High school girls basketball: Long Island Lutheran, Sidwell Friends headline way-too-early top 25 for 2023-24

New York power returns all five starters from team that won Nike TOC, finished No. 2 in MaxPreps Top 25.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Aaron Williams
By
Apr 25, 2023, 11:00am
Looking into the crystal ball toward the 2023-24 high school girls basketball season, familiar names will be in the mix once again for the top spot in the preseason MaxPreps Top 25.

The first five in the way-too-early top 25 are teams that finished in the top 10 of the final 2022-23 MaxPreps Top 25, led by Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.).

The Crusaders finished No. 2 after falling in the GEICO Nationals final but return every piece of the team that went 22-3 and won the Nike TOC last season. Kate Koval and Kayleigh Heckel should only get better with last season on the court together and a summer run on the club circuit.

Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.), the 2021-22 MaxPreps National Champions, finished No. 5 last season, but won its second straight State Champions Invitational. UCLA commit Kendall Dudley leads a squad that loses Duke-bound Jadyn Donovan, but has plenty waiting to fill their roles.

Reigning CIF Open Division champion Kennedy Smith and Etiwanda (Calif.) come in at No. 3 while Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), the team the Eagles edged at the buzzer for the title follows at No. 4. New Jersey Non-Public B title winner Morris Catholic (Denville, N.J.) sits at No. 5 with the Pauldo twins, Mia Pauldo and Mya Pauldo, leading the way.
1. Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.)
2022-23 record: 22-3, No. 2 in final MaxPreps Top 25
Notable losses: None
Notable returners: Kayleigh Heckel, Kate Koval, Syla Swords, Savannah Swords, Ka'Shya Hawkins, Lauryn Swann
The Crusaders return the entire core of a team that won Nike TOC and battled to the end of the season for the No. 1 ranking.

2. Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)
2022-23 record: 29-3, No. 5
Notable losses: Jadyn Donovan, Khia Miller
Notable returners: Kendall Dudley, Jayla Jordyn Jackson, Leah Harmon, Ava Yoon, Marley Long, Zania Socka
DCSAA champs won a second straight State Champions Invitational title and have pieces from a team that finished No. 1 two seasons ago.

3. Etiwanda (Calif.)
2022-23 record: 32-3, No. 3
Notable losses: Majesty Cade, Sa'lah Hemingway
Notable returners: Kennedy Smith, Aliyahna Morris, Mykelle Richards, Jada Sanders
The Eagles grabbed the CIF Open Division title and have the core returning from a team that had been knocking on the door for the past few years.

4. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.)
2022-23 record: 28-3, No. 7
Notable losses: Maya Hernandez, April Chan
Notable returners: Morgan Cheli, McKenna Woliczko
Cheli and Woliczko provide a great foundation for head coach Sue Phillips to build on as the Monarchs have been to the past two Open Division finals.

5. Morris Catholic (Denville, N.J.)
2022-23 record: 28-3, No. 8
Notable losses: Natalie Stoupakis
Notable returners: Mia Pauldo, Mya Pauldo, Daniella Matus, Alexis Rosenfeld
The Non-Public B state title winner, the Crusaders have the core of the squad back, including the electric Mia Pauldo, a MaxPreps Sophomore All-American.

6. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)
2022-23 record: 31-1, No. 4
Notable losses: Juju Watkins, Crystal Wang
Notable returners: MacKenly Randolph, Izela Arenas, Emilia Krstevski
The Trailblazers have to replace the scoring and overall impact of Watkins, the two-time MaxPreps National Player of the Year.

7. DeSoto (Texas)
2022-23 record: 28-6
Notable losses: None
Notable returners: Amari Byles, Kamora Pruitt, Mylasia Smith, Amayah Garcia
Though they couldn't grab the Class 6A title for the third straight season, the uber-young Eagles squad made the final and return all the pieces from that runner-up finish.

8. Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis)
2022-23 record: 32-0, No. 6
Notable losses: Natalie Potts, Kaylynn Janes, Brooke Coffey
Notable returners: Nevaeh Caffey, Peyton Hill, Abbie Sextro
You don't get to 100 straight wins by chance and coach Dan Rolfes has built a program that withstands the ebbs and flows of each season.

9. Sacred Heart (Louisville, Ky.)
2022-23 record: 36-3, No. 15
Notable losses: Triniti Ralston
Notable returners: ZaKiyah Johnson, Reagan Bender, Angelina Pelayo
The two-time reigning state champion returns the top three scorers from last season, including Johnson, a two-time MaxPreps Player of the Year for her class.

10. Centennial (Las Vegas)
2022-23 record: 25-2, No. 18
Notable losses: Asani Ceaser
Notable returners: Kaniya Boyd, Danae Powell, Ayla Williams, Jada Price, Grace Knox
The Bulldogs won their eighth straight Nevada title and had a good showing at the State Champions Invitational. They get Knox back next year after missing time due to transfer issues.

11. St. John's (Washington, D.C.)
2022-23 record: 26-7
Notable losses: Delaney Thomas
Notable returners: Kyndal Walker, Carolae Barton, Tatum Greene, Ava O’Neil
Losing Thomas is big but Walker leads a cast of juniors ready to step into the leadership role after falling one game short of a DCSAA title.

12. Johnston (Iowa)
2022-23 record: 24-2
Notable losses: Emma Hampton, Molly Noelck
Notable returners: Aili Tanke, Aaliyah Riley, Jenica Lewis
Tanke led the team in scoring and Lewis had a big freshman campaign for the Dragons, who spent time in the MaxPreps Top 25 last season.

13. Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
2022-23 record: 26-1, No. 1
Notable losses: Mjracle Sheppard, Sahnya Jah, Cori Allen, Rusne Augustinaite, Lety Vasconcelos, coach Special Jennings
Notable returners: Vivian Iwuchukwu
The fact the Eagles are the reigning MaxPreps National Champions and have won back-to-back GEICO titles makes Montverde an appealing place for transfers to land.

14. St. John-Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.)
2022-23 record: 32-1, No. 9
Notable losses: Zoe Brooks, Ashley Sofilkanich, Janie Bachmann
Notable returners: Julia Karpell, Madison Kocis, Taylor Sofilkanich
Until a loss in the final with an injured Brooks, the Lancers had won 92 straight against New Jersey foes. And while Brooks' absence will be big, you don't build a program of that caliber without having pieces ready to fill holes.

15. Hazel Green (Ala.)
2022-23 record: 36-1, No. 13
Notable losses: Nyla Collier
Notable returners: Leah Brooks, Amiya Redus, Sydney Steward, Kelsi Andrews
The Trojans grabbed a sixth straight Class 6A title and return much of the core that only lost one game last season.

16. Camden (S.C.)
2022-23 record: 29-2
Notable losses: Tateyoina Harris
Notable returners: Joyce Edwards, Braylin Mungo, Morgan Champion, Zyasia Carter
Edwards is the MaxPreps National Junior of the Year and headlines a returning cast that won state last season.

17. Lake Highland Prep (Orlando, Fla.)
2022-23 record: 25-6
Notable losses: Eleecia Carter
Notable returners: Lexi Blue, Jada Eads, Bri Rivera
The Highlanders had a brutal strength of schedule on their way to a fourth straight 4A title. With Eads and Blue returning, five isn't out of the question.

18. Hebron Christian Academy (Dacula, Ga.)
2022-23 record: 32-0
Notable losses: Trinity Butler
Notable returners: Aubrey Beckham, Ja’kerra Butler, Amiya Porter, Nickiya Daniel
The unbeaten run to a AAA title was coach Jan Azar's 15th title.

19. Dr. Phillips (Orlando, Fla.)
2022-23 record: 30-2, No. 20
Notable losses: None
Notable returners: Trinity Turner, Kendall Perry, Anilys Rolon, Sariah Johnson
Turner took over in the state championship win and the other returners all averaged double figures.

20. Monterey (Lubbock, Texas)
2022-23 record: 32-4
Notable losses: Kelly Mora, Jaelyn Morrison
Notable returners: Aaliyah Chavez, Ambrosia Cole, Ari Johnson
Chavez is an elite talent that can take over games. The experience gained should help Cole and Johnson, both freshmen last year.

21. Desert Vista (Phoenix)
2022-23 record: 28-3, No. 17
Notable losses: None
Notable returners: Jerzy Robinson, Shay Ijiwoye, Eanae Dagons, Dylan Swindle, Michaela Fairwell
Make no mistake, MaxPreps Co-Freshman of the Year Robinson stirs the drink, but the others on the floor were integral in winning the inaugural Open Division title.

22. Nazareth Academy (LaGrange Park, Ill.)
2022-23 record: 35-1
Notable losses: Grace Carstensen
Notable returners: Olivia Austin, Katie Wilson, Ama Dray
The Roadrunners took a loss in the 2022 state championship game and turned it into a 3A title. What can they parlay in 2024?

23. Purcell Marian (Cincinnati)
2022-23 record: 27-2
Notable losses: None
Notable returners: Dee Alexander, McKenzie Jones, Ky Miller, Jayda Mosley, Trinity Small
Alexander looks to add a third straight title after the MaxPreps All-American and Ohio Miss Basketball helped the Cavaliers to the Division III title.

24. Clackamas (Ore.)
2022-23 record: 26-4
Notable losses: Rhyan Mogel, Eliza Buerk
Notable returners: Jazzy Davidson, Avery Peterson
Unbeaten against Beaver State foes, the Cavaliers have two more seasons with Davidson leading the charge.

25. Bethany (Okla.)
2022-23 record: 30-1
Notable losses: None
Notable returners: Zya Vann, Keziah Lofton, Kayten Donley
The Sooner State has a ton of talent coming and the Bronchos could be the best of the bunch after winning a 4A title last season.

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