| Week off not bad, or good, for UC’s poll position | | Posted: Tuesday, October 16, 2012 7:00 pm
| By MIKE HUTCHENS
Messenger Sports Editor
An open date neither hurt nor improved Union City’s standing in the Class 1A state prep football rankings.
The Golden Tornadoes — idle last week — remained at No. 10 in the latest Associated Press listing.
A season-long member of the poll — in its eighth installment Monday — UC stayed at 10th for the third straight week.
The Twisters (5-3) used last week’s free Friday to heal a handful of injuries that have hampered them of late and employed a lighter practice schedule than usual as they look to close the regular season strong and hopefully prime themselves for a deep playoff run.
District 14A games against South Fulton (3-6) and Humboldt (5-3) the next two Fridays will determine Union City’s postseason seed.
There was a new No. 1 in the Single-A poll as Gordonsville (7-1) replaced South Pittsburg after the Pirates suffered their second loss in eight games — a 35-21 decision to Class 2A’s top team, Boyd-Buchanan.
SP fell to No. 3, also behind the only unbeaten team in the Top 10, Moore County (8-0).
Rural West Tennessee entries Huntingdon and West Carroll — both 7-2 — each advanced two places to Nos. 5 and 6, respectively, in a reshuffled pecking order that also saw previously-perfect and fifth-ranked Coalfield fall to Double-A No. 5 Oneida 21-14, and Copper Basin (6-2) lose to Marion County 49-41.
There was a varying difference of opinion among statewide voters, though, as Gordonsville received 11 first-place votes, while Moore County got six and South Pittsburg two. Just three total points separated the top two entries.
In Class 2A, Dresden — which rallied from a two-touchdown deficit to beat Weakley County rival Gleason and remain unbeaten through nine games — trails only Boyd-Buchanan.
The Lions have an open date this week before squaring off against Huntingdon in a District 13A showdown to decide the final pecking order of that league. The Mustangs are also idle this week.
Adamsville (8-1), winners of eight straight since a season-opening loss to Chester County, stayed put at No. 6 in 2A.
Though there is now a tie atop the Class 3A heap between reigning champion CAK (Christian Academy of Knoxville) and Alcoa, the middle of the pack remained the same as area teams South Gibson (8-0) and Milan (7-1) remained fifth and sixth, respectively.
Milan, which dropped a stunning one-point decision to SG earlier in the season, will no doubt face its toughest opposition this week when Class 4A No. 2 Covington (8-0) entertains the Bulldogs in a District 13AA showdown.
Once-beaten Lexington (No. 6) and fellow 7-1 entry Dyersburg (8th) remained status quo in the 4A Top 10 after blowout wins last week.
Jackson Northside (8-0) is still second — behind only Beech — in the 5A ratings with Henry County (6-2) still sixth.
Northside spanked Munford 54-14 for its eighth consecutive win, while HC was idle last week.
Unbeaten University School of Jackson (8-0) leapfrogged St. George’s after edging the defending Class 1A champion in Division II last week 16-13 — the Bruins now sixth.
A complete listing of this week’s rankings can be found on page 7.
Sports editor Mike Hutchens can be contacted by email at mhutch@ucmessenger.com. Published in The Messenger 10.16.12 | | | | |
