Football poll: Dragons remain No. 1 in AP

For the third consecutive week, the New Palestine football team is No. 1 in the Associated Press poll. The Dragons are just ahead of Cathedral. This season marks the first time a New Palestine team has ever been ranked No. 1. The Indiana Football Coaches Association has the Dragons at No. 4 for the third straight week. The Sagarin computer rankings have New Palestine at No. 3, while the Gridiron Digest fan poll has the Dragons at No. 4 with a first-place vote.

This Friday night, the unbeaten Dragons will face arch-rival Mt. Vernon in the 48th meeting between the two neighbors, and the seventh for which the Boundary Rail trophy will be contested. A victory would also give NP its first unbeaten regular season since 1988 and fourth in school history. It would also give the Dragons the outright Hoosier Heritage Conference title. Listen to the game at HancockCountySports.com

One other Hoosier Heritage Conference team is ranked, as Pendleton Heights checks in at No. 7 in both major polls, moving up from No. 9 last week. The Gridiron Digest poll board has the Arabians at No. 5, as does Jeff Sagarin's computer.

Associated Press poll, Oct. 10
1. New Palestine (8-0)
2. Cathedral (5-3)
3. Columbus East (7-1)
4. East Central (8-0)
5. Leo (8-0)
6. Hammmond Morton (7-1)
7. Pendleton Heights (7-1)
8. Evansville Reitz (6-2)
9. Fort Wayne Dwenger (5-3)
10. New Haven (7-1)

Indiana Football Coaches Association poll, Oct. 10
1. Cathedral (5-3)
2. East Central (8-0)
3. Columbus East (7-1)
4. New Palestine (8-0)
5. Leo (8-0)
6. Hammond Morton (7-1)
7. Pendleton Heights (7-1)
8. Fort Wayne Dwenger (5-3)
9. New Haven (7-1)
10. Evansville Reitz (6-2)

Sagarin computer rankings 4A top 10, through Week 8
1. Cathedral (5-3)
2. Columbus East (7-1)
3. New Palestine (8-0)
4. Roncalli (5-3)
5. Pendleton Heights (7-1)
6. South Bend Washington (5-3)
7. Fort Wayne Dwenger (5-3)
8. Mishawaka (5-3)
9. East Central (8-0)
10. Greenwood (5-3)

The Gridiron Digest poll, Oct. 9
1. Cathedral (5-3)
2. Columbus East (7-1)
3. East Central (8-0)
4. New Palestine (8-0)
5. Pendleton Heights (7-1)
6. Leo (8-0)
7. Evansville Reitz (6-2)
8. Hammond Morton (7-1)
9. Fort Wayne Dwenger (5-3)
10. New Haven (7-1)