POWER RATINGS (Oct. 22-28): Rummel continues to gain ground; Vandebilt stays put despite loss

Moving on...
Other interesting trends/views/moves:
*Rummel, after losing, in the first week of the season, continues its progression up the charts in 5A. The Red Raiders moved up another spot this week to No. 4. Week 3 was the first week I received the polls, and Rummel was No. 20 then. Now, with two weeks to play, Rummel is going to get a very high seed barring an upset. And this is with a team that head coach Jay Roth said was young and needed some seasoning.

*Ben Franklin, off toa 5-1 start, was looking to do something the school had not done before -- make the playoffs. Playing in a weak area didn't help, but the Falcons could afford to lose one game in the district and stay alive for a spot in the postseason. Those dreams came crashing down this past week when an 8-7 loss to Reed plummeted the Falcons from 31st to 37th. It's unlikely at this point that Ben Franklin can work its way back up enough to get a playoff spot.

*Three of the top five teams in 4A come from the area. Shaw and Vandebilt Catholic are in the same district (8-4A) and are No. 1 and 2, respectively. Holy Cross, after getting dismantled by Vandebilt earlier in the season, is up to No. 4, behind defending state champion Bastrop. Can you imagine what the Catholic League would be like if Holy Cross and Shaw were in it this year? Rummel, Shaw and Holy Cross, not to mention No. 16 in 5A Jesuit and No. 21 Brother Martin.

*2A remains the sickest division out there. And when I say sick, I don't mean the ill-and-not-feeling-well sick. I mean ridiculously good sick. Average movement fell again this week to 2. The top 16 (that would be your top 16 seeds if the playoffs started today) barely changed, only slight mathematical corrections made the difference.

*Speaking of 2A, Curtis is No. 1, St. James is No. 3 and Newman is No. 5. How tough is that district?

Average movement (w/ last week's average):
5A: 3.321 (Oct. 16=4.089)
4A: 2.825 (Oct. 16=3.439)
3A: 3.467 (Oct. 16=3.733)
2A: 2 (Oct. 16=2.691)
1A: 3.411 (Oct. 16=3.536)

Class: 5A
01) 15.38 Destrehan (-)
02) 15.00 St Thomas More (+1)
03) 14.57 West Monroe (+1)
04) 14.00 Rummel (+1)
05) 14.00 Acadiana (-3)
06) 13.75 Hahnville (-)
07) 13.50 Catholic (BR) (-)
08) 12.88 Central (BR) (+5)
09) 12.88 Sulphur (+2)
10) 12.75 Byrd (+6)
11) 12.62 St Paul (+6)
12) 12.38 Higgins (+10)
13) 12.38 Pineville (+5)
14) 12.38 Dutchtown (-5)
15) 12.29 John Ehret (+11)
16) 12.25 Jesuit (+4)
17) 12.25 H L Bourgeois (+2)
18) 12.12 Mandeville (+3)
19) 12.00 Huntington (-11)
20) 12.00 East St John (-10)
21) 12.00 Brother Martin (-6)
22) 11.75 Barbe (-6)
23) 11.75 Northshore (+1)
24) 11.75 Westgate (+1)
25) 11.71 Carencro (+2)
26) 11.71 Captain Shreve (-14)
27) 11.38 West Jefferson (+1)
28) 11.00 Fontainebleau (-5)
29) 10.75 Ouachita (+3)
30) 10.75 St Amant (+3)
31) 10.62 St Augustine (+3)
32) 10.00 East Ascension (-3)
33) 10.00 Assumption (+5)
34) 9.75 Central Lafourche (+3)
35) 9.75 Lafayette (-4)
36) 9.62 Ruston (-6)
37) 9.50 Slidell (+7)
38) 9.38 Thibodaux (-3)
39) 9.25 Scotlandville (-3)
40) 8.88 Comeaux (+8)
41) 8.75 Bonnabel (-2)
42) 8.62 Hammond (-1)
43) 8.50 New Iberia (-3)
44) 8.12 Grace King (-2)
45) 8.12 Chalmette (-)
46) 8.00 Ponchatoula (-3)
47) 8.00 Woodlawn (BR) (-)
48) 7.88 Terrebonne (-2)
49) 7.88 South Terrebonne (-)
50) 7.88 Denham Springs (-)
51) 7.62 Southwood (+2)
52) 7.00 Airline (-1)
53) 6.88 Covington (-1)
54) 6.50 South Lafourche (-)
55) 6.50 Natchitoches Central (+1)
56) 5.12 Walker (-1)

Class: 4A
01) 17.38 Shaw (-)
02) 15.25 Vandebilt Catholic (-)
03) 15.12 Bastrop (-)
04) 14.75 Holy Cross (-)
05) 14.50 Teurlings Catholic (-)
06) 14.00 Franklinton (-)
07) 13.88 Benton (+2)
08) 13.88 Parkway (-1)
09) 13.75 Eunice (-1)
10) 13.38 Northside (+1)
11) 13.12 Zachary (+4)
12) 12.88 Tara (+4)
13) 12.75 West Ouachita (+4)
14) 12.75 Haughton (+4)
15) 12.71 Washington Marion (-1)
16) 12.50 Breaux Bridge (-4)
17) 12.50 Neville (-7)
18) 12.38 Belle Chasse (-5)
19) 12.00 Ellender (-)
20) 11.88 Helen Cox (+2)
21) 11.62 Tioga (+3)
22) 11.25 Karr (+7)
23) 11.12 Bossier (+7)
24) 11.00 Salmen (+9)
25) 10.75 Abbeville (+6)
26) 10.75 Beau Chene (-5)
27) 10.62 O P Walker (-4)
28) 10.62 McDonogh#35 (+7)
29) 10.50 Morgan City (-9)
30) 10.38 DeRidder (-5)
31) 10.25 Peabody (-4)
32) 10.12 Pearl River (-6)
33) 10.00 Fair Park (-5)
34) 10.00 St Michael (+3)
35) 9.88 Alexandria (+4)
36) 9.62 McKinley (+2)
37) 9.62 Istrouma (-3)
38) 9.62 Sam Houston (-6)
39) 9.50 Leesville (+3)
40) 9.38 Minden (-4)
41) 8.62 John McDonogh (-1)
42) 8.38 Live Oak (-1)
43) 8.12 Glen Oaks (+6)
44) 7.88 Broadmoor (-1)
45) 7.75 Opelousas (-1)
46) 7.50 LaGrange (+1)
47) 7.50 Northwood (SH) (+1)
48) 7.38 East Jefferson (-2)
49) 7.38 Franklin Parish (-4)
50) 7.00 Woodlawn (SH) (-)
51) 6.62 Carroll (-)
52) 6.50 Grant (+1)
53) 6.38 St Martinville (-1)
54) 6.25 Belaire (-)
55) 6.12 Warren Easton (-)
56) 5.88 Riverdale (-)
57) 5.00 Lee (-)

Class: 3A
01) 16.75 Parkview Baptist (-)
02) 16.12 Notre Dame (-)
03) 16.00 Westlake (-)
04) 16.00 Redemptorist (-)
05) 15.38 Jennings (-)
06) 14.50 Lutcher (-)
07) 14.00 Bunkie (+1)
08) 13.50 Rayville (+1)
09) 13.12 Marksville (+3)
10) 12.88 Amite (+3)
11) 12.75 Rayne (-4)
12) 12.50 Baker (+2)
13) 12.38 St Charles (+3)
14) 12.12 Capitol (-4)
15) 12.12 B T Washington (SH) (+2)
16) 12.00 Cecilia (+3)
17) 11.88 E D White (+5)
18) 11.86 Northeast (-7)
19) 11.75 Patterson (+6)
20) 11.62 Loranger (+3)
21) 11.38 St Louis (-6)
22) 11.29 Iowa (+4)
23) 11.12 Independence (+4)
24) 11.12 Richwood (-6)
25) 10.75 West Feliciana (-5)
26) 10.75 Iota (-5)
27) 10.62 Winnfield (+5)
28) 10.38 Catholic (NI) (+7)
29) 10.25 Church Point (+1)
30) 10.25 Wossman (-6)
31) 10.12 Plaquemine (-2)
32) 10.12 Buckeye (+6)
33) 9.88 Green Oaks (+6)
34) 9.88 Port Allen (-6)
35) 9.62 Bolton (-2)
36) 9.50 Clark (+7)
37) 9.50 Ben Franklin (-6)
38) 9.50 Crowley (+8)
39) 9.25 Vidalia (-3)
40) 9.25 Bogalusa (-6)
41) 9.00 North DeSoto (-4)
42) 8.88 Reed (+6)
43) 8.88 Erath (+6)
44) 8.62 Kaplan (-4)
45) 8.62 Madison (-4)
46) 8.50 Franklin (+6)
47) 8.50 North Vermilion (-5)
48) 8.50 West St Mary (-3)
49) 8.25 De La Salle (-5)
50) 8.00 Jena (-3)
51) 7.75 Brusly (-1)
52) 7.75 Douglass (+2)
53) 7.50 Northwest (-2)
54) 7.50 Caldwell (+1)
55) 7.12 Jewel Sumner (-2)
56) 6.25 Albany (+1)
57) 6.25 Berwick (+1)
58) 6.25 McMain (-2)
59) 6.00 Cohen (+1)
60) 5.88 Avoyelles (-1)

Class: 2A
01) 18.43 John Curtis (-)
02) 16.93 Evangel (-)
03) 16.50 St James (-)
04) 16.14 Calvary Baptist (+1)
05) 15.38 Newman (-1)
06) 15.12 St John (-)
07) 14.75 Donaldsonville (-)
08) 14.38 Clinton (+1)
09) 14.25 Ferriday (-1)
10) 14.00 Springhill (+1)
11) 13.88 Westminster (-1)
12) 13.50 Oakdale (+1)
13) 13.50 Port Barre (+1)
14) 13.50 Kinder (-2)
15) 13.12 Mansfield (+1)
16) 12.88 Springfield (-1)
17) 12.62 Red River (+2)
18) 12.50 Menard (-)
19) 12.38 Dunham (-2)
20) 11.38 Homer (+2)
21) 11.12 University Lab (-1)
22) 11.12 Opelousas Catholic (-1)
23) 11.12 Rosepine (+8)
24) 11.00 Fisher (+1)
25) 10.88 Sterlington (+3)
26) 10.88 St Thomas Aquinas (+6)
27) 10.88 Pope John Paul (-4)
28) 10.75 Livonia (-4)
29) 10.62 South Beauregard (+6)
30) 10.62 Mamou (+3)
31) 10.25 Riverside (-1)
32) 10.25 Loyola (-5)
33) 10.25 Farmerville (+6)
34) 10.14 Welsh (-8)
35) 10.12 Ville Platte (-6)
36) 10.12 Episcopal (BR) (+2)
37) 9.88 Jonesboro Hodge (+4)
38) 9.75 Loreauville (+2)
39) 9.75 North Caddo (+3)
40) 9.38 Many (-4)
41) 9.12 Lake Arthur (-7)
42) 8.88 Vinton (-5)
43) 8.12 Jackson (-)
44) 8.00 Lakeview (-)
45) 7.88 St Helena Central (+1)
46) 7.62 Pointe Coupee Central (-1)
47) 7.25 DeQuincy (-)
48) 7.00 Jeanerette (-)
49) 6.75 Pine (-)
50) 6.62 Pickering (-)
51) 6.38 Lakeside (-)
52) 6.25 East Beauregard (-)
53) 6.00 Sacred Heart (VP) (-)
54) 5.75 Lake Providence (-)
55) 5.00 Pine Prairie (-)

Class: 1A
01) 15.38 Cedar Creek (-)
02) 14.62 Oak Grove (+1)
03) 14.38 South Plaquemines (-1)
04) 14.38 Hamilton Christian (-)
05) 14.25 Kentwood (+1)
06) 14.00 Ouachita Christian (-1)
07) 13.75 Delhi Charter (-)
08) 13.50 Central Catholic (-)
09) 13.29 Catholic (PC) (+1)
10) 13.00 White Castle (+1)
11) 12.75 Basile (+3)
12) 12.50 St Edmund's (+1)
13) 12.12 Vermilion Catholic (+6)
14) 12.12 Haynesville (+1)
15) 12.00 Delhi (+2)
16) 12.00 Desire Street (+4)
17) 11.88 Northlake Christian (-5)
18) 11.75 Oberlin (-5)
19) 11.75 West St John (+2)
20) 11.57 Acadiana Prep (-2)
21) 11.12 Mangham (-5)
22) 10.88 Plain Dealing (+6)
23) 10.62 LaSalle (-)
24) 10.50 Crescent City (+3)
25) 10.50 Merryville (+18)
26) 10.50 Southern Lab (+6)
27) 10.12 Ascension Catholic (+7)
28) 10.00 South Cameron (-6)
29) 9.86 Varnado (+7)
30) 9.75 St Frederick (-6)
31) 9.50 St Martin's (-5)
32) 9.50 Arcadia (+9)
33) 9.25 Gueydan (-3)
34) 9.25 North Iberville (-5)
35) 9.12 Block (+7)
36) 9.12 Christian Life (-5)
37) 8.88 Logansport (-)
38) 8.88 Bernice (-3)
39) 8.62 St Mary's Natchitoches (-14)
40) 8.62 Country Day (-)
41) 8.50 Hanson (-2)
42) 8.33 Northwood Lena (-9)
43) 8.29 Montgomery (-5)
44) 8.00 University Christian (+4)
45) 7.62 Delcambre (-1)
46) 7.43 Tensas (-1)
47) 7.38 Ridgewood (+4)
48) 7.12 Elton (+1)
49) 6.62 East Iberville (-2)
50) 6.57 False River (-4)
51) 6.12 North Central (-)
52) 5.83 Ecole Classique (-1)
53) 5.80 Hannan (-1)
54) 5.62 Ringgold (-)
55) 4.75 Grambling (-)
56) 4.50 Sarepta (-)

*Unofficial power ratings by kenramsey.com and Van Leigh.

Questions? Comments? Really think your team is getting the short end of the stick? Email me at bhandwerger@wwltv.com or comment below.