FOX 11 Top 11: Sheboygan North new boys No. 1 team

GREEN BAY - The boys basketball season started with Little Chute ranked atop the FOX 11 Top 11, but the Mustangs didn’t finish 2012 at No. 1.

That’s because the Mustangs dropped a 55-54 decision to Whitefish Bay at the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook Shootout last week. This came one day after Little Chute edged East Troy in a potential Division 3 state title game, 56-53.

With the Mustangs’ exit from the top spot that means there’s a new No. 1 as we break into 2013. The new No. 1 is … the best offensive team in the area, at least based on points per game. Sheboygan North and its 11-0 record replace Little Chute as the top-ranked team.

The top five after North is as follows: No. 2 De Pere, No.3  Little Chute, No. 4. Seymour and No. 5 NEW Lutheran, which like North also has 11 wins this season.

Two teams fell out of the poll as Bay Port and Oshkosh North each suffered a loss this past week. Replacing them are West De Pere and Notre Dame, which last season won just six games.

Meanwhile on the girls’ side no such movement on top as De Pere maintains its penthouse view as we change years. However, a team did fall from the ranks of unbeatens, as Bay Port fell to Sun Prairie at the Fond du Lac tournament.

The Pirates dropped form No. 3 to No. 6 in this week’s rankings.

Also, there is one new team in the poll as Oconto Falls dropped out after a loss to Oconto and replacing Falls at No. 11 this week is Fond du Lac.

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Top 11 Boys Teams
1. Sheboygan North (11-0): Golden Raiders have hit 70 points or more in nine games. Last week: No. 2.
2. De Pere (8-1): Redbirds made statement last week with win over Milwaukee Vincent. Last week: No. 3.
3. Little Chute (10-1): Mustangs top East Troy in battle of state’s top-ranked D-3 schools but then fell to unranked Whitefish Bay. Last week: No. 1.
4. Seymour (10-1): Thunder records two nice wins at Kress Center last week. Last week: No. 5.
5. NEW Lutheran (11-0): Blazers beat Drummond last week in battle of state-ranked teams. Last week: No. 6.
6. Neenah (9-2): Rockets split two games at Homestead tournament. Last week: No. 4
7. Pulaski (5-2): Red Raiders have a busy 2013 with only 7 games played so far. Last week: No. 7.
8. Wrightstown (9-1): Tigers won two games last week by a combined 54 points. Last week: No. 10.
9. Roncalli (8-1): Jets play five of next six games on the road. Last week: No. 11.
10. West De Pere (7-1): Just like Seymour, Phantoms also perfect in the Bay Conference. Last week: unranked.
11. Notre Dame (7-2): Tritons 5-0 outside the FRCC. Last week: unranked.

• Dropped out: No.  8. Bay Port (7-3); 1-1 last week. No. 9 Oshkosh North (9-3); 0-1 last week.

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Top games this week
Thursday
Berlin at Little Chute: Top teams in Eastern Valley.
Winneconne at FVL: Foxes fighting to stay in top-half of Eastern Valley.
Shawano at West De Pere: Phantoms look to stay perfect in Bay

Friday
De Pere at Southwest: Redbirds face tough foe on the road.
Appleton West at Appleton East: West-East always a big game.

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Top 11 Girls Teams
1. De Pere: (8-0): Redbirds have held every opponent to fewer than 50 points. Last week: No. 1.
2. New London (7-0): Red Raiders finish 2012 riding a 49-game winning streak, the longest in the state. Last week: No. 2
3. Kimberly (8-0): Papermakers own two-game lead in the FVA. Last week: No. 4.
4. Sheboygan North (7-1): Golden Raiders coming off 51-point win. Last week: No. 5.
5. Manitowoc (7-1): Ships win twice last week at Stevens Point. Last week: No. 6.
6. Bay Port (8-1): Pirates suffer first loss of season to Sun Prairie at Fond du Lac tournament. Last week No. 3
7. Algoma (8-1): Wolves win Ashwaubenon tournament, including win over Sussex Hamilton, ranked No. 2 in Division 1. Last week: No. 7.
8. Kewaunee (7-1): Storm captures West De Pere tournament with two wins by 16 points or more. Last week: No. 8.
9. Fox Valley Lutheran (8-1): Only loss has come to New London. Last week: No. 9
10. Xavier (10-1): Hawks averaging 15 steals per game. Last week: No. 10.
11. Fond du Lac (7-2): Cardinals won own tournament last week. Last week: unranked.

• Dropped out: Oconto Falls (4-2); 0-1 last week.

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Top games this week (all Friday)
Southwest at De Pere: Redbirds look to stay perfect against Trojans.
Berlin at FVL: Can Berlin knock off FVL, which is perfect in Eastern Valley?
Appleton West at Appleton East: Both teams looking for some consistency.

Follow Doug Ritchay on Twitter @dougritchay

doug.ritchay@wluk.com