Liberty-Benton 15. 14, Gahanna Columbus Academy 11. 15, Versailles 9. 16, West Liberty-Salem 8. 17, Proctorville Fairland 6. 18, Waynesville 2. 19, Belmont Union Local 2. 20, LaGrange Keystone 1. DIVISION VI Rank&emsp;School&emsp;Points&emsp;Previous1.&emsp;Kirtland (10) (8-0)&emsp;144&emsp;12.&emsp;Coldwater (5) (8-0)&emsp;138&emsp;23.&emsp;Hopewell-Loudon (7-0)&emsp;107&emsp;34.&emsp;Bluffton (8-0)&emsp;97&emsp;55.&emsp;Columbus Grandview Heights (8-0)&emsp;92&emsp;46.&emsp;Galion Northmor (8-0)&emsp;79&emsp;67.&emsp;West Lafayette Ridgewood (7-1)&emsp;7&emsp;78.&emsp;Anna (5-3)&emsp;25&emsp;99.&emsp;Hamler Patrick Henry (6-2)&emsp;16&emsp;NR10.&emsp;Andover Pymatuning Valley (7-1)&emsp;14&emsp;NROthers receiving votes: 11, Newcomerstown 13. 12, Huron 10. 13, Dalton 9. 14, New Middletown Springfield 8. 15, Bainbridge Paint Valley 7. 16, Cincinnati Country Day 6. 17, Beverly Fort Frye 4. 18, Toledo Ottawa Hills 3. 19, Woodsfield Monroe Central 2. 20, St. Bernard 2. 21, Waterford 1. 22, Columbia Station Columbia 1. DIVISION VII Rank&emsp;School&emsp;Points&emsp;Previous1.&emsp;Maria Stein Marion Local (15) (8-0)&emsp;150&emsp;12.&emsp;Columbus Grove (8-0)&emsp;126&emsp;23.&emsp;Minster (7-1)&emsp;108&emsp;44.&emsp;Jeromesville Hillsdale (8-0)&emsp;88&emsp;35.&emsp;Monroeville (8-0)&emsp;74&emsp;56.&emsp;Edon (8-0)&emsp;55&emsp;67.&emsp;Berlin Center Western Reserve (7-1)&emsp;54&emsp;78.&emsp;Beaver Eastern (8-0)&emsp;25&emsp;89.&emsp;Malvern (7-1)&emsp;23&emsp;NR10.&emsp;Sidney Lehman (7-1)&emsp;22&emsp;NROthers receiving votes: 11, Gibsonburg 18. 12, McGuffey Upper Scioto Valley 16. 13, Lima Central Catholic 12. 14, Warren John F. Kennedy 11. 15, Ansonia 10. 16, St. Henry 8. 17, New Bremen 7. 18, Ada 7. 19, Windham 3. 20, Cin. College Prep. 3. 21, Steubenville Catholic Central 2. 22, Danville 2. 23, Pandora-Gilboa 1.