W. Harding, Poland boys in poll’s top 10

Vindicator staff report

Warren Harding and Poland each nabbed the seventh spots in their respective divisions in the first Associated Press statewide boys basketball poll, released Tuesday.

Harding (6-0), which advanced to the Division I regional finals last season, is off to a hot start. Senior guard Sheldon Brogdon, a YSU recruit, and senior guard Desmar Jackson have helped the Raiders to wins over strong programs from Euclid, Farrell, Shaker Heights, Cleveland St. Ignatius and Massillon.

Poland (7-2), which has advanced to the Division II state semifinals the past two seasons, is coming off its first loss to a Valley team in nearly two years. The Bulldogs fell to Hubbard on Friday; their last area loss came against Canfield on Feb. 16, 2007.

Poland’s other loss this season was to Canton GlenOak, which is 8-0. Both Hubbard (7-2) and GlenOak are unranked.

In Division III, Maplewood (8-0) is 11th, followed by Ursuline (tied for 18th with a 5-2 record) and Newton Falls (21st with a 10-1 mark).

McDonald (8-0) is 13th in Div. IV.

Columbus Northland is first in the big school division. Other leading vote-getters are St. Paris Graham (II), Ottawa-Glandorf (III) and New Knoxville (IV).