Mooresville, Owen Valley land in final Indiana High School Associated Press football poll
Just like that, Indiana's high school football regular season is over. The season has delivered quite a few twists and turns on each level. Some teams expected to be great have fallen short, others have delivered, even more have surprised.
No matter the case, with the start of the postseason, every team gets a fresh start. The proverbial "0-0." Before we get to that point, here's a look at what local schools found themselves ranked within the Associated Press' final poll of the high school football season.
Class 4A
Mooresville started the season ranked and, without much surprise, finished the season among the Top 10, ranking in at No. 8 in Class 4A for the final poll.
For most of the year, Mooresville hovered within the Top 5, but two losses saw their position slide before consecutive wins over then ranked Martinsville and Perry Meridian to end the year upped them to the eighth spot.
More:IHSAA Football: Breaking down Martinsville, Mooresville, DC's sectional matchups
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With quarterback Nick Patterson playing as well as ever, a solid defense and hopes for some of the team's injured talent to make a return, the Pioneers are still one of the more dangerous teams entering sectionals. They'll receive quite the test to start the tournament, first facing Lebanon (6-3).
A win over the Tigers would pit them against either No. 10 Brebeuf Jesuit (5-3) or Nortvhiew (6-3).
Martinsville, after being in the lower portion of the rankings for most of the season, landed in the other receiving votes, earning 10 for the No. 14 spot.
Full Class 4A Rankings
Rank-School Record
New Palestine 9-0
Roncalli 8-1
NorthWood 9-0
E. Central 7-2
Ev. Reitz 9-0
New Prairie 8-1
Kokomo 8-1
Mooresville 7-2
Columbia City 8-1
Brebeuf Jesuit 5-3
Class 3A
It seems that all the Owen Valley Patriots do are score points and win games. Despite an undefeated record, and arguably two "close calls" in matchups against good teams in Indian Creek and Sullivan, the Patriots never shifted into the Top 5 among the Class 3A ranks.
With the final poll, the AP kept it that way, placing them as the No. 8 team in the class. To give credit, Class 3A boasts an extremely competitive field this season. However, Owen Valley is one of five 3A teams to finish with a 9-0 record this season, and one of two in the state's southern region, with defending champ Gibson Southern coming in at No. 2.
More:IHSAA Football: Breaking down Monrovia, Indian Creek, Owen Valley's sectional matchups
More:With win over Clovers, OV football is undefeated in regular season
With the Titans being a possibility in round two of sectionals, the Patriots will get the opportunity to prove themselves soon enough. First, though, is taking care of business against Mt. Vernon (Posey, 5-4). The two school have never met on a football field, so Friday will serve as an introduction.
Full Class 3A Rankings
Rank-School Record
W. Lafayette 9-0
Gibson Southern 9-0
Oak Hill 9-0
Norwell 8-1
Hanover Central 9-0
Bishop Chatard 5-4
Western Boone 8-1
Owen Valley 9-0
Lawrenceburg 8-1
Southridge 8-1
Other class rankings
Class 6A
Rank-School Record
Hamilton SE 9-0
Cathedral 7-1
Brownsburg 8-1
Center Grove 7-2
Carroll (FW) 9-0
Crown Point 9-0
Carmel 6-3
Ben Davis 6-3
Westfield 6-3
Penn 7-2
Class 5A
Rank-School Record
Ft. Wayne Snider 8-1
Whiteland 8-1
Bloomington S. 7-1
Mishawaka 8-1
Harrison (W. Laf.) 8-1
Merrillville 7-2
Ft. Wayne North 7-2
Franklin 7-2
Valparaiso 6-3
Ft. Wayne Dwenger 6-3
Class 2A
Rank-School Record
Linton 9-0
LaVille 9-0
Scecina 8-1
Triton Central 7-2
Andrean 6-3
Ev. Mater Dei 6-3
Rochester 8-1
Eastside 7-2
Lafayette Catholic 6-3
Heritage Christian 5-3
(tie) Perry Central 8-1
Class A
Rank-School Record
Lutheran 9-0
Adams Central 9-0
N. Decatur 9-0
N. Judson 8-1
Tecumseh 8-0
Sheridan 8-1
Tri 8-1
Carroll (Flora) 8-1
S. Adams 7-2
S. Putnam 7-2
Contact reporter Devin Voss at dvoss@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @DevinVoss23.
This article originally appeared on The Reporter Times: Mooresville, Owen Valley land in final AP football poll