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  • Lykel Collier (11), of Bluefield, drives to the basket away from Iziah Hill, of Robert C. Byrd, during the Class AA championship game of the Big Atlantic Classic Saturday at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center. Rick Barbero

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February 5, 2013

Shakeup in AP rankings

Big Atlantic Classic affects latest hoops polls

By Cam Huffman Sports Editor

The Big Atlantic Classic — and the head-to-head matchups between ranked teams that it provided — had a major impact on the latest Associated Press high school basketball polls released Monday, but the shakeup was felt much stronger on the boys’ side than for the girls’.

Woodrow Wilson (12-4) was the biggest mover of the week, and the season. The Flying Eagles made the jump from No. 10 to No. 3 in the Class AAA boys poll, thanks to a 4-0 week that helped run their winning streak to eight in a row. Beckley will try to make it nine straight when it hosts Ripley at 7:30 p.m. today at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center.

South Charleston (14-1) and Martinsburg (15-2) are the only teams ranked ahead of the state’s hottest team.

Greenbrier East (16-1) slipped just one spot after losing its first game of the season Friday night against unranked Point Pleasant. The Spartans are now fifth, two spots behind Woodrow, which they beat on Jan. 2. East will have a chance to prove itself again when it hosts Class AA No. 1 Bluefield on Friday.

Parkersburg South (14-3) stands between the two area rivals at No. 4.

Hedgesville (12-3) and Washington (10-4) are sixth and seventh, respectively, in Class AAA, while Morgantown (13-3) slipped from third to eighth. The Mohigans lost West Virginia University signee Nathan Adrian for the season because of a broken bone in his foot and then suffered a blowout loss to Woodrow Wilson in a Class AAA championship game at the Big Atlantic Classic. Huntington and George Washington round out the Class AAA top 10.

Bluefield’s performance at the Big Atlantic Classic, which included wins over Westside and Robert C. Byrd, helped the Beavers (13-1) stay No. 1 in Class AA. Westside (11-6), which beat rival Wyoming East after the loss to Bluefield, jumped from eighth to sixth, while Wyoming East (10-5) fell from third to seventh. The two Wyoming County rivals, who split their first two meetings this year, will play again Friday at Wyoming East.

Fairmont Senior, Robert C. Byrd, Poca and Tolsia were 2-5 in the Class AA poll, while Webster County, Scott and Roane County were 8-10. Liberty and Mount View received one vote each to sit in the others receiving votes category.

The highest area team in Class A was Greater Beckley Christian (9-1), which stayed at No. 8. The Crusaders came in behind Charleston Catholic, Tug Valley, Tucker County, Parkersburg Catholic, Magnolia, Buffalo and St. Mary’s, who filled the first seven spots. Tygarts Valley moved back into the poll at No. 9, while Valley (9-4) took the final spot in the top 10.

Greenbrier West fell out of the Class A poll after losing to Tygarts Valley, but the Cavailers still received three votes.

The AP’s girls poll stayed much more consistent. Greenbrier East (14-0) held on to the top spot in Class AAA, after beating two ranked teams in University and Preston at the Big Atlantic Classic. Princeton (13-2), which will play Greenbrier East in the sectional round of the postseason, stayed at No. 5.

East, the defending Class AAA champion, will host George Washington on Thursday and Logan on Friday. Princeton has a huge game today, traveling to Summers County.

Spring Valley, Morgantown and Huntington were 2-4 in Class AAA, while University, Parkersburg South, George Washington, Wheeling Park and Preston were 6-10.

Westside (15-1) stayed at No. 1 in Class AA, despite losing for the first time in more than two seasons when it fell to University at the Big Atlantic Classic. The Renegades, though, do have some company, as Bridgeport, the Class AAA runner-up last year, moved into a tie for the top spot.

Nicholas County (14-2) remained in third despite its lopsided loss to Parkersburg South at the Big Atlantic Classic. Summers County (11-4) was three spots behind the Grizzlies at No. 6, with Clay County and Robert C. Byrd between them.

Berkeley Springs, Fairmont Senior, North Marion and Sissonville filled the 7-10 spots in Class AA. Bluefield received three votes and Mount View two.

In Class A, Pocahontas County (12-4) was the top area team, coming in at No. 6, with Saint Joseph Central, St. Mary’s, Clay-Battelle, Wheeling Central and Tucker County in front of it.

Parkersburg Catholic was No. 7, with two local teams — Fayetteville (9-3) and Valley (9-4) — coming in eighth and ninth, respectively. Gilmer County and Tygarts Valley tied for the 10th spot.

— E-mail: chuffman@

register-herald.com and follow on Twitter @CamHuffmanRH.

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