Pittston Area moved into the Gaughan Auto Store Super Six Football Power Rankings for the first time, falling in line behind three teams that each slid up one spot after victories.
As the season transitions from the regular season to the playoffs, Valley View, Wilkes-Barre Area and Dallas each gained one position in the Big School portion of the rankings, which are compiled by our partners at NEPAFootball.com.
Pittston Area joined the rankings as the No. 6 Big School after beating rival Wyoming Area, 35-0, in a game that decided the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 champion.
Two other division champions, who also are No. 1 seeds for the playoffs, continue to lead the rankings.
Crestwood, the WVC Division 1 champion and District 2 Class 4A top seed, leads the Big Schools. Lakeland, the Lackawanna Football Conference Division 2 champion and District 2 Class 2A top seed, is No. 1 among Small Schools.
The Small School rankings have held firm throughout the second half of the season. That was true again following a week in which all six won.
The Big Schools have been adjusted each week.
Crestwood shut out North Pocono, 47-0, for its eighth straight win. It hosts Nanticoke in a district quarterfinal Friday.
Hazleton Area held No. 2 after shutting out Berwick, 20-0, in a game it finished without injured quarterback Tyler Wolfe. The Cougars are at Bethlehem Freedom in a District 2-4-11 Class 6A Subregional quarterfinal.
Valley View moved up to third when it won the LFC Division 1 title by defeating Scranton Prep, 22-16. The Cougars host Honesdale in a District 2 Class 4A quarterfinal.
Wilkes-Barre Area routed Wyoming Valley West, 45-6, and moved up to fourth. The Wolfpack is at top-seeded Emmaus in the Class 6A subregional.
Dallas handled Lake-Lehman, 49-6, and climbed to fifth. The Mountaineers host a District 2 Class 4A quarterfinal against Wyoming Area.
Pittston Area did more than win its first division title since 2002 by beating Wyoming Area. The Patriots landed the home field for a District 2 Class 5A semifinal against Delaware Valley, the team that fell out of the rankings after a 38-13 upset loss to Abington Heights.
Lakeland continues to be followed in the rankings by Western Wayne, Scranton Prep, Dunmore, Old Forge and Riverside.
The rankings will be tested again with a playoff game sending ranked teams against each other.
Lakeland wrapped up an unbeaten regular season, the only one in District 2 this season, with a 28-0 shutout of Mid Valley. The Chiefs, who locked up sole possession of the LFC Division 2 title, will host Holy Redeemer in a District 2 Class 2A semifinal.
Western Wayne beat Honesdale, 27-7, and hosts Carbondale in District 2 Class 3A where it takes the top seed into the semifinals.
After losing to Valley View, Scranton Prep meets Lake-Lehman at North Pocono in the other Class 3A semifinal.
No. 4 Dunmore hosts No. 6 Riverside in the Class 2A semifinals after beating West Scranton, 35-32, in the regular-season finale.
Old Forge won the LFC Division 3 title outright by beating Carbondale, 34-14. The Blue Devils host Lackawanna Trail for the District 2 Class A championship.
Riverside finished the regular season with a 47-0 rout of Holy Cross.
The full rankings, with records and last week’s rankings:
GAUGHAN AUTO STORE SUPER SIX POWER RANKINGS
(By NEPAFootball.com)
Big Schools
| Rank | School | Record | Rank |
| 1 | Crestwood | 9-1 | 1 |
| 2 | Hazleton Area | 8-2 | 2 |
| 3 | Valley View | 8-2 | 4 |
| 4 | Wilkes-Barre Area | 6-4 | 5 |
| 5 | Dallas | 8-2 | 6 |
| 6 | Pittston Area | 7-3 | NR |
Small Schools
| Rank | School | Record | Rank |
| 1 | Lakeland | 10-0 | 1 |
| 2 | Western Wayne | 8-2 | 2 |
| 3 | Scranton Prep | 8-2 | 3 |
| 4 | Dunmore | 7-3 | 4 |
| 5 | Old Forge | 7-3 | 5 |
| 6 | Riverside | 6-4 | 6 |
