MARQUETTE - The Ishpeming Hematites picked up a first-place vote, but finished second to No. 1 Menominee in the latest Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association Big Five football poll released this morning.
Ishpeming, which topped rival Westwood, 38-8, in Week 4 to improve to 4-0, finished with 20 points in the voting. The Hematites host unranked Norway on Friday.
Menominee, which finished with four first-place votes from the five-member UPSSA panel and 24 total points, improved to 4-0 with a 47-6 beating of Gladstone in Week 4. The Maroons travel to Kingsford on Friday.
The Flivvers at 3-1 were ranked No. 1 last week, but fell to No. 3. Menominee and Ishpeming each moved up one spot.
Negaunee jumped a spot to No. 4 via a 28-6 win at Iron Mountain to move to 4-0. The Miners host Gwinn on Friday.
Escanaba at 2-2 took Marquette's place in the poll, debuting at No. 5 following a 31-22 win over the Redmen. MSHS at 3-1 received one point in voting.
In the Little Five poll, voters were split on the top team with Forest Park at 4-0 earning the top spot via 22 points and two first-place votes. St. Ignace at 4-0 finished second with 21 points and two first-place votes. North Dickinson, also at 4-0, earned 17 points and a single first-place vote.
L'Anse and Pickford, both at 4-0, rounded out the top five.
Rapid River was a unanimous No. 1 in the U.P. Eight Man poll, beating out Cedarville. Both teams are 4-0.
In this week's state Associated Press poll, Ishpeming is ranked No. 2 in Division 7 behind Detroit Loyola. Negaunee is No. 8 in Division 6.