Minster has steamrolled over most of its competition this year, and poll voters took notice.
The Wildcats (11-0, 3-0 Midwest Athletic Conference) were voted No. 1 in Division IV in the first Associated Press state girls poll of the season.
Minster averages 56 points per game. Outside of a 35-26 win over Fort Loramie on Dec. 5, the Wildcats have won every game by at least 15 points.
New Bremen (11-1, 2-1 MAC) is ranked fourth in the Div. IV. The Cardinals have been masters at grinding out close wins. They’ve won five games by nine points or less.
New Bremen’s lone loss came to Versailles (13-1, 4-0 MAC). The Tigers, which finished as Div. III runner-ups last season, are ranked second in Div. III.
Versailles beat New Bremen by 29 points, and all but one of its wins have come by 17 or more points. The Tigers beat Tippecanoe by one point last Saturday and lost to Lima Bath by one point on Dec. 16.
Jackson Center (5-8) received votes in Div. IV, as did Fort Loramie (9-4).
All Division I through IV polls are below, with win-loss record and total points (first-place votes in parentheses). A statewide panel of sports writers and broadcasters rate Ohio high school basketball teams each week.
| DIVISION I | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. Newark (5) | 10-0 | 125 |
| 2. W. Chester Lakota W. (2) | 10-1 | 103 |
| 3. Cin. Mt. Notre Dame (5) | 12-2 | 99 |
| 4. Pickerington Cent. (1) | 12-1 | 86 |
| 5. Dublin Coffman | 11-1 | 81 |
| 6. Canton McKinley (2) | 11-1 | 72 |
| 7. Solon (1) | 9-1 | 71 |
| 8. Tol. Notre Dame (2) | 9-2 | 69 |
| 9. Stow-Munroe Falls | 11-1 | 34 |
| 10. Dresden Tri-Valley | 9-2 | 30 |
Others receiving 12 or more points: Cin. Walnut Hills 29. Wadsworth 28. Berea-Midpark 26. Mason 23. Loveland 18. Cols. Northland 17. Canfield 13.
| DIVISION II | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. Beloit W. Branch (3) | 10-0 | 93 |
| 2. Gates Mills Gilmour (6) | 9-1 | 91 |
| 3. Germantown Valley View (2) | 11-0 | 86 |
| 4. Zanesville Maysville (1) | 11-0 | 76 |
| 5. Tol. Rogers (1) | 8-1 | 74 |
| 6. Tipp City Tippecanoe (1) | 10-1 | 55 |
| 7. Akr. SVSM | 9-2 | 46 |
| 8. Trotwood-Madison | 9-1 | 45 |
| 9. Bellevue (1) | 11-1 | 41 |
| 10. Washington C.H. Miami Trace | 11-1 | 39 |
Others receiving 12 or more points: Shaker Hts. Laurel 38. Defiance (1) 38. London 32. McArthur Vinton County 26. Warren Howland 25. Thornville Sheridan 24. New Philadelphia 23. Kettering Alter (2) 20. Perry 17. Cambridge 16. Chillicothe Unioto 15.
| DIVISION III | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cols. Africentric (9) | 10-0 | 135 |
| 2. Versailles (3) | 13-1 | 83 |
| 3. Ottawa-Glandorf | 11-1 | 72 |
| 4. Cin. Summit Country Day | 10-0 | 66 |
| 5. Archbold | 9-1 | 47 |
| 6. Kirtland (2) | 10-0 | 46 |
| 7. Waynesville | 12-0 | 43 |
| 8. Findlay Liberty-Benton | 9-1 | 41 |
| 9. Newark Cath. | 11-1 | 40 |
| 10. Cardington-Lincoln | 11-1 | 34 |
| (tie)Doylestown Chippewa (1) | 10-0 | 34 |
Others receiving 12 or more points: Minford 33. Loudonville (1) 30. Rocky River Lutheran W. 28. Williamsburg 28. Delta (1) 25. Proctorville Fairland 25. Elyria Cath. 19. Camden Preble Shawnee 18. Garrettsville Garfield 15. Sardinia Eastern 15. Bellaire 14. Casstown Miami E. 13. N. Lima S. Range 13.
| DIVISION IV | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. Minster (11) | 11-0 | 142 |
| 2. Waterford (2) | 8-1 | 95 |
| 3. Dalton | 10-1 | 76 |
| 4. New Bremen | 11-1 | 72 |
| 5. Sugar Grove Berne Union | 11-1 | 56 |
| 6. Ottoville (1) | 11-0 | 51 |
| 7. N. Ridgeville Lake Ridge | 7-2 | 48 |
| (tie)New Madison Tri-Village | 10-2 | 48 |
| 9. Steubenville Cath. Cent. (1) | 9-1 | 45 |
| 10. Fairfield Christian | 9-1 | 41 |
Others receiving 12 or more points: New Boston Glenwood 34. Cornerstone Christian 33. Jackson Center 27. Troy Christian 27. Berlin Hiland (2) 26. N. Jackson Jackson-Milton (1) 21. Lancaster Fisher Cath. 19. Xenia Legacy Christian Academy 18. Ft. Loramie 17. Ft. Recovery 16. Groveport Madison Christian 13.
