Sandusky ranked No. 7 in first AP boys state poll

COLUMBUS — The Sandusky boys basketball team, alone atop the Sandusky Bay Conference Lake Division ahead of a huge game on Friday, was among the teams with area ties to appear in the first weekly Associated Press high school boys basketball state poll, released on Monday. The Blue Streaks (11-1, 7-1) are No. 7 in Division II in the initial poll. Sandusky entertains Tiffin Columbian (10-3, 5-2) this Friday in a rematch of their lone loss, a 58-53 setback on Dec. 15 in Tiffin. The Tornadoes need a win to force a tie atop the standings with themselves and Bellevue (9-3, 6-2), which does not play a league game this week. Also in Div. II, Shelby (12-1) — a former Northern Ohio League/SBC league member which still plays longtime rival Willard (8-8) — is No. 16 this week. In Div. III, Ashland Crestview (12-0, 7-0), which has a comfortable two-game lead on the rest of the Firelands Conference, debuted at 17th. The Cougars still have games with area FC teams South Central, Monroeville, New London, St. Paul and Plymouth. In Div. IV, Russia (13-1) — which just defeated Willard by 11 (71-60) on Sunday — debuted at No. 4. The Crimson Flashes played the Raiders at the Fort Loramie MLK Classic. The showcase featured 12 teams across six games, and five of those teams appeared in the first AP poll on Monday. Along with Russia, that includes No. 1-ranked Div. III Casstown Miami East, Div. III No. 8 Findlay Liberty-Benton, and Div. IV No. 8 Marion Local and No. 14 Fort Loramie. Top-ranked teams in the initial poll included Lakewood St. Edward (Div. I), Dayton Chaminade-Julienne (Div. II), Casstown Miami East (Div. III) and Richmond Heights (Div. IV). GIRLS Buckeye Central ninth in Div. IV COLUMBUS — In the first girls state poll, longtime Willard district powerhouse New Washington Buckeye Central (13-2) appeared at No. 9 in Div. IV. B.C. — which also owns wins over Willard and Edison — is expected to again be the top seed in the district, which includes area FC teams New London, South Central, Monroeville, St. Paul and Plymouth. Also of note, unbeaten Smithville (15-0) — which is one of Buckeye's two losses — is No. 5 in Div. III. The Smithies also defeated New London (10-5) on the road, 47-29, back on Dec. 3. Fremont Ross (14-1) is 10th in Div. I. Top-ranked teams this week included Mason (Div. I), Kettering Alter (Div. II), Worthington Christian (Div. III) and New Madison Tri-Village (Div. IV).