Friday Night Drive Week 6 Power Rankings: Remarkable stability for top teams

From week-to-week there’s usually at least a few challenges to the teams at or near the top of the Friday Night Drive Rankings.

That was largely not the case in Week 5. Every Top 10 team earned a victory in Week 5, with just two of them seeing much of a challenge at all.

Top-ranked Mount Carmel was pushed by Carmel, actually relinquishing the lead in the second half of its CCL/ESCC crossover before breaking away for a win, while Batavia had to fend off another in a seemingly endless line of challengers from its DuKane schedule, keeping Wheaton North at arm’s length in Week 5.

There was some movement in the middle of the poll, though; and that led to the addition of a quartet of new teams:

• Fenwick debuts at No. 19. The Friars always seem to find themselves in tight games, but for the time being they seem to be finding themselves on the right side of them.

• Edwardsville moves into the poll at No. 20. It’s hard not to look ahead to the eventual showdown with East St. Louis in Week 7. Other than a Week 1 squeaker over Jackson (Missouri), no one has come even close to pushing the Tigers thus far.

• Sycamore joins the poll at No. 21. The Spartans are just doing what they do, stacking wins in the Kishwaukee River/Interstate Eight. Most impressive? Sycamore has allowed just 19 points all season.

• Rochester moves into the poll at No. 25. Everyone knows the Rockets can score, but they’ve apparently coupled that with a defense that is finding ways to get the ball back in that offense’s hands.

Here are the complete Friday Night Drive Power Rankings: