Released on Wednesday this week and set to be announced on Tuesdays in subsequent weeks, Negaunee received one of the five first-place votes but only garnered the No. 3 position in 11-player.

There were five 2-0 teams that were ranked or received votes, including the top four.

Escanaba earned the narrowest of margins as No. 1 in 11-player, getting two first-place votes and 22 total voting points, while Menominee was a close No. 2, also with a pair of first-place votes but 21 voting points.

Following Negaunee in third was Calumet at 2-0 in fourth with nine points, while the only 1-1 team in top five is Marquette in fifth with four points.

Negaunee’s Marshall Peters, with head tucked down at center, carries the ball before getting tackled by Marquette defenders, from left, Alex Brennan, Bodi Bennett and Ben Rayhorn during their high school football game played at Miners Stadium in Negaunee on Aug. 28. (Photo courtesy of Cara Kamps)

The Sentinels blitzed downstate Alpena 41-13 on Friday, eight days after falling to Negaunee 30-22 at Miners Stadium.

Negaunee also posted a 25-2 near-shutout at Gladstone on Friday.

The remaining 2-0 team receiving votes missed the top five. Bark River-Harris has that undefeated record and got one voting point after the Broncos pulled off on Friday what is thought to be its first-ever victory over Iron Mountain, 30-22 in overtime.

Kingsford (1-1) also earned one voting point.

In eight-player, Newberry is part of a unanimous 2-0 top five, entering the rankings in third place with 16 voting points.

The Indians defeated Forest Park 22-20 during opening week and added a 34-14 victory over Ontonagon last week.

Defending MHSAA Division 1 state runner-up Pickford is atop the heap with four of the five first-place votes and 24 points. The Panthers have outscored Superior Central and Brimley by a combined 115-8.

Next is Norway in second with the other first-place vote and 18 points.

Following Newberry in third is North Dickinson in fourth with eight points, while Gogebic/Bessemer is fifth with four points.

St. Ignace is also 2-0 but missed the top five by one point with three points, and Forest Park (1-1) earned two points.

In Associated Press state rankings also released Wednesday, Negaunee ranks fifth in 11-player Division 5 with 26 voting points.

Grand Rapids Catholic Central was No. 1 with four of the five first-place votes and 49 voting points, Armada is No. 2, and Frankenmuth and Pontiac Notre Dame Prep tied for No. 3.

After the Miners in the top 10 are Clare at No. 6, Grand Rapids West Catholic Central No. 7, Michigan Center No. 8, Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard No. 9 and Romulus Summit Academy North No. 10.

All of the Division 5 top 10 are 2-0 except that Frankenmuth, Notre Dome Prep and West Catholic are each 1-1.

In Division 3, while Marquette isn’t ranked, this week’s opponent Gaylord is, as the first team out of the top 10 in 11th.

In Division 4, Escanaba is 15th; in Division 6, Calumet is seventh; in Division 7, Menominee is sixth; and in Division 8, BR-H is tied for 10th and Iron Mountain 16th.

In the eight-player AP state rankings, Newberry is No. 3 in Division 1 as Pickford is on top with four of the five first-place votes.

Also in D-1, Norway is eighth and Gogebic-Bessemer 14th.

In Division 2, North Dickinson is fifth, while Forest Park and St. Ignace are tied for 14th.

In games involving area teams in 11-player on Friday, U.P. No. 4 Calumet plays at No. 3 Negaunee, while Westwood is at No. 2 Menominee.

Saturday’s lone area game has No. 5 Marquette travel to downstate Gaylord.

In eight-player, No. 3 Newberry faces a tough test by hosting No. 1 Pickford on Friday, which is also when Ishpeming hosts Gogebic-Bessemer.

The Gwinn at L’Anse 11-player game was canceled before the season started when the Modeltowners dropped varsity football for this season.

Story contents based on email received from UPSSA President Mike Ludlum. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.