Trenton moves to #3 in MBCA poll, as Milan’s boys claim Class 2’s top spot to open 2019

The two powerhouse teams from the Eastern Division of the Grand River Conference, the Trenton Lady Bulldogs and the Milan Wildcats, remain unbeaten heading back into conference play on Tuesday night, with both programs rewarded for their 13-0 starts with high rankings in the latest Missouri Basketball Coaches Association poll, released on Tuesday evening.

In the girl’s poll, Trenton’s unbeaten start has the Lady Bulldogs, heading into the championship game of the Lawson Tournament, perched at #3 in the state in Class 3, trailing only once-beaten, #2 ranked Licking and the three-time defending state champions from Strafford.  

Other notables from the girls state poll are the two-time GRC West champion Stanberry Lady Bulldogs sitting at #7 in Class 1, with Santa Fe #10, and Worth County and Jefferson among five schools receiving votes.  East Atchison (Tarkio-Fairfax co-op) is ranked sixth in Class 2, with Mid-Buchanan eighth, and Trenton’s opponent in Monday’s Lawson Tournament final, the Penney Lady Hornets, sitting at #9.  Penney, the team that ended Trenton’s season in district final action last year, moved down from Class 3 to Class 2 in the latest cycle.  The Benton Lady Cardinals sit #4 in Class 4, behind the team that ended their season last year, in #3 ranked Kearney.  

The Milan Wildcats, with two more blowout victories in the Milan Tournament this week, and three wins last week in the Marceline Tournament, are the new #1 team in the state in Class 2 boys basketball.  Milan, on Saturday night at 8:30, will host Linn County in the Milan Tourney final on KTTN FM 92.3, before playing at South Harrison on Tuesday night (KTTN FM 92.3) and hosting Trenton on Friday, January 18th (KTTN FM 92.3).  Division One prospect Ethan Kilgore and the East Buchanan Bulldogs, with a 12-1 mark, are ranked #2.  

In Class 1, Winston’s unbeaten Redbirds, in the championship round of the Osborn Tournament, are ranked #3, behind only #2 South Iron and top-ranked Dora.  Mound City is fifth, Jefferson 8th, and Meadville 9th.  Maryville is receiving votes in Class 3.

Here, in its entirety, is the high school basketball poll, released by the MBCA on January 8, 2019:

GIRLS:

Class 1

1 Walnut Grove 12-1

2 South Iron10-2

3 Lakeland 11-0

4 Community 12-0

5 Madison 9-2

6 Pilot Grove 11-1

7 Stanberry 9-1

8 Norborne 9-1

9 Weabluau 8-2

10 Santa Fe 6-3

Others receiving votes: Climax Springs (8-3) Wheatland (7-4), Bradleyville (6-3), Worth County (8-3), Jefferson (9-2)

Class 2

1 Thayer 9-2

2 Tipton 13-0

3 Hartville 10-3

4 Paris 12-0

5 Skyline 8-4

6 Tarkio 12-0

7 Cairo 10-2

8 Mid-Buchanan 11-2

9 Penny 8-2

10 Salisbury 8-3

Others receiving votes: Blue Eye (8-4), Oran (7-4)

Class 3

1 Strafford 14-0

2 Licking 12-1

3 Trenton 12-0

4 Mt. Vernon 9-3

5 Saxony Lutheran 12-2

6 Fair Grove 13-2

7 Blair Oaks 9-3

8 Clever 11-5

9 California 9-2

10 Mt. View Liberty 12-2

Others receiving votes: Palmyra (8-2), Fatima (10-2), Hermann (9-2), Highland (9-1), South Callaway (8-2)

Class 4

1 Incarnate Word 12-1

2 Lincoln College Prep 6-3

3 Kearney 9-1

4 Benton 12-1

5 Helias 9-3

6 Dexter 7-4

7 Boonville 9-2

8 Logan-Rogersville 8-5

9 Miller Career Academy 7-5

10 West Plains 8-7

Others receiving votes: Osage (8-2), Carl Junction (7-4), Rolla (9-2), Sullivan (7-4)

Class 5

1 Jefferson City 13-0

2 North Kansas City 11-1

3 Francis Howell Central 10-1

4 Park Hill South 10-1

5 Liberty 9-2

6 William Chrisman 10-1

7 Ozark 7-4

8 Jackson 9-2

9 Kirkwood 9-3

10 Kickapoo 8-5

Others receiving votes: Nixa 8-4, Rockbridge 5-3

BOYS:

Class 1

Team.  Record

1 Dora 12-1

2 South Iron 11-2

3 Winston 12-0

4 Eminence 7-4

5 Mound City 11-0

6 Lakeland 10-1

7 St. Elizabeth 11-2

8 Jefferson  10-1

9 Meadville 11-1

10 Halfway 9-1

Others receiving votes: Risco 9-2, Slater 11-2, Northwest Mendon 10-1, LaPlata 9-2

Class 2

1 Milan 12-0

2 East Buchanan 12-1

3 Greenwood 12-2

4 Mansfield 14-2

5 Oran 11-1

6 Hartville 9-3

7 Hayti 8-4

8 Crane 12-2

9 Adrian 10-0

10 Verona 11-2

Others receiving votes: Billings (9-4) Tarkio (East Atchison)

Class 3

1 Vashon 10-2

2 Springfield Catholic 14-0

3 Southern Boone 11-0

4 Trinity Catholic 12-0

5 Father Tolton 9-2

6 Monroe City 10-2

7 Licking 12-1

8 Blair Oaks 5-3

9 Palmyra 11-1

10 Hallsville 7-5

Others receiving votes: Centralia 9-2, Maryville 11-2, Clinton 7-4

Class 4

1 Sikeston 10-0

2 Central (Cape Girardeau) 12-1

3 Grandview 10-2

4 Farmington 10-1

5 Raytown South 8-2

6 Warrensburg 11-1

7 Rolla 9-2

8 Sullivan 9-1

9 Rogersville 10-3

10 Union. 7-2

Others receiving votes: Jennings (7-3) Hannibal (9-2)

Class 5

1 Webster Groves 10-0

2 Rockhurst 12-0

3 McCluer North 10-1

4 CBC 11-5

5 Rockbridge 8-2

6 Desmet 11-2

7 Ft Zumwalt South 9-2

8 Chaminade 7-5

9 Mehlville 11-4

10 Francis Howell 12-2

Others receiving votes: Battle (6-2) Kirkwood (8-2) Lee Summit North (8-2)