The first 8-man football rankings of the season are out, and the top 5 spots in the poll are owned by teams in the newly-constructed western division of the Grand River Conference.
The defending state champion Stanberry Bulldogs hold the top slot, followed by the Worth County Tigers, North Andrew Cardinals, King City Wildkats, and St. Joseph Christian Lions. Stanberry and North Andrew have dominated the last few seasons of eight-man, while Worth County is looking to regain the strong foothold in had in the state going back 10 to 20 years ago. King City threatened to win the Grand River Conference last season, and brings back a strong team this year in moving back to the eight-man ranks.
The Braymer Bobcats join King City in leaving the Grand River Conference’s 11 man schools and joining eight-man, with the ‘Cats checking in at number 10. Rock Port is ranked #6, followed by South Holt/Nodaway-Holt, Hardin-Central/Norborne, and Southwest Livingston.
The only unranked teams in a loaded GRC West, coming into the season, are the Pattonsburg Panthers, entering their third season in the reinstatement of football into the district; and the Albany Warriors, who, despite the lack of a ranking, appear to have a team capable of competing immediately in the GRC West in 2016.
