Willard girls remain fourth in Div. III AP poll

COLUMBUS — The Willard girls basketball team held onto the No. 4 ranking in the fourth weekly Associated Press poll in Division III, released on Tuesday.The Crimson Flashes (13-1) had just one game last week, a 78-41 win at Oak Harbor that improved them to 7-0 in the SBC Bay Division. Willard is winning games by an average score of 64-38 so far this season.The Flashes had moved up from sixth to No. 4 in the poll on Jan. 19 after topping previously unbeaten Buckeye Central in an overtime thriller on Jan. 14. Alone in first place atop the SBC Bay Division, the Crimson Flashes have two games this week. They visited Tiffin Columbian (4-8) on Tuesday and host Edison (9-4, 4-2) on Friday.However, the Flashes have several big tests left to play as well. They host Bellevue (10-2) on Monday, followed by a trip to Hopewell-Loudon (12-1) on Feb. 4. Along with a rematch at Margaretta (11-5, 5-1) on Feb. 11, the Chieftains and Polar Bears are considered the top opponents in the Flashes' Div. III district.Also of note, Napoleon (9-1), which topped Willard in a Div. II regional title game last season and by three points (44-41) for its lone loss to date this season on Jan. 2, is currently No. 2 in Div. II.Buckeye Central fell from fourth to No. 7 in Div. IV following an overtime loss at Willard on Jan. 14, but held at No. 7 again this week. The poll leaders remained the same this week across all four divisions, which include Cincinnati Notre Dame (Div. I), Thornville Sheridan (Div. II), Berlin Hiland (Div. III) and Fort Loramie (Div. IV).