Movement at the Top of OHSAA Rankings
St. Edward, St. Francis change positions
PHOTO: @Kwilk41
Every week during the 2021-22 high school hockey season, Ohio Hockey Digest will take a look at the top 25 teams according to www.myhockeyrankings.com (click here to read an explanation on how MHR works).
Click on logos to be directed to that team's page including their full season schedule/results.
Notes:
1) In order to keep things cleaner and easier to digest, the third number listed in the team records below (0-0-0) includes ties, OT losses and shootout losses. Let's call it "losses past regulation". The standings on this website go into further detail (0-0-0-0-0) but are also UNOFFICIAL. For official league standings please go to the respective league websites.
2) For schools with more than one team, Ohio Hockey Digest only considers the top varsity team. You will not see results or rankings for St. Edward "Green", Gilmour Academy Varsity B, etc.
WHAT'S NEW THIS WEEK
There were only two teams in the top 16 that changed positions this week but it was big news as #2 St. Edward and #3 Toledo St. Francis flipped spots. The Eagles leap-frogged into the second spot thanks largely to a 6-1 win over #5 Gilmour Academy.
We will publish this weekly summary one more time next week after the league tournaments which are going on as we speak.
There was only one team - Benedictine - that moved more than one spot up or down within the Top 25. The Bengals moved up two spots not because of their play (they were idle) but the teams above them sliding.
Dublin Jerome and Amherst Steele continued jousting on the bubble as they have for the past month or so with the Celtics coming in at #24 and pushing the Comets out.
WHAT COULD A 16-TEAM DIVISION I BRACKET LOOK LIKE?
Last year I suggested a two-division format for the OHSAA post-season. Click here to read the article and methodology. This is what the 16-team Division I bracket would look like for the 2022 tournament using this week's rankings and the format I suggested:
BROOKLYN DISTRICT: 1. Saint Ignatius vs. 15. Padua Franciscan; 8. University School vs. 11. Findlay
KENT DISTRICT: 2. St. Edward vs. 14. Shaker Heights; 5. Gilmour Academy vs. 12. Walsh Jesuit
SYLVANIA DISTRICT: 3. Toledo St. Francis vs. 13. Sylvania Northview; 7. Olentangy Liberty vs. 10. Bowling Green
COLUMBUS DISTRICT: 4. Upper Arlington vs. 16. Mentor; 6. Olentangy Berlin vs. 9. St. Charles Prep
JUST MISSED THE CUT/TOP CONTENDERS IN DIVISION II TOURNAMENT: Archbishop Moeller, Perrysburg, Hudson, Dublin Coffman, St. Xavier
THIS WEEK'S OHSAA TOP 25 ACCORDING TO WWW.MYHOCKEYRANKINGS.COM
1. SAINT IGNATIUS WILDCATS (14-5-3, INDEPENDENT)
(no change)
Saint Ignatius, which plays an independent schedule, crossed into Michigan to find some elite competition with the district tournaments just around the corner.
RECENT RESULTS:
3-2 OTW Calumet (MI)
3-2 W Hartland (MI)
2. ST. EDWARD EAGLES (21-5-4, 10-0-0 GLHL)
(+1 spot)
A convincing 6-1 win over #5 Gilmour Academy helped St. Edward wrap up a perfect 10-0-0 slate in the Great Lakes League and move up into the #2 spot in the state rankings. The Eagles have a bye into Friday's semifinal round of the Cleveland Cup where they will face #15 Padua Franciscan.
RECENT RESULTS:
6-1 W #5 Gilmour Academy
3-2 W #15 Padua Franciscan
3. TOLEDO ST. FRANCIS KNIGHTS (22-7-1, 9-1-0 NHC RED)
(-1 spot)
St. Francis followed the same plan as Saint Ignatius, heading up into Michigan, but suffered a loss Friday and had to go to a shootout to get the win Saturday. That, combined with the strong finish by St. Edward, knocks the Knights down to #3
RECENT RESULTS
2-4 L Rockford (MI)
5-4 SOW Cranbrook Kingswood (MI)
4. UPPER ARLINGTON GOLDEN BEARS (25-5-1, 7-3-0 CHC RED)
(no change)
Upper Arlington has won more games (25) than any other team in the state. They open their (2x) Blue Jackets Cup title defense as the #2 seed against #22 St. Xavier on Thursday.
RECENT RESULTS:
4-2 W #9 St. Charles Prep
9-2 W Olentangy Orange
9-0 W Thomas Worthington
5. GILMOUR ACADEMY "VARSITY A" LANCERS (20-9-3, 7-2-1 GLHL)
(no change)
The Lancers have appeared in the championship game of the Cleveland Cup three times in the last four years. Their quest to make it four of five starts in the quarters against Holy Name, which they beat 7-0 in their regular season finale.
RECENT RESULTS:
1-6 L #2 St. Edward
7-0 W Holy Name
6. OLENTANGY BERLIN BEARS (22-4-1, 6-3-1 CHC RED)
(no change)
Olentangy Berlin has lost just one games since December 12, going 12-1-1 down the stretch. Despite being on a major heater, they only enter the CBJ Cup as the #3 seed. First up: #25 Dublin Jerome.
RECENT RESULTS:
7-1 W #22 St. Xavier
4-2 W #17 Archbishop Moeller
7. OLENTANGY LIBERTY PATRIOTS (22-5-3, 9-1-0 CHC RED)
(no change)
Liberty rode a 14-game winning streak (and 15-0-1 unbeaten streak) to first place in the Red Division of the Capital Hockey Conference. The Patriots hope to keep the streak going and win the Blue Jackets Cup for the first time since 2011. They open against unranked Thomas Worthington.
RECENT RESULTS:
13-0 W New Albany
6-3 W #9 St. Charles
8. UNIVERSITY SCHOOL PREPPERS (16-12-2, 6-4-0 GLHL)
(no change)
University played Friday, won their GLHL season finale, then took the rest of the weekend off. The Preppers should be well-rested for their Cleveland Cup Quarterfinal game Wednesday against #14 Walsh Jesuit. US is looking for their first Cleveland Cup despite playing in the championship game five times since 2014.
RECENT RESULTS:
2-1 W #15 Padua Franciscan
9. ST. CHARLES PREP CARDINALS (20-8-1, 4-5-1 CHC RED)
(no change)
St. Charles won 12 in a row before Christmas, but the Cardinals were just 4-8-1 down the stretch. None of that will matter if they can win their next three and win their second Blue Jackets Cup title (2014). That quest starts against #17 Moeller in the quarters.
RECENT RESULTS:
2-4 L #4 Upper Arlington
3-6 L #7 Olentangy Liberty
10. BOWLING GREEN BOBCATS (20-8-2, 5-3-1 NHC RED)
(no change)
BG's win over Perrysburg was a non-league game but was their 20th win of the season. The Bobcats will tune up for the district playoffs with an ambitious 3-in-3 this weekend. Hear head coach Connor Rogowski on last week's Ohio Hockey Digest On Air podcast. Click here to listen!
RECENT RESULTS:
6-3 W #18 Perrysburg
11. FINDLAY TROJANS (16-6-5, 6-1-1 NHC RED)
(no change)
Findlay was idle but plays three Northwest Hockey Conference foes this week in preparation of the upcoming Sylvania District playoffs.
RECENT RESULTS:
DNP
12. SYLVANIA NORTHVIEW WILDCATS (12-15-4, 3-5-2 NHC RED)
(no change)
The Wildcats faced teams from three different states at the Hoosier Classic in Indiana. They are back in Northwest Ohio this weekend as they finish off league play and prepare for the district tournament.
RECENT RESULTS:
1-0 W Lake Central (IN)
3-0 W DeMatha (MD)
2-4 L Peter's Township (PA)
13. SHAKER HEIGHTS RED RAIDERS (15-13-4, 5-4-1 GLHL)
(no change)
Shaker played a single game last weekend to finish off their GLHL schedule, which was fortuitous scheduling since they had a quick turnaround for a Cleveland Cup game Tuesday that went to double-overtime. The Red Raiders were eliminated from the league tournament but await the Kent District draw.
RECENT RESULTS:
3-2 W #14 Walsh Jesuit
4-5 2OTL #15 Padua Franciscan
14. WALSH JESUIT WARRIORS (14-13-2, 3-7-0 GLHL)
(no change)
Walsh opens Cleveland Cup play Wednesday evening against #8 University School. The Warriors have won their first round game 5x in 7 years in the GLHL league tournament, but are 0-5 all-time in the semifinals.
RECENT RESULTS
9-1 W Holy Name
2-3 L #13 Shaker Heights
15. PADUA FRANCISCAN BRUINS (12-11-6, 3-6-1 GLHL)
(no change)
Padua's goal-scoring woes sent the Bruins into the post-season on an 0-8-1 stretch, but they re-discovered their scoring touch just in time, scoring five times and defeating #13 Shaker Heights in the Cleveland Cup Quarterfinals. Next up is #2 St. Edward in the semifinals Friday night.
RECENT RESULTS:
1-2 L #8 University School
2-3 L #2 St. Edward
5-4 2OTW #13 Shaker Heights
16. MENTOR CARDINALS (20-8-3, 7-4-1 GCHSHL RED)
(no change)
Mentor closed out the regular season with a pair of wins over Olmsted Falls, setting up a Baron Cup Quarterfinal meeting with...Olmsted Falls.
RECENT RESULTS:
4-0 W Olmsted Falls
5-2 W Olmsted Falls
17. ARCHBISHOP MOELLER CRUSADERS (9-15-7, 3-7-0 CHC RED)
(+1 spot)
Moeller, which moved up for the second week in a row, goes up against a motivated #9 St. Charles Prep team in Thursday's Blue Jackets Cup quarterfinals.
RECENT RESULTS
2-4 L #6 Olentangy Berlin
5-4 OTW #19 Dublin Coffman
18. PERRYSBURG YELLOW JACKETS (15-11-4, 4-4-1, NHC RED)
(-1 spot)
With no league tournament, Perrysburg will play a pair of league games to close out the season and get ready for the district playoffs.
RECENT RESULTS:
3-6 L #10 Bowling Green
19. DUBLIN COFFMAN SHAMROCKS (12-12-2, 3-1-1, CHC WHITE)
(+1 spot)
The Rocks failed to qualify for the Blue Jacket Cup, but enter the consolation tournament as the second seed behind Olentangy Orange.
RECENT RESULTS:
2-1 W Springboro
4-5 OTL #17 Archbishop Moeller
20. HUDSON EXPLORERS (17-7-1, 9-1-1 GCHSHL RED)
(-1 spot)
Hudson should be well-rested for the Baron Cup semifinals on Saturday. They have six days to rest following a win over #25 Rocky River. The Explorers earned the top spot in the Red Division and a bye, and will play the River-Amherst winner.
RECENT RESULTS:
4-3 W #25 Rocky River
21. TOLEDO ST. JOHN'S TITANS (6-18-3, 4-4-1, NHC RED)
(+1 spot)
It has not been a great season for St. John's but the Titans seem to be playing their best hockey at the right time of year, having won their last three games and moving up three spots over the past two weeks.
RECENT RESULTS:
4-1 W Anthony Wayne
22. ST. XAVIER BOMBERS (15-9-1, 4-0-1 CHC WHITE)
(-1 spot)
St. X finished atop the White Division of the CHC and enter the CBJ Cup as the #6 seed. The Bombers drew #4 UA in the quarterfinals.
RECENT RESULTS:
1-7 L #6 Olentangy Berlin
4-2 W Olentangy
7-0 W DeSales
23. BENEDICTINE BENGALS (13-5-2, 6-2-2 GCHSHL RED)
(+2 spots)
With their regular season finale snowed out, Benedictine opens their post-season Wednesday against Avon Lake in a Baron Cup playoff game.
RECENT RESULTS:
DNP
24. DUBLIN JEROME (13-15-2, 5-1-0 CHC WHITE)
(+2 spots)
Dublin Jerome pops back into the Top 25 thanks to a four-game winning streak heading into the post-season that includes victories over #22 St. Xavier and rival #19 Dublin Coffman. They will need that momentum heading into a CBJ Cup playoff game against #6 Berlin.
RECENT RESULTS:
11-0 W Columbus Academy
25. ROCKY RIVER PIRATES (13-11-3, 5-5-1 GCHSHL RED)
(-2 spots)
The Pirates lost the battle but they can still win the war. If they can get past Amherst in the first round, they will get a chance to avenge a regular season-ending loss to Hudson as they defend their Baron Cup title.
RECENT RESULTS:
3-4 L #20 Hudson
