WILLARD — With high school football season rapidly approaching, the local media could not break with tradition.
So, as has been the case for at least a couple of decades, radio and newspaper types gathered at the 224 Varsity Club to vote on the order of finish for area football conferences. Included were the Northern 10 Athletic Conference, the Firelands Conference, the Ohio Cardinal Conference and the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference.
In the N10, Seneca East was nearly the unanimous choice of the nine voters, with the Tigers receiving eight first-place votes and 68 total points. Wynford picked up the other first-place vote and finished second with 57 points.
Colonel Crawford and Carey tied for third with 48 points and Mohawk was fifth with 45 points. The Warriors return only two starters from their 10-0 playoff team from a year ago and they will have a new coach.
Bucyrus edged Upper Sandusky for sixth place with 27 points to 23 for the Rams and Buckeye Central received nine points.
Norwalk St. Paul garnered all eight first-place votes to nail down the top spot in the Firelands Conference, 64 total points. Western Reserve slipped past South Central, 41-40, for second place.
Plymouth came in fourth with 37 points, Crestview was fifth with 35, Monroeville was sixth with 29, easing past seventh place New London’s 28. Mapleton was eighth with 14 points.
In the MOAC, Clear Fork took six of seven first-place votes and took the top spot with 48 points. Pleasant received the other first-place vote and tied for second with Shelby with 38 points.
Galion was fourth with 36 points, Ontario was fifth with 25, Marion Harding was sixth with 13 points and River Valley was seventh with 11 points.
Mansfield Senior took all eight firsts in the OCC for a total of 56 points. Wooster was second with 42 points, West Holmes third with 38 points and Ashland fourth with 35 points.
Lexington was fifth with 25 points, Mount Vernon came in sixth with 18 points and Madison had 10 points for seventh.