The Hancock Bulldogs and L’Anse Purple Hornets retained spots in the latest UPSSA poll. Hancock (5-1, 4-1) enters at No. 5 in the Big Five, while L’Anse (4-2, 3-1) drops to No. 4 in the Little Five.

The Bulldogs will look to earn their first playoff berth since 2006 with a victory over Gwinn on Friday. Hancock figures to be heavily favored, with Gwinn currently riding a three-game losing streak after having been outscored 87-12 during the skid. The Modeltowners (2-4) only wins came against Iron Mountain (1-5) and Manistique (0-6).

L’Anse’s 26-7 loss to the Gogebic Miners now leaves the West Iron County Wykons as the sole leader in the West-PAC (5-1, 4-0). WIC is coming off a 53-20 triumphant over the Calumet Copper Kings (3-3, 2-3). WIC closes the conference schedule by hosting the Northland Pines Eagles on Friday, before finishing with a trip to Hancock and playing host to L’Anse in the final week of the season.

As for Calumet, they’ll head to L’Anse this week as the Copper Kings look to meet the six-win threshold to guarantee a playoff berth. After L’Anse, Calumet hosts Gogebic (2-4, 2-4) and the No. 4 Gladstone Braves (6-0).

The Lake Linden-Hubbell Lakes (2-3, 2-1) are another local team attempting to make a late playoff push. The Lakes are fresh off defeating two teams previously ranked in the Little Five poll — the Newberry Indians and Bark River-Harris Broncos. LL-H earned a 24-12 win over BR-H despite trailing 12-0 and running 27 plays to BR-H’s 79.

LL-H will host the Houghton Gremlins on Saturday; a win against the larger enrollment of the Gremlins will help the Lakes’ playoff point total. LL-H closes the season with a trip to Norway (6-0, 2-0) and a home contest against Manistique.

Houghton (1-5) is coming off its first win of the season — 32-0 over Northland Pines — and has featured an improved defense that’s allowed just 29 points over the last three games.

The Ontonagon Gladiators (3-2, 3-2) fell out of the top five after the loss 54-16 loss to the No. 1 Stephenson Eagles (6-0, 6-0). Ontonagon heads to Brimley on Saturday to face Bear Lake.

BIG FIVE

1. Escanaba (4) 5-1 24

2. Kingsford 4-1 17

3. Menominee 4-2 15

4. Gladstone (1) 6-0 13

5. Hancock 5-1 6

LITTLE FIVE

1. Norway (5) 6-0 25

2. Westwood 5-1 19

3. West Iron Co. 5-1 16

4. L’Anse 4-2 8

5. Newberry 3-2 4

Honorable mention: Lake Linden Hubbell 2-3 2, Munising 3-3 1.

EIGHT-PERSON

1. Stephenson (5) 6-0 25

2. Rapid River 6-0 20

3. Pickford 6-0 10

4. Cedarville 6-0 7

4. Forest Park 4-2 7

Honorable mention: North Central 3-2 4, Ontonagon 3-2 4