Bridgeport’s 21-3 victory against Elkins on the road at Wimer Field Friday night didn’t change the Indians’ standing in MetroNews High School Football Power Ratings, but they gain a little ground.

 

The Indians remained in the No. 4 position in the Class AA standings. However, this week the Tribe managed to have 212 points compared to 211 points last week. The points are based on the voting of 30 voters statewide that consist of radio broadcasters and sports writers.

 

BHS will have another chance to impress voters this Friday. The Tribe will play host to ‘AA’ No. 9 Keyser, who fell 49-21 to Allegany out of Maryland. The Golden Tornado is 5-2 on the year with five wins against in-state teams and their only two losses coming to powerful teams from the state of Maryland.

 

Defending Class AA champion Mingo Central, 7-0, maintains the top spot after taking a 52-0 win against Herbert Hoover. The Miners, however, don’t have as tight a hold on the number one position as they did a week ago

 

MCHS captured 24 first place votes in the poll compared to 27 last week despite the blowout win. Bluefield, 8-0, picked up three more first place votes following a 49-7 win against Man after falling behind by a 7-0 score in that game.

 

Fairmont Senior remains in the third spot. The Polar Bears hammered Class AAA Preston by a 51-8 score. FSHS will look to move to 8-1 as it hosts Grafton at East-West Stadium.

 

Point Pleasant rounds out the top five. PPHS is 6-2 and is coming off a 56-16 win against Meigs High School (Ohio). Point’s losses are to Mingo Central and Bluefield.

 

Only one other local team is ranked in the top 10. Undefeated Liberty, at 7-0, remained at No. 8 following a 49-0 win against East Fairmont. The Mountaineers will have a huge game this week as it takes the short trip to Robert C. Byrd to battle the 4-3 Eagles who need a win to keep their postseason hopes alive.

 

Two local teams are in the “also receiving votes” portion of the poll. North Marion, a team BHS has already beaten, and Lincoln, the Indians final regular season foe, have received votes from the statewide panel of voters.

 

South Harrison, at 7-0, is the only local team ranked in Class A. The undefeated Hawks manhandled visiting Sherman by a 50-7 score.

 

The Hawks’ win was enough to convince one voter to list them as the best team in the state as they now have one first place vote. Whether they’re deserving of it will be determined this week as the Hawks will visit Class A top-ranked St. Marys.

 

Click HERE for the rankings in all three classifications.

 

The WVSSAC rankings come out tomorrow. Those rankings determine where teams are seeded for the postseason. Check back to Connect-Bridgeport after 2 p.m. Tuesday for those ratings.

 

Editor's Note: Photos by Ben Queen of www.benqueenphotography.com.