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The Southeast Pirates pitched another shutout last Friday, stopping Rootstown 35-0 and moving into the driver's seat for the PTC County Division race.

With three weeks remaining, it’s time to look at the league races. We’ll show the leader in each conference, where they stand in the playoff race, who they have left, and who still is realistically relevant.

By no means is a race wrapped up in any league. In fact, many races are still in a conundrum with upsets shaking the pecking order of what used to be stone-cold lock leagues.

We’ll start with the Akron City Series and work our way down in alphabetical order.

Key matchups remain in the following weeks and teams in first could freefall faster than a boulder strapped to a parachute.

Here’s the skinny on what promises to be a rather torrid finish:

Akron City Series

Leader: Buchtel (4-3, 4-0, 17th in Division III, Region 9). What’s left: vs. Kenmore (4-3, 2-1), at St. Vincent-St. Mary (7-0), vs. Firestone (3-4, 3-0).

Other teams with a realistic chance at title: Firestone (3-4, 3-0), Kenmore (4-3, 2-1).

North Coast League Blue Division

Leader: Walsh Jesuit (5-1, 2-0, 5th in Division III, Region 9). What’s left: vs. Benedictine (6-1, 2-1); at Padua (1-6, 0-2), Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin (5-2, 1-1).

Other teams with a realistic chance at title: Lake Catholic (6-1, 2-1), Benedictine (6-1, 2-1), NDCL (5-2, 1-1).

Northeast Ohio Conference Valley Division

Leaders: Mentor (7-0, 2-0, 1st, Division I, Region 1), Twinsburg (5-2, 2-0, 12th in Division I, Region 2). What’s left: Mentor: vs. Medina (3-4, 1-1), at Strongsville (1-6, 0-2), at Twinsburg (5-2, 2-0). Twinsburg: vs. Solon (6-1, 1-1), at Medina (3-4, 1-1) vs. Mentor (7-0, 3-0).

Other team with a realistic chance at title: Solon (6-1, 1-1).

Northeast Ohio Conference River Division

Leaders: Hudson (6-1, 2-0, 6th in Division I, Region 2), Mayfield (4-3, 2-0). What’s left: Hudson: vs. Mayfield (4-3, 2-0), at Elyria (6-1, 1-1), vs. North Royalton (3-4, 1-1). Mayfield: at Hudson (6-1, 2-0), vs. Cuyahoga Falls (1-6, 0-2), at Elyria (6-1, 1-1).

Other teams with a realistic chance at title: North Royalton (3-4, 1-1), Elyria (6-1, 1-1).

Patriot Athletic Conference Stars Division

Leader: Firelands (7-0, 4-0, 11th in Division III, Region 9). What’s left: at Buckeye (2-5, 2-2), vs. Black River (6-1, 3-1), at Brookside (4-3, 2-2).

Other teams with a realistic chance at title: Wellington (4-3, 3-1), Black River (6-11, 3-1).

Portage Trail Metro Division

Leaders: Kent Roosevelt (6-1, 4-0, 7th in Division 2, Region 5), Ravenna (6-1, 4-0, 5th in Division III, Region 9). What’s left: Kent Roosevelt: vs. Springfield (2-5, 1-3), vs. Norton (1-6, 0-4) at Ravenna (6-1, 4-0). Ravenna: at Norton (1-6, 0-4), vs. Streetsboro (4-3, 2-2), vs. Roosevelt (6-1, 4-0).

Other teams with a realistic chance at title: None.

Portage Trail County Division

Leader: Southeast (7-0, 4-0, 8th in Division III, Region 9): What’s left: at Waterloo (5-2, 3-1), at Mogadore (5-2, 3-1) vs. Woodridge (4-3, 2-2).

Other teams with a realistic chance at title: Mogadore (5-2, 3-1), Waterloo (5-2, 3-1).

Principals Athletic Conference

Leader: CVCA (5-2, 4-0, 9th in Division III, Region 9). What’s left: vs. Tusky Valley (3-3, 3-1), at Timken (5-2, 2-2), at Manchester (4-3, 3-1).

Other teams with a realistic chance at title: Manchester (4-3, 3-1), Tusky Valley (4-3, 3-1), Timken (5-2, 2-2).

Suburban League

Leaders: Wadsworth (7-0, 4-0, 3rd in Division I, Region 2), Tallmadge (5-2, 4-0, 12th in Division II, Region 5). What’s left: Wadsworth: vs. Tallmadge (5-2, 4-0), at Highland (5-2, 2-2), at Nordonia (1-6, 1-3). Tallmadge: at Wadsworth (7-0, 4-0), vs. Copley (5-2, 3-1), at Green (4-3, 2-2).

Other team with a realistic chance at title: Copley (3-1, 2-2).

Independent

Leader: St. Vincent-St. Mary (7-0, 3rd in Division III, Region 9). What’s left: vs. Youngstown Cardinal Mooney (5-2), vs. Buchtel (4-3), at Youngstown Ursuline (1-6).

Stat pack: Because we can’t go a week without giving some fun numbers, here’s just a few:

* Twinsburg’s John Barton loves to play against Brunswick. In two games against the Blue Devils, the junior has 401 rushing yards and scored nine touchdowns.

* Black River’s loss to Wellington on Saturday came with some interesting stats.

Consider: Wellington led Black River 28-7 with 8:50 remaining in the second quarter, but had only two first downs.

Black River only had 2 yards less offense than Wellington and averaged 8.2 yards per carry.

The Pirates didn’t punt until there were 45 seconds left in the third quarter.

Wellington’s final scoring drive was a 14-play, 63-yard drive that ate 9:50 off the clock.

* Since moving down to the PTC County Division, Southeast has outscored league opponents 171-13.

* Firestone's Jerome Lane (son of former pro basketball player and St. Vincent-St. Mary grad Jerome Lane) might not find the end zone as much as he would like against City Series opponents, but he picks up yards by the bunches. In wins over Ellet, East and Kenmore, the junior has rushed for 450.  The math is easy here. That’s 150.0 yards per game.