Willard up one spot to eighth in AP poll

COLUMBUS — The Willard boys basketball team moved up one spot to remain among the top 10 teams in the third weekly Associated Press high school state poll, released on Monday. The Crimson Flashes (11-2) climbed from ninth to No. 8 in this week's poll after they won in overtime, 70-68, on Jan. 20 at Norwalk. Also in Div. II, Lexington (15-1) is up to No. 2 and Shelby (9-2) is back in the top 10 at No. 10. All three teams are in the same district in the tournament, while the Flashes host the Whippets in the regular season finale on Feb. 23. Also of note to Willard and the area, Margaretta (12-1) is ranked No. 5 in Div. III. The Polar Bears beat the Flashes for their lone SBC Bay Division loss, 58-48, on Jan. 4 in Willard. The two teams will rematch in Castalia on Feb. 16. Margaretta also has wins over Edison, Monroeville and St. Paul, and will host South Central on Saturday. Also in Div. III, unbeaten Ashland Crestview (13-0) is ranked No. 8. The Cougars — who are in the same Norwalk High district as Margaretta — lead the Flyers (8-3, 6-1) by one game for first place in the Firelands Conference thanks to a head-to-head win over St. Paul on Jan. 11. Lewis Center Olentangy Orange (Div. I), Rocky River Lutheran West (Div. II), Cleveland Heights Lutheran East (Div. III) and Russia (Div. IV) are the top-ranked teams in the third poll.GIRLS Two SBC teams ranked In the girls poll, Margaretta (14-1) — winners of 14 in a row — again held at No. 5 in this week's poll in Div. III. The Polar Bears defeated Norwalk (11-3), 39-34, on Jan. 9. They also have wins over Edison and Willard in league play. Also of note to the Truckers, Bryan (13-1) is seventh and Mansfield Senior (16-1) is No. 9 in this week's Div. II poll. Norwalk knocked off the Tygers in a sectional title game last season and fell to Bryan in the regional championship. The Truckers remain in the same district this season with Mansfield. In Div. IV, Loudonville (15-0) is fifth and Gibsonburg (13-1) is 10th. The Redbirds won at South Central on Dec. 19, while the Bears will visit Norwalk on Jan. 30 in a non-league game. Gibsonburg's lone loss is to Bellevue, which sits tied with the Truckers atop the SBC Lake standings. Lewis Center Olentangy (Div. I), Cincinnati Purcell Marian (Div. II), Casstown Miami East (Div.III) and Ft. Loramie (Div. IV) are the top-ranked teams in this week's poll.