The first two rankings of the year were exactly the same. This week most positions have changed..

No. 1 Cardinal Newman (10-3) (Last Week No. 1)…This isn’t one of the changes.  They began league play much like they went through it last season with two one sided wins. They also had a one sided win over West Campus, a good Division 4 team from Sacramento.
No. 2 Middletown (9-4) (5)…This is high for an NCL I team but it is earned. They have double digit wins over Casa Grande and Analy. If it wasn’t for how good Cardinal Newman is, this could be the first NCL I No. 1 team in YSN365.com history. The bad news is that Middletown, like Cardinal Newman, is in Division 4.
No. 3 Healdsburg (12-1) (3)…Their schedule won’t scare anyone, but the record does. They have a, “prove it” type of game at Analy on Friday
.
No. 4 Casa Grande (8-4) (NR)…Jumps in the Top Ten for the first time in a big way. They lost three straight in December all by double figures. Since then has won four of five.
No.5 Ukiah (7-6) (NR)…After dropping a home overtime game to Windsor, went on the road and got a nice win against Montgomery.
No. 6 Montgomery (9-5) (2)…Knew they had a tough start to league play with the opener against Cardinal Newman. Then added just as tough a loss at home against Ukiah.
No. 7 Sonoma Academy (10-0) (7)…The schedule is a Division 5 schedule, which they have hammered. Seven of the ten wins by double figures.
No. 8 Santa Rosa (6-7) (6)…Two close games which they split. One was a one point loss to Casa Grande the other a three point win at Windsor. Next up is a home game against Ukiah.
No. 9 Windsor (7-6) (4)…They also split two close games, which was the theme of the first week of the NBL outside Cardinal Newman, who Windsor hosts next.
No. 10 Kelseyville (11-3) (9)…Three win week including a double overtime win over Cloverdale. They went down a step, not because of their week, but because of a good week by NBL teams.
POWER RANKINGS —(Monday Night games not included)
No. 1 Cardinal Newman (Last Week No. 1)…No. 4 in the entire North coast Section
No. 2 Middletown (4)
No. 3 Montgomery (2)
No. 4 Cloverdale (3)
No. 5 Kelseyville (7)
No. 6 Healdsburg (8)
No. 7 Ukiah (6)
No. 8 Sonoma Academy (5)
No. 9 Casa Grande (11)
No. 10 Rancho Cotate (9)
No. 11 Santa Rosa (15)
No. 12 Windsor (13)
No. 13 Lower Lake (10)
No. 14 Analy (17)
No. 15 Maria Carrillo (14)
No. 16 Sonoma Valley (16)
No. 17 Clear Lake (18)
No. 18 Fort Bragg (19)
No. 19 Round Valley (NR)
No. 20 Piner (12)
A LOOK AT THE RACES
NBL
Take Cardinal Newman out of the mix and this would be a pretty balanced league. There were six other games not involving Cardinal Newman the first week. Four of them were decided by six points or less and one other was a ten point overtime game.
Cardinal Newman and Casa Grande are 2-0, with everyone else behind. The two teams don’t meet until January 23rd at Casa Grande, a game that will end the first half. Six other teams are 1-1.
This is a three game week. Cardinal Newman is at Windsor and Ukiah before ending the week with a home game against Maria Carrillo.
Casa Grande has a trip to Windsor sandwiched in between home games against Rancho Cotate and Ukiah.
SCL
This league also has a three game week that began on Monday for everyone but Healdsburg, who had the league bye. Healdsburg is 2-0 in league play.
Analy joined them at 2-0 with a 56-35 win over Petaluma on Monday. Petaluma drops to 1-1. After a game at Piner on Wednesday, Analy host Healdsburg on Friday Night.
Analy got off to a tough start losing four of the first five and also had another four game losing streak. They are 7-9 overall.
Sonoma Valley moved to 2-1 with a win over El Molino. They were outscored 17-3 in the fourth quarter in a 36-30 loss to Analy for its league loss. After a 1-4 start, they have gotten to .500 at 8-8.
Piner is also 2-1 in league and 8-4 overall. The league loss was to Healdsburg 44-24.
NCL I
This race took a turn with Cloverdale losing the double overtime game to Kelseyville.
Middletown and Kelseyville are the only teams that started league with two wins.
Middletown is at Cloverdale on Tuesday, which looked like an early showdown for first. Instead it might be a survival game for Cloverdale. Middletown travels to Kelseyville on January 22nd.
Middletown and Kelseyville are three league games away from meeting each other.
NCL II
This league can be difficult to keep track of under normal conditions. Add to it there were games postponed for one reason or another.
Unofficially Upper Lake, Sonoma Academy and Roseland Prep University are undefeated in league play and St. Vincent and Calistoga has yet to play a league game.
On Tuesday, St. Vincent is at Upper Lake (maybe) and later in the week Calistoga starts league play with home games against Roseland University Prep and Upper Lake.
NCL III
Round Valley (2-0), Mendocino and Point Arena (both 1-0) are undefeated in league play. Point Arena is at Mendocino on Tuesday.
SMALL SCHOOL BRIDGE LEAGUE
Summerfield Waldorf is one of two teams undefeated in league play. The other team is El Sobrante Christian. According to the Max Preps schedule they only play each other once and that isn’t until January 30th.
Not real confident on the schedule that is listed there.
My email address is jacpasquini@comcast.net