Kingsford’s Sid Olson (4) sprints into the end zone for a touchdown at Flivver Field during a 41-0 win against Hancock on Oct. 3. The Flivvers host undefeated Menominee on Friday. (Terry Raiche photo)

MARQUETTE — In what is absolutely no surprise, the “cream” — otherwise known as undefeated teams — rises to the top of the weekly Upper Peninsula high school football polls conducted by the U.P. Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.

Between 11-player and eight-player versions of the sport, the U.P.’s four teams without a blemish in their records occupy the top spots in those weekly polls.

There’s only one left in 11-player, so it wasn’t hard to make Menominee (7-0) a unanimous No. 1 with all five first-place votes and 25 voting points.

The Maroons solidified their hold on the top spot with a convincing 40-12 home win over Negaunee on Friday, actually the second-closest victory Menominee has had this season. Its closest was a 25-15 win at Calumet on Sept. 19, with wins of at least 40 points over Westwood, Houghton, Gladstone and Marinette, Wis. There was also a forfeit win over Hancock.

Escanaba (6-1), which was No. 1 in the U.P. last week, fell from the ranks of the unbeatens with a narrow 34-30 home loss to undefeated Gaylord in its tough Big North Conference. The Eskymos now occupy No. 2 in the U.P. rankings with 20 poll points.

Gaylord has eked through what is now five one-score victories, the closest a 28-27 overtime win at home over Marquette on Sept. 13. The Blue Devils also beat North Branch and Kingsley by seven points and Petoskey by six.

Kingsford (6-1) remained No. 3 with 14 points after a 42-0 shutout of Westwood, which returned to playing after forfeiting the previous week vs. Negaunee.

Calumet (5-2) held onto No. 4 with eight points after getting the week off when Hancock forfeited, while Bark River-Harris (5-1) moved into the No. 5 slot from the “others receiving votes” list by dropping Iron Mountain 38-14.

Marquette (4-3) moved back to receiving votes, three of them this week, after winning for the third time in four weeks with a 27-17 home win over Petoskey.

And Negaunee (4-3) fell from No. 5 to barely making the “others” list with one point after the loss to Menominee.

Eight-player is quite competitive at the top with three unbeatens still lurking around the U.P.

Norway (7-0), which defeated former No. 1 Pickford two weeks earlier, is still a solid No. 1 after a 34-14 victory over former top-five Newberry (5-2).

The Knights earned four of the five first-place votes and a near-perfect 24 voting points.

Gogebic-Bessemer (7-0) got the other first-place vote and 21 points with a 42-12 win over current No. 5 Lake Linden-Hubbell (5-2), which received four voting points.

North Dickinson (7-0) is the remaining undefeated in the U.P. and No. 3 in eight-player with 14 points after winning on forfeit over Carney-Nadeau.

Pickford (5-1) held its No. 4 spot with 12 points by downing Munising 55-6.

And Cedarville-DeTour (6-1) earned votes, two of them, to comprise the “others” list after a 48-28 triumph over downstate Peck.

In the Associated Press statewide polls, Menominee is tied for second in 11-player Division 7, even with Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (6-1) and behind No. 1 Pewamo-Westphalia (6-0).

BR-H is 11th in Division 8, just one vote behind No. 10 Decatur (5-2).

In eight-player, Norway is tied for second with Martin (7-0) in Division 1 as the Knights did receive one first-place vote. Indian River Inland Lakes (7-0) is at the top and received the other four first-place votes.

Bessemer-Gogebic is fifth and Pickford sixth.

In Division 2, North Dickinson is fourth behind No. 1 Deckerville (7-0), No. 2 Mendon (7-0) and No. 3 Onekama (7-0). Cedarville-DeTour is tied for 10th and Lake Linden-Hubbell is 12th, three points out of 10th.