Ashland Football Week 10 Power Rankings: Hillsdale caps off regular season in No. 1 spot
ASHLAND — The 2023 regular season wrapped up in Week 10, with the postseason tournament throughout the state set to kick off this upcoming week. Five Ashland schools qualified for the playoffs and will be in action this week. Here are the final power rankings of the season.
8. Northwestern (1-9)
After going 9-3 and making the playoffs in 2022, Northwestern finished the year at 1-9 and went down 49-8 to Waynedale on Friday.
7. South Central (2-8)
South Central ended its rough season on a positive, defeating Plymouth convincingly 41-13 on the road in Week 10.
6. Loudonville (3-7)
Loudonville's season ended on Friday, losing to a strong Northmor team 34-7. There was a slight chance in the last two weeks the Redbirds could have made the playoffs but losing their last two games hindered that.
5. Crestview (4-6)
Crestview didn't have quite the caliber team they had the last two seasons — where it went undefeated in back-to-back regular seasons, along with winning the Firelands Conference — but it still found a way to clinch a playoff spot.
Crestview will be a 13 seed in the DVI playoffs where it will play at No. 4 seed Carey (8-2) on Friday.
4. Mapleton (5-5)
Mapleton beat Crestview 28-18 at home in Week 10 to finish right at a .500 record. As a 12 seed in the DVI playoffs, the Mounties will travel to No. 5 seed Columbia (9-1) in their first round game. Their head-to-head win over the Cougars places them ahead in the final power rankings.
3. Ashland (5-5)
The Arrows didn't fair so well in their regular season finale, losing 24-14 at Ohio Cardinal Conference opponent Lexington. In the Division III playoffs, Ashland will be a 14 seed and will face the No. 3 seed Tiffin Columbian (8-2) on the road.
2. Black River (7-3)
Black River pulled off a major upset and possibly the most impressive win of any Ashland school during this season in beating undefeated Columbia — the No. 9 ranked team in the state in Division VI — 24-20 at home on Friday. It was a well-earned, hard-fought victory by the Pirates, which could bode well in making a postseason run.
The Pirates will be seeded ninth in the DVI playoffs and will face the No. 8 seed Western Reserve (7-3), in a matchup that looks to be pretty even.
1. Hillsdale (8-2)
Hillsdale finished the regular season at 8-2 and pretty much the top team in Ashland County throughout the year. The Falcons finished third in the Wayne County Conference — behind two formidable teams in Dalton and Norwayne — and will start their playoff run as a No. 8 seed in the DVII playoffs.
The Falcons will host No. 9 seed Lucas (7-3), which is a rematch of Hillsdale's 21-17 victory in Week 2.
jsimpson@gannett.com
Twitter:@JamesSimpsonII
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Ashland Football Week 10 Power Rankings: Hillsdale stays in top spot
