By E. Shawn Aylsworth
Managing Editor
The Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association has released its sixth set of polls for the regular season, and the news as we head into 2009 is the ascension of Fort Wayne Elmhurst to the top of the Class 3A rankings.
The Trojans improved to 11-0 after winning three games en route to the Summit Athletic Conference championship. Their reward is the replacement of former leader 3A Wawasee, which dropped a triple-overtime thriller to 2A No. 2 Oak Hill at the Hall of Fame Classic before falling by four points to highly regarded 3A Norwell.
The other top-ranked teams prior to Christmas – 4A Ben Davis, 2A Heritage Christian, and 1A Vincennes Rivet – still are undefeated and in their No. 1 spots.
Among teams making significant moves up the rankings are 4A Elkhart Memorial (13th to 10th), 3A Benton Central (seventh to third) and Gibson Southern (12th to ninth), and 2A Winchester (10th to seventh).
Teams are listed by current ranking followed by school, record, vote total, and first-place votes if applicable. Your 72 ranked schools from Jan. 5:
CLASS 4A
1. Ben Davis (14-0) 148 (13)
2. South Bend Washington (14-0) 136 (2)
3. Terre Haute South (11-0) 120
4. Hamilton Southeastern (11-1) 101
5. Mooresville (12-0) 79
6. Fishers (13-1) 76
7. Jay County (12-0) 53
8. Carmel (9-2) 31
9. Plainfield (11-1) 25
10. Elkhart Memorial (11-1) 20
Also receiving votes: Bloomington South (9-2), Penn (11-2), Jeffersonville (12-2), Seymour (9-2), Perry Meridian (11-3), Columbus North (9-2)
CLASS 3A
1. Fort Wayne Elmhurst (11-0) 150 (15)
2. Vincennes Lincoln (11-2) 102
3. Benton Central (12-1) 96
4. Wawasee (11-2) 93
5. Rushville (10-2) 84
6. Crawfordsville (11-1) 73
7. Norwell (10-1) 72
8. North Harrison (12-2) 49
9. Gibson Southern (12-1) 22
10. Batesville (9-1) 21
Also receiving votes: Evansville Memorial (9-3), Owen Valley (10-2), Hamilton Heights (9-2), Plymouth (8-3), Greensburg (10-1), Mitchell (9-2), Calumet (10-2)
CLASS 2A
1. Heritage Christian (12-0) 150 (15)
2. Oak Hill (13-1) 131
3. Garrett (13-0) 114
4. Lapel (10-0) 96
5. Fort Wayne Luers (9-4) 75
6. Taylor (11-3) 51
7. Winchester (9-2) 43
8. Winamac (9-2) 37
9. Austin (9-3) 35
10. Jimtown (9-2) 34
Also receiving votes: Speedway (10-1), Eastern (Pekin) (7-2), Indian Creek (7-4), Tipton (7-4), Southwestern (Hanover) (6-6), Triton Central (9-2), Evansville Mater Dei (7-3), North Posey (7-2), Hagerstown (9-2)
CLASS A
1. Vincennes Rivet (12-0) 144 (10)
2. Barr-Reeve (10-0) 135 (3)
3. Oregon-Davis (8-2) 101 (1)
4. White River Valley (12-1) 96
5. University (11-3) 71 (1)
6. Turkey Run (9-1) 63
7. Argos (9-1) 58
8. Southern Wells (9-1) 50
9. New Washington (9-2) 37
10. Jac-Cen-Del (7-3) 19
Also receiving votes: Kouts (9-2), Lafayette Central Catholic (7-4), Northeast Dubois (9-2), Fort Wayne Canterbury (5-3), Southwestern (Shelbyville) (7-3), Waldron (7-4), Randolph Southern (10-4), Crothersville (8-3), Borden (6-5), South Central Elizabeth (3-8)