Staff report

Niles McKinley rebounded from its first loss of the season with a 17-10 road victory at Howland last week and the bounce is still reverberating.

The win over the Tigers helped the Red Dragons (7-1) jump into the top spot in Division III, Region 9 in the latest Ohio High School Athletic Association football computer ratings, which were released Tuesday.

Warren Harding (7-1) and Austintown Fitch (7-1) are fifth and seventh, respectively, in Division I, Region 1.

Howland (6-2) is seventh in Division II, Region 5.

The top eight teams in each of 24 regions qualify for the playoffs.

Other area teams currently in playoff position include: Poland (5-3), Brookfield (8-0), Liberty (7-1), Crestview (8-0), Columbiana (6-2), Warren JFK (7-1), Youngstown Christian (6-1) and Western Reserve (6-2).