(9-14-26) With tournaments galore taking place across the state, including at Pickerington North and Kalida, there was plenty of movement in this week’s rankings.

With the halfway point of the regular season right around the corner, let’s see who is up, who is down, and who is making history.

DIVISION I

Mentor opened the week with an eye-popping, five-set upset at Magnificat, who is at the top of the Division II rankings. The Cardinals came out flat in the first set, falling 25-10. They bounced back, taking the next two sets 28-26 and 25-22. Magnificat forced a fifth set after an intense 31-29 fourth set. However, the Cardinals sealed the upset with a 15-10 win in the decisive set.

The Cardinals are a dangerous, young team, led by sophomore Ashlyn McKinney who has 63 kills over 17 sets this season. Mentor heads to No. 10 (D-II) Painesville Riverside on Tuesday, returns home for Euclid on Thursday, then hosts No. 3 Olentangy Berlin in the match of the week Saturday.

DIVISION II

Big Walnut went into the prestigious LVOA Tournament at Pickerington North on Saturday and came away as tournament champions, never dropping a set. The Golden Eagles defeated Bishop Hartley, 2025 champion Bloom-Carroll, and host No 14 (D-I) Pickerington North.

Big Walnut is one of only three undefeated teams left in Division II with the others being No. 6 Harrison and No. 8 Lake. The Golden Eagles have another tournament this Saturday in Circleville, which will give them nine matches in only eight days.

DIVISION III

Going back to the LVOA Tournament, Sheridan got the unfortunate draw of facing hosts Pickerington North in their opener. The Generals cleaned house afterwards, sweeping Newark and Bishop Hartley.

The Generals are now 8-2 with their only losses coming against Pick North and a 10-1 River View squad. Sheridan holds wins over New Lexington, Heath, and John Glenn. Those results have pushed Sheridan into the Division III top 15 for the first time.

The Generals have an opportunity to make a statement when they host undefeated Meadowbrook this Tuesday.

DIVISION IV

Wyoming may be the biggest unknown in the state.

The Cowboys have already matched their win total from 2025 when they went 8-10. But it’s better than that.

Last month, Wyoming took down Ross in four sets, a D-III team that hasn’t lost since. They followed that up with a sweep of Monroe, a team that has won four of its last five.

A big test is coming up in the battle of the undefeateds when the Cowboys head to Harrison in what promises to be a great measuring stick for both squads.

DIVISION V

Can we talk about the turnaround that Emily Taylor has produced at Paulding over the past three seasons?

In the season before her arrival, the Panthers went 4-19 and were afterthoughts in the Green Meadows Conference. Coach Taylor took them to 11 wins in her first season at the helm. The Panthers finished their 2025 season 17-6 with their first-ever winning record in GMC play.

In 2026, Paulding is undefeated, only dropping one set so far. This includes a sweep of No. 7 (D-VII) Miller City. 

That has set up a fascinating GMC race with Tinora, which has won 21 consecutive conference matches. Paulding travels to Tinora on Oct. 15.

DIVISION VI

The Charlee Yoder-to-Audrey Miller connection has been deadly at Garaway this fall.

Many in Amish Country, Ohio saw last year’s 15-win Pirates squad as a return to normalcy in the Inter Valley Conference South. The Pirates have had other plans though. 

After dropping their season opener against Smithville, Garaway has stacked up wins over No. 13 Waynedale, Indian Valley, and No. 15 (D-VII) Tuscarawas Central Catholic. 

It truly is a three-horse race in the IVC South with the Pirates firmly in the mix with Hiland and Indian Valley.

DIVISION VII

During boys basketball season, I remember catching flak for how high I rated Kalida, despite their .500 record throughout the season. Then, the Wildcats went all the way to the state championship, giving my ego the boost it did not need.

Their girls volleyball team doesn’t need me going out on a limb to defend them – they’ve done an excellent job of that themselves.

After an opening day loss at Bluffton, the Wildcats have won 8 straight against the likes of Ottoville, Lincolnview, and Fairview. The latter came during the Kalida Pioneer Invitational, which the Wildcats swept their way through.

Things will get spicy later in the month when the Wildcats wrap up September against Arlington and at No. 7 Miller City.