The eighth state rankings for the 2017 the season have been released by the NYSSWA.  Below are the WNY teams that made the cut:

 

Class AA

No teams ranked

 

Class A 

Park #4

Williamsville South #7

St. Francis #14

Timon #25

 

Class B

East Aurora #16  

Middle College #23

Health Sciences #25

 

Class C 

Chautauqua Lake #3     

East #14

Randolph #25

 

Class D

Ellicottville #6 

Franklinville #11

Sherman #19     

 

** According to the rankings… 

 

– They agree with me about Fairport.  After seeing them dismantle Aquinas on Saturday night, I tweeted that Fairport was the best team in the Far West Region.  The Red Raiders are ranked #5 in NYS Class AA this week and they are the state's highest ranked public school.

 

– We still have no teams from Class AA ranked and you won't hear making the case for anyone this season.

 

– Park is inching back up in the rankings.  The Pioneers have been #1 this season in Class A, but fell to #5 after losing to St. Francis.  They are currently #4.

 

– Williamsville South jumps from #16 to #7 after a big week that included wins over St. Francis and UPrep.  I think it should have been higher.  You jump to at least #12 just for beating St. Francis, who was holding that spot.  Then the win in Rochester against the team that was #5 in NYS Class AA would, in theory, get you an even more significant boost. Had they not lost at Amherst when they were ranked #7, they'd probably sit ahead of Park right now.

 

– St. Francis dropped two spots in NYS Class A to #14 for losing to South and beating Timon in the same week.  They should have just stayed at #12 in my opinion.

 

– Timon didn't get punished much for the loss at St. Francis.  They fell from #22 to #25 in NYS Class A.  Hopefully that's a sign that people are coming around on Frannies, who I'll continue to defend as a very legitimate team.

 

– Amherst continues to be mentioned with honor in the state, but nothing else.  I don't think the Tigers get in until Timon moves back up in the rankings or suffers a really bad loss.

 

– East Aurora surged ahead in the state rankings this week, from #24 to #16 in NYS Class B, on the strength of that 16-point win over Depew.  I think.

 

– For Middle College, beating the state's #8 ranked team, Health Sciences, who has been in the top 10 all season in Class B, got you…#23.  Clearly that one is viewed more negatively towards Health Sciences.  The Falcons' free fall in the rankings has them barely hanging on at #25 in NYS Class B.  So more of a punishment to the Falcons than a reward for the Kats.

 

– Randolph has cracked the state rankings in Class C and deservedly so.  The Cardinals (#25) have won 10 of their last 12 games, and the losses came to Grand Island and East.  

 

– Franklinville largely got a pass for its road loss at Burgard last Friday and only dropped two spots to #11 in NYS Class D.  I think that sounds about right – long drive to a Yale Cup gym against a good team two classes higher.  Not a bad loss.

 

Click HERE for complete NYSSWA State Rankings.

 

– centercourt