Federal League Power Rankings
1. Jackson (6-3, 5-1 League)
2. Lake (10-1, 5-1 League)
3. McKinley (4-6, 3-3 League)
4. Perry (5-6, 4-2 League)
5. Hoover (6-5, 1-4 League)
6. Boardman (4-6, 1-4 League)
7. GlenOak (4-6, 1-5 League)
League Trends
Parity is the name of the game this year in the Federal League, which seems to be down for the second straight year.
League-worst GlenOak has beaten Hoover, who has beaten McKinley, who has beaten Perry, who beat league-best Jackson…you see where this is going?
It’s a season where seemingly anyone can win in any given game—it all depends on which team has a hot night. And so far, the stats have supported that. What’s the average point differential per game this season for Federal League teams? Less than 5 points.
Bulldogs trash Eagles
Last week, the McKinley Bulldogs had what they hope will turn out to be their breakout game against GlenOak.
After dropping five straight games—3 of them league games—the Bulldogs got a much needed win in Memorial Field House, 66-47.
Defense was the biggest difference for the Bulldogs.
McKinley brought the press early against GlenOak, and it was able to get turnovers and transition baskets throughout the game.
Add in a team-first mentality on offense, which lead to the Bulldogs spreading the ball around, and they were clicking for the first time since a 73-41 pasting of Boardman on Dec. 16.
Looking Ahead
With Austintown Fitch’s departure from the Federal League this season, the teams all play each other twice. So, if you think that at 5-1 Jackson and Lake are in a two team race for the title, think again—it’s time for Federal League round two, and it’s already been proven that anyone can win.
But while the average differential is less than 5 points, over half of the teams in the league have lost at least one league game by double digits.
Just three teams have yet to lose a league game by at least 10: Jackson, Lake, and McKinley. Look for these three teams to continue to have a chance in every game, and play a big role in how the league shapes out at the end of the season.
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