COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Tree of Life Christian basketball team woke up on Tuesday morning to find themselves unexpectedly rated No. 7 in the first Associated Press statewide poll for Division IV, after starting their season with an 8-1 record.

The Trojans, who start five underclassmen, are led by veteran head coach Joe Arndt who returned for the 2017-18 season after the program struggled to a mere three wins last season. 

Tuesday's Mid-Ohio Christian Athletic League battle with Groveport Madison Christian at Tree of Life started with the teams exchanging buckets early with the Trojans grabbing a 14-8 lead after one period and a 25-19 lead at the end of the half. 

Junior 6-foot-1 forward Cade Randall scored 11 of 19 first half points for Madison Christian, while Trojan sophomore point guard Ian Leach (13 points) hit two three point bombs en route to eight first half points. 

Randall made a layup to cut the lead to 25-21 early in the third. That is when senior sixth man Craig Mazzoli (10 points) scored a driving baseline layup, then got a steal that he turned into a breakaway layup and finished up his run with a three point shot to jump start the Trojans and give them a 32-21 lead with 6:23 left in the third quarter.

A three point shot by junior 6-foot-4, 300 lb. center Raphael Hayes (8 points) shot the lead to 35-23 for the Trojans who would finish the period ahead 39-30. 

Twin sophomore 6-foot-2 wings, Isaiah Smith (13 points) and Josh Smith (12 points) began to pick-up their defense in the final quarter for the Trojans (9-1). The athletic duo started to run the floor and scored 13 of the Trojans 17 points in the final period.

Randall would finish with 21 points for Madison Christian (5-7) to lead all scorers.

"Our ranking is a little crazy right now," said Coach Arndt (17th season) after the contest. "We are definitely not the No. 7 team in the state."

Despite his grip on reality, Arndt is doing a nice job with a team starting three sophomores (Leach and the Smith twins) with upside on the perineter and two juniors in the post (Hayes and junior forward Shawn Scarberry) who like to mix it up and a senior sixth man who can score (Mazzoli) . The Trojans are going be a team to deal with over the next three seasons in Division IV.