Week 9 YAIAA power rankings: Red Lion shakes up chase

Just two weeks remain in the regular season. Not much has changed in the YAIAA power rankings, but division titles will soon be decided. Here's a look at where the teams stand:

1. Bermudian Springs (8-0, last week: 1) -- Coach Jon DeFoe found a few things to work on following a 42-21 win at York Catholic that firmed up Bermudian's YAIAA Division III title chances. The Eagles were just 0-of-2 passing the football (with a would-be completion to fullback Colton Dull voided by an illegal-man downfield call -- by the way, Bermudian's only penalty last week). They also fumbled away two possessions in the fourth quarter, but this was their toughest league test to date. Littlestown at home Friday and a trip to Biglerville in Week 10 are what stand in the way of the Eagles and an undefeated regular-season campaign.

2. Dallastown (7-1, lw: 2) -- Following the Wildcats' steady performance at winless New Oxford, they return home for a showdown with Central York. This game would have broken a first-place tie with the Panthers. Instead, Central's loss to Red Lion means Central trails the Wildcats by one game in the YAIAA Division I standings. For Dallastown, they now must fend off the Panthers this week and Red Lion -- which also has just one league loss -- next week to preserve its sole possession of first place.

3. West York (7-1, lw: 3) -- The Bulldogs are in the same position as Dallastown. They lead their division by a game against two teams, whom they will play in the next two weeks. First, it's defending YAIAA Division II champion and arch-rival Dover, which suffered a 36-21 loss last week to York Suburban. The Bulldogs, however, keep moving along. They took care of Susquehannock last week. If they get by Dover, it's on to Gettysburg in Week 10 for a chance to wrap up YAIAA Division II.

4. Gettysburg (7-1, lw: 4) -- Speaking of the potential implications of a Week 10 West York at Gettysburg meeting, both are playing for high seeds in the District 3 Class AAA playoffs. The Bulldogs are currently second. Gettysburg is fifth.

5. Red Lion (5-3, lw: 9) -- This could be considered a controversial jump, improving four spots and leaping over a South Western team that shut out the Lions a few weeks ago. However, three teams between Red Lion and this spot lost last week. The most noteworthy one is Central York, which had beaten South Western in overtime and, thus, gives the Lions an argument that they are better than the squad that lost 20-0 at The Corral. Antwan Jackson has since gained momentum running the football, and Kendrick Boyd-Gillespie is back to the touchdown-catching ways we saw earlier this year.

In contention: 6. South Western (3-5), 7. Central York (4-4), 8. York Catholic (5-3), 9. Northeastern (4-4), 10. Eastern York (5-3).