Marquette quarterback Ford Richardson, left, rolls out while avoiding the Gladstone defense and looking for a receiver to pass to in the second quarter of their high school football game played at William R. Hart Stadium in Marquette on Aug. 29. (Journal photo by Caden Sierra)

UPSSA Football Polls

(first-place votes in parentheses)

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11-player W-L Pts Pvs

1. Marquette (4) 3-0 23 —

2. Menominee (1) 3-0 21 —

3. Negaunee 3-0 13 —

(tie) Kingsford 3-0 13 —

5. Iron Mountain 3-0 5 —

Others receiving votes: NONE

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8-player W-L Pts Pvs

1. Forest Park (3) 3-0 23 —

2. Pickford (2) 3-0 20 —

3. Munising 3-0 11 —

4. Ontonagon 3-0 9 —

4. Ishpeming 3-0 8 —

Others receiving votes: Norway (2-1) 4

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MARQUETTE — As hard as it is to break into the first Upper Peninsula high school football poll of the season, it should prove to be that much harder to knock Marquette from the No. 1 position in the 11-player rankings.

That’s because the Sentinels have given up a total of — get this — zero points in three games, having knocked off Gladstone 55-0, Alpena 51-0 and Gaylord 30-0.

The only thing that could work against MSHS is it doesn’t see a fellow top-five team until the final week of the season, mostly because their Great North Conference only includes two other Upper Peninsula teams, and neither Escanaba nor Sault Ste. Marie are in the rankings.

Nevertheless, among the 10 teams that are ranked top-five between the 11-player and eight-player polls, none has a loss in these rankings that will now be chosen each week until the end of the regular season by select members of the U.P. Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.

The closest anyone has to a blemish on their record is Norway at 2-1, and the Knights are just outside the top five in eight-player in the always-famous “others receiving votes” category.

Despite perfection, Marquette “only” received four of the five first-place votes, Menominee receiving the other one. The Maroons have produced even more offense than Marquette while giving up a handful of points.

Menominee opened with a 49-6 win over next-door neighbor Marinette, Wisconsin, then downed Hancock 63-0 and Westwood 58-19.

Negaunee is tied with Kingsford for third, while Iron Mountain is fifth, all five sporting 3-0 records.

The Miners so far have knocked off Kewaunee, Wisconsin, 28-7, Gladstone by the same 28-7 count and Calumet 29-0.

In eight-player, there are also two area teams in the top five. Munising is third while Ishpeming is fifth as all five also have 3-0 marks.

Forest Park leads the way and has three first-place votes, while Pickford is a close second with two first-place tallies. Fitting beween the Mustangs and Hematites is Ontonagon.

Munising’s slate is wins over Ironwood 48-14, Lake Linden-Hubbell 48-22 and Bessemer 38-18.

Ishpeming, a first-year program in eight-player, had to take an independent tack to its schedule this season. So far, the Hematites have beaten Florence, Wisconsin, 34-12 and Gaylord St. Mary 50-28 while picking up a forfeit win vs. Luck, Wisconsin.

In games this week for the four area teams that are ranked, at 7 p.m. Friday is Negaunee at Kingsford, Munising at Brimley and Ishpeming at Pickford in the Hematites’ only game this fall against a U.P. squad.

At 1 p.m. Saturday, Marquette visits downstate Lowell that is just east of Grand Rapids.

Steve Brownlee can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 552. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.