It looks like a slow climb.

Wednesday, September 20, 2000

It looks like a slow climb. After starting 10th in the first Associated Press football poll, the Ironton Fighting Tigers moved up one notch in the second poll released Tuesday.

Ironton, 4-0, has 117 points to place ninth in Division IV, just two points behind Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas.

Defending state champion Sandusky Perkins continues to lead the division, but the point total is now 340 with more poll voters casting ballots this week.

Germantown Valley View is second with 279 points followed by Youngstown Ursuline with 230, Coldwater 225, Newark Licking Valley 178, Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph 152, and Coshocton seventh with 124 points.

Akron Manchester slipped to 10th with 115 points.

The Portsmouth Trojans, who have steam rolled four opponents, improved their total of first place votes from one to five but remain fourth in the Division III poll. The Trojans have 247 points, 10 behind Dayton Chaminade-Julienne.

Ironton plays Ashland, Ky., this week and then travels to Portsmouth next Friday.

Orrville leads Division III with 344 points and Columbus Bishop Watterson is second with 276.

The closest race is in Division V where Amanda-Clearcreek has a one-point lead over Columbus Bishop Ready.

Ready plays host to the Coal Grove Hornets Saturday night.

Delphos St. John’s continues to lead Division VI with Mogadore second. Maria Stein is third, Norwalk St. Paul fourth, and Portsmouth Notre Dame moves up a notch to fifth place with 162 points.

Cleveland St. Ignatius remains on top of the big schools in Division I with Massillon second and Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller third.

Youngstown Chaney has a hefty lead over Defiance in Division II. Chaney replaced Columbus St. Francis DeSales which lost last week to Painesville Riverside and tumbled to sixth place.