The POWER 8 POLL: Top teams taking hold of prime spots

It appears that the Power 8 poll is becoming a hotly contested deal as the top two teams continue to stay out in front like Affirmed and Alydar during the 1978 Triple Crown, but they are definitely feeling some heat from right behind them.

There is little movement from the top five as that handful of squads continues to let people know where they stand as the postseason closes in for hoops and wrestling.

Week 6: POWER 8

1. Doniphan girls basketball (last week, 1): They are now 16-1 overall as they held off Dexter in a nailbiter Monday and followed that up with a convincing win over Clearwater. With the Ozark Foothills Conference tournament approaching and a few other games on the slate, their case for a No. 1 district seed is right on the doorstep.

2. Three Rivers women’s basketball (2): Things got a bit hairy on Tuesday night as the Lady Raiders needed a massive fourth quarter comeback to win 66-65 at Jefferson College. They are 16-2 overall and ranked 15th nationally while heading into Saturday’s revenge match at home against Mineral Area College, who defeated the Lady Raiders back in December to end the program’s massive win streak.

3. Greenville boys basketball (4): A buzzsaw put on a basketball uniform and became the Greenville Bears. They continue to mow everyone down and are crafting a very fine case for OFC and District favorites. They rolled past a competitive Neelyville squad Friday and then hammered a very much improved Puxico team by 29. Could this become the best team in school history?

4. Dexter boys basketball (3): The Bearcats are now 13-5 with two wins sandwiched around a tough loss to New Madrid Friday. But losing to one of the best teams in the SEMO region is nothing to be ashamed of. They started the Stoddard County Conference tournament with an emphatic 100-point showing in cruising past Bell City and head to Thursday’s semifinal looking like a smart No. 1 pick.

5. Poplar Bluff wrestling (5): The boys took seventh and the girls fifth at the SEMO Conference tournament last weekend and brought home three individual titles. It was a good showing for a program that is building its depth to make a strong statement in the postseason.

6. Dexter girls basketball (7): Might seem weird for a team to lose and move up a spot, but the Lady Bearcats (11-7) lost a close one to visiting Doniphan Monday and that alone speaks volumes about this team. The question is now, can they get the points they need to back up their stingy defense going forward.

7. Neelyville girls basketball (8) Ditto to Dexter, the Lady Tigers also dropped a narrow, 63-57 heartbreaker at Doniphan last week and move up on the basis of that and an easy win over Greenville. They now face off against East Carter on Thursday and that could be a test for a Lady Tigers team slowly figuring out a return to the elite.

8. Ellington girls basketball (new): Yes, they got beaten up pretty good in the BRL final by a strong South Iron team and yes, they are only 8-7, but make no mistake, they have improved a lot and the pieces around Kaylee King are finding their footing. Another postseason run, perhaps?

Honorable mention: Doniphan boys basketball, Puxico boys basketball, Malden boys basketball, East Carter girls basketball.

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

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. ,/i>