The first MIAA power rankings of the winter season were released on Friday, with multiple Recorder Area schools finding themselves in a position where they’d be qualified for the postseason if the season were to end Friday.
For both the basketball and hockey state tournaments, the top 32 teams in each division automatically qualify for the postseason. Any team with a record above .500 will qualify as well even if they aren’t in the top 32 of the power rankings at the end of the season.
Records for the first installment of the power rankings are based on scores entered into Arbiter by 3 p.m. on Friday.
With most teams having played nearly half of their games, these rankings have a chance to change dramatically between now and the tournament. Here’s a look at where the area schools fall in the initial power rankings:
Three Recorder Area schools are in the top 32 of the Div. 5 field. Pioneer (7-1) has the highest ranking of the bunch, currently ranked No. 7 overall after its hot start to the season.
Greenfield (2-5) and Franklin Tech (6-4) were two of the last teams to make the initial Div. 5 bracket, with the Green Wave sitting at No. 29 and the Eagles at No. 32. Franklin Tech is currently riding a five-game win streak.
Athol (2-6) finds itself just outside the initial field, ranked No. 35 though has the second half of the season to find its way in. Turners (0-8) finds itself at No. 62.
In Div. 4, Frontier (7-3) is the lone area school in the top 32, ranked No. 25. Mahar (2-5) is No. 42 in the Div. 4 field.
Frontier (6-2) is currently the lone area team ranked in the top 32 of the Div. 4 field, sitting at No. 14 after an impressive start to the season. Mahar (2-6) was ranked No. 40 in the Div. 4 field.
The Div. 5 girls field was littered with Recorder Area schools in the top 32.
After losing its first three games of the season, Turners (5-3) has stormed back to win five straight and is ranked No. 11 in the initial power rankings.
Franklin Tech (7-2) isn’t far behind at No. 19 while Greenfield (3-4), Pioneer (2-7) and Mohawk Trail (5-4) were all in the top 32, the Green Wave at No. 23, the Panthers at No. 28 and the Warriors sneaking in at No. 31.
Athol (2-5) is ranked No. 48.
Greenfield might be out of the initial top 32 of the Div. 5, but if it’s able to continue stacking wins together it will get in regardless.
The Green Wave (5-3-1) were ranked No. 38 in Friday’s power rankings, but with a record over .500 would get them into the tournament regardless of where they’re ranked.