HOUGHTON - L'Anse is up a spot to No. 3 in the fourth U.P. Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association poll of the 2012 football season.
The move likely has much to do with the goings-on in Felch Friday, where North Dickinson whipped Forest Park 55-27 in a battle of unbeatens.
The Nordics (6-0) leapfrogged fellow unbeaten and last week's No. 1, St. Ignace, for the top spot in a one-point decision in this week's small-school poll.
The Nordics jumped out to a 19-0 lead after just a quarter and racked up 506 yards of offense, 451 of them on the ground. Tim Hruska ran for 200 yards on 11 carries, including an 83-yard score on his first touch.
The Nordics hadn't beaten FP since 2006. They had 23 poll points and three first-place votes to the Saints 22 and two first-place votes.
St. Ignace also clinched its playoff spot with a 70-6 demolition of Fife Lake Forest Area. The Saints have outscored their opponents 253-12 in five games (plus a forfeit), but their six opponents thus far this season are a combined 3-33, including four that are still winless.
Fact Box
DIVISIONS?1-7
1. Ishpeming (4) 6-0 23
2. Kingsford (1) 5-1 21
3. Menominee 5-1 15
4. Negaunee 6-0 11
5. Marquette 4-2 4
OTHER
Iron Mountain 4-2 1
DIVISION?8
1. N. Dickinson (3) 6-0 23
2. St. Ignace (2) 6-0 22
3. L'Anse 6-0 13
4. Forest Park 5-1 12
5. Pickford 5-1 3
OTHER
Stephenson 4-2 2
EIGHT MAN
1. Cedarville (5) 6-0 25
2. Sup. Central 4-1 16
3. Rapid River 5-1 4
The Saints get their first legitimate test this week against a Pickford team that was unbeaten until a 33-6 defeat to playoff-bound Mancelona.
L'Anse (6-0) received 13 poll points, just one more than FP, which faces Baraga this week.
Pickford stays in at five this week with three poll points. Stephenson (4-2) also received two points.
Cedarville, at 6-0, is the top-ranked eight-man team, followed by Superior Central and Rapid River.
Ishpeming remains tops in the large-school poll after going across the border to whip Laona-Wabeno, Wis., 48-0 in non-league play. The Hematites received four of five first-place votes and 23 poll points. Kingsford got the other first-place vote and 21 poll points.
Kingsford took down Marquette 21-14 at home Friday, building a three-touchdown lead after three quarters and holding on.
Menominee remains at No. 3 with a 5-1 mark and 15 poll points. The Maroons went to Escanaba and rolled the Eskymos 42-17 Friday.
Negaunee remains fourth after a straightforward 42-13 takedown of Norway Saturday, while Marquette is fifth despite its defeat.
Week 7 is set up for a series of marquee matchups. No. 1 meets No. 4 in Negaunee, while the No. 3 Maroons host No. 5 Marquette. No. 2 Kingsford doesn't have an easy out, either, playing at crosstown rival Iron Mountain Saturday. The 4-2 Mountaineers received a single vote.