Final Lorain County Football Power Rankings

This week is a series of stories recapping the 2011 high school football season in Lorain county Ohio.

• Part 1: WOBL Radio Games
• Part 2: Final High School Football Regular Season Standings
• Part 3: Final Team Power Rankings
• Part 4: Top Players of 2011
• Part 5: Top Stories of 2011

Here are my team rankings with their records, pre-season and mid-season rankings:

1. Avon 13-2, (6-0 West Shore Conference), (1, 1) – The best school in Lorain County. The Eagles became the first Lorain-County school to play in a state championship game since 2004. The team used a 2010 week 11 loss to Sandusky and a 2011 week 10 loss to Lake Catholic as focus and motivation as they went through play-offs. Although the season ended in disappointment (42-28 loss to Trotwood-Madison), this Eagles team represented the city, county, and Northeast Ohio well.
   
   
2. Avon Lake 8-2, (7-0 in Southwestern Conference), (2, 6) – Tough to put a non-playoff qualifer as the #2 team in this ranking but Avon Lake deserves it. The Shoremen were bumped up to Division I status by one student (494 boys) and thus had to compete in the perennially strong Region 2.. They still earned 23 computer which would been enough to get in the post-season in regions 1, 3 and 4. This year Shoremen team did have some solid players like Dontez Smith, Collin Lucas and Brett Bass but no superstars. They accomplished in 2011 what they always do -  win the SWC, their 17th conference title in 20 years under head coach Dave Dlugosz.
   
   
3. Firelands 10-1, (7-0 in Patriot Athletic Conference, Stars Division), (14, 5) – The Falcons were by far the biggest feel-good story of the year. A team that won nine games over the previous seven years goes undefeated in the regular season and makes their first play-off appearance in school history. With nine seniors starting on offense and defense, several Falcon players such as QB Kyle Smith, RB Nick Deichler, WB Joe Kudela, DT Joe DeWitt, WR Cody Northeim, WR Jake Myers and TE Steve Bajcer had big seasons. The season ended abruptly in week 11 losing 66-14 at Chagrin Falls.
   
   
4. Wellington 7-4, (6-1 in PAC Stars), (9, 7) – Returned to the play-offs for the first time since 2003. Senior running back Clay Wright capped his stellar career with 1348 yards rushing and 24 touchdowns. The Dukes were defeated by four teams with a combined 51-5 record.
   
   
5. Midview 8-2, (5-1 in WSC), (8, 4) – The Middies are back. Their first winning season since 2007, 2nd place in the strong WSC. A head-scratching loss in week one to Lorain kept Midview out of the play-offs. Sophomore Cody Callaway finished with 158 of 260 passing for 2076 yards and 19 touchdowns. The future looks bright in Grafton.
   
   
6. Elyria 7-3, (2-3 Northeast Ohio Conference, River Division), (10, 2) – With coach-of-the-year candidate Kevin Fell and player-of-the-year candidate Dustin Stolarski, the Pioneers recorded their first winning season since 2006. Stolarski had a big year with 201 of 335 passing for 2805 yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Losing their final two games at home vs. Hudson and Mayfield will keep them hungry for next year.
   
   
7. North Ridgeville 8-2, (4-2 in WSC), (6, 3) – Successful year for the Rangers. Eight victories is nothing to sneeze at but most were against inferior competition. Didn't score an offensive touchdowns against the two good teams (35-7 to Avon, 41-0 to Midview) on their schedule.
   
   
8. Lorain 5-5, (2-4 in Lake Erie League), (12, 10) – Like Wellington, the Titans record is a big improvement from a 2-8 mark last year when you consider four of the five losses this season were against play-off teams (Avon, Cleveland Heights, Maple Heights and Shaw). First-year coach Mark Solis has this team moving in the right direction.
   
   
9. Columbia 7-3, (5-2 in PAC Stripes), (5, 9) – Second straight winning season for the Raiders. Senior quarterback John Banyasz finishes his career holding all school passing records: 418 of 730 for 5778 yards, 57 touchdowns and 30 interceptions including 125-202-2147-18-6 in 2011.
   
   
10. Elyria Catholic 5-5, (3-3 in WSC), (3, 8) – Life in the new West Shore Conference was difficult for the Panthers. The future looks bright after 6-5 sophomore quarterback Jeremy Holley completed 165 of 264 passes for 1925 yards and 21 touchdowns. WR/DB Jordan Alpater will be back next season and seemed to find a different way to score each week reaching the end zone 11 times.
    
    
11. Amherst 1-9, (0-7 in SWC), (7, 12) – After three straight winning seasons, the Comets hit rock-bottom under first-year coach Chad DiFranco. They got drilled 55-0 by Elyria in week 1 and never recovered. Amherst was 1-9 in 1986 and 1964.
    
    
12. Clearview 4-6, (4-3 in PAC Stripes), (4, 14) – Team started slow winning only one of their first six games. Seemed to get their act together during their three-game winning streak toward the end of the year. Struggles on the offensive line and quarterback led to their downfall.
    
    
13. Brookside 4-6, (2-5 in PAC Stars), (15, 11) - Four victories matches the most wins in a season since 2006. Pretty remarkable given the changes in coaches, quarterbacks, offensive and defensive schemes. The four teams Brookside defeated this year were a combined 3-37.
    
    
14. Vermilion 1-9, (0-6 in WSC), (13, 13) – The Sailors have won just twice since 2009. Highlight of 2011 season was an upset win in week 2 over Clearview. Senior running back Jason Anthony rushed for over 1000 yards for offense that had no sign of a passing attack. More bad news after the season: Football Coach, Athletic Director and Assistant Principal Ben Ohlemacher has been placed on paid administrative leave during an investigation involving his administrative duties.
    
    
15. Keystone 0-10, (0-7 in PAC Stars), (11, 16) – The Wildcats had to start over this year with only returning two lettermen from 2010. Didn't have much luck staying healthy. Also was unfortunate to not have Oberlin on the schedule this year. Greg Howard, Denny Szalai and C.J. Conrad give some hope for the future.
    
    
16. Oberlin 2-8, (0-7 in PAC Stripes), (16, 15) – Difficult to put a winless Keystone team ahead of a two win Oberlin team but I truly think the Wildcats would beat the Phoenix if they played each other. Fred Howery is a good coach and he had some good players like Jason Moore Jr. and Drew Randleman. The team just had too many key players having sit out games due to suspensions. Oberlin finished last in the final 2010 power rankings as well.
    

Best Halftime: Oberlin
On Homecoming night, the lights in the stadium were turned off and the band members wore LED lights on their persons and performed the show. This was the best halftime show I've seen ever.

Generally when the weather is bad and the field is a mess, the band will perform the halftime show on the track. Luckily, the band played on the field and the kids delivered. Given the choice of the Oberlin band performing on the field or save the field. I say have the team play on the field.