Area colleges: David Boyce's Power Rankings

MIAA

1. Northwest Missouri, 2-0 (1)	Will give Truman a “Hickory Stick” beating
2. Missouri Western, 2-0 (5)	It’s Griffons time; look out Gorillas
3. Pittsburg St., 2-0 (2)	87-0 nail-biter over Oklahoma Panhandle St.
4. Central Missouri, 2-0 (4)	Scrimmage time over for Mules
5. Washburn, 1-1 (5)	Will show Mules real D-II football
6. Emporia State, 1-1 (6)	Should beat Fort Hays State
7. Missouri Southern, 2-0 (7)	Must win MIAA game to move up
8. Fort Hays State, 0-2 (8)	Tigers not getting blown out
9. Southwest Baptist, 0-2 (9)	Only lost by 31 to Missouri State
10. Truman, 0-3 (10)	May never own “Hickory Stick” again

Heart of America

1. Graceland, 2-0 (5)	Big win at Baker; team to beat in HAAC
2. Missouri Valley, 2-0 (3)	More impressive start than Jewell
3. William Jewell, 2-0 (2)	Cracks NAIA top 25 for first time in 15 years
4. Lindenwood, 1-2 (1)	Could drop drastically if it loses at Benedictine
5. MidAmerica Nazarene, 1-1 (6)	Showed heart again in three-point win
6. Benedictine, 1-1 (8)	A playoff contender if it beats Lindenwood
7. Baker, 1-1 (4)	Couldn’t handle prosperity
8. Evangel, 0-2 (7)	Preseason favorite in trouble
9. Central Methodist, 1-1 (9)	Needs to answer challenge of MidAmerica
10. Culver-Stockton, 0-2 (10)	Will have a hard time moving up
11. Avila, 0-2 (11)	Only lost by nine to Jewell

Star of the week

Northwest Missouri senior goalkeeper Alison Sheridan, a graduate of Blue Springs High School, posted back-to-back shutouts last week. Sheridan had five saves in a 1-0 victory against Augustana and made six saves in a 2-0 win against Upper Iowa.

Team to watch

The William Jewell men’s soccer team, off to a 2-1 start, will be tested at 7:30 tonight when it plays at Park. Park is a perennial top 25 team in NAIA. This game has turned into a great college soccer rivalry in Kansas City.

Place to be

In what should be one of the hardest-hitting games of the MIAA season, Pittsburg State travels to St. Joseph and will play Missouri Western at 6 p.m. Saturday at Spratt Memorial Stadium. Both teams are 2-0 as they begin conference play.

Around the area

William Jewell’s Cardinal club will meet for a luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Monday at the new Yates Gill Union. Lunch is $13 and includes a tour of the new union and the opportunity to meet with the fall coaches. … Washburn’s volleyball team knocked off two top-25 teams over the weekend in the Lady Blue Classic, beating No. 13 North Alabama 3-0 and defeating No. 12 Nebraska-Omaha 3-1.

Last week’s rankings are in parentheses. | David Boyce, dboyce@kcstar.com