By RICK STONE

LARGE SCHOOLS (CLASSES AA and A)

1. MONROE-WOODBURY (7-0) - The win over Warwick wasn’t quite as close as the final score might have indicated. The Crusaders still rule. The only question is: did Coach D’Aliso reveal his hand by letting Dan Scalo play a little defense against the ‘Cats?

2. NEWBURGH (6-1) - Okay, Goldback fans, we’ll bump your team up to #2. With both Surrett and Locklary at RB, opposing defenses will have their hands full. You can’t key on them both. And that big offensive line has really come on strong for first-year head coach Bill Bianco. The next order of business is to beat Kingston and get another Class AA playoff seed.

3. WARWICK (6-1) - Coach Sciarra’s high-octane crew will battle Minisink this Friday to see who gets the top seed in Class AA and thus avoid Monroe-Woodbury in the semis.

4. MINISINK VALLEY (5-2) - Coach Kevin Gallagher needs his offense to get off to a better start this week than it did against VC last week. Warwick can put points up in a hurry, and MV can’t afford to fall behind. The Warriors feature a solid defense with a very good secondary that includes Vinny Mauro, Jesse Valenti and Andrew Haelen. They’ll be vigorously tested by the Wildcat passing attack with those outstanding receivers (record-setting John Babin and Sam Careccia) as well as Rian White’s ability to tuck and run if necessary.

5. CORNWALL (4-2) - Coach Marcus Hughes’ “Kiddie Corps” has grown up in a hurry, and the Dragons are currently sitting atop Class A. No, these guys aren’t last year’s team, but they’re also not content to rest on their laurels. And they’re certainly good enough to give the school its fifth straight Section Nine title.

6. KINGSTON (4-3) - When it comes to being banged up, the Tigers are right up there with Highland, Pine Bush and Chester, etc. in the injury department. Brian Murphy has done a good job of taking over for fellow junior James DeCicco at QB. DeCicco is out for the season, and his pass-catching brother Jake strained his left elbow last week and spent much of the game on the sidelines. Meanwhile Mike McGrath (hip pointer) still managed to score the winning TD against Middletown. Sean Fontanez, Derrick Jackson and Nashwan Hoffman have also been M.I.A. I write all that so you understand the challenge Jeramie Collins’ crew faces against rival Newburgh Friday.

7. (Tie) VALLEY CENTRAL (3-4), WALLKILL (5-2), SAUGERTIES (4-2), PORT JERVIS (3-3) -- This merry-go-round of a logjam will clear itself up soon. The Vikings, eliminated from the AA playoffs, get winless Washingtonville this Friday after giving Minisink a good battle last Friday … Stunned Wallkill meets Cornwall to determine whether it will be the first or third seed in the A playoffs. A win by the Panthers will obviously boost them back up in the ratings … Port plays New Paltz in a non-leaguer while it awaits to see if it gets the second seed at Faller or the small locker room at Dietz … Ditto for Saugerties which plays Middletown in another non-leaguer. Whatever happens this week, this much we know: Saugerties will play Cornwall and Port will play Wallkill in the Class A divisional playoff semis.

SMALL SCHOOLS (CLASSES B-C-D)

1. HIGHLAND (6-0) - Coach Carl Relyea has a larger than normal Class B roster, and that’s a good thing for the Huskies. The numbers give them some needed solid depth. All-star Mike Fallatik is out for the season. Super LB Josh Duggan has been sidelined (knee). If he gets clearance to play against Ellenville, he’ll be far from full-strength. Also, two-way standout Cody Weaver is playing with a broken hand. The Huskies have the top seed in Class B wrapped up, so this would be a nice week to let the wounded heal. However …

2. ELLENVILLE (7-0) - This Friday night we’ll see what could be called the Ulster County Super Bowl (with possible apologies to Kingston) as the Blue Devils travel to Highland. Tony Borriello’s unbeaten, defending Class C champs go head-to-head with the unbeaten defending Class B champ Huskies. Mmm-mmm-mmm. These teams last met in 2007 when both were in Class B Division II. Ellenville won, 20-13.

3. SULLIVAN WEST (6-1) - Ron Bauer’s Bulldogs have the second seed in Class C locked up. Sill-guys Austin Erlwein and Ryan Alsdorf plus linemen Mike Schmidt and Mark Tesseyman lead the offense while the defense is looking for its third shutout when it travels to Tri-Valley to face a Bear team that’s had a 2-5 season but hasn’t been shut out.

4. ELDRED (7-0) - Frank Kean’s ‘Jackets were reminded Sunday that Chester is still Chester. Friday Eldred plays LMR at Glennette Field in Port Jervis for its homecoming game. A win here gives them the home locker room at Dietz on November 6 when they meet Chester for the Class D sectional title -- again. Kean won’t want an open date or another forfeit before that game.

6. NEW PALTZ (3-4) - Tom Tegeler’s Huguenots get the nod over O’Neill because they beat the Raiders (14-12) to get the Class B second seed. New Paltz will again have to sit QB-DB Jon Diaz (concussion), who hasn‘t yet been cleared to play, in Friday’s non-league tilt with Port Jervis. Junior Kyle Januszkiewicz has been under center in Diaz’s absence. OT-DE Gordy Pine and FB-LB Logan Peterson, both seniors, tore it up against Marlboro last Friday.

5. O’NEILL (4-3) - Tim Hendershot’s Raiders have clinched the third seed and will meet New Paltz in a Class B semi next Friday at Faller. QB Aaron Kilner is the section’s #2 all-time career passing yardge leader. Meanwhile RB-receiver Church Pfeil has been the workhorse.

7. CHESTER (4-3) - Playing a tough non-league schedule allowed Ron Stover’s Hambletonians to give Eldred a run for its money Sunday despite key injuries (Sean Benison, James Ognibene, Mike Conklin) and the early ejection of QB Matt Balzano.

8. LIBERTY (3-4) - John Wilhelm’s squad will earn the third seed in Class C with a win over Spackenkill. Even a loss Saturday could get them in.  The Indians are led by senior RB-LB Brandon Tompkins, soph QB-DB Marshon Williams and RB-Rec-DB Jovaughen Clark.