Ursuline and South Range have top 10 rankings.

YOUNGSTOWN — To no one’s surprise, the Mooney High football team has been selected the top team in the state in Division IV.

However, Canfield being voted the best team in Ohio in Div. II might raise a few eyebrows.

And in Div. V which is ultracompetitive in this area, the highest-ranked area team is not South Range (which hasn’t lost a regular-season game in nearly three years).

When the Associated Press’ first poll of state football teams was released Monday, Mooney (state champions two of the past three years and state runner-up in the other) was in its accustomed number one position.

The Cardinals (3-0) are the only Div. IV team from the Mahoning Valley to be honored.

Another set of Cardinals — Mike Pavlansky’s 3-0 Canfield team — was the only Valley team to make Div. II’s top 10. However, Howland (3-0) is ranked 12th.

Metro showdown Friday

Friday at 7 p.m., Canfield plays at Howland in a Week 4 game that will help decide the Metro Athletic Conference title.

In Div. V, Ursuline (3-0 and a Div. IV team last year) tied Hamler Patrick Henry for third. South Range (3-0) tied Sherwood Fairview for sixth.

In 2005, Henry defeated South Range in the state semifinals then won the title. That was the furthest South Range has advanced in the playoffs. Ursuline won the 2000 state title in Div. IV and was a semifinalist two seasons later.

Also in Div. V, Mineral Ridge (3-0) was voted 20th.

None of the Valley’s Div. I teams were recognized in this week’s poll.

In Div. III, West Branch (3-0) was selected eighth and Niles (3-0) earned enough votes for 10th. Also receiving notice were Liberty at No. 11 and Beaver Local at No. 20.

In Div. VI, Warren JFK (2-1 and last year’s state runner-up in Div. V) is seventh. McDonald (2-1) is 22.