FOX 11 Top 11: De Pere back on top of boys poll

ASHWAUBENON - For the first time this calendar year, Little Chute doesn’t reside atop the FOX 11 Top 11 boys basketball poll.

The Mustangs suffered a surprising 49-48 road loss to Freedom last week, dropping the Mustangs out of the No. 1 spot. In their place is the only other team to hold onto the No. 1 spot this season – De Pere.

The Redbirds have won 10 in a row and are 13-0 in the Fox River Classic Conference, and move from the No. 2 spot. The Redbirds, though, will have to work to hold onto the No. 1 spot as Friday they host new No. 2-ranked Bay Port, which moves up from No. 3.

The winner will likely be in the No. 1 spot next week.

Meanwhile, Little Chute falls to No. 3 and is followed by No. 4 Kaukauna and No. 5 Sheboygan North.

Two teams dropped out of the poll. Kimberly was 0-2 last week, while Bonduel split two games.

Entering the poll are Peshtigo and Oshkosh Lourdes, both for the first time this season.

While Little Chute left the top spot, New London remains perfect and No. 1 in the girls basketball poll. There is a shakeup behind the Bulldogs, however.

Bay Port falls from its No. 2 position after it fell victim to Kenzie Perttu and Green Bay Preble last week. Now at No. 2 is Oshkosh Lourdes, followed by No. 3 Algoma. Bay Port is now No. 4 and undefeated Brillion is No. 5.

Dropping out of the poll was Appleton North, which was 1-1 last week. Replacing the Lightning in the poll is Freedom, which leads the Eastern Valley Conference.

Here are this week’s polls:

Boys
1. De Pere (18-1): Redbirds regain No. 1 spot, but will be tested Friday vs. Bay Port. Last week: No. 2.
2. Bay Port (17-2): Pirates rolling on 14-game winning streak. Last week: No. 3.
3. Little Chute (18-1): Mustangs surprised last week at Freedom, 49-48. Last week: No. 1.
4. Kaukauna (17-2): Ghosts take stranglehold on FVA with big wins over Kimberly and Appleton North. Last week: No. 7.
5. Sheboygan North (16-3): Golden Raiders win twice last week by more than 20 points. Last week: No. 5.
6. Wrightstown (17-2): Tigers lead Olympian in scoring at 65.3 ppg. Last week: No. 8.
7. Brillion (17-2): Lions lead Olympian in scoring defense at 41.9 ppg. Last week: No. 9.
8. Pulaski (15-3): Red Raiders surprised last week by Ashwaubenon. Last week: No. 4.
9. Omro (16-2): Laconia hands Foxes first Flyway loss of season. Last week: No. 6.
10. Peshtigo (17-1): Among the Bulldogs’ 17 wins, 14 have come by double digits. Last week: unranked.
11. Oshkosh Lourdes (17-2): Knights own four-game lead in Trailways North Division. Last week: unranked.

-Dropped out: No. 10 Kimberly (15-5); 0-2 last week; No. 8 Bonduel (16-2); 1-1 last week.

3-pointers

• 1. If De Pere is to go perfect in the FRCC for the second time in three seasons, Friday’s game against Bay Port is the one to watch. Bay Port is by far the toughest team left among the Redbirds’ final three games.
• 2. Kaukauna won two close games last week, beating Kimberly in overtime and edging Appleton North by two points. The Ghosts might’ve wrapped up the FVA with these wins.
• 3. Wrightstown is 17-0 when it scores more than 48 points this season.

Girls
1. New London (17-0): Tuesday, Bulldogs host Denmark, this biggest threat to New London’s perfect regular season. Last week: No. 1.
2. Oshkosh Lourdes (18-1): Sophomore Maddy Reed leads Lourdes in scoring at 13.1 ppg. and rebounds at 7.8 rpg. Last week: No. 4.
3. Algoma (18-1): Wolves get chance to even score Thursday when they host Kewaunee. Last week: No. 5
4. Bay Port (16-2): Pirates suffer tough loss to Preble, now look ahead to De Pere. Last week: No. 3.
5. Brillion (17-0): Lions have two tough games this week with Manty Lutheran and Roncalli. Last week: No. 8.
6. Sheboygan North (14-3): Golden Raiders’ loss to Manitowoc costly in FRCC race. Last week: No. 7.
7. De Pere (14-4): Redbirds take FRCC lead into Thursday game at Bay Port. Last week: No. 11.
8. Appleton East (14-3): Patriots lose twice last week, so FVA race is still tight. Last week: No. 2.
9. Freedom (14-3): Irish takes Eastern Valley lead to Xavier on Friday. Last week: unranked.
10. Kewaunee (15-3): Storm drops nonconference game to Xavier. Last week: No. 6.
11. Coleman (16-1): Oconto hands Cougars first loss of the season. Last week: No. 9.

Dropped out: No. 10 Appleton North (13-4); 1-1 last week.

3-pointers

• 1. Thursday, Bay Port hosts FRCC leader De Pere in a must-win for Bay Port, which trails Redbirds by one game in the conference.
• 2. Lourdes and Algoma are Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, but only one can reach state as they are likely to meet in a Division 4 sectional semifinal.
• 3. Appleton East’s FVA loss to Fond du Lac puts pressure on Patriots the rest of the way to win the FVA outright. It won’t be easy with games against Kimberly and Appleton North yet to come.

doug.ritchay@wluk.com