Here’s our view on this week’s Super 7 high school football teams in Mahoning Valley

With three of the area’s four unbeaten teams falling last week, there are many changes in this week’s mahoningmatters.com Super 7 football rankings.

But one thing remains the same: The Youngstown Ursuline Fighting Irish remain solidly entrenched at No. 1 in the poll.

Ursuline

No. 1: Ursuline (6-0) is coming off an impressive 32-14 win over previously No. 2-ranked Austintown Fitch on the Falcons’ home turf.

The Irish are averaging an area-best 43 points-per-game and giving up 11.5 points-per-contest on the defensive side of the ball.

They play at Akron St. Vincent St. Mary (4-2) Friday night.

South Range

No. 2: South Range vaults from No. 4 to No. 2 in this week’s poll after its impressive 21-7 Northeast 8 showdown win at previously unbeaten Poland last week.

The Raiders are 5-1 on the season and their only loss was to Federal League member Green in Week 2.

South Range will host Girard (4-2) Friday night.

West Branch

No. 3 West Branch won its fifth straight game with a 70-0 rout of Minerva last Friday night.

The Warriors are averaging 42.6 points-per-game on offense and rank just below Ursuline’s area-best 43.0 points-per-game average.

The Warriors (5-1) host Marlington (4-2) Friday night as they seek the 400th win in school history.

Poland

No. 4 Poland drops one spot following its 21-7 loss to South Range last week but the Bulldogs remain one of the area’s most consistent teams on both sides of the ball.

Poland (5-1) will travel to Niles (5-1) for a key game Friday night.

Niles McKinley

No. 5 Niles McKinley jumps into the poll this week, following an impressive 49-14 rout of Beaver Local (4-2) last Friday night at Pastore Field.

The Red Dragons were led in the win by standout senior running back Antuan Gardner who had 193 yards rushing and scored three touchdowns in just two-plus quarters of play.

Niles hosts Poland in a key Northeast 8 matchup Friday night.

Austintown Fitch

No. 6: Austintown Fitch (4-2) drops from No. 2 to No. 6 following its loss to Ursuline last week.

It should be noted that the two teams that have beaten the Falcons this season have a combined record of 10-1 in Central Valley (Pa.), which is 4-1, and Ursuline which is 6-0.

Struthers

No. 7: The Northeast 8 is loaded with powerful teams this season and Struthers is certainly one of those. The Wildcats (4-2) are coming off a 41-14 rout of Northeast 8 foe Hubbard.

The two losses by Struthers this season have come against Geneva and South Range, two powerful teams with a combined record of 10-2.

The Wildcats travel to Lakeview Friday night.

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