The Worth County Tigers, with seven of eight first-place votes, are the preseason favorite to win the eight-school Grand River West conference in 2023, with the Tigers, in the first statewide eight-man poll, ranked #1, with 67 points, edging out second-place Archie’s 66 points.
Worth County, in the GRC West poll, amassed 49 points. The defending state champions from North Andrew High School received the other first-place vote, with 41 total points. In the third position, Stanberry had 33 points to edge out Albany’s fourth place total of 32 points.
King City is in the fifth spot with 28 points, with Princeton, entering its first season as an eight-man team, in sixth with 19 points. While inexperienced at the eight-man level, the Tigers to bring good talent to the field this fall, led by Talan Holt, Evan Houck, and Kelby Thomas, in addition to senior speedster Andrew Rhoades.
Pattonsburg, a program looking to improve its defense in 2023, is marked seventh, followed by St. Joseph Christian.
Worth County’s #1 ranking in the Week 1 media poll includes the Tigers receiving four of seven first-place votes, with Archie receiving the other two. North Andrew is third with Princeton’s Week #2 opponent, Platte Valley, in the fourth spot.
Orrick is ranked fifth, followed by a two-way tie for sixth place between East Atchison and North Shelby. Bishop LeBlond, Drexel, and Lockwood are in a three-way tie for eight place.
Key Week #1 matchups in eight-man will be Platte Valley vs. Worth County, Lockwood vs. Archie, East Atchison at King City, and Bishop LeBlond at North Shelby.
In the eight-man “other receiving votes” category are Albany and Plattsburg (both at 5), Schuyler County (3), and King City (1).
