The first statewide media poll of the prep basketball season is out.
Votes are pulled from 16 media members representing each region of the state. In a bit of a change from prior years, the 16-member panel submits their top 15 in boys and girls basketball and presents a top five for the region they cover. The prior two seasons it was a top 10.
The top 15 statewide shows first, with the top five teams selected by that media member for the 8th, 9th and 10th Region below it.
The poll will run weekly up to when district tournaments start in late February.
Boys statewide poll
First-place votes in parentheses; records through Sunday’s games
Rank-school (FPV)                      Record              Pts
1. St. Xavier (16)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 11-2Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 240
2. Great Crossing                        11-4                   207
3. Frederick Douglass                10-2                  188
4. Bryan Station                           13-2                   185
5. Covington Catholic                10-2                   142
6. Marshall County                     14-0                   135
7. Hazard                                      12-1                   102
8. Manual                                      12-3                   101
9. George Rogers Clark            10-2                   80
10. Green County                        11-1                    76
11. Warren Central                     10-1                   68
12. Woodford County                 8-6                    65        Â
13. Ballard                                    9-4                      54
14. Male                                        9-4                      43
15. Calloway County                  13-1                   42
Others receiving votes: Bowling Green 40, Lloyd Memorial 39, Adair County 14, Pleasure Ridge Park 14, South Laurel 14, Butler 13, Clinton County 12, Jeffersontown 9, Ashland Blazer 8, Greenwood 6, Harlan County 6, LaRue County 5, South Oldham 5, Campbell County 3, North Laurel 2, Covington Holy Cross 1, Fairdale 1.
Eighth Region
James Weber, Cincinnati Enquirer
1. Woodford County
2. North Oldham
3. Simon Kenton
4. South Oldham
5. Walton-Verona Â
Ninth Region
Brendan Connelly, Cincinnati Enquirer
1. Covington Catholic
2. Lloyd Memorial
3. Highlands
4. Conner
5. Covington Holy Cross
10th Region
Evan Dennison, LinkNKY.com
1. Campbell County
2. George Rogers Clark
3. Mason County
4. Montgomery County
5. Bourbon County
Girls statewide poll
First-place votes in parentheses; records through Monday’s games
Rank-school (FPV)                      Record              Pts
1. Sacred Heart (12)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 7-2Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 218
2. Cooper                                      6-3                      173
3. Franklin-Simpson                   11-1                  160
4. George Rogers Clark            5-5                      156
5. North Laurel (1)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 11-0Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 151
6. Assumption                             9-1                      144
7. Franklin County                       10-3                   124
8. Covington Holy Cross           13-1                   112
9. Madison Central (2)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 13-0Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 100
10. Bethlehem                             9-1                      94
11. Henderson County              10-3                   92
12. Notre Dame (1)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 8-2Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 86
13. Simon Kenton                       11-2                  80
14. Frederick Douglass             8-3                      73
15. Highlands                              12-2                   30
Others receiving votes: Lafayette 28, West Jessamine 27, Anderson County 19, Graves County 12, Johnson Central 8, Marshall County 8, Breckinridge County 6, Owensboro Catholic 6, Barren County 4, Danville Christian 3, Lyon County 2, Spencer County 2, Knox Central 1, Manual 1.
Eighth Region
James Weber, Cincinnati Enquirer
1. Anderson County
2. Spencer County
3. Simon Kenton
4. Grant County
5. Walton-Verona
Ninth Region
Brendan Connelly, Cincinnati Enquirer
1. Covington Holy Cross
2. Cooper
3. Highlands
4. Notre Dame
5. Dixie Heights
10th Region
Evan Dennison, LinkNKY.com
1. George Rogers Clark
2. Campbell County
3. Bishop Brossart
4. Montgomery County
5. Scott
Voters: Steve Springer, Murray Ledger & Times, Edward Marlowe, WKDZ-FM, Mark Mathis, Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer, Micheal Compton, Bowling Green Daily News, Josh Claywell, Bardstown Kentucky Standard/LaRue County Herald News, Alyx White, Rise Up Sports Media, Jason Frakes, The Courier Journal, James Weber, Cincinnati Enquirer, Brendan Connelly, Cincinnati Enquirer, Evan Dennison, LinkNKY.com, Jared Peck, Lexington Herald-Leader, Mike Marsee, Danville freelancer, Les Dixon, 13thRegionMediaNetwork.com, Brendon Miller, Bluegrass Sports Nation, Randy White, Appalachian News-Express, James Collier, WLGC-FM