POWER 8: The worst kind of snow job

Editor’s note: this poll was based on results through Wednesday. All rankings are performance-based per level and sport and not a head-to-head potential barometer.

The poll this week is a little special for lovers of winter storms, hard, icy roads and needing ice skates to go to your mailbox.

Has there been sports since last week? Some, yes.

But the main event was the winter weather that crushed the majority of the schedule as things hoped to get going again late Thursday night.

Week 7: POWER 8

1A. Mother Nature: Wow, did she turn on the full-court press. Not only did she hit the area with a big white dump of powder a week ago causing mass craziness on the roads, she decided to go for a repeat this week with enough snow and plenty of ice to turn Southeast Missouri into a giant luge track. With that many games being canceled, um, yeah, she’s kind of a juggernaut.

1B. Local meteorologists: Double wow. Knowing how inconsistent these folk can be (just go to Texas to learn that), it was pretty amazing how dead on they nailed it in predicting what was coming. They gave advance warning, schools made decisions early — a decision that might have gotten a roll-the-eyes emoji reaction — to shut down activities and were proven to be right on all counts. Thankfully, these folk truly earned their paychecks this past week.

1. Doniphan girls basketball (1, last week): They were rendered idle since the last poll and now will hopefully use the week off to have practiced and rested up for the upcoming Ozark Foothills Conference tournament that begins Saturday, but the Donettes won’t hit the court again until Monday’s semifinals at Greenville.

2. Three Rivers women’s basketball (2): The Lady Raiders were able to get a game in and boy was it a message-sender. TRC was able to move to 17-2 overall with a big-time flourish at the end of its win over visiting Mineral Area College, the first team to beat the Lady Raiders this campaign. They are still ranked 15th nationally and have No. 18 Moberly Area heading to Poplar Bluff for an ESPN+ contest, the second one this year for the program. A win could propel them to No. 1 depending on what the Donettes do at the OFC.

3. Greenville boys basketball (3): The Bears are the top seed in the OFC boys field and have also had the week off to prepare and stay warm. This tournament offers the squad a chance to not only win the title that eluded them a year ago but maybe use the OFC as a springboard toward a big push toward a first-ever district crown.

4. Dexter boys basketball (4): The Bearcats are 15-5 overall and come off winning the Stoddard County Athletic Conference tournament title to reclaim their place at the top. They are doing it with contributions from all over the court and it doesn’t appear like anything will change as they head down the stretch.

5. Dexter girls basketball (6): The Lady Bearcats beat up on Sikeston to wrap last week and move to 12-7 and bounce back from a close defeat to Doniphan. There is a good possibility the girls could be off for almost 11 straight days before playing again, but as hard as they play, it could mean more rest for the push toward the postseason.

6. Poplar Bluff wrestling (5): It was a bit of a struggle last week at the Kyle Thrasher Invitational for both squads, but they did bring back three individual titles so that is saying something. The overall team performances were not necessarily what head coach Kelton Thompson expected, but the fact the Mules are wrestling with the elite, says plenty.

7. Ellington girls basketball (8): They captured the Big Springs Conference crown and are now enjoying having junior Dylan Price back. The Lady Whippets have found a way to stay in the conversation all year with seven bodies – all of which offer something to the cause. Now, with another piece to the puzzle returning, things could get interesting.

8. East Carter girls basketball (new): The Lady Redbirds finished last week with a big win over then-No. 7 Neelyville and have started to find their mojo again after a rough patch that started after the Lady Royals Christmas Classic. Now, that balance has come back on the attack, things could get interesting in the OFC with these girls getting back in good step.

Honorable mention: Neelyville girls basketball, Doniphan boys basketball, Neelyville boys basketball, Puxico boys basketball, Malden boys basketball, Poplar Bluff girls swimming.

Considering for final poll: Poplar Bluff football, Van Buren cross country, Dexter cross country, Neelyville softball, Doniphan softball, Poplar Bluff cheer.

Alan Dale is the sports editor of the Daily American Republic. Contact him at adale@darnews.com.